1,721,064 research outputs found
An alternative theory of legacy information systems
Organisational dependence upon IT continues to grow yet experiences of satisfaction vary widely. Problematic, aged IT is often cited as being a fundamental problem in this respect and this is commonly termed legacy information systems. However, in this paper the author offers an alternative, and arguably more comprehensive, theory of legacy information systems that accommodates multiple viewpoints and recognises its inherent dynamism. The paper suggests a theory of legacy information systems that comprises of the concepts of temporal effects, interpretations and characteristics. It is argued that legacy information systems are constructed of many ‘legacies’ that are handed down continuously, forming an amorphous set of sociotechnical interdependencies and relationships
Going beyond ‘misfit’ as a reason for ERP package customisation
In an attempt to deal with the potential problems presented by existing information systems, a shift towards the implementation of ERP packages has been witnessed. The common view, particularly the one espoused by vendors, is that ERP packages are most successfully implemented when the standard model is adopted. Yet, despite this, customisation activity still occurs reportedly due to misalignment between the functionality of the package and the requirements of those in the implementing organisation. However, it is recognised that systems development and organisational decision-making are activities influenced by the perspectives of the various groups and individuals involved in the process. Thus, as customisation can be seen as part of systems development, and has to be decided upon, it should be thought about in the same way. In this study, two ERP projects are used to examine different reasons why customisation might take place. These reasons are then built upon through reference to the ERP and more general packaged software literature. The study suggests that whilst a common reason for customising ERP packages might be concerned with functionality misfits, it is important to look further into why these may occur, as there are clearly other reasons for customisation stemming from the multiplicity of social groups involved in the process
Men and networked life
This paper draws upon in-depth interviews conducted with 10 men, focussing upon their everyday experiences of networked digital media and the relationships they see existing between digital media and masculinity. It provides an overview of our analysis of this data attending to the nature of human and non-human power in the digitally mediated gendering of men
Introducing Masculinity Studies to Information Systems research : the case of Gaydar
I believe that studies of men's gendered experiences of information systems are needed. In order to support this claim, I introduce the area of Masculinity Studies to Information Systems research and, using this, present an exploratory analysis of an internet dating website for gay men – Gaydar. The information system, which forms part of the Gaydar community, is shown to shape, and be shaped by the members as they accept and challenge aspects of it as related to their identities. In doing this, I show how the intertwined processes of information systems development and use contribute to the creation of diverse interpretations of masculinity within a group of men. In sum, my analysis highlights different kinds of men and different versions of masculinity that can sometimes be associated with different experiences of information systems. The implications of this work centre on the need to expand our knowledge of men's gendered experiences with information systems, to reflect upon processes of technology facilitated categorisation and to consider the influences that contribute to the roll out of particular software features along with the underlying rationales for market segmentation in the software and software-based services industries
Locating packaged software in information systems research
The papers in this issue focus our attention to packaged software as an increasingly important, but still relatively poorly understood phenomena in the information systems research community. The topic is not new: Lucas et al. (1988) wrote a provocative piece focused on the issues with implementing packaged software. A decade later, Carmel (1997) argued that packaged software was both ideally suited for American entrepreneurial activity and rapidly growing. The information systems research community, however, has moved more slowly to engage this change (e.g., Sawyer, 2001). The papers in this special issue represent a significant step in better engaging the issues of packaged software relative to information systems research, and highlighting opportunities for additional relevant research
CRM packaged software : a study of organisational experiences
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) packaged software has become a key contributor to attempts at aligning business and IT strategies in recent years. Throughout the 1990s there was, in many organisations strategies, a shift from the need to manage transactions and toward relationship management. Where Enterprise Resource Planning packages dominated the management of transactions era, CRM packages lead in regard to relationships. At present, balanced views of CRM packages are scantly presented instead relying on vendor rhetoric. This paper uses case study research to analyse some of the issues associated with CRM packages. These issues include the limitations of CRM packages, the need for a relationship orientation and\ud
the problems of a dominant management perspective of CRM. It is suggested that these issues could be more readily accommodated by organisational detachment from beliefs in IT as utopia, consideration of prior IS theory and practice and a more informed approach to CRM package selection
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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