Allen, D. K.

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Association for Information SystemsAIS Electronic Library (AISeL)ECIS 2000 Proceedings European Conference on Information Systems(ECIS)2000Panel: Coordinating the Management of IS inHigher EducationD. K. AllenUniversity of SalfordFollow this and additional works at: http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2000This material is brought to you by the European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) at AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). It has been acceptedfor inclusion in ECIS 2000 Proceedings by an authorized administrator of AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). For more information, please contactelibrary@aisnet.org.Recommended CitationAllen, D. K., "Panel: Coordinating the Management of IS in Higher Education" (2000). ECIS 2000 Proceedings. 101.http://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2000/101Panel: Co-ordinating the management of IS in Higher Education.Chair: D.K.AllenInformation Systems Institute,University of Salford,Salford, Manchester, M5 4WTI. D ESCRIPTIONThe co-ordinated development of ICTs within the HEIcontext is particularly problematic. The HEI provides asetting where there are numerous interest groups and strongorganisational cultures. An often-used metaphor is thatuniversities are like collections of fiefdoms where barons(and baronesses) are in charge of their own, independentrealms, and vigorously defend their territories. It would seemthat universities are fundamentally different from bu sinessorganisations. The co-ordinated development of IS withinthis context provides a number of distinct challenges.  Thepanel will explore these challenges outlining theimplications of recent research in this area for researchers andpractitioners.Allen and Kern will present the first paper reporting onthe embryonic attempts by three British Universities tooutsource their ICT. The paper will highlight the cultural,power and political issues that arose when public sectorinstitutions follow the example of private sectororganisations core competency drive – by outsourcing to athird party service supplier. Outsourcing is put forward thesolution to all Higher Education’s co-ordination,management, technology (updates and innovation), andinternal power and political struggles. Allen and Kern willdebate the paradox that while ICT is seen as a rationalisingact, cleansing the organisation of a political problem andpassing it to a third party. The reality is that it is mosteffectively managed through careful attention to andinvolvement in organisational politics. Politics, rather thanbeing  "the darker side of the organisation "  or as WarrenBennis described it 'the organisation’s last dirty secret' is ofcritical importance. Organisations which view politics  (asmainstream literature suggests) as 'insiders not alwaysbeing obedient' or of power being illegitimate, informal,dysfunctional, primarily coercive, negative, and operatingoutside the realm of authority is seen as misguided.Newman will discuss the issue o f developing a commonsystem across HE Establishments. A variety of experiencesin software development processes between a HEorganisation (the University of Helsinki) and several softwarevendors over a decade-long period will be described andinterpreted. Three information systems histories will bepresented as case examples. A social process model will beused to describe the relationships between key actors withinthe client organisation while a transaction cost framework isused to explain the joint forms of the relationships betweenthe client and the vendors. The resulting model depicts in aconcise way how the relationships have evolved andstabilised over time.Bob O’Keefe will act as discussant and David Allen asPanel Chair.II. P ANEL M EMBERSDAVID ALLEN is a lecturer in information systems andinformation management in the Information SystemsInstitute at the University of Salford. His research focuseson information and information systems strategy andorganisational change processes. An important element ofhis research focuses on these processes within a HEIcontext.THOMAS KERN is assistant professor for informationmanagement at the Rotterdam School of Management. Hegraduated in 1999 with a DPhil in MIS from Christ Church,University of Oxford and has been since 1995 a researchaffiliate with the Oxford Institute of InformationManagement at Templeton College. Thomas is well knownfor his work on IS outsourcing. E-mail:t.kern@fac.fbk.eur.nlMICHAEL NEWMAN is a Reader in the School ofAccounting and Finance at the University of Manchesterand Professor of Information Systems at the VrijeUniversiteit, Amsterdam. Dr. Newman's research focuseson the process of information systems development, and hehas conducted many empirical studies in a variety oforganisational settings. E-mail:msrysmn@fs1.acc.man.ac.ukBOB O’KEEFE is Professor of InformationManagement in the Department of  Information Systems &Computing at Brunel University, and an associate facultymember at Henley Management College. His presentinterest is the use of Internetworking to support customerand consumer decision making. He is the co-author of theWiley book entitled Re-wiring Business. He is co-editor ofthe European Journal of Information Systems E-mail:Bob.OKeefe@brunel.ac.uk

Panel: Coordinating the Management of IS in Higher Education

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Panel: Coordinating the Management of IS in Higher Education

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