MIS Distinguished Speaker Series

Temple University

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Sunil Wattal

Feb 7: Emmanuelle Vaast to speak on Social media and new work practices: A grounded theory of a non-profit network of practice

By

Emmanuelle Vaast

Associate Professor of MIS
Long Island University

February 7, 2011

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am

Abstract

This paper examines how work practices change with the use of social media in a network of practice (NoP), that is, among people who share work practices without working with one another or even working for the same organization. Based on the indepth qualitative case study of the use of social media among non-profit professionals, the paper develops a grounded theorization of changes in practice that underscores the at first exogenous then endogenous sources of changes in practices and the trend toward changes in gradually more central practices in the NoP with social media. The grounded theorization acknowledges the importance of the changes in the social media applications and their popularity and recognizes the organizational-level implications of these changes in practices. This grounded theorization holds implications for IS research on IT implementation and use as well as for the understanding of dynamics taking place in NoPs in organizations. This paper contributes the understanding and conceptualization of exciting new dynamics of practices as social media and other web-based applications will continue to become more prevalent in work environments.

For a copy of the paper, click here.

Jan 24: Lynn Wu to speak on Social Network Effects on Performance and Layoffs: Evidence from the Adoption of a Social Networking Tool

By

Lynn Wu

PhD Candidate
Sloan School of Management,
MIT

January 24, 2011

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am

Abstract

By studying the changes in employees’ networks and performance before and after the introduction of a social networking tool, I find that a structurally diverse network (low in cohesion and rich in structural holes) has a positive effect on work performance. The size of the effect is smaller than traditional estimates, suggesting that omitted individual characteristics may bias the estimated network effect. I consider two intermediate mechanisms by which a structurally diverse network is theorized to improve work performance: information diversity (instrumental) and friendship (expressive). I quantify their effects on two types of work outcomes: billable revenue and layoffs. Analysis shows that the information diversity derived from a structurally diverse network is more correlated with generating billable revenue than is friendship. However, the opposite is true for layoffs. Friendship in a diverse network of colleagues is more correlated with reduced layoff risks than is information diversity. Field interviews suggest that friends can serve as advocates in critical situations, ensuring that favorable information is distributed to decision makers. This, in turn, suggests that having a structurally diverse network can drive both work performance and job security, but that there is a tradeoff between either mobilizing friendship or gathering diverse information. Furthermore, it is important to examine the mechanisms by which friendship reduces the risks of being laid off. If friendship promotes team effectiveness, delegating decisions rights to managers is optimal. However, if managers choose to optimize their own power at the expense of the firm, the positive impact of friendships on layoffs is evidence that delegating layoff decisions to managers can incur important costs.

For a copy of the paper, click here..

Dec 3: MIS Phd students’ upcoming conference presentation

By

MIS Phd students will rehearse their upcoming conference presentations. The abstracts and copies of the paper are below:

1. Fit does Matter! An Empirical Study of Product Fit Uncertainty in Online Marketplaces – to be presented at ICIS 2010 by Yili Hong

Abstract (click here for the paper)

This paper examines the antecedents and consequences of product uncertainty in online marketplaces by conceptualizing the dimensions of product uncertainty – description uncertainty (identifying product characteristics), performance uncertainty (inferring product‟s future performance) and fit uncertainty (matching product‟s characteristics with buyer‟s needs), with the focus on product fit uncertainty. It also theorizes the distinction, relationship, and effects of the three dimensions of product uncertainty. Finally, it proposes a set of IT artifacts to reduce product fit uncertainty.

The hypotheses are tested with survey and website transaction data from 274 buyers in Taobao, the largest online marketplace in China. The results first demonstrate the distinction between three dimensions of product uncertainty, show that relative to description and performance uncertainty, only fit uncertainty has significant effect on price premiums, satisfaction, product returns, and repurchase intentions, and support the effects of the use of IT artifacts, such as instant messenger, product forums, and decision support tools on reducing fit uncertainty. Implications for research, theory and practice are discussed.

2. Impact of Past Performance and Strategic Bidding on Winner Determination of Open Innovation Contest – to be presented at WISE 2010 by Yang Yang

Abstract (click here for the paper)

Online innovation contests – seekers posting innovation projects to which solvers submit solutions – have been used by more and more firms for idea seeking and problem solving. Most studies of contests take the perspective of innovation seekers, and little is known about solvers’ strategy and responses. However, contest performance relies on understanding of the quality of solvers it may draw and the arrival times of best solutions. This paper provides insights to these questions. Specifically, we show that past performance of a solver is a good predictor of his future winning probability and that winners are more likely to be those who submit early or later during the submission period as opposed to those submit in the middle. We also find that strategic waiting (to submit solutions) may increase winning probability. Furthermore, we show that different contests appear to attract solvers with different expertise, which invalids the common assumption of fixed solver expertise distribution across projects in previous literature.

3. Digital Innovation and Craftsmanship: The Case of C. F. Martin & Company – to be presented at ICIS 2010 by Gordon Burtch

Abstract (click here for the paper)

Craftsmanship is a concept often left unaddressed in the IT innovation literature. Further, this literature often fails to consider innovation that involves human labor on the shop floor. With the sheer volume of organizations that operate in craft-based industries, placing a strident focus upon craftsmanship and predominantly innovating on the shop floor, this is particularly concerning. This work therefore examines the influence of considered craftsmanship on the nature and consequences of digital innovation in the guitar manufacturing process at C. F. Martin & Company. We propose a model of innovation that incorporates the concept of the activity system, drawn from the field of activity theory.

Individual innovations cause disturbances in actor-tool-task relationships (activity systems). This drives a series of reconfigurations, in an effort to eliminate said disturbances. Preliminary qualitative evidence is provided, supporting the proposed model, in the form of a series of semi-structured interviews.

4. Is IT the Great Equalizer? A Social Class based Longitudinal Analysis of Technology Diffusion – to be presented at ICIS 2010 by Yili Hong

Abstract (click here for the paper)

Technology in general and the Internet in particular have often been seen as the ―great equalizer‖ in that it provides a level playing field for all individuals in the society in terms of competing for social and economic opportunities. However, technology philosophers such as Andrew Feenberg have argued that technology diffusion mirrors the existing social order. Which of these worldviews actually holds is an open question, and in this research, we try to answer it using data on adoption of multiple technologies by individuals in the US over different time periods. Our results suggest that technology diffusion largely takes place along existing social class lines, and that the arrival of newer technologies ensures that the digital divide perpetuates.

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Nov 19: Jerry Kane to speak on Online communities of practice and user generated content

By

Gerald C. (Jerry) Kane

Assistant Professor,
Carroll School of Management,
Boston College

November 19, 2010

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am

Jerry will present two papers related to online communities of practice and user generated content.

Title 1: Network Characteristics and the Value of Collaborative User-Generated Content

Abstract 1

User-generated content increasingly is created through the collaborative e
orts of multiple individuals. Characteristics of the network associated with the creation of collaborative content should therefore influence content value. A social network analysis, applied to Wikipedia’s Medicine Wikiproject, reveals a curvilinear relationship between the number of distinct contributors to user-generated content and viewership. Glob ally central content|characterized by connections to more prominent collaborative content in the overall network|generates greater viewership. Contrary to previous theory, locally central content|characterized by greater intensity of work by contributors to multiple content source is negatively associated with viewership. In addition, network e
ects are stronger for newer collaborative user-generated content. A recursive relationship between contribution and viewership activity suggests a virtuous cycle between the value ofand contribution to user-generated content, but this dynamic matures and stabilizes over time. Finally, effects of network characteristics on value di
er for the most and least viewed content. These
findings have implications for fostering collaborative user-generated content.

Title 2: A Longitudinal Model of Perspective making and Perspective Taking within Fluid Online Collectives

Abstract 2

Although considerable research has investigated perspective making and perspective taking processes in existing communities of practice, little research has explored how these processes are manifest in fluid online collectives. Fluid collectives do not share common emotional bonds, shared languages, mental models, or clearly defined boundaries that are common in communities of practices and that aid in the perspective development process. This paper conducts a retrospective case study of a revelatory online collective – the autism article on Wikipedia – to explore how the collective develops a perspective over time with a fluid group of diverse participants surrounding a highly contentious issue. We find that the collective develops a perspective over time through three archetypical challenges – chaotic perspective taking, perspective shaping, and perspective defending. Using this data, we develop a longitudinal model of perspective development. The theoretical implications are discussed and a set of propositions are developed for testing in more generalized settings.

For a copy of the paper1, click here.

For a copy of the paper2, click here.

Nov 12: Ravi Bapna to speak on “Returns on Human Capital Investments in Offshore IT Services Industry: A Firm Level Analysis”

By

Ravi Bapna

Board of Overseers Professor of Information and Decision Sciences Department,
Carlson School of Management,
University of Minnesota

November 12, 2010

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am

Abstract

The revenue growth model of IT services firms has been historically been based on scaling of firm size. However, as firms have become bigger, it has increasing become a pertinent question to examine whether some other lever to improve firm productivity may exist. In this paper, we use a panel data of Indian IT services firms to specifically examine how investments in training may impact firm productivity. We use a combination of econometric methodologies to eliminate the simultaneity bias so prevalent in studies of this type. We find that training is indeed a very important ingredient of achieving high firm productivity and may give returns that are orders of magnitude high compared to the investments. We also find that bigger firms enjoy much more benefits from training compared to the smaller firms.

For a copy of the paper, click here.

Oct 29: Andrew Burton-Jones to speak on “From Use to Effective Use: A Representation Theory Perspective”

By

Andrew Burton-Jones
Assistant Professor
Saunder School of Business,
University of British Columbia

October 29, 2010

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am

Abstract

Information systems must be used effectively to obtain maximum benefits from them. However, despite a great deal of research on when and why systems are used, very little research has examined what effective system use involves and what drives it. To move from use to effective use requires understanding an information system’s nature and purpose, which in turn requires a theory of information systems. We draw on representation theory, which states that an information system is made up of several structures that serve to represent some part of the world that a user must understand. From this theory, we derive a high-level framework of how effective use and performance evolve, as well as specific models of the nature and drivers of effective use. The models are designed to explain the effective use of any information system and offer unique insights that would not be offered by traditional views, which tend to consider information systems to be just another tool rather than examining their unique characteristics. We explain how our theory extends existing research and can provide a new platform for research on this important topic.

For a copy of the paper, click here.

Oct 22: Jungpil Hahn to speak on Knowledge Overlap, Task Interdependence, and Trust in Development

By

Jungpil Hahn

Assistant Professor

Krannert School of Business, Purdue University


October 22, 2010

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am


Abstract

Information systems development (ISD) is fundamentally a search process by which the team seeks to find an optimal system configuration that produces the highest performance. As information systems are embodiments of business-domain knowledge and technical knowledge, ISD requires both. The business unit is ultimately responsible for making business design choices whereas the IS unit is largely responsible for making technical design choices. Complexity in ISD arises when these design choices are interdependent. We argue that knowledge overlaps between business and IS play an important role in the ISD process. Using an NK fitness landscapes model of ISD, this research investigates how knowledge overlaps influence ISD performance (1) when the level of interdependencies among design choices varies, (2) for different distributions of within-unit and between-unit interdependencies, (3) when between-unit interdependencies are balanced or skewed, and (4) when inter-unit trust exists or is absent. We report the results of a simulation study and discuss their implications and insights.

For a copy of the paper, click here.

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Oct 8: Jinyoung Min to speak on Yes, It is me: Emotional Attachment to Self-Presenting Information Technology

By

Jinyoung Min

Visiting Research Scholar

Fox School of Business, Temple University


October 8, 2010

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am


Abstract

As information technology (IT) continues to permeate everyday life experiences, it is no longer simply a tool to improve task performance; people use technology to present themselves and fulfill their inner desires. Yet, there are few studies examining this new aspect of information technology.

To fill this gap in the literature, we propose the concept of self-presenting IT, a class of information technology whose primary purpose is to present users’ self-image, either actual or possible. We consider two examples of self-presenting IT: blogs and social network sites (SNS). We propose that actual and possible self-presentations can be either strategic or expressive and further argue that strategic self-presentation appeals to a cognitive assessment of technology, while expressive self-presentation appeals to an affective process. Finally, we argue that people are more likely to use SNS for actual self-presentations and blogs for possible self-presentations.

We test our theory using the data collected from 321 bloggers and 299 SNS users. Our findings reveal the separate roles of actual and possible self-presentation with blogs and SNS in influencing perceived usefulness and emotional attachment to IT. However, contrary to our expectation, perceived usefulness for self-presentation in isolation does not have a direct impact on a user’s commitment to IT. Our results show simply improving perceived usefulness is not enough to sustain the use of self-presenting IT – we must make sure that individuals are emotionally attached to IT to in order to strengthen their commitment to the technology.

For a copy of the paper, click here.

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Oct 1: Bob Zmud to speak on Engendering Organizational Technical Capabilities and Business Capabilities by Fabricating the Operating Environments that Comprise IT Infrastructure

By

Bob Zmud

Professor, Michael F. Price Chair in MIS and George Lynn Cross Research Professor

Michael F. Price College of Business

University of Oklahoma

October 1, 2010

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am

Abstract

With information technology (IT) infrastructure serving as a foundation for much of the managerial and operational activities occurring in organizations, investment decisions targeted at enhancing or reengineering IT infrastructures are increasing in frequency, dollar amount and importance. However, current conceptualizations of the nature and value relevance of IT infrastructure remain rather limited, resulting in proponents of IT investment proposals finding it challenging to build convincing business cases for these investments. We offer new conceptualizations of IT infrastructure and its value relevance that move beyond portraying IT infrastructure as a broad collection of technical assets and services to a portrayal of IT infrastructure as a mindfully-determined aggregation of technical operating environments and business operating environments, which in turn engender specific value-adding technical and business capabilities. Next, we apply this conceptualization in synthesizing extant research examining the value-adding role of IT infrastructure across three distinct IT activity domains (solution identification, solutions delivery, and solutions execution), concluding the analysis within each domain with assessments of progress and suggested future research directions. Finally, after reiterating our theoretical contributions, we suggest research directions that apply across all three IT activity domains and discuss the implications of our ideas to practice.

For a copy of the paper, click here.

Sept 24: Detmar Straub to speak on Is Information Systems Research Relevant?

By

Detmar Straub

A Regent’s Professor of the University System of Georgia and the J. Mack Robinson Distinguished Professor of Information Systems

Georgia State University

September 24, 2010

Speakman Hall 200, 1000am – 1130am

Abstract

One of the most common beliefs circulated among both IS academics and practitioners is that IS scholarly work, i.e., research, is not being widely disseminated in practice.  One explanation offered for this belief is that there is a natural tension between academic scholarship (rigor) and practice (relevance), the two groups not sharing knowledge as much as they might because of failings on the part of academics and academic journals, in particular, to make their work “speak” more to practice.

This presentation argues that if we understand the highly defensible goals of scholars and practitioners, the tension could fade into the background or even disappear.  In short, this perception could be badly overstated because of a widespread misunderstanding of what scholarship is trying accomplish as opposed to what practice is trying to accomplish.  It could also be overstated because we have never really studied the knowledge transfer issue.

The logic that follows argues that “rigor versus relevance” is the wrong framing; practitioners generally cannot understand nor can they directly use academics’ “methodological rigor.”  They may learn IT research findings through other avenues, but NOT thru scholarly journals.  Sadly, there has been NO literature germain to the underlying, real issue of whether IS research is relevant.

For a copy of the paper, click here.