Gerold Riempp

The State of Research on Information Systems Success

Measuring information systems (IS) success is of great interest to both researchers and practitioners. This article examines multidimensional approaches to measuring IS success and explores the current state of IS success research through a literature review and by classifying articles published between 2003 and 2007. Based on a total of 41 academic journal and conference publications, the relevant research carried out is identified, while the research results are categorized, consolidated, and discussed. The results show that the dominant empirical research analyzes the individual impact of a certain type of information system by ascertaining users’ evaluation of it by means of surveys and then applying structural equation modeling. The DeLone and McLean information systems success model is the main theoretical basis of the reviewed empirical studies. This article provides researchers with a comprehensive review and structuring of IS success research. Furthermore, opportunities for additional development are identified and future research directions suggested.

Understanding the Economic Potential of Service-Oriented Architecture

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is one of the most discussed topics in the information systems (IS) discipline. While most computer scientists agree that the service-oriented paradigm has clear benefits in terms of technical quality attributes, it has been difficult to justify SOA economically. The few studies that have investigated the strategic and economic aspects of SOA are mostly exploratory and lack a more comprehensive framework for understanding the sources of its economic potential. Based on IS and SOA literature, our work goes further in suggesting the SOA economic potential model, which describes the causal relationships between the SOAs style characteristics and value it can provide on the business side. Using this model, we investigate 164 SOA cases published between 2003 and 2008 to explore the economic rationale for adopting SOA. Our findings suggest that SOAs business benefits are currently mainly driven by operational and information technology infrastructural improvements. However, enterprises also realize strategic benefits from SOA; for example, by electronically integrating with their business partners by means of SOA. We use the results of our study to derive propositions and suggest a research model for future studies on SOAs economic potential.

Application portfolio management: a decision-oriented view of enterprise architecture

Today large companies operate 100s of computer-based information systems (IS), also called applications, to support their businesses. Enterprise Architecture (EA) is regarded as a promising concept to cope with the complexity caused by large application portfolios (AP). This article focuses on senior IT managers’ decision-making with regard to their AP, and EA’s role therein. Through multiple case studies in large companies, we found that these managers consider and balance a set of aspects, each of which is supported by partial EA models maintained by specific groups within their IT departments. These models are, however, not sufficiently integrated. Based on the empirical findings, we propose indicators for each of the partial EA models to aggregate the AP-relevant characteristics per application, which are then integrated into an AP dashboard to support senior IT managers’ holistic AP management. Consequently, a decision-oriented view is created of the overall EA, which the managers of the case studies companies deemed to be very helpful for steering their AP.

Assessing User Acceptance of a Knowledge Management System in a Global Bank: Process Analysis and Concept Development

Many organizations pursue knowledge management (KM) initiatives, with different degrees of success. One key aspect of KM often neglected in practice is that it not only concerns technology. Technology merely provides the tools with which employees can leverage their knowledge in the context of their work. Thus, how employees perceive the technology and interact with it is assumed to play a major role in KM initiatives success. This paper analyses patterns of user behavior and acceptance of knowledge management systems (KMS) to identify their relevance for a KM initiatives overall success. Using a combined single case study and literature review approach, we develop a model of user behavior and acceptance of KMS. By combining the user acceptance model with a model of context-specific influencing factors and the integrated KMS architecture by Riempp, we also present an integrated framework for approaching KM initiatives

RefModPM : A Conceptual Reference Model for Project Management Information Systems

Project management information systems have changed considerably in the last decade. Today they go far beyond traditional scheduling as well as resource management. These systems have become comprehensive information systems (IS) that support the entire life cycle of projects, project programmes and project portfolios. In this context, project-oriented organizations face a new challenge: the design, implementation and operation of such information systems has become increasingly complex, since numerous processes have to be considered, diverse stakeholder interests taken into account and corresponding software systems selected. The reference model for project management IS (RefModPM) presented here addresses these challenges and aims to support corresponding implementation projects. This article introduces RefModPM by discussing its construction process and evaluation, as well as providing an overview of its architecture and presenting one part of the reference model in detail.ZusammenfassungDer Artikel stellt ein konzeptionelles Informationssystem-Referenzmodell für das Projektmanagement vor (RefModPM). Hierzu wird zunächst auf den Konstruktions- und Evaluationsprozess eingegangen, in dessen Rahmen RefModPM entwickelt wurde. Dann erfolgt eine überblicksartige Vorstellung der Referenzmodellarchitektur. Abschließend wird ein Modellausschnitt im Detail diskutiert.

Determining the improvement potentials of employee portals using a performance‐based analysis

Purpose – The overall purpose of this study is to inform practitioners about the levers for improving their employee portals.Design/methodology/approach – The authors introduce a theoretical model that is based on the DeLone and McLean IS success model, which considers the specific requirements of employee portals. They tested the associations between their models success dimensions by using more than 4,400 employees responses, which were collected in 12 companies across different industries. They applied structural equation modeling to carry out the causal analysis. In addition, within a performance‐based analysis, they further investigated the success dimensions improvement potentials.Findings – The results of the causal analysis indicate that besides the factors contributing to the success of information systems (IS) in general, other success dimensions – like the quality of the collaboration and process support – have to be considered when aiming for a successful employee portal. The performance‐ba...

Evaluation of Knowledge Management Technologies for the Support of Technology Forecasting

Today’s business environment is characterized by highly transparent markets and global competition. Technology life cycles are decreasing due to the fast pace at which development of new technologies is progressing. To compete in this environment, it is necessary to identify upcoming innovations and trends as early as possible to decrease uncertainty, implement technology leadership, and create competitive advantage. In a parallel development, the amount of information available is already vast and increasing daily. With a growing number of features for innovation in technology, each contributing a new need for analysis, technology forecasting has become increasingly challenging. The goal of our paper is to investigate to what extent knowledge management technologies support and improve the technology forecasting process to face the aforementioned problems successfully. Consequently, we will develop a characterization scheme which works as a framework for the subsequent evaluation of knowledge management technologies and apply this to a real world case.

Verbesserte Compliance durch Information Lifecycle Management

ZusammenfassungInformation Lifecycle Management (ILM) zielt auf ein umfassendes Management des Lebenszyklus von Informationsobjekten in Unternehmen ab. Eine wesentliche Zielsetzung des ILM ist dabei die Verbesserung der Compliance. Zu den Nutzenpotenzialen des ILM zählen die Vorratsdatenspeicherung und die Definition von Aufbewahrungsfristen, Datenvernichtung, Dokumentation der Änderungs- und Zugriffshistorie von Daten, langfristige Abnahmefähigkeit im Rahmen der Revision, Zugriffskontrolle sowie Datensicherheit und Business Continuity. Unterstützt wird die Argumentation durch die Darstellung einer praxisorientierten und Compliance-gerechten ILM-Architektur.

Ökonomisches Potenzial serviceorientierter Architekturen

ZusammenfassungDie betriebliche IT befindet sich (wieder einmal) in einem fundamentalen Wandel. Stand zuvor die Entwicklung und Bereitstellung von Applikationen sowie der Betrieb von IT-Infrastruktur im Mittelpunkt der Tätigkeit, so rückt heute die Dienstleistungsorientierung ins Zentrum. Im Kern geht es dabei um die zielgerichtete Beschaffung von IT-Ressourcen, ihren Einsatz zur Erstellung wertschöpfender IT-Lösungen und die Bereitstellung dieser Lösungen in Form von Dienstleistungen. Die betriebliche IT steht dabei gegenüber dem internen Kunden häufig im Wettbewerb mit externen Dienstleistern.Ein technisches Konzept, das die Dienstleistungsorientierung auf der Ebene der Informationssysteme (IS) unterstützt, ist die serviceorientierte Architektur (SOA). Diese wird vielfach als »Enabler« gesehen, um dem oben beschriebenen Wandel auch im Bereich der Applikationen proaktiv zu begegnen und die IT »agiler« zu gestalten.Ob das Konzept der SOA diese Versprechen nicht nur technisch, sondern auch wirtschaftlich einlösen kann, wird kontrovers diskutiert. Basierend auf dem Vorschlag eines Wirkungsmodells für SOA, das ausgehend von den technischen Eigenschaften eine Aussage über die ökonomischen Potenziale zulässt, werden Grundzüge einer monetären Wirtschaftlichkeitsanalyse für eine SOA dargelegt.