• Selected
• Entire List

Abstract:
As outsourcing evolves into a competitive necessity, managers must increasingly contend with the decision about which software development projects to outsource. Although a variety of theories have been invoked to study the initial outsourcing decision, much of this work has relied in isolation on one theoretical perspective. Therefore, the relative importance ascribed by managers to the factors from these theories is poorly understood. The majority of this work also masks interesting insights into outsourcing decisions by focusing on the information technology (IT) function rather than individual projects as the unit of analysis, where many of these decisions occur. In contrast, prior research at the project level has focused on predicting development performance in the post-outsourcing-decision phases of projects. The objective of this study is to examine the relative importance that IT managers ascribe to various factors from three complementary theories - transaction cost economics, agency theory, and knowledge-based theory - as they simultaneously consider them in their project outsourcing decisions. A secondary objective is to assess the cross-cultural robustness (United States versus Japan in this study) of such models in predicting project-level IT outsourcing decisions. We develop and test a multitheoretic model using data on 1,008 project-level decisions collected from 33 Japanese and 53 U.S. managers. Overall, our results provide novel insights into the relative importance that managers ascribe to the factors from these three theories, their complementarities and occasional contradictions, and offer new insights into the differences among U.S. and Japanese IT managers. Implications for theory and practice are also discussed.

agency theory, conjoint study, IT sourcing, Japanese software, knowledge-based theory, knowledge management, outsourcing, subcontracting, transaction cost economics, vendor selection

Abstract:
Using the foundational lens of social exchange theory and communities of practice, proposes a three-layer Web-based architecture to facilitate knowledge integration in digital communities. Reviews the limitations of past collaborative filtering mechanisms and presents a prototype and the underlying mathematical model for the knowledge networking on the Web (KNOWeb) architecture. Further illustrates how real-time active feedback and valuation mechanisms reinforce social exchange in such communities.

community relations, Internet, knowledge management, social exchange, knowledge networks

Abstract:
In an increasingly dynamic business environment characterized by fast cycle times, shifting markets and unstable technology, a business organization's survival hinges on its ability to align IT capabilities with business goals. To facilitate the successful introduction of new IT applications, issues of project risk must be addressed, and the expectations of multiple stakeholders must be managed appropriately. To the extent that users and developers may harbour different perceptions regarding project risk, areas of conflict may arise. By understanding the differences in how users and project managers perceive the risks, insights can be gained that may help to ensure the successful delivery of systems. Prior research has focused on the project manager's perspective of IT project risk. This paper explores the issue of IT project risk from the user perspective and compares it with risk perceptions of project managers. A Delphi study reveals that these two stakeholder groups have different perceptions of risk factors. Through comparison with a previous study on project manager risk perceptions, zones of concordance and discordance that must be reconciled are identified.

Delphi study, IT project risk, user perceptions

Abstract:
The importance of, and distinction between, problem and design spaces has been recognized in studies of information systems development (ISD). With increasing acceptance of objectoriented techniques, which promise close mirroring of real-world concepts in the IS artifacts, this distinction becomes even more important. In spite of a rich literature stream dealing with the general notion of 'design,' several inadequacies remain in our understanding of the ISD processes - one of these is the recognition and impact of problem and design spaces. In this paper, we analyze processes followed by two developers engaged in a non-trivial development task using the object-oriented modeling techniques - with a view to understanding their use of, and explorations in, problem and design spaces. Our analysis provides evidence for a distinction between the two spaces, and interprets the developers' engagements and behaviors to structure the two spaces with the help of object-oriented modeling techniques. Several interesting findings emerge from our analysis, including the overlapping of spaces due to the use of object-orientation, disturbing patterns such as design fixation, interplay between simulation, expansion and validation in the design space, and the varying use of modeling techniques to structure the two spaces. Our analysis, supported by prior literature, provides a grounded description of some phenomena that have, hitherto, had only intuitive or prescriptive support. Based on these, we argue for more methodological and tool support for explorations of problem space, and enhancements to current approaches, for better integration of problem and design spaces.

information system development, ISD, problem space, design space, object oriented, system design

Abstract:
As engineering firms, R&D groups, and technical organizations recognize the centrality of their engineers' expertise to their performance, they are widely investing in knowledge management (KM) initiatives. Contemporary KM initiatives increasingly include expertise-sharing networks that help answer questions about who knows what. These systems allow organizations to locate and leverage the specialized engineering and technical expertise that is held in the minds of dispersed individuals. However, stories of such expertise-sharing networks that languish from under-use and abandonment abound and the issue of continuance has received very little attention in prior research. In this study, we explore this understudied issue. We develop a model of expertise-sharing network system continuance through a four-year observational study of 418 users of two such systems and then empirically test it using multi-period data collected from 122 users of four such systems. The concept of irretrievable investments was used to guide theoretical development in the initial observational phase of the study.

The study makes several unique theoretical contributions. First, it develops a model that illustrates how irretrievable post-adoption investments (sunk costs) by individual users of expertise-network systems increase continuance. We empirically show that the model explains approximately half of the total variance in continuance intention. This model advances continuance beyond the traditional expectation-satisfaction model of initial adoption to more advanced post-adoption stages of use and theoretically incorporates the network-specificity aspect of post-adoption investments in explaining continuance. Specifically, we show that individual users': (1) reputation among peer users of a system increases continuance; (2) system-mediated relationships with other users of the system increase continuance; and (3) investments in personalization of a system initially diminish continuance. Another notable contribution is the development and validation of several new measures for expertise-sharing network constructs.

Expertise networks, information systems continuance, knowledge management, knowledge networks, peer to peer, reputation, sunk cost

Abstract:
Much of any organization's experience and expertise remains underused and underexploited simply because it resides not in databases, repositories, or manuals but in the minds of its employees. Attempting to harness such distributed expertise, organizations have begun implementing collaborative knowledge networks - peer-to-peer digital networks connecting individuals with relevant expertise to their peers who need it. Unfortunately, however, successful knowledge networks represent the occasional island dotting a sea of failures. While many organizations are eager adopters of knowledge network systems, individual users frequently abandon them, leaving a trail of milliondollar paperweights. To be self-sustaining, knowledge networks must be sticky,though stickiness is an elusive design objective.

peer to peer, collaborative knowledge networks, knowledge networks, stickiness, relationship capital, reputation, personalization