Andrea Resca

A Design Theory for IT Supporting Online Communities

Differently from other studies that tend to take into consideration actual behaviors of online community users, this paper addresses the design problem of IT platforms for supporting these communities. At the basis of this design theory here introduced there is the so called kernel theory. The comparison between offline and online communities allowed to outline main factors of this theory that were used in order to derive prescriptions for the meta-requirements, the product features (meta-design), the design process (design method) and the definition of testable design product and process hypotheses. An intelligent multimedia platform providing innovative social e-services for European elderly persons and their social entourage constituted the case study in which the IT design theory was applied.

A Design Theory for Digital Platforms Supporting Online Communities: A Multiple Case Study

This research proposes and validates a design theory for digital platforms that support online communities (DPsOC). It addresses ways in which digital platforms can effectively support social interactions in online communities. Drawing upon prior literature on IS design theory, online communities, and platforms, we derive an initial set of propositions for designing effective DPsOC. Our overarching proposition is that three components of digital platform architecture (core, interface, and complements) should collectively support the mix of the three distinct types of social interaction structures of online community (information sharing, collaboration, and collective action). We validate the initial propositions and generate additional insights by conducting an in-depth analysis of an European digital platform for elderly care assistance. We further validate the propositions by analyzing three widely used digital platforms, including Twitter, Wikipedia, and Liquidfeedback, and we derive additional propositions and insights that can guide DPsOC design. We discuss the implications of this research for research and practice.

Digital platforms as sources for organizational and strategic transformation: a case study of the midblue project

The paper is centered on the role of technology and specifically of IT in the recombination of the factors of production. Particularly, the objective is to see how this technology contributes to the formulation of business strategies, the outlining of organizational structures and the alignment with the business environment. A theoretical framework is proposed that combines three perspectives. The first perspective stresses the importance of digital architectures in the modalities through which firms organize for innovation. Second, organization as a platform outlines a scenario for generating multiple organizational forms based on recombination of existent resources, routines and transactions. Third, digital platforms are seen as determinant tools for a dematerialization process that consents to recombine the factors of production for achieving a competitive advantage. The Midblue project provides an illustrative example of how strategy, structure and information technology co-evolve in organizations and how digital platforms can trigger transformation at both strategic and organizational levels.

Design for social media engagement: Insights from elderly care assistance

Abstract This paper explores an alternative view of design as an emergent process of engagement and learning, as opposed to the traditional view of systems design as a problem-solving tool. We focus on digitally enabled elderly support networks as an innovative approach to the design of elderly care assistance through social media. Our research project is conducted in the context of an Italian health-care institution and provides the empirical backdrop illustrating the ensemble artefact, the four design principles and the pragmatic outcomes of personalized elderly care interventions. These contributions add both practical and theoretical guidance and learning regarding social-media engagement in elderly care assistance. Further, we illustrate how the design of personalized services through social-media technologies may challenge traditional organizational boundaries and transform the relationship between internal and external stakeholders. Based on our findings, the conclusion is that personalized elderly care assistance emerges as a socio-technical construction of social media.

Single Sign-On in Cloud Computing Scenarios: A Research Proposal

Cloud computing and Software as a Service infrastructure are becoming important factors in E-commerce and E-business processes. Users may access simultaneously to different E-services supplied by several providers. An efficient approach to authenticate and authorize users is needed to avoid problems about trust and redundancy of procedure. In this paper we will focus on main approaches in managing Authentication and Authorization Infrastructures (AAI): i.e. federated and centralized and cloud based. Then we will discuss about related some critical issues in Cloud computing and SaaS contexts and will highlight the possible future researches.

Knowledge: Climbing the Learning Ladder to a ‘Phenomenological’ View

Attempts to summarise Claudio Ciborras work through a single theme cannot succeed due to its breadth and the ease in which he moved between subjects. This paper is a tentative attempt to discover a common theme in his work, with the notion of knowledge identified as an appropriate starting point. Encompassing learning and rationality, the theme of knowledge has been persistent and evolving in Ciborras work, with three knowledge combinations reflecting its development: knowledge-rationality, knowledge-learning and everyday-knowledge. The first combination depicts rationality as a catalyst in the pursuit of specific objectives that determine knowledge. Ciborra continued his exploration of knowledge by theorising that background knowledge structure objectives were the basis of sense-making and organisational action, while short-term knowledge structure was required to address developing situations. This introduced and provided the foundation for the knowledge-learning combination. Ciborras final knowledge combination was predicated on the interpretation of reality as created by the experiences of the individual, including participation in organisational life where feelings, moods and the totality of existence is expressed, delineating the everyday-knowledge combination in the process. Ciborra utilised these and other approaches like the learning ladder in his investigation of complex multilayered subjects like information systems, undertaken from among others, a phenomenological vantage point that shaped many of his key contributions.

Building Theories from IT Project Design: The HOPES Case

Design science is increasingly attracting the interest of scholars in the field of Information Systems. Starting from a design problem, a researcher selects the kernel theories from which to derive prescriptions for the meta-requirements, the product features (meta-design), the design process (design method) and some testable design product and process hypotheses. The theoretical contribution of this research stream is related to both the new artifact and the practical guidelines for developing it. In this paper we argue that design science as a research strategy can also have an impact on the available knowledge on the social phenomenon to which the design problem refers. In fact, especially when multi-disciplinary teams participate to the design of an IT system, kernel theories can benefit from the different perspectives of actors involved. The design process of a multimedia platform providing innovative social e-services to European elderly persons and their social entourage represents the case study for supporting our hypothesis.

Constructing and implementing e-participation tools in the Emilia Romagna Region: assemblages and sense-making

In simple terms, government can be seen as the sum of public bodies in charge of: (a) providing services to citizens and companies; (b) planning and implementing policy; (c) organizing administrative processes, systems and human resources in order to realize policy and implement the needed services. However, this definition does not take into consideration the fact that new actors are involved in the management of public resources. The term governance is used to represent a situation where both planning and policy implementation, on the one hand, and service provision, on the other hand, pursue an active role for actors outside the public sector. The so-called public–private partnerships serve as examples in this proposal. The concept of ‘good governance’ further contributes to this aspect, emphasizing the role played by an environment in which citizens share and influence the social, political and economic priorities. Information and communication technology (ICT) is an additional factor of this scenario. E-government is the general term that defines the alliance between government and ICT. The large majority of interventions in this field concern the above-mentioned points of planning, organizing and service provision. The ICT systems both at the front office and the back office have been objects of significant investment, while a large number of applications have been introduced on the basis of enhancing efficiency. This managerial perspective has significantly

Imagining Claudio Ciborra's next research agenda

Received: 13 August 2005 Revised: 26 September 2005 Accepted: 28 September 2005 These reflections originate from a discussion that took place in May 2003 at IULM University, Milan, on the occasion of Claudio Ciborra’s presentation of his book: The Labyrinths of Information (2002). At that time, the author, thinking back to his research activity, focused on the publication of Teams, Markets and Systems (1993) and the recently published The Labyrinths of Information as turning points in his work. The former sees the transaction cost approach at the centre of the analysis of organizations and information systems whereas the latter focuses on phenomenology as the main instrument for detecting those concepts able to give new insights in this type of analysis. However, not too many hints have been suggested about the future course of his investigations other than a new track was going to be followed. Therefore, the objective, now, is to tentatively reconstruct this new track on the basis of Claudio’s latest publications. The inaugural lecture held at London School of Economics and Political Science on 24 October 2002 and later published in Information Technology and People (Ciborra, 2005) with the title ‘Interpreting e-government and development: efficiency, transparency or governance at a distance?’ is the point of reference for this proposal even though even other works are going to be taken into consideration. The presence of the word government and development in the title of this work suggests a new scenario compared to his typical works. Even though a chapter of Teams, Markets and Systems is dedicated to the introduction of information technology to public administration, markets and their institutions have been the main focuses of his research activity and just the letter ‘e’ before the word government indicates a sign of continuity. Having a glance through the references of the inaugural lecture, it emerges as a confirmation of this picture. Bibliography related to organization theory and information systems is partially substituted by one related to government, socio-economic development and even international relations. This means that the centre of attention shifts from an economic and business perspective in which information technology is seen as an instrument for improving organization functioning to a wider perspective in which efficiency and efficacy are important elements to take into consideration but other elements are important too. Focusing on e-government gave a chance for Claudio to include in his analysis themes such as economic development, social progress and democracy. The so-called good governance could summarize these themes. But the inaugural lecture sees other innovative elements. For example, actors that contribute to e-government initiatives. Even though public administration continues to play a pivotal role, consulting firms, software and hardware vendors and relationships between public and private sectors are outlining a new environment in which the international level is not neutral too. E-europe programme and G8 interventions are just two examples in this proposal. Therefore, the research field has been significantly reformulated. A horizon populated by companies gives space to government agencies involved in service provisions to citizens. Efficiency and efficacy as main European Journal of Information Systems (2005) 14, 495–497 & 2005 Operational Research Society Ltd. All rights reserved 0960-085X/05

Offline and Online Communities: Great Differences and Some Similarities

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