Sub-Cultural Differences in Information Ethics across China: Focus On Chinese Management Generation Gaps

We combined scenarios based on information ethics issues identified by Mason (privacy, accuracy, property, and access) with questions based on the stages of moral development proposed by Kohlberg to empirically test two theories rooted in sociology: generational subculture theory and life-cycle theory. Evidence from more than 1,100 managers across China strongly supports generational subculture theory by revealing significant differences in information ethics among the Republican, Revolutionary, and Reform generations. The generation gaps suggest that events such as the Cultural Revolution as well as the implementation of both the Open Door Policy and the One-Child Policy have shaped the information ethics of Chinese managers. We also discovered fundamental tensions between Western moral philosophies (based on rules, democracy, individual rights, and personal freedoms) and the traditions of Chinese culture (based on relationships, hierarchy, collective responsibilities, and social harmony). The ethical dimensions of the evolution from traditional China to modern China, and from particularistic trust to systemic trust, are discussed. Combined with previous Chinese management research by Martinsons, our study implies that it will be difficult to resolve data privacy and intellectual property issues. It also raises concerns about cross-cultural research such as GLOBE and Hofstede that rely on narrow demographic samples. Further research is recommended to examine the information and knowledge management of Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y (or Millennial Generation), and other sub-cultural groups, in order to determine the generalizability of “doing the right thing”

Strategic intelligence in Hong Kong

What would happen in Hong Kong after the 1997 transfer of its political sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China? For organizational leaders in Hong Kong, this was more than an academic issue. As the handover approached, they faced an impending discontinuity in their environment. Although the Chinese are renowned for their business success amidst environmental uncertainty, little is known about information management in Chinese organisations. Given that the ethnic Chinese constituted a vast majority of both the general population and organisational leaders in pre-handover Hong Kong, it was an attractive context for strategic intelligence research. The study considered how Hong Kong Chinese chief executive officers (CEOs) perceived the pre-handover business environment, and how they acquired and used information about that environment. A multiple method design was employed to extend an existing body of management literature on environmental scanning. Eight case studies across four industries complemented a survey of 53 CEOs in the printing and securities industries. The questionnaire was designed to determine 1) the levels of perceived uncertainty in six distinct sectors of the business environment, and 2) the environmental scanning conducted in response to the perceived uncertainty. Quantitative analysis revealed many similarities but also several significant differences from both previous studies in the West and between the two industries in Hong Kong. The case studies examined how CEOs acquired and used information about the external environment as they attended to specific strategic issues. The cases provided empirical grounding for an explanatory theory of information management and indicated that the handover was not a uniform or even universal source of environmental uncertainty. Specific cultural, institutional, and competitive factors were found to influence the environmental perceptions, scanning behaviours and information management activities of Hong Kong Chinese chief executives

Research Perspectives: Improving Action Research by Integrating Methods

Action research (AR) has developed extensively since the 1970s. We reviewed the AR literature within the information systems (IS) discipline and found 16 different methods, which constitutes a problematic situation for researchers. We describe and critique those methods before integrating their strengths to improve the AR method that is most frequently practiced in IS: canonical action research (CAR). The existing set of principles and criteria for CAR is modified and elaborated to enhance the foundation for undertaking AR consistently. We discuss the general implications of this improved form of the method, which we name integrated action research (IAR). We specifically suggest how IAR can be used to investigate the application of disruptive technologies, including those that embody artificial intelligence and enable more flexible and socially distanced work

The Multimethodological Investigation of Knowledge Sharing Practices in Eastwei

The sequential or parallel application of a number of complementary methods offers researchers the potential of a holistic perspective to analyse and interpret a phenomenon. In this paper, we report on our multimethodological investigation into the knowledge sharing practices of Eastwei, a medium sized firm providing professional services in China, guided by an overarching action research framework. We introduce the research context, explain the selection of methods, and describe our experiences in their application. We then reflect on the integration of complementary research methods and epistemologies in this research project, as well as the potential for similar integrations in future research as we assess the contributions of the research. Finally, we summarise the lessons learned and conclude the pape

The Ethics of IT Professionals in Japan and China

The ethical integrity and accountability of Information Technology (IT) professionals is important given our reliance on various forms of IT. We examined the applicability of Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of Cognitive Moral Development (CMD) in non-Western contexts by investigating the ethical values of IT professionals in Asia’s two largest economies. Analysis of survey data from Japan (n=289) and China (n=290) indicates support for the basic six-stage model of CMD. The concept of abiding by universal laws and rules (termed stage 4 reasoning by Kohlberg) was widely accepted by IT professionals in both Japan and China, despite the Confucian cultural emphasis on personal relationships with particularistic obligations. However, differences between Japanese and Chinese IT professionals were found while, in direct contrast with the stage-wise theory of CMD, the respondents from Japan and especially China exhibited significant volatility, reasoning at different stages simultaneously. The implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed

Cultural Considerations in Business Process Change

There is a growing consensus that the benefits of information technology (IT) can not be realised fully by merely automating existing business processes. Consequently, major process changes enabled by IT, including business process re-engineering efforts, have been popular in North America and are now being introduced all over the world. Differences between nations and societies make it critical to understand how institutional and cultural factors influence IT application and the nature of ITenabled business process change. This article focuses on the impact of societal culture and systematically employs the dimensions identified by Hofstede and Bond in order to develop a comprehensive set of researchable propositions. The propositions, which are illustrated using a case study from Hong Kong, provide an agenda for researching the impact of societal culture on IT-enabled business process change