VOL. 12, NO. 1, January 2009
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE OF JGITM (VOL. 12, NO. 1, January 2009)
EDITORIAL PREFACE: THE FINANCIAL CRISIS ON WALL STREET: COMPLEXITY, STABILITY, AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Few have alluded to the lessons that can be learned from the role of information and information technology in the current economic crisis. Four lessons are drawn: the role of information in the integration of complex enterprises, systems and networks; the need for some regulation to ensure that essential data moves through the system; the possibility of information ignorance; and the need to identify who is responsible for the quality of information.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR MANAGING OFFSHORE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Ulrich Remus, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, ulrich.remus@canterbury.ac.nz
This paper identifies and structures the critical success factors of offshore software development projects, and more importantly, it analyzes the relevance of the identified factors from several perspectives, such as type of company, company size, geographical location, project type, size and experience. The findings are particular relevant for companies in countries where English is not the first language and where OSD is still an emerging field.
CULTURAL DETERMINANTS OF LEANING EFFECTIVENESS FROM KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: A MULTINATIONAL INVESTIGATION
The effectiveness of KMS is dependent on individual learning and individual-specific learning preferences. Using a multi-national survey, this study aims to determine to what extent learning preferences are dependent on culture. KMS designs that ignore culture may result in incomplete or ineffective knowledge transfer and learning outcomes. These findings contribute to the KMS literature by suggesting that KMS design should be conducted with the goal of effectively facilitating learning across cultures. Specific KMS design recommendations include incorporating group activities and providing flexibility, depending on the culturally derived learning preferences of specific users.
E-GOVERNMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN NATIONS
Rhoda C. Joseph, The PennsylvaniaStateUniversityHarrisburg, Ruj1@psu.edu
Patrick I. Jeffers, Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, patijeff@aol.com
This study provides an overview of the current state of e-government in the Caribbean. The methodology employed is a web site content analysis using a theoretical framework based on the Siau and Long (2005) egovernment stages model. This analysis focuses specifically on member states of the Caribbean Community also called Caricom, which is a trade agreement encompassing several of the territories in the region. This study examines the level of maturity of e-government in the Caribbean. The analysis indicates that e government among Caricom member-countries is established and poised for continued growth.
THE EXPERT OPINION: AN INTERVIEW WITH TIMOTHY RICE, CEO AND PRESIDENT, MOSES CONE HEALTH SYSTEM
Conducted by: Pam Cash, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Pam_Cash@uncg.edu
Timothy Rice is President and CEO of Moses Cone Health Systems in Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. The interview discusses healthcare issues in the United States and the role of information technology in providing solutions. Mr. Rice frames his comments in the context of “The Good”, “The Bad”, and “The Potential” of IT in healthcare.
BOOK REVIEW: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN ACTION by Mark Ackerman, Rose Dieng-Kuntz, Carla Simone, and Volker Wulf
Reviewed by: Roberto Vinaja This timely book presents some of the latest implementations of knowledge management systems in multiple global settings. While discussing some of the latest conceptual developments in this area, the book complements the theoretical discussion with a detailed description of many action-based implementations.
VOL. 12, NO. 2, April 2009
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE OF JGITM (VOL. 12, NO. 2, April 2009) SPECIAL ISSUE
EDITORIAL PREFACE: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT RESEARCH IN BRAZIL
Brazil is clearly one of the leaders in the new economy, but it is a country of sharp contrasts. If the Brazilian economy developed greatly in the last years and IT adoption is reported to have boosted labor productivity, it should be expected that the country invests heavily in IT research and development. But this seems not to be true. The guest editors discuss the status, difficulties, and progress of IS research in Brazil and introduce the very first special issue on Brazil. In spite of the difficulties, they were able to attract high quality articles.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT MATURITY BETWEEN BUSINESS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL
Brazilian Industry has sought to adjust to the laws and acts of corporate governance and strategic management practices arising from the new national and international economic reality. One of the emerging elements is Strategic Alignment (SA). The present study sought to identify the level of maturity and the order of importance of the criteria that promote SA between Business and Information Technology (IT), as perceived by business and IT executives. The findings indicate that elements such as “Communication”, “Skills”, “Scope and Architecture” are of greatest importance and most promoted within firms. Though equally important, the management element “Competency/Value Measurements” was found to be less promoted.
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT AND ITS ANTECEDENTS: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF CONSTRUCTS AND RELATIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL AND BRAZILIAN LITERATURE
In this study, the authors conduct a review of the international and the Brazilian literature on business-IT strategic alignment and present a critical analysis of fundamental problems observed in the field. They argue that conceptual shortcomings, such as the lack of clarity in constitutive definitions of the alignment construct and the plethora of often overlapping antecedents, restrain systematic knowledge development. They propose a conceptual definition of business-IT strategic alignment, striving for clarity and parsimony, and highlight its distinction from the definition of operational alignment. The antecedents are analyzed so as to formulate a conceptual model for the nomological network that links these constructs.
E-GOVERNMENT AND THE INFLUENCE OF POWER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Information infrastructures are important for implementing e-government solutions for enterprise activities and for society in general, thus being essential for global IT solutions. This study analyses the development of an information infrastructure with special attention to the influence of power. This infrastructure was implemented by the State of São Paulo in Brazil. The infrastructure’s institutionalization and further development was influenced by powerful or empowered agents that used it as a controlling or empowering tool. Hanseth´s infrastructure theory is the theoretical basis employed to study the process, complemented with an adaptation of the circuits of power framework that was used to study the effects of power upon this infrastructure’s development.
THE ROLE OF ICT IN HELPING PARALLEL PATHS CONVERGE: MICROCREDIT AND CORRESPONDENT BANKING IN BRAZIL
Two important phenomena in the financial sector have drawn attention in recent years: on the one hand, microcredit is growing; on the other hand, correspondent banking (CB) outlets have risen to prominence, with particular success in Brazil. This paper argues that information and communication technology (ICT) applications have the potential to help these two movements, until now tracing parallel paths, to converge. The authors apply an emergent conceptual framework that combines three theoretical lenses: social shaping of technology, structurationist view of technology and contextualism. The result is an original reading of the possible combinations of CB and microfinance in Brazil and the expectation that the multilevel framework might help to understand similar complex phenomena in other Latin America contexts
THE EXPERT OPINION: AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. JULIANA S. HERBERT, CEO, HERBERT CONSULTING
Conducted by: Carlo Gabriel Porto Bellini, bellini@ccsa.ufpb.br Herbert Consulting is a Brazilian company established by Dr. Juliana Herbert in August 2007. Its focus is on training, consulting, and appraisal activities on software process improvement. Dr. Herbert discusses with JGITM the Brazilian software industry, its growth and distribution, and its role in South America and the world economy.
VOL. 12, NO.3, July 2009
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE OF JGITM (VOL. 12, NO.3, July 2009)
EDITORIAL PREFACE: LEVERAGING THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE THROUGH IT-ENABLED GLOBAL COLLABORATION
Luca Iandoli, University of Naples Federico II, Italy, iandoli@unina.it
What has global IT research to do with complex systemic challenges like climate change or other global problems humanity is going to face like water, food, poverty, biodiversity and in general sustainable development? The Associate Editor discusses global IT research challenges in addressing such complex systemic issues. He roughly organizes this research field in two macro areas: “the management of collective intelligence” and the “design of collaborative tools”.
ENTERPRISE ADOPTION OF INTERNET BANKING IN CHINA
Bo Xu, FudanUniversity, Shanghai, China, bxu@fudan.edu.cn
Bingjia Shao, Chongqing University, China, shaobingjia@cqu.edu.cn
Zhangxi Lin, Texas Tech University, zhangxi.lin@ttu.edu
Internet banking provides opportunities to expand markets, increase service efficiency, lower the cost of operations, and improve customer loyalty. The enterprise adoption of Internet banking in China is low compared to developed countries. Therefore, understanding the factors that influence the adoption of enterprise Internet banking will help both service providers and enterprise clients develop strategies for new opportunities. This paper investigates Internet banking adoption by Chinese companies. An empirical study is conducted using data from 174 Chinese companies. The results indicate that perceived benefits, perceived transactional risk, organizational readiness, and external pressure exert significant effects on enterprise adoption of Internet banking in China. Based on the research findings, suggestions are provided on how to promote the usage of Internet banking in China.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT OF A GLOBALLY DISTRIBUTED MULTICOMPONENT PROJECT: A THEORETICAL MODEL AND SIMULATIONS
Adopting the framework of a multicomponent, distributed outsourced project in IT research and development, this article introduces a quantitative model of the asymptotic stability of development output in the outsourced project components. Empirical production functions are employed to formulate stochastic distributions of the parameters in the model. Data from actual industrial projects are compared with prediction results from Monte Carlo simulations to determine the span of the linear regime of development progress. These are valuable tools for project managers and management practitioners to control and sustain the long-term evolution of the project. The points of departure from linearity as well as probable causes are discussed.
AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF COMMON FUNDAMENTALS IN NATIONAL E-READINESS FRAMEWORKS
Kathleen M. Boyer-Wright, SalisburyUniversity, kmwright@salisbury.edu
In recent years, numerous e-readiness frameworks derived in large part from theory in developmental and institutional socioeconomics, have been proffered to help guide nations in these modernization efforts. This study derives a model based upon common variables across e-readiness frameworks as well as related prior research to investigate associations between key national factors and e-business and e-government activity. Six factors are identified, from general national characteristics to internet-specific characteristics: general economic prosperity, technological innovativeness, and tertiary education; internet service provider competition, law, and penetration. Data from the World Bank, the International Telecommunications Union, UNESCO, and the World Economic Forum are used to investigate the associations across ninety-two countries. PLS is used to analyze the models. Several intriguing similarities and differences are found.
THE EXPERT OPINION: AN INTERVIEW WITH HEMANT K. SABAT, CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO, SABAT COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS, L.L.C.
Hemant K. Sabat is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sabat Communications Solutions. The extended interview discusses the trends in the global communications and entertainment industry and the various solutions the industry is responding with. Mr. Sabat describes the concept of the Software Service Factory and its benefits for global IT executives.
BOOK REVIEW: EVENT-DRIVEN MOBILE FINANCIAL INFORMATION SERVICES, BY JAN MUNTERMANN
Reviewed by: Roberto Vinaja
This book provides an evident example of the potential impact of globalization and IT on the strategy and profitability of the financial industry. The book illustrates the design and evaluation of a mobile financial information system that supports investors in making time-critical investment decisions. The main motivation for this book is the gap between current mobile financial service concepts and actual user adoption.
VOL. 12, NO. 4, OCTOBER 2009
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE OF JGITM (VOL. 12, NO.4, October 2009)
EDITORIAL PREFACE: GROUP ANALYSIS AT REGIONAL LEVELS CAN BE MEANINGFUL IN GLOBAL IS RESEARCH
Group analyses at regional levels, whether at a city, state or other demographically chosen level, possibly combining several regions in the same nation or different nations, is encouraged in global IS/technology research. The authors contend that this approach can yield many interesting findings which are not always discovered by other approaches. They present several examples of applying group analysis at regional levels. Mixed-level or multi-level analysis can also be used for explaining variances at the individual-level.
CULTURAL INFLUENCE ON IS PRACTICES IN CHINA: A LITERATURE ANALYSIS
Xiang-Hua Lu, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, lxhua@fudan.edu.cn Michael S H Heng, National University of Singapore, michaelheng@nus.edu.sg There are many published papers about the impacts of the Chinese culture on IS practices. Their findings are fragmented and difficult to build on. The aim of this paper is to address this inadequacy and to contribute to a fuller picture via an exhaustive literature review of published refereed papers in this area. A culture analysis framework is developed along the dimensions of harmony maintenance, individualistic collectivism, hierarchical power structure and high context based on the prior studies. These four dimensions are used to structure the findings of the literature review and to analyze their influences on three types of IS practices.
A CROSS-NATIONAL COMPARISON OF THE DETERMINANTS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH ONLINE STORES
Kyootai Lee, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, kyootai@gmail.com Kailash Joshi, University of Missouri - St. Louis, joshi@umsl.edu Mueun Bae, Inha University. South Korea, mueunbae@inha.ac.kr Customer experiences with shopping have been found to vary across different national cultures. This study employs Hofstede’s cultural values to examine the relative influence of the determinants of customer satisfaction in online shopping across the US and South Korea. Results indicate that the levels of relationship of customer satisfaction with its determinants are influenced by national cultures. For example, time saved was found to be a more important factor for customer satisfaction for US customers, compared to Korean customers. Website aesthetic quality, risk, and customer support were found to be more critical factors for Korean customer satisfaction.
CONTRACTING OUTSOURCED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES IN BRAZIL
Cesar Alexandre de Souza, University of São Paulo–Brazil, calesou@usp.br
Hiroo Takaoka, University of São Paulo–Brazil, takaoka@usp.br Nicolau Reinhard, University of São Paulo–Brazil, reinhard@usp.br IT outsourcing is widely adopted aiming to increase IT systems’ and IT services’ efficiency and efficacy in companies. This article proposes an exploratory model for analysis of information technology (IT) services outsourcing, considering the relationships between organizational characteristics, the importance assigned to IT, outsourced services and contractual arrangements for their outsourcing. The model was tested with a sample comprising 267 outsourced services present in 71 medium or large organizations operating in Brazil. Five possible causal relationships were identified between organization size, importance of IT, outsourcing culture, importance of outsourcing, services outsourced and contractual arrangement employed.
THE EXPERT OPINION: AN INTERVIEW WITH HIS EXCELLENCY, TUN DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMED, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA (FROM 1981 – 2003)
One of Malaysia’s most successful accomplishments is the establishment of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). This project was introduced by Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed in 1996 with the initiative to promote the global information and communication technology (ICT) industry. The interview discusses the background of MSC, its goals, benefits, challenges, and opportunities.
BOOK REVIEW: MASTERING INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, BY DONALD A. MARCHAND, AND THOMAS H. DAVENPORT (EDS.)
This book is an impressive effort that puts together articles from fifty three international experts on IT and information management. It discusses key concepts, historical facts, personal experiences, industry trends, illustrative cases, and directions for understanding and effecting the expected role of an information executive in contemporary organizations.
