Andrew C. Boynton

Managerial Search Activity: The Impact of Perceived Role Uncertainty and Role Threat

This empirical study examines both the individual and combined effects of role uncertainty and role threat on managerial information search activity. Results from a survey of 215 managers in six organizations suggest that search is a function of a complex interaction between levels of uncertainty and threat in the role context. Findings suggest that previous conceptualizations of the relationships among uncertainty, threat, and search activity may have been overly simplistic.

Information ties and innovation management: A qualitative assessment of information processing and the strength of weak ties

Abstract In a qualitative study of eight space research innovation projects, we find support for using Granovetters (1973, 1982) conceptualization of the strength of weak ties to assess the information-processing capacities of networks of relationships. We find that with increasing uncertainty networks are more likely to be weak tie networks. However, the most uncertain and equivocal projects tend to have small networks of relationships due to the lack of cohesiveness of the research domain.

The relationship between IT decision-making culture and the quality of line/IS partnerships in business units

MIS literature has advocated that information technology decision-making culture could be manipulated to nurture line/lS partnership relations and stimulate lT-based innovation. This research tests the assertion by developing measures of the two constructs, and extensions knowledge by providing finer-grained insights into designing IS organizations for nurturing line/lS partnerships.