Hamid Nach

Re-examining the causal structure of information technology impact research

About 20 years ago, Markus and Robey noted that most research on IT impacts had been guided by deterministic perspectives and had neglected to use an emergent perspective, which could account for contradictory findings. They further observed that most research in this area had been carried out using variance theories at the expense of process theories. Finally, they suggested that more emphasis on multilevel theory building would likely improve empirical reliability. In this paper, we reiterate the observations and suggestions made by Markus and Robey on the causal structure of IT impact theories and carry out an analysis of empirical research published in four major IS journals, Management Information Systems Quarterly (MISQ), Information Systems Research (ISR), the European Journal of Information Systems (EJIS), and Information and Organization (I&O), to assess compliance with those recommendations. Our final sample consisted of 161 theory-driven articles, accounting for approximately 21% of all the empirical articles published in these journals. Our results first reveal that 91% of the studies in MISQ, ISR, and EJIS focused on deterministic theories, while 63% of those in I&O adopted an emergent perspective. Furthermore, 91% of the articles in MISQ, ISR, and EJIS adopted a variance model; this compares with 71% from I&O that applied a process model. Lastly, mixed levels of analysis were found in 14% of all the surveyed articles. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.

Implementing ERP in SMEs: Towards an Ontology Supporting Managerial Decisions

The purpose of this research project is to consolidate and formalize as ontology, on the basis of an extensive literature review, the key processes and skills required for successful implementation of ERP in an SME. Using the Protege software program, the research identified and formalized 395 terms, each of which has its own definition. Exploitation of this ontology could take multiple and varied forms, including creation of a learning system, an on-line cooperation platform, or a project management process mapping tool contributing to successful use of ERP in SMEs.

Identity under challenge

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to examine how people respond when their identity is challenged as they use computerized information systems in organizational settings. Using the critical realism perspective, the author built on the identity control theory and suggested a set of generative mechanisms that shed light on how individuals respond to the challenges that information technology (IT) poses to their identities when performing their jobs and how it affects their sense of self. Design/methodology/approach - – The author conducted a field study in a Canadian health-care institution with the objective to examine how doctors and nurses coped with challenges posed by an Electronic Health Records system to their identities and how these systems shaped their identities. The author’s data are essentially qualitative. The author used retroduction as a mode off inference which combines both induction and deduction. The author hypothesized a set of identity mechanisms that are enacted as a response to a threat posed by IT in the work place. The author uses the evidence from the field study to verify the existence of these mechanisms and uncover new constructs and relationships that could enrich the understanding of the phenomenon. Findings - – The results allowed to verify and provide an updated view of the proposed generative mechanisms that are triggered when identity is put to challenge by IT in the workplace. The identified mechanisms are, identity adjusting, IT threat neutralizing and emotion regulating. Their outcomes, which are, reinforced identity, redefined identity, ambivalent identity and anti-identity are much dependent on the availability and the breadth of personal and organizational resources people have at their disposal. Originality/value - – The research offers a vantage point on how identities unfold in the course of interaction with technology. It contributes by providing empirically grounded mechanisms that shed light on how people response to threats posed by computerized information systems to identity and the various self-conceptions that ensue.