Information Systems Professionals Research Articles

The Role of Service-Learning in Information Systems Education

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the role of service-learning in Information Systems (IS) education. Background: While the use of modern technologies presents many operational benefits, such as the lowering of the costs, it may also aggravate social-economic is-sues. IS professionals should account for these issues as well as exhibit the skills demanded by modern-day employers. Hence, why there is a need for IS educators to adopt a new pedagogy that supports the development of more holistic and socially responsible IS graduates. Methodology: In this qualitative exploratory case study, two IS service-learning courses at a South African university were studied. Interviews, course evaluations, and reflection essays were analyzed to gain insight into the implications that service-learning may have for students. Contribution: This study contributes to IS education research by advancing discussions on the role of service-learning in providing learning outcomes such as the development of important skills in IS, civic-mindedness, and active participation in society. Findings: The findings showed that the courses had different implications for students developing skills that are important in IS and becoming civic-minded due to the variation in their design and implementation. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is recommended that IS educators present their courses in the form of service-learning with a careful selection of readings, projects, and reflection activities. Recommendations for Researchers: IS education researchers are advised to conduct longitudinal studies to gain more insight into the long-term implications that service-learning may have for IS students. Impact on Society: This paper provides insight into how IS students may gain social agency and a better understanding of their role in society. Future Research: It is recommended that future research focus on mediating factors and the implications that service-learning may have for IS students in the long-term.

Confucian Values, Social Fear, and Knowledge Sharing in Korean Organizations

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Confucian values, social fear and organizational knowledge sharing culture on the knowledge sharing intention of Information Systems (IS) professionals in an East Asian context. We surveyed 187 professionals working in IS in South Korean companies and applied partial least squares structural equation modeling for testing our hypotheses. The results show that Confucian values negatively influence knowledge sharing intention by increasing social fear. Conversely, knowledge sharing culture enhances knowledge sharing intention directly, and by mitigating the negative effects of Confucian values and social fear. Thus, while individuals’ reluctance to share knowledge has been conceptualized as a rational cost-benefit process in a Western context, our study shows that negative emotions and the underlying values, which stimulate these emotions, influence knowledge sharing intention in an East Asian context.

Information literacy and fake news: How the field of librarianship can help combat the epidemic of fake news

This paper studies how the field of librarianship can help counteract the phenomenon of fake news and misinformation. A literature review was conducted to identify the current themes, patterns, correlations and gaps within the existing literature on fake news, information literacy and librarianship. Findings centre on defining fake news, analysing contemporary and emerging information literacy frameworks, and outlining the current efforts and initiatives exercised by libraries to refute the spread of fake news and educate communities on how to navigate through an era of untruth and disinformation. The paper outlines effective initiatives developed by those within the Library and Information Systems (LIS) profession while highlighting considerations and recommendations as to how librarians can continue to enhance their role in the digital age and make successful contributions to the professional field.

Understanding the paradigm shift in education in the twenty-first century

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyse the potential impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) on education. IoT is more than just novel educational arrangements with new technology and networked computing devices. Taking a systems design perspective, the author argues that IoT represents a paradigm shift in the key drivers of education systems. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a conceptual analysis based on the systems thinking framework. The paper relies on a literature review as informed by prior studies in the field, social media analysis and research database articles of IoT in education. Findings The paper finds that systems thinking is a useful framework for examining IoT in education. It finds that writers on IoT in education use a number of lenses at looking at how IoT will affect education. All of these can be refined. Findings suggest that IoT technology has the potential to impact how education systems are reimagined and redesigned; that logistics of educational management and the design of learning facilities can become more responsive to student learning needs because of IoT technology; and instructional delivery systems will be reconstituted by IoT technology. This study is of most value to educators, administrators and information systems professionals. Industries of focus include K-12 education, higher education and specialized training fields. Research limitations/implications The research is a conceptual analysis based on social media content and research studies. This is a new line of inquiry; therefore, the sources and data rapidly change. Practical implications The study is practical for educational policymakers and educators to plan for the shift in modes of instructional design, curriculum development and school leadership and organization. Social implications The research will inform the basis for new educational and schooling arrangements; IoT will change the way all of us learn and engage with learning activities. Originality/value The paper is highly original and very valuable for education policymakers as well as educators at all levels.

Perception Formulation of ICT: A Case at Sri Lanka Ports Authority

There is a widespread and growing concern in organizations and senior management that investment in information systems (IS) improves both the efficiency and the effectiveness of the organizations. However, a recent study revealed frustrating results in that many IS projects did not improve the value of organizations while meeting business objectives. IS expenditure was regarded as both costly and risky. Yet many IS investments appear to go ahead without the use of formal investment appraisal and risk management techniques. Often the implementation is left to the IS professionals alone and organizations find themselves in an impasse wrestling with the problem of how to recoup the investment. This paper uses a case of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority which was seeking to implement ICT initiatives to consolidate and integrate many, often disparate, internal systems that had envolved over the recent past. It examines how ICT-based initiatives shaped management's 'perception' that the ICT initiatives would achieve the organizations' objectives.

MISunderstood: A Longitudinal Analysis of Major MISperceptions

Low information system (IS) enrollment continues to present a threat to IS programs and pose a serious problem to companies in desperate need of IS professionals. Research attributes low enrollment and the shortage of IS talent to misperceptions about the nature of IS programs, careers, and job prospects. Recent research (Akbulut-Bailey, 2012) suggests that enrollment remains low despite improved perceptions about the IS job market, which raises the question as to whether the misperceptions about IS careers and programs still exist and whether they represent the main factor in why students do not choose the IS field. Using the case study method (Yin 1984), we provide a longitudinal view of the perceptions that students have had about MIS, how they have changed, and ways in which we can meaningfully combat misperceptions.

Occupational Stress and Demographic Characteristics among Information Technology Professionals

Occupational stress among information system professionals is gaining more recognition because it may lead to high turnover and less productivity. The present research focuses on software development professionals to examine their occupational stress and demographic characteristics in India. A questionnaire was developed to identify the occupational stress among software development professionals (SDP) using dimensions such as age, average daily working hours, gender, training and nature of work. Data from 156 respondents working in information technology companies in Chennai and Bangalore was collected. It was found that those who were more than 30 years of age have stress due to work family interface. Employees working less than 10 hours daily experience more stress due to fear of obsolescence, individual team interaction, work culture, lack of family support and technical risk propensity. In terms of gender, men and women professionals do not differ in their occupational stress. However, employees who had computer training especially in software programming in addition to their engineering degree face more stress due to fear of obsolescence and technical risk propensity. Software development professionals whose nature of work is purely technical experience more stress because of fear of obsolescence than others. The results are discussed and based on these the relevant implications are suggested.

Information systems project teams: factors for high performance

PurposeThe purpose of this research is twofold: identify and gain a better insight on factors that can influence high performance of Information Systems (IS) project teams from the perspective of IS professionals (i.e. team members and leaders), and thus contribute to the general discussion on high-performance project teams; and offer both IS project team members and their project managers some feedback on how to build and manage teams more constructively and to enhance team performance in today’s demanding business environment.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used an exploratory case study of a small-size holding company and a qualitative analysis of the data to address the research questions.FindingsResults show a set of perceived factors that can influence high team performance in IS projects. Participants’ perceptions barely coincide. For instance, mutual trust was the only factor suggested as facilitating high team performance by 5 participants (out of 13). Differences may be because of participants’ characteristics (e.g. time on the job). All perceived factors are classified in the literature as nontechnical (i.e. having to do with behavioral and/or socio-organizational matters of project management).Originality/valueThis paper is among the very few empirical studies consolidating knowledge on high-performance IS project teams (e.g. it is still unclear if there are IS project team-specific factors that influence high performance). For the highly technical IS industry, this study came across human-centric factors transversal to different project teams.

Being useful: How information systems professionals influence the use of information systems in enterprises

Organizations are keen to obtain as much value as they can from their information systems (IS) investments. While the first-order benefits of new information systems are usually obtained when they are used routinely, the full potential of new systems is only unlocked when they are used deeply. While the support of managers and peers can encourage individuals to use systems more deeply, the latter’s lack of technical know-how means that they may not be able to allay fears or doubts that arise as they improvise and experiment with new systems to infuse them into their work processes. We use social cognitive theory to frame infusion as a learning process, where individuals model their behavior based on the behaviors of others they observe in the environment and the resources available. We argue that individual users succeed in infusing new systems into their work when they interact with IS professionals. This interaction allows users to observe the actions of IS professionals and receive knowledge and guidance from them. The results of our study show that the discretionary behaviors exhibited by IS professionals positively affect users’ perceptions of the levels of usefulness and ease of use of new systems, encouraging them to use the systems as fully as possible. This study extends our understanding of the role that the discretionary behavior of IS professionals plays in enhancing the value that organizations obtain from their new IS investments.

ISJ Editorial

ISJ Editorial

Patterns underlying required HR and IT competencies: a content and cluster analysis of advertisements of HR manager positions

Despite the pervasiveness of Information Technology (IT) in organizations, IT competencies for non Information Systems professionals such as Human Resource (HR) managers have been overlooked and limited attention has been paid to the interrelationships between IT and non-IT competencies. Building upon signaling theory and the configurational approach, this study characterizes actual IT and HR competencies that firms signal when recruiting for HR manager positions. A content analysis of 207 online job advertisements of HR manager positions is first conducted. Using factor analysis, three bundles of competencies are unveiled: IT, strategy, and employee and workplace well-being. Then, a cluster analysis approach that combines hierarchical and non-hierarchical clustering algorithms is applied, followed by discriminant function analysis for validation. The study uncovers three strongly separated clusters of recruiting organizations based on required IT and HR competencies for HR manager positions. The clusters are labeled according to their dominant required competencies: (1) strategy proponents −10% (2) technology proponents −30%, and (3) basic proponents −60%. The proposed classification goes beyond the normative understanding of IT competencies for HR managers and the way they combine with HR competencies: it provides a well-structured and parsimonious lens that is useful for recruiters, applicants, and educators.

Virtual/Mixed Reality

Use of classroom and online learning and administrative technologies in schools and higher education institutions has grown at an exponential pace. With growth comes expectations by students of using new and emerging technologies to support their learning. Such expectations are due in part to the generational shift from digital immigrant to more students being digital natives, and is particularly true for Gen z/iGen/Centennials (born in 1996 or later). The purpose of the critical review and exploratory case study was to gain insights from 18 instructional designers, information systems professionals, and content/subject matter experts pertaining to the current and future use of virtual/mixed reality technologies for both public and higher education.

Enhancing project management course outcomes using an experiential learning approach

Project management skills have become increasingly important for information systems (IS) professionals. Like most skills, project management skills are developed through practice. This paper describes an innovative solution for integrating a structured project into an information systems curriculum project management course. The innovation applies best practices drawn from the experiential learning literature to the design of a course project. Our solution enhances students' project management knowledge and provides opportunities to apply that knowledge to develop project management skills. The paper presents the underlying theory, describes how that theory is incorporated in the project, provides and discusses the actual project so that others may use it as-is or adapt it to their courses, presents excerpts of students' reactions and concludes with several suggestions from the authors.

Analyzing the Impact of Governance of Enterprise IT on Hospital Performance

A gap exists in the extant literature on linking information technology governance vis-à-vis hospital performance. Specifically, this work offers insights to fill this gap by adopting the COBIT 5 framework and ISO 38500 standards in examining the relationship between IT governance principles and balanced scorecard (BSC) dimensions of hospital performance. The proposed study investigated the influence of IT governance on Tehran's hospitals' performance. Data were gathered and analyzed from fifty-three (53) questionnaires administered to Health Information Systems (HIS) professionals and IT managers. Results showed that all IT governance dimensions have a positive correlation with hospital performance and IT governance has a significant positive impact on Tehran's hospitals' performance.

Toward a Simplified Software Process Improvement Framework for Small Software Development Organizations

ABSTRACTFor decades, software developers have struggled with delivering high-quality systems. To address the issues related to poor quality software, many use software process improvement (SPI) models such as the capability maturity model integration (CMMI) to guide the software development process. However, implementing these initiatives in small software development organizations is particularly challenging due to the high cost and complexity involved. To address these issues, this study proposes a simplified SPI framework (based on the CMMI) that small organizations can use to help improve software development. Conducted in four English-speaking Caribbean countries, this study uses focus groups with information systems (IS) professionals to arrive at a consensus on the content of a simplified SPI model. The model was assessed using data from a survey of small software development organizations’ practices across the four countries. The resulting model, called the SPI model for small organizations (SPIM-S) is deemed less cumbersome and complex to implement, in comparison to its counterpart, the CMMI. It should therefore be less disruptive to implement—offering practitioners an alternative guide in their quest for high-quality software.

A Perception Study Of Computer Science And Information Systems Students On Bullying Prevalence In The Information Systems Profession

Bullying is considered to be omnipresent in business firms and prevalent in entrepreneurial firms in information systems and in departments of information systems in industry. Entrepreneurialism and narcissism of personalities in the information systems profession may be perceived as especially predisposed to bullying. The authors of this paper evaluate the knowledge of bullying by students in a leading school of computer science and information systems and learn that the students are essentially knowledgeable of bullying as a concern in industry. They learn that the knowledge of the students implies the importance of requisite sensitivity and professional standards in the profession and in the school. The paper may benefit educators in illuminating the issue of bullying for information systems students desiring to be in the profession.

Assessing professional benefits of GIS certification

ABSTRACTThe certification of geographic information system (GIS) professionals remains a contentious topic. After more than 25 years, the GIS community remains divided over the need to formally recognize GIS professionals who maintain standards of professional competency and conduct. Unfortunately, few studies have examined individuals who have become certified or the professional benefits of certification. This study explores GIS certification through a survey of 1731 geospatial professionals who became geographic information systems professionals (GISPs) between 2003 and 2014. A web-based questionnaire asked GISPs about the certification process, its influence on their compensation and advancement, and other issues. Quantitative and qualitative findings suggest that perceptions about certification fall along a wide spectrum with GISPs employed in private industry seeing fewer benefits compared with those employed in government or not-for-profit organizations. While a large number of respondents conveyed pride in completing the certification process, others expressed frustration over the program’s lack of visibility, standards that have enabled less qualified peers to become certified, and the slow progress at which GIS certification has achieved respect compared with programs administered in other fields such as engineering and planning.

Accounting Students’ Choice on Accounting Information Technology Careers (P.178-188)

The important role of accounting information systems professionals, motivate researchers to analyze further the interest of students to the profession in the field of accounting information systems. The aim of this study explores the factors that influence students to choose and do not choose a profession in the field of accounting information systems. This research was conducted using questionnaires. The population was undergraduate accounting students. Sample research was done randomly. This research shows that the interest in undergraduate accounting students for a career in the field of information systems is very small and this research also appears that the academic supervisor is one of the dominant factors influencing student choice in choosing a career in the field of information systems. Beside this, this study also found that respondents are not interested in a career in accounting information systems more due to that field of information systems is not a career they aspire. Keywords: Accounting Information System, Accounting Career, Students

Towards a better understanding of system analysts’ tacit knowledge

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to elicit tacit knowledge exhibited in expert information system (IS) professionals in a form that can be shared with others; and to develop categorical framework suggesting key content areas of tacit knowledge in the requirements analysis domain.Design/methodology/approach– Requirements analysis is selected as the main focus of this study due to the importance of this phase to the success of IS development and the nature of requirements analysis tasks requiring extensive amount of tacit knowledge. The authors used the “storytelling” approach, a semi-structured interview technique for knowledge elicitation.Findings– The study resulted in 132 knowledge items using a qualitative method and categorized them into 14 categories using cluster analysis. The study found that experienced, successful analysts see systems analysis in behavioral, managerial, and political terms and focus heavily on interpersonal, project management, and organizational issues.Research limitations/implications– The limitations in the research sample, or in the recollection capability of the research subjects could compromise the comprehensiveness of the tacit knowledge in the requirements analysis domain; however, the elicited knowledge at least represents important dimensions one might reasonably find in this domain.Originality/value– Very little research has attempted to capture this tacit dimension of system analysts’ knowledge. Thus, capturing and transferring the tacit knowledge from experts should help in the evolution of novice to expert system analysts thereby improving both their effectiveness and the quality of the information systems developed.

Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) Practices In Health Care Sectors Of Bangladesh

Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) has been a topic of considerable importance and interest to Information Systems (IS) professionals since the 1970's and consistently ranked as a top issue for IS executives in both developed and developing countries. Studies have shown that SISP can assist manager in defining the information systems, develop IS strategy, and allocate resources for IS strategy. However, the use of SISP in healthcare sectors in developing countries like Bangladesh is underdeveloped and under-researched. This study examined the benefits of SISP in healthcare organization in developing countries in general and Bangladesh in particular. This study also focused on the current practice and key implementation challenges of Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) in healthcare sectors in developing and transitional economies. Finally, some recommendations are proposed to overcome the challenges using a ‘hybrid’ approach.