Business Value Of Information Systems Research Articles

Evolution of Information Systems Business Value Research: Topic Modeling Analysis

ABSTRACT Information Systems Business Value (ISBV) has been a key research topic within the information systems discipline through time. Over the last three decades, ISBV research has dealt with various aspects such as the type of relationships, research methods, theoretical foundations, influencing factors, and measurement issues. This research applies topic modeling on the abstracts of 2824 articles published between 1990 and 2020. Results show that topics such as IS management, IS implementation, and IS public services had endured over time; topics such as IS strategy and IS design had initially gained and then lost traction; and topics such as IS social practices, IS emerging services, and IS sustainability have gained momentum in recent years. Further, ISBV research tends to examine specific and emerging IS tools, technologies, and applications such as Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and business analytics, and seems poised for greater focus on IS sustainability in the near future.

IS capabilities, supply chain collaboration and quality performance in services: the moderating effect of environmental dynamism

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the effects that information systems (IS) capabilities can have on supplier collaboration and customer collaboration and on quality performance in service contexts. In addition, the study examines how supply chain collaboration influences quality performance under various levels of environmental dynamism.Design/methodology/approachThe conceptual model for this study is designed on the basis of the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities view (DCV). A survey of 156 UK service firms was conducted and the data analyzed to test theoretical model using the structural equation modeling method. Furthermore, the moderating effect of environmental dynamism was investigated.FindingsThe results show that IS capabilities are positively associated with supply chain collaboration. Both supplier collaboration and customer collaboration are positively related to quality performance. Supplier collaboration has a positive effect on customer collaboration. Environmental dynamism significantly moderates the relationship between customer collaboration and quality performance, but no moderating effect on the relationship between supplier collaboration and quality performance.Originality/valueThis study takes a step toward quelling concerns about the business value of IS, contributing to the development and validation of the measurement of IS capabilities in the service supply chain context. The study deepens our understanding of supply chain collaboration by making a distinction between supplier collaboration and customer collaboration and investigating the correlation of supplier collaboration and customer collaboration. The findings extend the empirical application of RBV and DCV. In addition, this study’s findings direct service firms to develop IS capabilities that can enhance specific kinds of supply chain collaboration activities, thereby enabling improved quality performance.

A Systematic Literature Review on 30 Years of Empirical Research on Information Systems Business Value

Information Systems Business Value (ISBV) has been a key research topic for the IS research community. While the vast majority of ISBV research demonstrates the positive relationship between IS and firm performance, the fundamental question of the causal relationships between IS and business value remains partly unexplained. Moreover, researchers do not share a unified understanding of ISBV concepts. Therefore, this research intends to synthesize the past 30 years of empirical ISBV research, identify the gaps and shortcomings, conceptualize the ISBV concepts, and propose possibilities for further research that will widen the current narrowly shared ISBV bottom line. We aim to synthesize (1) different operationalization of concepts in existing ISBV research; (2) IS determinants, consequences, and the relations among the variables; (3) the role of contextual factors; and (4) the adopted theoretical views.

Understanding the link between IS capabilities and cost performance in services: the mediating role of supplier integration

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the link between information systems (IS) capabilities, supplier integration and cost performance in the service context. Specifically, it empirically investigates how supplier integration meditates the relationship between three dimensions of IS capabilities and cost performance in service firms.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 156 UK service firms was conducted and the data analyzed to determine the role of supplier integration in mediating the effects of IS capabilities on firms' cost performance. The research model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM), and the neural network model was used to rank the relative influence of significant predictors obtained from SEM.FindingsThe results confirmed that supplier integration fully mediates the effects of information technology (IT) for supply chain activities and flexible IT infrastructure on cost performance and partially mediates the effect of operations manager's IT knowledge on cost performance. The results showed that operations manager's IT knowledge is the strongest predictor of supplier integration.Originality/valueThis study takes a step toward quelling concerns about the business value of IS, contributing to the development and validation of the measurement of IS capabilities in the service operations context. Additionally, it adds to the emerging body of literature linking supplier integration to the operational performance of service firms.

Using a context-based complementary model to assess business value of information systems

Using a context-based complementary model to assess business value of information systems

Using a context-based complementary model to assess business value of information systems

There are several divergent views on how information systems (IS) strategic value is assessed. IS-strategic value has been conceptualised mainly from the perspectives of resource-based theory to enhance internal operational effectiveness and the market-driven to leverage firm capabilities to achieve or sustain a strategic position. However, complex modern business environment has propelled combining diverse models to provide a more comprehensive approach to IS-strategic value assessment. The study proposes an integrative context-based model to understand the essence of leading an offensive strategic IS effort and how industry and/or firm-specific factors impact the performance of eight universal banks in Ghana. The emergent model could serve as a useful guideline and a conceptual basis of a holistic framework of analysing and establishing the competitive status of firms. The findings indicate the two perspectives are complementary and their combined effect on operational and innovative performance is greater.

Revisiting IS business value research: what we already know, what we still need to know, and how we can get there

The business value of investments in Information Systems (IS) has been, and is predicted to remain, one of the major research topics for IS researchers. While the vast majority of research papers on IS business value find empirical evidence in favour of both the operational and strategic relevance of IS, the fundamental question of the causal relationship between IS investments and business value remains partly unexplained. Three research tasks are essential requisites on the path towards addressing this epistemological question: the synthesis of existing knowledge, the identification of a lack of knowledge and the proposition of paths for closing the knowledge gaps. This paper considers each of these tasks. Research findings include that correlations between IS investments and productivity vary widely among companies and that the mismeasurement of IS investment impact may be rooted in delayed effects. Key limitations of current research are based on the ambiguity and fuzziness of IS business value, the neglected disaggregation of IS investments, and the unexplained process of creating internal and competitive value. Addressing the limitations we suggest research paths, such as the identification of synergy opportunities of IS assets, and the explanation of relationships between IS innovation and change in IS capabilities.

About Our Authors

About Our Authors

Information systems evaluation: an ongoing measure

With increased spending of information systems (IS), IS evaluation is becoming increasingly important. It is important for organisations to evaluate business value of IS they have spent a portion, sometimes large, of their yearly revenue on. For that purpose, however, practitioners and researchers still have not agreed on a single method, although cost-benefit analysis seems to be a flavour among IS practitioners. The decision on which evaluation method is more appropriate in a particular situation is largely context dependent. Evaluators commonly face a difficult situation in choosing the right method for a particular context. This paper first reviews different terms being used to describe evaluation of IS business value. Next, it presents past research results about IS evaluation practices of organisations. It then proceeds to provide a summary of IS evaluation methods, IS evaluation approaches, and IS evaluation types. Last, it concludes with research themes of IS evaluation studies.

Understanding “IS business value”: derivation of dimensions

The ever increasing expenditure on information systems (IS) has been accompanied by an increasing demand to measure the business value of the investment. There has been much debate in the literature over appropriate measures to determine this value. Of the many evaluation methods that have been proposed by researchers, only the various forms of cost‐benefit analysis have gained wide acceptance among practitioners. However, before appropriate measures can be devised, a clear definition of what is to be measured and an understanding of the dimensions of “IS business value” are necessary. The aims of this research paper, therefore, are first to highlight the complexity of the “IS business value” picture and second to bring some clarity to the complex problem of determination of “IS business value”. These aims are addressed by first defining the construct of interest and, second, by deriving its dimensions. It is posited that an “IS business value” evaluation methodology should include measures for each of these dimensions in order to tap all the aspects of value contribution.