An analysis of the AIS basket of top journalsFranklin Liu; Michael D. Myers
2011 Journal of Systems and Information Technology
doi: 10.1108/13287261111118322
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the types of research published in the Association for Information Systems (AIS) basket of top journals. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses bibliographic analysis to analyze all the articles that were published in the AIS basket of top journals over a ten‐year period, from 1998 to 2007. Articles were classified based on their paradigmatic and methodological approach. Findings – Although there is a common perception within the information systems (IS) research community that European IS research is mostly qualitative and interpretive, the bibliographic analysis reveals that the two European IS journals are not significantly different from their US counterparts. All six journals in the AIS basket are remarkably similar in terms of the types of research published. Originality/value – This article is one of the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the types of research published within the AIS basket of top journals. It provides a picture of how the two European IS journals differ from their US counterparts.
A comparative analysis of end‐user training methodsNeomi Kaplan‐Mor; Chanan Glezer; Moshe Zviran
2011 Journal of Systems and Information Technology
doi: 10.1108/13287261111118331
Purpose – The aim of this study is to evaluate effectiveness of several end‐user training methods during the deployment of a new information system in an Israeli financial institution. Design/methodology/approach – Four training methods, namely, frontal (lectures), simulator (e‐learning), mentor (personal guidance), and hybrid (mix of the three aforementioned methods) were all compared in terms of the number of referrals to an online helpdesk following training sessions. Findings – A pair‐wise analysis to pinpoint the source of the differences between the various training methods indicates that all training methods are significantly different except for frontal and simulator and therefore an organization considering these two methods can select them indifferently. A combination of mentor and simulator was found to be significantly inferior to the frontal and simulator hybrid method. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of the study is that evaluation was based on data associated with a specific organization, and thus external validity to other industries or countries is somewhat limited. Among other limitations are cross‐organizational differences in terms of: difficulty of calls, individual experience in the IS/IT area, and prior exposure to similar technologies. Practical implications – Although this research does not recommend a specific training method, our findings suggest that deploying a new software system is a matter that requires early assessment by the organization and that the best results are obtained by employing the hybrid training approach. Originality/value – The use of the number of referrals to an online helpdesk is a novel metric for measuring training effectiveness. The study also investigates the decline of the number of referrals over time.
Knowledge retention in the IT service industryJayachandra Bairi; B. Murali Manohar; Goutam Kumar Kundu
2011 Journal of Systems and Information Technology
doi: 10.1108/13287261111118340
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and evaluate an effective employee retention plan for information technology (IT) service organizations as part of a knowledge management (KM) strategy. Design/methodology/approach – The employee retention plan is evaluated at three IT multi‐national companies which are providing global IT services with successful knowledge management systems (KMS) in place. Semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted with senior managers and team leaders of three companies. The data collected is used for studying attrition and retention and its impact on KM. Findings – The paper provides evidence of various strategic, technological, and local issues influencing the success of retention and its benefit to KM programs in global IT service companies. Organizations adapt attrition control measures for long‐term benefit. These measures help in effective KM, serving the client at lower cost with consistent service levels. Research limitations/implications – Interviews are limited to three large companies in the IT services sector in the Bangalore (India) region. Future in depth studies would benefit from a larger and more diverse sample. It is suggested that IT service organizations develop and practice effective employee retention plans along with effective KMS. Practical implications – To provide clear benchmarks for developing employee retention capabilities, an employee retention plan for IT services is proposed. The employee retention plan is discussed from a consistent delivery perspective and in view of effective KM practice. Originality/value – The paper conducts an evaluation of the retention measures and provides a roadmap for future research endeavors.
Intra‐project transfer of knowledge in information systems development firmsJan Terje Karlsen; Line Hagman; Thomas Pedersen
2011 Journal of Systems and Information Technology
doi: 10.1108/13287261111118359
Purpose – The focus of this paper is on knowledge transfer. The purpose is to investigate intra‐project knowledge‐transfer practice in information systems development (ISD) firms applying a Scrum methodology. Design/methodology/approach – Case study of ISD projects and empirical data obtained using in‐depth interviews following a semi‐structured approach were employed. Findings – One of the main findings showed that Scrum team members believed in the usefulness of knowledge transfer. The study observed extensive personal exchange of knowledge through, for example, meetings and networks, including dialog with the client. The mechanisms observed in creating knowledge transfer were: lean and dynamic documentation, cross‐functional teams, client consultation and feedback, intra‐project meetings, application of project tools and techniques, and management of changes. Research limitations/implications – Future research should investigate other organizations and countries, so that these findings may be generalized. Practical implications – The study observed extensive personal exchange of knowledge which can be described as people track of knowledge management. This observation coincides with the view that information systems and tools only play a subordinate role in knowledge management widely held by many contributors to the people track of knowledge management. Others argue that the dominance of tacit knowledge in projects is a key challenge. This involves a particular concern for organizational culture and leadership style and has implications for how a project should be structured and managed. Originality/value – Knowledge transfer in ISD projects is studied in this research paper.
Analyzing changing organizational environments Methodological approach and the academic health center caseJ.T. Ziegenfuss
2011 Journal of Systems and Information Technology
doi: 10.1108/13287261111118368
Purpose – Recognizing the difficulty inherent in studying organizational change stimulated by the external environment, this paper seeks to present a four‐phase model useful for collecting information and for analyzing the impact of organization‐environment dynamics. Design/methodology/approach – In the context of a case study of academic health centers, a research methods model is offered with four phases: case study; comparative case study; experimental/quasi experimental; and meta analysis. This four‐phase methodology relies on varying information styles and data streams within the context of exploratory, comparative, and large dataset analysis. Findings – The synthesis of research approach highlights the strengths, weaknesses, and the linkage to system thinking in theory and in practice and are illustrated by the case. Practical implications – Mixed methods approaches are increasingly sought and used in multi‐disciplinary research and applied settings. The model is useful for examining the multiple effects of the organization environment on a wide range of industries, with medical/health care demonstrated here. Originality/value – Few models of mixed methods approaches exist – this one synthesizes existing approaches incorporating many types of “data”.