AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)

An Analysis of Undergraduate Information Systems Curricula: Adoption of the IS 2010 Curriculum Guidelines

Corbin Bell et al. — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:41:02 PST

The IS 2010: Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems were published as a model to help academic IS programs establish a consistent curriculum that meets the needs of a global information economy. However, to-date, no study has examined the degree to which the IS 2010 model curriculum is being adopted and utilized in contemporary IS curricula. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of program adoption of the IS 2010 curriculum guidelines. Curriculum data were collected from 127 AACSB-accredited undergraduate information systems programs across the United States via a direct survey and interviews with department heads and undergraduate program directors. These data were then compared with the IS 2010 recommendations. Results indicate that: (1) IS programs exhibit a wide range of adherence to the IS 2010 core curriculum guidelines; (2) perceived adherence to IS 2010 guidelines among program administrators is higher than calculated adherence; (3) several non-IS 2010 core topics are still included as required components in many IS programs; (4) although few IS programs have formally implemented IS 2010 career tracks, perceptions of career tracks are generally favorable; (5) resource constraints and program enrollments/class sizes are commonly described barriers to developing career tracks.

An Exploration of Enterprise Architecture Research

Daniel Simon et al. — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 01:41:01 PST

Management of the enterprise architecture has become increasingly recognized as a crucial part of both business and IT management. Still, a common understanding and methodological consistency seems far from being developed. Acknowledging the significant role of research in moving the development process along, this article employs different bibliometric methods, complemented by an extensive qualitative interpretation of the research field, to provide a unique overview of the enterprise architecture literature. After answering our research questions about the collaboration via co-authorships, the intellectual structure of the research field and its most influential works, and the principal themes of research, we propose an agenda for future research based on the findings from the above analyses and their comparison to empirical insights from the literature. In particular, our study finds a considerable degree of co-authorship clustering and a positive impact of the extent of co-authorship on the diffusion of works on enterprise architecture. In addition, this article identifies three major research streams and shows that research to date has revolved around specific themes, while some of high practical relevance receive minor attention. Hence, the contribution of our study is manifold and offers support for researchers and practitioners alike.

A model for analyzing changes in systems development practices

Even Å. Larsen et al. — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:10:46 PST

This paper introduces an empirically grounded model for analyzing intended and unintended changes in the prevalence of information systems development practices. In the model, any development practice observable in a development organization can be analyzed according to two dimensions: the intended scope of defined practices versus the actual scope of enacted practices. Furthermore, the model identifies eight types of change paths in systems development practices based on the two dimensions: emergence, entropy, initiation, abandonment, formalization, informalization, implementation, and recalcitrance. The eight types of change paths provide an integrated theoretical model for understanding how systems development practices can change in organizations and projects and among individual developers in a given context. The paper concludes by discussing how the model complements and integrates concepts of the contemporary research on systems development practices and outlines its potential uses for future research.

An Exploratory Study on Customer Responses to Personalized Banner Messages in the Online Banking Context

Johanna Bragge et al. — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:10:44 PST

In the 21^st century the quantity of research on personalization has grown exponentially. New technologies enable efficient interaction with customers, even on one-to-one basis, providing the right content in the right format to the right person at the right time. The latest developments with “big data” analytics promise unprecedented opportunities for personalization, even in real-time. Although the technological advances allow fancy enhancements in personalization, it is imperative that the context-specific customer attitudes towards online personalization are taken into account by businesses. Customers are increasingly aware of their privacy, which improper personalization may intrude.

This article presents the results of a two-phase study. Focus group interviews uncovered first the perceptions of bank customers regarding personalized marketing communication on online bank. A subsequent exploratory study investigated the online behaviour of customers, that is, their genuine responses to personalized messages. In this phase, bank customers were shown personalized banner advertisements when they logged in to their bank service. We studied, among others, the click-through rates and navigational behaviour and compared the effectiveness of personalized banners to default banners, and to traditional direct-mail messages. The personalized banners attracted more attention than default banners. In two of the three cases, the actual sales were also higher than in the case of direct-mail promotion. The results offer implications both for research and practice.

Editorial: Exploratory Research

Marcus Rothenberger — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:10:40 PST

The Impact of User Interface Design on Idea Integration in Electronic Brainstorming: An Attention-Based View

Elahe Javadi et al. — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:19:13 PST

This paper introduces an attention-based view of idea integration that underscores the importance of information system (IS) user interface design. Presenting ideas via an IS user interface can play an important role in enabling and motivating idea integration in electronic brainstorming systems (EBS), and thus can improve productivity. Building on a cognitive network model of creativity and the ability-motivation framework, our attention-based view focuses on two major attributes of a user interface: visibility and prioritization. Visibility enables idea integration by directing individuals’ attention to a limited set of ideas, and prioritization enhances the motivation for idea integration by providing a relevant proxy for the value of the shared ideas. The theory developed in this paper is distinct from previous research on EBS in at least two ways: (1) it focuses on idea integration as the desired outcome, and (2) given that EBS do not universally outperform verbal brainstorming, the proposed theory revisits the links between user interface and idea integration. Idea integration in groups is an attention-intensive process that is essential for organizational creativity and thus for establishing knowledge-based capabilities. A lack of integration can significantly reduce the value of idea sharing, which has been the main focus of the EBS literature. Our theory posits that the ability of electronic brainstorming to outperform nominal or verbal brainstorming depends on its ability to leverage the capabilities of the IS artifact for enhancing idea integration. Our theory provides a foundation for new approaches to EBS and computer-mediated collaboration research. The emphasis on idea integration provides designers and managers of EBS with practical, cognition-based criteria for choosing interface features. Our theory also has implications for the practice and research of knowledge management, especially for the attention-based view of the organization.

Fostering Quality and Flow of Online Learning Conversations by Artifact-Centered Discourse Systems

Evren Eryilmaz et al. — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:19:12 PST

Computer-mediated communication has become a major research topic due to the growing number of graduate-level students entirely or partially enrolled in Internet-based degree programs. Drawing on the concept of common ground from Clark’s communication theory, we propose a model to investigate the varying quality and flow of online learning conversations. Our investigation centers on three discourse systems in order to isolate the effects of two functional differences: online presence of the learning material and a linking functionality. The first system, which supports parallel artifact-centered discourse, displays the learning material and its related discussion in a single window. The second system, which supports linked artifact-centered discourse, provides a bi-directional linking functionality between these two elements available in a single window. The control system, which supports conventional discourse, offers the two elements in separate windows. We conducted an experiment with 30 doctoral students enrolled in three sections of an introductory research methods seminar. A total of 30 discussion transcripts, 10 for each group, formed the basis of the data analyses. Using an integrated approach that combined content and sequential analyses, we categorized and sequentially plotted all messages. The findings demonstrate that the online presence of the learning material supports sustained discussions centered on understanding the meaning of a text. Moreover, a linking functionality promotes complex forms of interaction with the learning material and re-focuses the discussion when it digresses. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

A Business Intelligence Framework to Provide Performance Management through a Holistic Data Mining View

Masoud Pesaran Behbahani et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:51 PST

Traditional views of business intelligence have mainly focused on the physical and human aspects of the organization. This paper tries to show that a new information view of business activities can make a platform for developing business intelligence and support performance management. To do that, the paper proposes a new framework that can be used to provide high level of business intelligence for performance management usage. The framework introduces a hierarchy of performance influencers and a new methodology for managing them. The new methodology introduces a holistic view towards data mining concepts. The framework can be served as a blueprint for the companies which use any of ecommerce business models.

Pedagogical Evaluation of a Domain-Driven Design Framework

Mohammed Salahat et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:51 PST

This paper presents a pedagogical evaluation of the framework SDDD (Soft Domain Driven Design) which encourages a “soft systems” approach to Domain-Driven Design. The framework combines techniques from Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) with notation from the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and the “Naked Objects” implementation pattern. The framework has been used in the delivery of a postgraduate module in Information Systems Design for a number of years. This paper reports on the way in which the framework has been evaluated and improved during the teaching of this module.

Intelligence Management: Learning to Manage at the Margins

Stuart Maguire et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:50 PST

No business or organisation can remain in ignorance of, or unresponsive to, what is going on its environment and hope to remain successful for very long. This is especially true with regard to the business planning process (Cooke and Slack 1991). Even though a significant amount of decision-making takes place across the boundaries of the organisation concern with the environment within which companies operate is a relatively new phenomenon. Without understanding this environment it is very difficult to be effective at gleaning business intelligence. For this reason, this paper examines the way that organizations manage intelligence from the environment.

Online Market Entry Strategy and the Consumer Search Process

Christopher Holland et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:49 PST

The strategy and marketing literature on barriers to entry identifies a range of general factors that protect incumbents but most of this work pre-dates the use of the Internet channel. The Internet is generally considered to make markets more open and competitive. However, the Internet strategy theory does not take into account the nature of the consumer search process. A new online market strategy model is proposed that synthesizes elements of the strategy, marketing and technology literatures and relates market entry strategy with the online consumer search process. The framework is illustrated with original, empirical case evidence from a range of international markets in Europe and the US. Five distinctive strategies are identified: (1) the online launch effect; (2) open web partnerships; (3) build alliance with incumbent; (4) multi-brand attack; and (5) exploit technology shift. It is argued that Internet marketing strategy should be integrated into the marketing function in order to achieve successful implementation.

Romancing the Stone - Aiding Sense-Making in Organizations

Peter Bednar et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:49 PST

Despite many years of implementations, issues surrounding the success or failure of information systems are still shrouded in mystery. In a quest to improve business outcomes from such systems an IS analyst should have a key role to play. Organizational IS can be seen as a composition of indi-vidual and organizational learning processes, and as such is in a constant state of change. Knowledge as an individual sense-making process is a shifting sand of lessons learnt, experiential practices, active reflection and is therefore historically unique. Even when the balance of individual com-petencies, skills and attributes would seem to have been sufficient for the task at hand failure can still result from the combination of factors within that particular project. Organizational sense-making activities suffer from irrationalities of action, skilled incompetence’s and a plethora of organizational defence mechanisms. Within the information systems field, contextual analysis is an initiative focused on addressing issues of organizational information systems. Such systems are 'community' initiated, where system development or change activity is mentored by the analyst through the developmental mechanism of continual learning and communication.

E-Learnification Of Sri Lanka Higher Education Sector: Adoption Perspective

Eranjan Padumadasa — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:48 PST

The adoption rate of e-learning is found to be in a poor state which is evident from the e-learning implementations as well as the e-learning readiness scores of Sri Lanka. The objective of this research is to develop a research model to identify factors that affect the adoption of e-learning in Sri Lanka. UTAUT was used as the theoretical foundation; however other variable extensions were included to improve the variance which the model intends to explain. Cross sectional survey was conducted with 358 responses which were analyzed using correlation analysis and regression analysis. Correlation analysis found that all variables were significant. However, anxiety was found to have a negative correlation. The model was able to explain 36.7% (R2=0.367) of variance in students acceptance of e-learning. The findings show that Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, attitude towards e-learning, Self Efficacy, Positive Facilitation Conditions, and Social Influence need to be improved to increase students’ acceptance.

Ready, willing and capable How can SMEs gain competitive advantage from using Internet-based technologies? Ready, willing and capable How can SMEs gain competitive advantage from using Internet-based technologies?

Diana Limburg — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:48 PST

SMEs can potentially gain competitive advantage from Internet-based technologies, because these require less investment and are more flexible than traditional Information Technologies. However, availability of IT resources is not enough. Organisations need particular competencies in order to deploy their resources effectively. Strategic application of these competencies can than lead to distinct organisational capabilities which provide competitive advantages. This paper presents a case study of a small organisation that was keen to exploit the potential of Internet-based technologies to help them compete in a very tough environment. It was found that Internet-based technologies enabled tactical quick-wins and hold the promise of potential strategic benefits through the creation of distinctive IT resources. However, it was shown that there was a need to develop competencies, particularly around capturing business needs as well as vendor management, before strategic capabilities could be realised. As SMEs have to be responsive to dynamic environments, these competencies and capabilities need to be enhanced and maintained by embedding IS management in overall management processes.

A Game for Teaching Organisational Information Systems Rather than Applying IT to Business based on a New Framework for IS Thinking

Ronald Stamper — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:47 PST

Although we want to research, understand and teach about organisations as information systems, we find ourselves trapped within a framework of concepts focused on applying computers to organisational problems. A business game almost 50 years old did treat the organisation as the real information system and it succeeded didactically. Perhaps, with our modern technology, we could develop improved games for teaching IS rather than IT applications, especially if we build on a more rigorous treatment of information, the notion of at the centre of out discipline. This paper also argues that we should adopt a new, information field paradigm instead of the information flow paradigm imposed on users of UML and similar orthodox methods for requirements analysis and specification. It outlines methods of analysis and specification (well suited to business games) that treat organisations as systems of social norms that specify their functions and determine their information requirements.

The Work System Method And Soft Systems Methodology – Some Comparisons

Olga Petkova et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:46 PST

This paper provides a brief comparison between Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) and the Work System Method (WSM) by S. Alter. The latter is a relatively recent systems approach specifically developed with the needs of the Information Systems field. It focuses on previous criticisms towards SSM and suggests how WSM might compare against them. The insights in the paper might be useful for planning and justifying the use of SSM and WSM in an Information Systems project.

Lessons Learned In Implementing Agile Software Development Metrics

Nilay Oza et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:45 PST

The conventional software metrics are not directly adaptable to agile approach due to their intrinsic differences in the focus, goals and process of software development. Subsequently, this paper examines the current state of agile metrics initiatives in a specific product line of a multinational technology company. Using qualitative interviews based data from five stakeholders the study examines adoption of metrics and as a result provides concrete recommendations toward agile-metrics initiative in the case company.

Developing A Conceptual Framework For Factors Affecting Active Participation In Business To Business Online Business Communities

Abid Ahmad et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:45 PST

The primary purpose of this paper is to help a better understanding on factors affecting active participation in business-to-business online business communities (B2B OBCs). Toward this goal, this study proposed a conceptual framework based on the Social Exchange Theory (SET), Uses and Gratification theory (U&G), and the Information Systems Success Model (ISSM). The framework was further explored and tested using semi structured interview with twelve members of B2B OBCs. The finding suggests that reciprocity, trust, reputation/status, functional factors, system quality, information quality and service quality may affect the level of B2B OBCs’ participation. However, the framework was only tested with a small number of participants through interviews and as such the results are not generalisable to the wider business population. Therefore a future empirically study will be conducted out in order to thoroughly test the framework.

Service quality and trust in e-government: Utilizing the rich measures of system usage to predict trustworthiness

Ronit Purian — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:44 PST

What is the theoretical rationale that e-government evaluation should employ? Witnessing the changes in society and the public sector, an adaptation is proposed, to evaluate trust building as the goal of e-government, rather than looking for the best predictors of e-government adoption. Organisations that provide online services are concerned about the evaluation of service quality, user satisfaction, and the ultimate goal of the system – value creation. Considering trust as a major value that organisations wish to achieve, the impact of service quality on trust building is at the focus of this study: What are the system features that constitute trust in the organisation? To what extent would each feature explain trust building? In the context of e-government that serves the wide public it is of particular significance to scrutinize the nature of the relationships between the user and the system. Therefore, an adaptation is proposed, to evaluate trust building as the goal of system usage rather than its predictor, in a formative model. This theoretical rationale alters the conventional relationships between well-studied measures of service quality. In a modified version of ESQUAL, the service measures were turned into indicators of trust. The findings (n=395) support the viability of the model; the extent to which the user puts trust in the organisation depends on how trustworthy the system is. In addition, the findings support the conceptualization of richer measures of system usage as stronger indicators. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications are discussed.

Aligning Business and IT from Multi-level Learning Perspectives

Hamad Balhareth et al. — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:00:43 PST

Business and IT alignment is increasingly acknowledged as a key for organisational performance. However, alignment research lack to mechanisms that enable for on-going process with multi-level effects. Multi-level learning allows on-going effectiveness through development of the organisation and improved quality of business and IT strategies. In particular, exploration and exploitation enable effective process of alignment across dynamic multi-level of learning. Hence, this paper proposes a conceptual framework that links multi-level learning and business-IT strategy through the concept of exploration and exploitation, which considers short-tern and long-term alignment together to address the challenges of strategic alignment faced in sustaining organisational performance.