Design management of electronic data interchange systems

Abstract

This study deals with the management of the design process of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems. Its objectives are (1) to investigate the design process of EDI systems from a practical and theoretical perspective; (2) to develop a model to describe factors relevant to EDI system-design success; (3) to investigate the proposed model empirically. The model to be developed is called the Design Management Theory for EDI systems. Characteristics of EDI systems and two relevant schools within organization theory e.g. the Decision-making school and the Enviromnental school provide a foundation for the Design Management Theory for EDI systems. Propositions are formulated around the constructs EDI system-design success, design management design environment, contracting success, contracting management, and contracting environment. Variables and hypotheses are defined. The Design Management Theory is investigated empirically by quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative approach uses the survey data of 35 Dutch EDI projects. Survey data were analysed by multi- variate analysis methods. The qualitative approach uses a case study of one EDI project, the EDI Flower project, and analytic induction of the case study data. The results indicate that the Design Management Theory partly explains the success of EDI system design. Higher levels of contracting management, contracting success, and design management cause a more successful EDI system design. Relevant factors with regard to contracting management and design management were distinguished. The results indicate the strengths of the Decision-making school in particular the disjointed incrementalistic view of the rational perspective. The results indicate the strengths of the Environmental school, in particular the resource dependency view of the contingency perspective and the strategic choice perspective. Improvements were suggested for the theory related to specification of EDI system-design success, design environment and contracting environment