Carol Saunders

Achieving success in information systems outsourcing

The conventional wisdom is that companies should never outsource core functions. This study of thirty-four large companies, which outsourced for at least two years, demonstrates that outsourcing can be successful even when information systems are viewed as core functions. However, outsourcing negotiations must reflect the role of the company performing the outsourced functions and the nature of the outsourced work. A critical key to success in outsourcing arrangements lies in having tight contracts, even when the outsourcing vendor is viewed as a strategic partner or the IS function is considered to be core. This article offers prescriptions for writing contracts and creating balanced arrangements to enhance outsourcing success.

Information Processing View of Organizations: An Exploratory Examination of Fit in the Context of Interorganizational Relationships

This study uses Galbraiths information processing theory to examine the fit between information processing needs and information processing capability in an interorganizational supply chain context and to examine its effect on performance. Information processing needs are assessed based on various characteristics of the product and procurement environment and information processing capabilities are assessed by the level of information technology support for various activities in the procurement life cycle. A taxonomy of information processing needs and information processing capabilities is developed. The effect of the fit between information processing needs and capabilities on procurement performance is examined. The study collected data on 142 products through personal interviews and surveys, used cluster analytic techniques to develop taxonomies, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the fit between needs and capability, modeled as an interaction effect. The results reveal two clusters for information processing needs and three clusters for information processing capability. ANOVA results show that the interactive effect of information needs and capability has a significant effect on performance, supporting our fit theory.

The Social Construction of Meaning: An Alternative Perspective on Information Sharing

Research on information sharing has viewed this activity as essential for informing groups on content relevant to a decision. We propose and examine an alternate function of information sharing, i.e., the social construction of meaning. To accomplish this goal, we turn to social construction, social presence, and task closure theories. Drawing from these theories, we hypothesize relationships among the meeting environment, breadth and depth of information shared during a meeting, and decision quality. We explore these relationships in terms of the effects of both the media environment in which the group is situated and the medium that group memberschoose to utilize for their communication.Our study of 32, 5- and 6-person groups supports our belief that interpretation underlies information sharing and is necessary for favorable decision outcomes. It also supports the proposed negative effect of low social presence media on interpretation in terms of depth of information sharing; a low social presence medium, however, promotes information sharing breadth. Finally, the findings indicate that when in multimedia environments and faced with a relatively complex task,choosing to utilize an electronic medium facilitates closure and, therefore, favorable outcomes.

Measuring performance of the information systems function

Abstract:This paper reports a Delphi study followed by senior executive interviews aimed at determining the important dimensions and their measures for evaluating information systems (IS) function performance. The findings highlight (1) IS function performance dimension rankings and measurement usage, and (2) apparent contradictions between the considerable emphasis placed upon strategic impact of information systems and the lack of executive involvement.

A critical look at partial least squares modeling

,Carol Saunders started a review process for the paper thatturned out to be more problematic than any she had ever seen. Several reviewers turned down the invitation to review. Several reviewers who accepted the invitation nevercompleted their reviews either because of personal problemsthat had arisen in their families or for unstated reasons. Thefew reviewers completing the assignment found the papereither too advanced for the MIS target audience or,concomitantly, conveying a message that was so obvious thatthe paper did not warrant publication. More so than otherdisciplines, the Information Systems discipline relies heavilyon PLS for testing path models. Goodhue, Lewis, andThompson (2006) found that PLS was used almost one thirdof the time in three top MIS journals between 2000 and 2003(inclusive) when testing such models. Carol, believing thecautionary message was an important one, offered to workwith George to issue a joint editorial to share that messagewith the IS community (Marcoulides and Saunders 2006).Both Carol and George saw much merit in the collaborativeeffort and thought it would be a good idea to get the

“Is It Already 4 a.m. in Your Time Zone?”: Focus Immersion and Temporal Dissociation in Virtual Teams

Using a sample of students (N = 118) engaged in an 8-week project to build an e-book chapter, this study finds that cognitive absorption impacts interpersonal conflict and team performance. In particular, virtual teams with aggregated higher levels of focus immersion and temporal dissociation (dimensions of cognitive absorption) demonstrate higher levels of performance and interpersonal conflict. Furthermore, there is an interaction effect between focus immersion and temporal dissociation that moderates the impact on performance and interpersonal conflict. The teams with aggregated high levels of focus immersion and aggregated low levels of temporal dissociation demonstrated the best performance and lowest levels of interpersonal conflict. The authors also found that individuals with high levels of focus immersion preferred asynchronous communication media, whereas individuals with low levels of temporal dissociation preferred synchronous communication media. The implications are discussed.

Information media and source patterns across management levels: a pilot study

Abstract:This paper reports a pilot study designed to investigate media and source patterns for managerial information systems across three hierarchical levels of management. Our basic hypothesis is that media and source patterns will differ by management level. Eight executives in a large energy company were used to investigate the hypothesis: three senior executives, three middle-level executives, and two lower-level executives.Portions of an earlier version of this paper were presented at the 1986 annual meeting of the Decision Sciences Institute.Findings from this pilot study indicate that information media and source patterns do vary across management level. Specifically, it is reported that (1) lower-level managers favor the use of such information-rich media as observation tours, meals, and social activities and depend on external sources more than originally suspected, (2) mid-level managers depend on such media as the telephone and written, addressed documents to discharge their responsibilities,...

Organizational power and the information services department: a reexamination

In a recent application of the theory of strategic contingencies in three large multinational firms, Lucas found that information services departments were perceived by others as having low levels of power and influence and suggested a variety of reasons for the results. This note continues the application of the theory of strategic contingencies to the information services department by describing a study of intraorganizational power that uses basically the same procedures as the Lucas study and obtains similar results. In an effort to stimulate future power-related research in the information systems area, this note concludes by suggesting several reasons, beyond those given by Lucas, for the levels of power attributed to information services departments.

Virtual space and place: theory and test

Little is known about how individuals come to relate to settings in virtual worlds (VWs), which are defined as digital environments in which individuals, groups, and even organizations interact in virtual (that is to say, nonphysical) spaces. This research develops a theory of virtual space and place (VSP), specifically relating this to the setting of Second Life (SL), a prominent social virtual world. We explore how three-dimensional space, as perceived by users, is able to provide them with an interactive experience with virtual objects, as well as with other VW denizens. To test our theory, we build interactive work tools in SL that are designed to reflect various degrees of motion range and to influence presence. The three information technology tools are evaluated by 150 business professionals who are either familiar or unfamiliar with SL. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.

The Use of Temporary Staff and Managers in a Local Government Environment

This article employs a case study to assess the relative efficacy of two theoretical perspectives in understanding temporary labor use to restructure a county information systems department. Specifically, a departments experience is reviewed in light of transaction cost and social network theories—two perspectives that have explanatory potential for temporary employment systems. The juxtaposition of a temporary, private employment system with a permanent, government labor regime produced significant strains and contrasts and important benefits. Particularly interesting was the use of temporary management in addition to temporary direct labor in the restructuring. Managements effort to cope with the challenges of restructuring, present interview findings, and quantitative data based on questionnaire responses of 99 temporary and permanent employees concerning their satisfaction, job and work involvement, and interdependence are reviewed. Transaction cost and social network theories complement one another in interpreting questionnaire and interview findings to understand temporary employment systems.