Dragos Vieru

Organizational identity challenges in a post-merger context: A case study of an information system implementation project

Abstract This study examines the effects of the differences in organizational identities that emerged during a post-merger project that aimed at unifying the laboratory services of a large healthcare center that resulted from the merging of three hospitals by supporting them with a unique information system. We draw on the concepts of organizational identity and sensemaking to analyze the laboratory information system implementation project. Organizational identity is conceptualized as the mental representation that organizational members have of themselves as a social group in terms of practices, norms, and values and how they understand themselves to be different from members of other organizations. Data analysis suggests that divergent organizational identities and team members’ alternative interpretations of others’ practices, norms and organizational symbols, coexist during the post-merger integration phase. These interpretations are reflected in the final functionality of the information system that was different from the planned one.

Digital Competence: A Multi-dimensional Conceptualization and a Typology in an SME Context

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to rely on information and communication technologies (ICT) to survive in the digital economy. Although the literature emphasizes the link between individual digital competence (DC) and ICT use and adoption, there is a lack of understanding of how DC can be conceptualized in an SME context. Drawing on the existing literatures on SMEs and DC and on the change a gentry perspective, this exploratory study proposes a multi-dimensional conceptualization of DC and advances a typology of three DC archetypes of SME employees: Technical Expert, Organizer, and Campaigner. We provide results from a multi-case study of three Canadian SMEs suggesting that the development of DC should take into consideration the complementarity nature of the technological, social and cognitive aspects of the DC in order to successfully implement new technologies in SMEs.

Sharing Knowledge in a Shared Services Center Context: An Explanatory Case Study of the Dialectics of Formal and Informal Practices

This study focuses on how knowledge sharing across boundaries of merging entities during an information system (IS) implementation project in a shared services center (SSC) context affects the resulting system functionality. Although the literature stresses the growing adoption of the SSC as an outsourcing model, there is a lack of studies that examine shared services as a dynamic process of knowledge sharing across the organizational boundaries. We draw on a sociomaterial practice perspective and on the theory of workarounds to analyze an IS implementation project in a healthcare organization resulting from a merger of previously independent hospitals. The results suggest that new technology can be enacted in different ways as it links up with practices of different communities of users. We propose a multilevel process model that indicates at the end of the project a resulting mix of formal and informal (workarounds) practices that emerged from a dialectic process of resistance to, and negotiation of, the IS configuration during its implementation.

Exploring Collaboration Technology Use: How Users' Perceptions Twist and Amend Reality

Purpose – This study aims to examine how a collaboration technology is used by three organizational groups. The main focus is on the interplay between the users’ perceptions (of the technology and of the knowledge shared) and the material properties of the collaboration technology. Design/methodology/approach – Two theoretical frameworks (social representations and sociomaterial practice perspective) examine collaboration technology use to better understand the underlying dynamics. The research is conducted as a case study in a US company where a collaboration technology was being implemented. Findings – The findings reveal a process model showing how social dynamics and users’ perceptions of what the collaboration technology can do and cannot do to share the users’ knowledge influence the users’ behaviour. Based on these perceptions, users will twist or amend their interpretation of the reality (the material properties of the technology) to justify their use of the collaboration technology. Research limi...

Interculturality and Virtual Teams in IT Offshoring Context: A Social Regulation Theory Perspective

This study pertains to the dynamics of interculturality in a context of offshore multicultural virtual teams offering IT services. Interculturality is conceptualized as the interaction between individuals and not just the cohabitation between various national cultures. We draw on the concepts of social regulation, which represents a process of social rule-making, and observational learning to propose a conceptual framework based on three research propositions that analyses the dynamic relationship between culture and intercultural learning accumulated via social regulation. In this context, we conjecture that interculturality in offshore virtual teams is not only expressed through electronic communication but also through the way of perception and execution of daily work tasks. In this research-in-progress paper, we use secondary data to explore the nature of the proposed framework.

Too Much or Not Enough: Information Systems Integration in Post-merger Context -- A Sociomaterial Practice Perspective

During the post-merger integration phase (PMI), new information systems (IS) that span the boundaries of the previously independent organizations need to be implemented to enable a specific level of integration. Although the literature emphasizes the important role played by ISs in support of the amalgamated organizations, there is a lack of studies on the issue of boundary management at the information technology (IT) level in a PMI context. We draw on a sociomaterial practice perspective to analyze two IS implementation projects in a healthcare organization resulting from a merger of previously independent hospitals. The results suggest there is a dilemma of post-merger IT integration versus autonomy, which is reflected by the unpredictability of the implementations outcomes for the ISs designed to enable planned practices. The model also suggests that post-merger practices reflect the outcomes of dialectic processes of resistance to, and negotiation of, the IS configuration during its implementation.

Unpredictable Reconfigurations: The Dilemma of the Post-Merger Information Systems Integration1

A merger is the result of a strategic decision aimed at creating synergy. Notwithstanding mergers’ expected benefits, their outcomes are often beset by problems such as employees’ high levels of stress, dissatisfaction and resistance. Research suggests that these problems are often related to the issue of boundary management during the post-merger integration phase (PMI), which refers to the degree of integration required among the merging parties and the degree of autonomy, that each must retain for the merger to achieve synergy. The literature identifies information systems (IS) as being a key enabler of successful mergers and suggests that during PMI, new ISs that span the boundaries of the previously independent firms need to be implemented to facilitate a specific level of integration. Yet, there is a paucity of studies on the issue of boundary management at the information technology (IT) level during PMI. Adopting a sociomaterial perspective and based on a qualitative study within a healthcare organization, the authors find that post-merger practices were the result of dialectic processes of resistance to, and negotiation of, the IS reconfiguration after its implementation.

Information technology sourcing changes in an SME: Ça Va de Soi in the cloud with diamonds

This case study presents the information technology (IT) sourcing decisions made by a Canadian small and medium enterprise specializing in knitwear, called Ça Va de Soi (CVDS), during the deployment of the second phase of their two-phase organizational strategy based on a “Bricks and Clicks” business model. CVDS has 30 employees and 5 stores with annual sales of around

The Interorganizational Relationships Process: An Asset Orchestration Mechanisms Perspective in an SME Context

CDN 5 million (2015). The case focuses on phase two, the “Clicks,” where an IT project, divided into two parallel subprojects, was realized: (1) the custom development of an ERP system, and (2) the creation of an online e-commerce. The project was based on an “on-premises” sourcing strategy where the information systems were developed “in-house” by external service providers. After several months of efforts, the subprojects were abandoned and CVDS’ activities were rolled back to their legacy systems (Part A). Pulling the plug on the IT project was a tough decision for CVDS who still needed the online store to be implemented in order to support its stores’ activities. However, CVDS’ management team considered this failure as an opportunity to learn from their mistakes, review, and transform its IT sourcing strategy (Part B).

The Role of Culture in IT Governance Five Focus Areas: A Literature Review

This exploratory study analyzes the collaborative efforts between two small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in an interorganizational relationship (IOR) aimed at developing co-specialized and complementary assets through coordinating mechanisms. Despite the richness of the literature on IOR, less is known about the mechanisms that trigger and affect collaborative efforts during an IOR process. We adopt a qualitative and processual approach and draw on the concepts of assets orchestration mechanisms, surface structures and deep structures to propose a conceptual framework. We conjecture that the connection between surface structures and deep structures of the IOR process is facilitated by three specific mechanisms: allocating resources, structuring resources and coordinating resources. Our single case data analysis suggests that IOR efforts work well across organizational boundaries between business partners thanks to the assets orchestration mechanisms and when shared vision and artefacts are translated into shared processes and practices.