Inter-organizational IT Research Articles

Developing business process agility: Evidence from inter-organizational information systems of airlines and travel agencies

This research aims to investigate how external IT linkage, IT proactive stance, and analytical capabilities of IOS affect business process agility via the client's absorptive capacity; a structural equation modeling approach was adopted to evaluate the proposed model. The study's finding points to external effective Inter-organizational IT links that can drive the business processes modularization of airlines and enable them to create new business process performance by recombining business processes. Airlines and travel agencies can quickly and flexibly create new processes to respond to the dynamic market challenge through IT initiatives.

Shared and fragmented understandings in interorganizational IT project teams: An interpretive case study

Shared understanding is essential in interorganizational projects to integrate the divergent knowledge of individual team members and support collaborative knowledge building. This can nevertheless be a challenging undertaking in interorganizational projects as team members must continuously negotiate differences in their organizational and professional backgrounds during project work. In this paper, we explore how interorganizational IT project teams deal with sources of ‘fragmentation’ in their understanding, explicating the theoretical and practical implications that these have for project management. Our study is needed to explore the increasingly complex and emergent nature of interorganizational project management today where neither goals nor the means of attainment are known with precision at a project's launch. We analyze interpretive case study findings from an 8-month IT project involving diverse organizations from industry, academia, and healthcare. Based on our findings, we develop a framework which highlights the relationship between three sources of fragmentation of understanding (interpersonal, technical, and contextual) across key project activities. We contribute towards project management literature by revealing how these sources of fragmentation might be overcome through framing project activities (the problem, method, and solution formulation) differently. While fragmentation may characterize any, or all, of these key activities, it is not without remedy.

Towards a sociomaterial approach to inter-organizational boundaries: How information systems elicit relevant knowledge in government outsourcing

This article furthers a sociomaterial framework to examine inter-organizational boundaries in government IT projects. It engages in a dialogue with the practice theory-based approach to boundary spanning and utilizes analytical tools and epistemologies drawn from the social studies of technology. It aims to contribute to a situated, material understanding of inter-organizational boundaries. We argue that boundaries in outsourcing relationships can be de facto enacted through definitions of what counts as relevant knowledge. Information systems have a key role in eliciting such definitions, thus establishing knowledge asymmetries and regimes of inclusion and exclusion. The article responds to the call to value the role of artefacts in IT research. Furthermore, it eventually shows that understanding knowledge asymmetries triggered at the micro-level of information systems can help to examine macro-scale transformations between the public and the private sectors. To illustrate the framework, two ethnographic case studies of governmental IT projects are discussed. The first case concerns a permit and licence submission service in Italy. The second case analyses a 20-year-long database integration carried on at the Dutch land registry. In the first case, information systems made relevant a form of knowledge developed by contractors; in the second case, the integration process valued knowledge developed in-house. Three sets of implications are drawn for the theory and practice of inter-organizational IT projects. To conclude, the article focuses on inter-organizational boundaries involving the public and the private sectors and foresees a novel interdisciplinary research direction at the confluence of information systems and political studies.

Inter-Organizational IT Governance Research

The current operational environment for organizations is changing, which has effects on IT functions and IT activities. Various forms of networks, collaborations, and alliances are operational models, which organizations are using to an increasing extent. This reality has brought with it a need for improved IT governance (ITG). ITG research for inter-organizational arrangements will be needed. In the research, the target is to identify the current state of the inter-organizational ITG research among the information systems (IS) domain. The literature review covers academic articles and conference proceedings during this millennium. The findings of the current literature review reveal that interest towards ITG research is still quite limited. The future view of inter-organizational ITG research is quite clear: more research will be needed in the inter-organizational area, which is the current playground for several organizations today.

Perspective-varying effects of peripheral knowledge in IT outsourcing: when vendor and client are collated

PurposeThis study aims to examine how the role of peripheral knowledge changes along with the perspectives of vendor and client in inter-organizational IT outsourcing. To this end, this study tests the effects of the peripheral knowledge of vendors and clients on IT outsourcing performance under three different combinations of performance-assessing views from both parties.Design/methodology/approachTo contrast the effects of the peripheral knowledge of vendors and clients based on their views, this study collects matching data on 107 projects from both parties. The survey method is adopted to measure the peripheral knowledge levels of vendors and clients and IT outsourcing success. The associations between peripheral knowledge and IT outsourcing performance are then assessed when the views match, cross and agree to a certain level.FindingsThe peripheral knowledge of vendors plays a more significant role than that of clients in most IT outsourcing cases. Moreover, the agreement between the peripheral knowledge of vendors and clients shows a moderating effect only when the performance is assessed by clients than by vendors.Originality/valueThis study contrasts the peripheral knowledge of vendors and clients by altering performance-assessing views in IT outsourcing. This study also rationalizes why the peripheral knowledge of vendors is more important than that of clients, as well as explains whose perspective is more significant when the performance is assessed.

Using IOS in a Collaborative Way

Interorganizational systems (IOS) are information and communication technology-based systems that transcend organizational boundaries. However, their use does not always lead to successful interorganizational collaboration, particularly in settings where significant changes in business processes are needed. The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry offers such a setting, in particular as its stakeholders are encouraged to use of a novel type of interorganizational system known as building information modeling (Building Information Modelling), which can only be successfully used if parties collaborate. This research seeks to uncover what leads to interorganizational collaboration in this particular context. Drawing on rich data from interviews with BIM users involved in interorganizational projects, the authors propose a conceptual model of how interorganizational collaboration unfolds. The authors highlight the central role played by interorganizational infrastructure, collective identity, and IT affordances, on interorganizational collaboration.

Buyer's Information Visibility Advantage in Inter-Organizational Information Systems and Supply Chain IT Appropriability in Supply Chain

Buyer's Information Visibility Advantage in Inter-Organizational Information Systems and Supply Chain IT Appropriability in Supply Chain

Information Technology Impacts on Firm Performance: An Extension of Kohli and Devaraj (2003)

Despite the importance of investing in information technology, research on business value of information technology (BVIT) shows contradictory results, raising questions about the reasons for divergence. Kohli and Devaraj (2003) provided valuable insights into this issue based on a meta-analysis of 66 BVIT studies. This paper extends Kohli and Devaraj by examining the influences on BVIT through a meta-analysis of 303 studies published between 1990 and 2013. We found that BVIT increases when the study does not consider IT investment, does not use profitability measure of value, and employs primary data sources, fewer IT-related antecedents, and larger sample size. Considerations of IT alignment, IT adoption and use, and interorganizational IT strengthen the relationship between IT investment on BVIT, whereas the focus on environmental theories dampens the same relationship. However, the use of productivity measures of value, the number of dependent variables, the economic region, the consideration of IT assets and IT infrastructure or capability, and the consideration of IT sophistication do not affect BVIT. Finally, BVIT increases over time with IT progress. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Contractual and Consensual Profiles for an Interorganizational Governance of Information Technology

Two profiles of interorganizational governance of IT were obtained from interviews conducted with leaders involved in setting the governance mechanism needed to support successful IT collaboration with their business partners. Three attributes, based on literature from network governance streams, were used to uncover those profiles. They are the IT governance structure, the processes put in place to make decisions, and the roles of participants involved in setting the interorganizational governance mechanisms. Observed profiles share a continuum where the Contractual profile is at one end, and the Consensual profile is at the other end. Some performance variations among the two profiles exist, yet both profiles contribute to successful interorganizational relationships. These profiles were uncovered from seven case studies conducted in Canadian organizations. Through fifteen interviews with senior interorganizational IT governance committee members and IT executives, the critical IT governance mechanisms they employed were identified. Two cases are reported in this article, each one illustrating respectively the Contractual and the Consensual profiles.

Information security and business continuity management in interorganizational IT relationships

PurposeThis paper aims to understand how managers of IT and information security aim to enhance information security and business continuity management in interorganizational IT relationships, such as outsourcing, cloud computing and interorganizational systems.Design/methodology/approachAn explorative study of large multinational or local organizations operating in Finland was conducted. In total, 18 IT and information security managers were interviewed with semi‐structured questions.FindingsFirst, the author discovered that several methods such as contracts, audits and standards were applied to balance power relationships between organizations or transfer responsibilities to other parties. The objectives of these methods are different within organizations. Second, the paper presents a comprehensive view of different security and continuity solutions in interorganizational IT relationships. The findings have practical value for IT managers and information security experts.Research limitations/implicationsThe interviews were conducted in different organizations. Therefore, it is suggested that a single in‐depth study that examines the phenomenon on different organizational levels within one organization would supplement the findings. Further studies on the power, trust and control balance of interorganizational IT relationships are required.Originality/valueThis paper builds on and expands information security and business continuity literature by illustrating that audits and standards play different roles in interorganizational IT relationships within organizations, and that contracts form the basis of those relationships. Information security problems and business continuity breaches caused by external partners and outsourcing vendors affect the reputation and value of the client company. Therefore, managers must have the means to ensure the continuity of operations.

Inter-organizational information systems visibility in buyer–supplier relationships: The case of telecommunication equipment component manufacturing industry

The concept and operation of supply chain (SC) visibility remain underexplored questions in supply chain management, as is the question of the facilitating role of inter-organizational information systems (IOIS) in achieving SC visibility. This paper seeks to elaborate on the novel concept of IOIS visibility and to explore the antecedents and consequences of IOIS visibility. Investigating SC cooperation from the perspectives of both partners (buyers and suppliers) is important, especially when channel partners depend on each other and when asymmetries in IOIS visibility can exist. The data that this study requires were collected from 51 matched pairs of intermediate producers of telecommunication equipment components and their immediate suppliers. The results show that IOIS visibility is an important predictor of supply chain performance from the supplier's perspective. In turn, IOIS visibility is significantly influenced by the supply chain partner's internal IS integration and inter-organizational IT infrastructure compatibility.

Interorganizational IT investments and the value upstream relational capital

PurposeThe focus of this article is upstream relational capital, the intangible value of a firm's business relations with its suppliers. The paper aims to propose and test a valuation model of an organization's upstream relational capital that incorporates the leveraging impact of IT investments.Design/methodology/approachA survey was carried out of 159 CEOs in the wireless telecommunication industry.FindingsEvidence suggests that IT and non‐IT factors contribute to explain abnormal return on relational investments.Research limitations/implicationsThis exploratory study is based on a single industry and relational capital is valued by CEO using psychometric scales.Practical implicationsThis study shows how IT‐related information helps external investors to value a firm's upstream relationship capital and hence assess the impact of interorganizational IT investments on the firm's valuation.Originality/valueThese results militate for more transparency in regard to relational investments and the relational context of the firm in the management discussion section of the annual report.

The Impact of Institutions on Interorganizational IT Projects in the Mexican Federal Government

Electronic government has the potential of transforming the way government works and interacts with citizens. However, recent research has found that the promised benefits are rarely completely achieved. Some of these studies highlight the importance of institutions in shaping the development, implementation, and use of information technologies in government settings. Based on a survey of Mexican federal government managers, this article explores the relationships between institutional arrangements, organizational forms, information technologies, and the outcomes of Mexican IT initiatives. Overall, it was found that there are important interactions among these variables and important similarities exist between developed countries and other realities, such as Latin America. The research presented here contributes to the field by testing causal relationships often cited in the digital government literature, but with little empirical quantitative exploration. Moreover, understanding those relationships offers guidance in the implementation of inter-organizational IT applications in government, potentially increasing their probability of success as well as the benefits for citizens and other stakeholders.

Architectural knowledge in inter-organizational IT innovation

This paper examines the front-end process of inter-organizational IT innovation. In particular, it focuses on the nature and role of architectural knowledge. Such knowledge is important for development of architectures capable of serving the goals of heterogeneous actors and technologies. Yet, surprisingly little research has been done on how architectural knowledge may be developed through collective achievements. This paper presents a theoretical model of architectural knowledge development in inter-organizational IT innovation. Applying this model throughout an action research project within the Swedish transport industry, the paper identifies four dimensions of architectural knowledge that proved important for facilitating an industry-wide ubiquitous computing environment. The four dimensions are technology capability awareness, use context sensitivity, business model understanding, and boundary-spanning competence. We conclude the paper by outlining the theoretical and strategy implications of the model and the four dimensions of architectural knowledge.

ELECTRONIC SUPPLY CHAIN COOPERATION: CONSIDERING THREE CAPABILITIES OF INTERORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE

The use of interorganizational IT infrastructure such as Internet, EDI, ebXML, Web Services, and IOSs between firms in supply chain has given rise to new form of interfirm relationship, called electronic cooperation. Based on studies in IT infrastructure framework, interorganizational relationships, and marketing channels, this study draws a research model describing: the relationships between three capabilities of interorganizational IT infrastructure (technological capability, structural capability, and informational capability) and the relationships between structural and informational capability and electronic cooperation. The research model was tested based on the data collected from IT managers in automobile and retail industries and the results confirm the relationships in the model.