Institutional perspective on introducing enterprise architecture : The case of the Norwegian hospital sector

Paper I, II, and III are not available as a part of the dissertation due to the copyright.The findings from this thesis point to the incongruence between the characteristics of EA and the healthcare domain as specific tensions among the EA logic and different professional logics as a source of deviation. The incongruence comes from the long-term plan-driven EA approach versus healthcare traditions and needs for ad-hoc initiatives. Other themes stem from the EA logic of process standardisation, which poses challenges in gaining acceptance and trust that the processes dinscribe appropriate clinical knowledge and provide support for local variations. Moreover, the EA vision of data integration across organisational units and across IS has implications for concerns about privacy and protection of sensitive data, but this can collide with the healthcare view on patient safety and the need for mission-critical data. This dissertation makes several contributions to research and practice. First, it augments the EA research stream by offering rich insights and specific implications related to challenges of EA institutionalisation in healthcare. A description of the enterprise architects’ logics and the EA logic supplements the EA knowledge base. Likewise, it presents a model of a predicted evolution of the EA initiatives through the phases of optimism, resistance, decline and finally, reconsolidation of the most persistent ones, unless firm mandates are established from the start. Furthermore, the study provides a model that illustrates how coexisting institutional logics maintain their distinct character while allowing compromises that shape EA operationalisation. The model shows a set of scenarios for settling tensions in project decisions. In these scenarios, EA is foregrounded, blended with other available institutional logics or suppressed. Second, this dissertation contributes to an enhanced theoretical and empirical understanding of EA institutionalisation, where regulative, normative and culturalcognitive elements create and maintain EA as an institution, and unsurprisingly, the organisational response impedes the institutionalisation process. The organisational response can be explained by selective activated institutional logics among the actors. However, with targeted institutional work from the actors that want EA to be institutionalised, the process can be reinforced. This thesis also offers some practical suggestions at the national policy level. First, financial arrangements should be assessed to encourage broader involvement from the sub-organisations. Second, through active ownership, they can address the need for enhanced EA understanding and should secure the education of the actors, not the least at the executive level, together with the targeted hires. Furthermore, the need for organisational changes related to EA is under-communicated. The thesis also makes practical suggestions to deal with the challenges, the incongruence and the consequent tensions, mainly by finding solutions that balance between the institutional logics of EA and of healthcare.publishedVersio

Sentrale utfordringer ved ERP postimplementering: en action casestudie i en franchisesammenheng

Masteroppgave informasjonssystemer- Universitetet i Agder, 2014Dette er en masteroppgave i informasjonssystemer (IS) ved Universitetet i Agder. Hensikten med oppgaven er faglig fordypning, samtidig som en skal lære å anvende teoretisk kunnskap og vitenskapelige metoder. Sønstebøtunet AS er en bedrift innen detaljhandel som er lokalisert i Bø i Telemark. De har franchiseavtaler med flere ledende kjeder. Siste tilskudd til bedriften er oppkjøp av en etablert G-Sport butikk i Bø, med flytting og nyåpning høsten 2012. I sportsbutikken er det store utfordringer med datakvaliteten på varelageret, noe som skaper problemer både for butikkens eiere og kjedens hovedkontor i forhold til leverandøranalyse og salgsstatistikk. Franchise som forretningsform har blitt en svært utbredt driftsmetode innen varehandelen. For å få til effektive verdikjeder spiller forretningssystemer en stor rolle. Studier viser at det ikke er samsvar mellom bedrifters ønske om å satse på SCM (Supply Chain Management) og innsats for å få økt kunnskap og forståelse for prosessen. Det er også lite akademisk forskning for å bidra til gode industrielle rutiner i franchisekonteksten. Med bakgrunn i overnevnte ønsket jeg å undersøke hvilke utfordringer som er sentrale ved bruk av forretningssystemer i en franchisesammenheng. Hva er kritiske faktorer for å optimalisere SCM-prosessen i et ERP-system (Enterprise Resource Planning) innen franchise? Hvordan har bedriften håndtert disse faktorene? Har bedriften bygd opp evnen til å håndtere de ulike aspektene ved SCM? Studien har gitt et bedre innblikk i suksessfaktorer og underliggende faktorer for å få utnyttet kapasiteten i SCM-delen i butikk-kjeders datasystemer der franchisebutikker er involvert. Oppgaven er gjennomført med metoden action case. Action case er en kombinasjon av casestudie og en kortversjon av aksjonsforskning (AR). Metoden ble valgt fordi den gir forskeren muligheten til først å få en rik innsikt i problemet, for deretter å gå aktivt inn i situasjonen for å teste ut eksisterende teori og nye artefakter. Dette har gitt meg førsthånds-kunnskap om problemet og endringene. I AR er problemeieren bidragsyter i forskningsproses-sen og deltakerne i prosjektet har bidratt i diskusjoner og ved evalueringene. Metoden har gitt meg detaljert informasjon om problemet og om franchisekonteksten, som ellers ville ha vært vanskelig å få tak i. Fasene i min action case-metode var diagnose, med påfølgende faser i AR-syklusen: Planlegge aksjon, gjennomføre aksjon, evaluering og refleksjon Studien er i det interpretivistiske paradigme med et holistisk perspektiv, det vil si at det ikke er noen absolutte svar på problemstillingen, men en antydning av årsakssammenhenger. Datainnsamlingen til denne studien har blitt gjennomført ved å bruke flere metoder, såkalt metodetriangulering. Metodene som er brukt er dokumentanalyse, intervju og observasjon. Intervensjonene har gått ut på å forbedre datakvaliteten på varelageret og på grunnlaget for salgsoversikter. Tiltakene har blitt gjennomført ved testing og etablering av rutiner, samt oppæring og motivering. Med bakgrunn i resultatene har jeg anbefalt tiltak overfor både franchisegivere og franchisetakere for å sikre en bedre prosess for varehåndtering. Franchisegiveren i denne casen tillater at franchisetakeren kan kjøpe varer utenfor kjedens varesortiment. Studien viser at hos franchisegiveren er integrasjonen rundt vareflyten både nedstrøms og oppstrøms i kjeden, godt i varetatt så lenge varene er i kjedesortimentet. Hos franchisetakeren er det problemer med integrasjon av varer kjøpt utenfor systemet, pga. en tungvinn og tidkrevende registreringsprosess. I tillegg utøver franchisegiver makt ved å nekte å legge inn vareinformasjon fra noen bestemte leverandører. Svak funksjonalitet og bruk av maktdemonstrasjon, fører dermed til at det blir vanskelig å ha kontroll på varelageret i butikken. Til sammen fører dette til demotivering av butikkens ansatte for å håndtere vare-flyten på en korrekt måte. Manglende opplæring og liten oppfattet nytteverdi bidrar til at systemet ikke brukes etter intensjonene. Dermed er vi inne i en ond sirkel som medfører at både kjeden og butikken i neste omgang får utfordringer med sin datakvalitet. Studien har to forskningsbidrag. Et av funnene er at datakvaliteten i verdikjeden, i et ERP-post-implementasjonsperspektiv, påvirkes av faktorer som kompetansemangel hos franchise-taker og kontrollmekanismer fra franchisegiver. Forskningsbidrag nummer to er at dersom et ERP-system skal brukes etter intensjonene, må spesielt franchisegiver ta innover seg at det er to organisasjoner som må samarbeide for å få effekt av systemet. En viktig utfordring er opplæring i bruk av systemet og prosessene rundt. En annen viktig utfordring er effektiv vareregistrering av varer kjøpt utenfor kjedesamarbeidet. Implikasjoner for franchisegivere er at de bør bestrebe seg på å ha en god kommunikasjon med franchisetakerne, slik at problemer kan avdekkes tidlig og løses. Sertifisering i bruk av systemet kan sikre at systemet blir brukt riktig og det kan være motiverende for den enkelte ansatte å ta kurs. Franchisegiver kan også legge til rette for motivasjonsseminar i samarbeid med franchisetakeren. Franchisegiver bør ha et langsiktig perspektiv på oppfølging, for å oppdage faresignaler og være mentor for franchisetakerne også innen bruk av IS. Implika-sjoner for franchisetaker er at de må prøve å ha et godt samarbeidsforhold med franchisegiver. De må være klar over at kunnskap og opplæring kan være nøkkelen til at de kan få utløst gevinst av IT-systemet de tross alt betaler mer for enn et ordinært kasse-apparat. Forslag til videre studier er en kvantitativ undersøkelse for å kartlegge omfanget av problemet med dårlig datakvalitet hos franchisetakere som kjøper inn varer selv. Det kan også være interessant å studere om det er forskjeller på hvordan butikkene blir behandlet og fulgt opp fra franchisegiveren sin side, avhengig av om det er egeneide butikker eller franchise-butikker

Enterprise Architecture Implementation Is a Bumpy Ride: A Case Study in the Norwegian Public Sector

Enterprise architecture (EA) is a widespread approach for the development of new digital solutions in a planned and controlled way for large and complex organisations. EA is also viewed as a prerequisite for the digitalisation of the public sector. However, public sector organisations struggle to implement EA programmes, and research has demonstrated that organisational and managerial issues are critical obstacles to EA implementation. This study aims to increase our understanding of EA implementation in the public sector by investigating the central challenges for EA initiatives and to trace the progress of current EA initiatives in the Norwegian public sector. An additional goal is to disclose some ways to improve the situation. We conducted three interpretive case studies in the hospital, higher education, and labour and welfare sectors. We have identified 28 challenges to the EA initiatives. We find that organisational and technical complexities, as well as a limited understanding of EA and lack of formal EA governance mechanisms, are significant obstacles. Among others, the lack of understanding of EA and its methodology will lead to problems with anchoring the EA approach in the organisation and facilitating the necessary EA arrangements to induce the promised benefits of EA, which are necessary requirements to establish the EA initiative’s legitimacy and foster the organisation’s willingness to implement change. Our study provides four lessons learned for planning and implementing EA initiatives, as follows: #1. It is advisable to take small steps. #2. The use of external consultants should be carefully considered. #3. Formal architectural governance mechanisms are important for legitimacy and enforced use. #4. Executive commitment and understanding of EA are crucial for achieving a sustainable EA initiative. Finally, we find a common evolution of the EA initiatives through the phases of optimism, resistance, decline and finally, reconsolidation of the most persistent ones.publishedVersio

Enterprise architecture operationalization and institutional pluralism: The case of the Norwegian Hospital sector

Enterprise architecture (EA) is a systematic way of designing, planning, and implementing process and technology changes to address the complexity of information system (IS) landscapes. EA is operationalized when architecture visions move towards realization through concrete projects. We report a case study on the dynamics of operationalizing EA in the Norwegian hospital sector by exploring different EA project trajectories. Our empirical context is an institutionally pluralistic setting where multiple logics coexist. We show that the distinct logic of EA is added to the institutional context and we find that tensions among existing medical, technical, and managerial logics and EA principles and assumptions emerge. We contribute to the under‐researched topic of EA operationalization by suggesting a model that demonstrates how the meeting of multiple institutional logics can lead to varying degrees of differentiation or even disassociation from EA visions during decision‐taking in projects. Furthermore, we advance extant research on IS projects' implementation in institutionally pluralistic settings by providing an empirical account of actors' interactions and project leadership arrangements that contribute to the persistence of coexisting logics in a dynamic equilibrium.publishedVersio

Institutional perspective on introducing enterprise architecture : The case of the Norwegian hospital sector

The findings from this thesis point to the incongruence between the characteristics of EA and the healthcare domain as specific tensions among the EA logic and different professional logics as a source of deviation. The incongruence comes from the long-term plan-driven EA approach versus healthcare traditions and needs for ad-hoc initiatives. Other themes stem from the EA logic of process standardisation, which poses challenges in gaining acceptance and trust that the processes dinscribe appropriate clinical knowledge and provide support for local variations. Moreover, the EA vision of data integration across organisational units and across IS has implications for concerns about privacy and protection of sensitive data, but this can collide with the healthcare view on patient safety and the need for mission-critical data. This dissertation makes several contributions to research and practice. First, it augments the EA research stream by offering rich insights and specific implications related to challenges of EA institutionalisation in healthcare. A description of the enterprise architects’ logics and the EA logic supplements the EA knowledge base. Likewise, it presents a model of a predicted evolution of the EA initiatives through the phases of optimism, resistance, decline and finally, reconsolidation of the most persistent ones, unless firm mandates are established from the start. Furthermore, the study provides a model that illustrates how coexisting institutional logics maintain their distinct character while allowing compromises that shape EA operationalisation. The model shows a set of scenarios for settling tensions in project decisions. In these scenarios, EA is foregrounded, blended with other available institutional logics or suppressed. Second, this dissertation contributes to an enhanced theoretical and empirical understanding of EA institutionalisation, where regulative, normative and culturalcognitive elements create and maintain EA as an institution, and unsurprisingly, the organisational response impedes the institutionalisation process. The organisational response can be explained by selective activated institutional logics among the actors. However, with targeted institutional work from the actors that want EA to be institutionalised, the process can be reinforced. This thesis also offers some practical suggestions at the national policy level. First, financial arrangements should be assessed to encourage broader involvement from the sub-organisations. Second, through active ownership, they can address the need for enhanced EA understanding and should secure the education of the actors, not the least at the executive level, together with the targeted hires. Furthermore, the need for organisational changes related to EA is under-communicated. The thesis also makes practical suggestions to deal with the challenges, the incongruence and the consequent tensions, mainly by finding solutions that balance between the institutional logics of EA and of healthcare

Enterprise architecture operationalization and institutional pluralism: The case of the Norwegian Hospital sector

Enterprise architecture (EA) is a systematic way of designing, planning, and implementing process and technology changes to address the complexity of information system (IS) landscapes. EA is operationalized when architecture visions move towards realization through concrete projects. We report a case study on the dynamics of operationalizing EA in the Norwegian hospital sector by exploring different EA project trajectories. Our empirical context is an institutionally pluralistic setting where multiple logics coexist. We show that the distinct logic of EA is added to the institutional context and we find that tensions among existing medical, technical, and managerial logics and EA principles and assumptions emerge. We contribute to the under‐researched topic of EA operationalization by suggesting a model that demonstrates how the meeting of multiple institutional logics can lead to varying degrees of differentiation or even disassociation from EA visions during decision‐taking in projects. Furthermore, we advance extant research on IS projects' implementation in institutionally pluralistic settings by providing an empirical account of actors' interactions and project leadership arrangements that contribute to the persistence of coexisting logics in a dynamic equilibrium

Enterprise Architecture in Hospitals: Resolving Incongruence Issues

publishedVersio