Journal of Systems and Information Technology

Bill Doolin

2010 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/13287261011042903

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an exploratory analysis of how key actors in three New Zealand regional tourism organizations interpret various local and general contextual conditions in accounting for website development, and how such sense‐making is likely to have shaped the configuration of generic web technology in each organization. Design/methodology/approach – Narrative analysis of accounts provided by key actors involved in website development planning and decision‐making in three small tourism organizations is used. Where possible, the narrative analysis was supplemented by document review and interviews with other organizational stakeholders. Findings – Despite their ostensibly similar roles, the three organizations developed websites that exhibited significant variation in scope, functionality and sophistication. The analysis suggests that much of this local variation in website form and function was the result of how the general managers (GMs) in these organizations, acting as “configurational intrapreneurs” in website development, interpreted contextual “conditions of possibility” in which their organizations were situated. Research limitations/implications – As analysis occurred after website development, recourse is made to development narratives authored in an interview setting by the GMs of the three organizations studied. It is argued that the sense‐making occurring in these situated narratives reflects the sense‐giving performed by these key actors during the website development process. Originality/value – The study suggests that how specific conditions of possibility are perceived and mobilized by influential actors plays an important role in shaping the technological outcome of website development, particularly in small organizations. It demonstrates the utility of analysing the sense‐making processes inherent in narratives of information systems development as a way of understanding the strategic development and use of such systems.

Raymond Wu; Masayuki Hisada

2010 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/13287261011042912

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a metadata‐driven approach and the associated technologies to deal with ever‐rising web security issue. The approach applies metadata techniques to envision semantic validation for new types of vulnerability. Design/methodology/approach – Token decomposition design was applied to move analysis work into abstract level. This novel approach can solve the issues by using a dual control method to perform vulnerability validation. Findings – Current analysis has been lack in metadata foundation, the vulnerability is invisible due to semantic obfuscation. This paper reflects the limitation of existing methods. It applies metadata‐driven approach to move physical and syntax analysis into semantic validation. Research limitations/implications – Currently, certain difficulties may be encountered in preparing benchmarking for dual control process before completing development work. However, this paper tries to create scenarios which can be a reference, to evaluate the semantic validation. Practical implications – In consideration of the optimized control and vulnerability rate, Structural Query Language (SQL) injection is taken as an example in demonstration. This approach targets large enterprise and high complexity, and the research intends to impact industry to generate common practices such as metadata standards and development tools. Originality/value – This paper contributes originality in applying metadata strategy to envision semantic structure. It further favours the service industry in building up portfolio foundation in component‐based technologies. As the new type of vulnerability can be precisely specified, it can minimize business impact and achieve efficient vulnerability detection.

Nektarios Kostaras; Dimitris Stavrinoudis; Stavroula Sokoli; Michalis Xenos

2010 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/13287261011042921

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology combining experimental and inquiry methods used for software usability evaluation. The software product of LeViS project funded by the European Commission (Socrates/Lingua II) is used as an evaluation paradigm. The aim of the paper is twofold: to present the results of the usability evaluation using this software as an example and to suggest a number of improvements for the next version of the software tool; and to portray the advantages of combining methods from different evaluation approaches and the experiences from their application. Design/methodology/approach – The evaluation for this experiment combined different usability methods, both experimental and inquiry ones. More specifically, the methods employed were the Thinking Aloud Protocol and the User Logging, which were performed in a usability evaluation laboratory, as well as the inquiry methods of Interview and Focus Group. Findings – In this study, usability problems regarding the Learning via Subtitling (LvS) educational software were revealed as well as issues regarding the use of Thinking Aloud Protocol method and involving users with a specific profile. The research findings presented in this paper constitute an innovative and effective methodology for software usability evaluation and are useful for laboratories aiming to conduct similar evaluations. Research limitations/implications – Although this methodology has been successfully applied for over 20 software products, due to practical purposes related to this paper's extent, only one software is used as an example. Originality/value – Through the evaluation process, apart from discovering certain usability problems related to the software, there are a number of important conclusions drawn, regarding the methods used and the methodology followed in software usability evaluation.

Vanessa A. Cooper; Sharman Lichtenstein

2010 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/13287261011042930

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance and complexities of the knowledge transfer process in the provision of effective managed after‐sales IT support, when the web is used for service delivery. Design/methodology/approach – The paper features an interpretive case study of a multi‐national Managed Service Provider (MSP) and a focus group of representatives from five comparable MSPs. Findings – The paper finds that MSPs that use web‐based channels for the provision of after‐sales IT support services need to address a range of important social and organisational issues in order to realise cost and efficiency‐based benefits. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides a four stage processual model of knowledge transfer in the provision of web‐based managed after‐sales IT support services. The barriers and enablers of knowledge transfer at each stage are identified. The paper adopts a MSP perspective and suggests that further research from the customer perspective is required. Practical implications – The paper highlights some important social and organisational enablers and barriers, which will guide MSPs when providing managed after‐sales IT support using web‐based channels. Originality/value – The paper provides the first staged model of inter‐organisational knowledge transfer in a complex multi‐organisational and multi‐channel web‐based context.

Michael Kyobe

2010 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/13287261011042949

Purpose – The information system (IS) discipline and IS departments in universities are facing major challenges which threaten their survival. Knowledge management strategies have been used in various other fields to solve crisis situations and this paper contends that similar approaches could be adopted to address the crises in the discipline of IS. The purpose of this paper is to present a multi‐theoretical model that can be used to identify knowledge transfer impediments contributing to the crises in the IS discipline in a university. Design/methodology/approach – Literature on crisis management and crises in the IS discipline was reviewed. This revealed that many crises are caused by lack of appropriate knowledge development and sharing in research and education. Knowledge management research was then reviewed and synthesized to create a comprehensive framework for identifying impediments to knowledge transfer in a university setting. Findings – The findings of the literature review indicates that lack of knowledge management and sharing is one main contributor to the crises in IS discipline. The model developed in the present study will only be tested in the next phase of this research. Practical implications – IS departments can use this framework to identify the impediments to knowledge sharing contributing to crises in research and teaching. Originality/value – This paper adopts an approach used in other disastrous situations to resolve the crises in the IS discipline. It is established in literature that most crises arise due to the lack of proper knowledge management. A framework to examine knowledge transfer impediments in IS discipline is therefore proposed. Two theoretical perspectives to knowledge transfer (i.e. the epistemological and ontological) are combined whereby impediments to tacit and explicit knowledge transfer in the areas of research and teaching, and at various social interaction levels (i.e. individual, group, organizational and inter‐organizational levels) can be examined. This provides a more comprehensive analysis of the crisis situation and facilitates the development of holistic knowledge‐based solutions needed to respond to the crises. Departments can use the framework to identify critical issues requiring urgent attention or specific needs of individuals, groups, etc.