Joe Nandhakumar

Too close for comfort? Distance and engagement in interpretive information systems research

In this paper, we seek to explore the implications of the assumptions underlying interpretivism for the preferred relationship between the researcher and the research phenomenon. The growing interest in interpretive information systems research has drawn attention to the need to gain access to the interpretations of social actors. Various data‐gathering methods are available to the researcher to achieve such access. These may be seen as located on a spectrum in terms of the degree of engagement between the researcher and the research subject. While engagement is not without its drawbacks from a research perspective, it may be argued that it enables good access to the sorts of data that interpretive researchers are seeking. Most of the research reported in the information systems (IS) field, however, has adopted relatively distant methods by which the researcher avoids intervention in the research context. Some of the characteristics of more engaged forms of research are illustrated through a discussion of a participant observation study of executive information systems development. This research has highlighted a number of issues that can be seen to be common to other data‐gathering methods. Reasons for the neglect of engaged data‐gathering methods are explored, and it is suggested that consideration of the issues it raises may contribute to more reflexive interpretive IS research practice.

The fiction of methodological development: a field study of information systems development

This paper describes the findings of a field study that explores the process of information systems (IS) development in a large organization. The paper argues that traditional IS development methodologies are treated primarily as a necessary fiction to present an image of control or to provide a symbolic status, and are too mechanistic to be of much use in the detailed, day‐to‐day organization of systems developers’ activities. By drawing on the insights gained from this study, the paper outlines some implications for IS development methodologies. A secondary purpose of the paper is to illustrate the use of an “ecological” research approach to IS development as advocated by Shneiderman and Carroll.

The impact of enterprise systems on organizational resilience

Enterprise systems are used to facilitate the seamless integration and exchange of data between the various departments within an organization. In order to achieve this, rigidly defined control mechanisms must be in place in the system, which safeguard the companys data and protect the company against unauthorized and unintended uses of the system. This is ideal for total control; however, is only achievable to a certain extent. The configuration of controls in the enterprise system may have unintended organizational implications, due to organizational necessities. The purpose of this paper is to present the findings from a company case study, where an enterprise system is being used. We suggest that the introduction of an enterprise system creates power differentials, which serve to increase control in the organization. This results in increased rigidity, and a possible decrease in organizational flexibility and resilience. On the other hand, enterprise systems can also cause drift, resulting from the unexpected consequences of these power differentials, as well as from the role of perceptions of people in solving a problem within the enterprise system. This reduction in control may serve in some circumstances as an enabler to organizational resilience.

Activating and Perpetuating Virtual Teams: Now That We're Mobile, Where Do We Go?

Based on an interpretive case study in a large petrochemical company, this paper provides evidence for a theoretical framework based on the relationship of abstract and personal trust to the effectiveness of long-term virtual teams. This theory of virtual teams states that, when all other enabling factors for trust and effective virtual team working are conducive, then four elements exist: first, personal trust is most effectively established or reinvigorated through geographically collocated social interaction; second, personal trust is an antecedent to the activation and operation of effective virtual teams; third, abstract trust is an alternative to personal trust as an antecedent to the activation and operation of effective, short-term virtual teams; and finally, personal trust gradually dissipates over time without collocated social interaction. This theory leads to four propositions about the role of ubiquitous computing for virtual teams. These propositions draw from the mobility brought by ubiquitous computing to potential and active virtual teams. The mobility can be used to collocate (perhaps rhythmically or routinely) team members for the purpose of enabling or sustaining perpetual virtual teams

Durability of online teamworking : patterns of trust

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of an in‐depth case study into virtual teamworking practices in a large petro‐chemical company.Design/methodology/approach – By drawing on the case study the paper offers a theoretical conceptualization of the development of commitment and personal trust relationships in a virtual teamworking context.Findings – The paper argues that the durability of virtual teamworking depends largely on commitment and personal trust relationships, which may gradually dissipate over time without collocated, face‐to‐face social interactions. The virtual teamworking technologies alone may have limited scope in contributing to reproduction and reinforcement of commitment and personal trust relationships.Research limitations/implications – This research is based on an investigation in one organization that used a set of virtual teamworking technologies, which have been constantly improving in terms of capabilities and usability. In a business context investigated ...

Trust and technologies: Implications for organizational work practices

In this paper, we empirically investigate the concept of trust across organizational work practices by examining three groups: within the team, between teams and when interacting with technology. This study adopts Repertory Grid methodology as an interview based technique to elicit important constructs of trust to engineering teams working in two organizations within the energy distribution industry. Thirteen key constructs of trust were identified using content analysis. Drawing on the understanding gained, this paper discusses the implications for theories on trust within teams working with technology across organizations and provides a grounded perspective that could be used as a basis for further research.

Managing Time in a Software Factory: Temporal and Spatial Organization of IS Development Activities

This article reports an ethnographic study that investigates the ways in which time was experienced and managed in an information systems (IS) development project. The study is based on 6 months of intensive overt participant observation of the development of Executive Information Systems in a large multinational company. Drawing on time geography, this article discusses a social perspective of time and social dynamics of time management in IS development project teams and outlines its implications for formal approaches to time management.

Development gain? Participant observation in interpretive management information systems research

This article provides a critical assessment of the potential of participant observation as an interpretive data-gathering method for management information systems (MIS) research by drawing on a participant observation study of Executive Information Systems development. It identifies a range of issues with respect to participant observation in MIS research that may also be an integral part of reflective research practice for any field researcher.

Developing a Relational View of the Organizing Role of Objects: A study of the innovation process in computer games:

Innovation processes create distinctive challenges for coordination. Objects are seen as supporting coordination in such settings by enabling the emergent action needed to deal with a dynamic and uncertain process. Thus, previous work has highlighted the role of different types of objects in coordinating the collaborative tasks undertaken by expert groups, either by motivating the creation of new knowledge or through the translation of understanding. Through an empirical study of innovation processes in the computer games sector, our paper adds to this previous work by finding that the relations between objects, and not the objects alone, help to orchestrate multiple collaborative tasks towards a final outcome within temporal and resource constraints. The relational view which emerges from this study shows how such a ‘system of objects’ is able to stabilize coordination of the process while preserving the emergence and autonomy of games developer practices needed to achieve innovation.

A temporal perspective of the computer game development process

Abstract.  This paper offers an insight into the games software development process from a time perspective by drawing on an in‐depth study in a games development organization. The wider market for computer games now exceeds the annual global revenues of cinema. We have, however, only a limited scholarly understanding of how games studios produce games. Games projects require particular attention because their context is unique. Drawing on a case study, the paper offers a theoretical conceptualization of the development process of creative software, such as games software. We found that the process, as constituted by the interactions of developers, oscillates between two modes of practice: routinized and improvised, which sediment and flux the working rhythms in the context. This paper argues that while we may predeterminately lay down the broad stages of creative software development, the activities that constitute each stage, and the transition criteria from one to the next, may be left to the actors in the moment, to the temporality of the situation as it emerges. If all development activities are predefined, as advocated in various process models, this may leave little room for opportunity and the creative fruits that flow from opportunity, such as enhanced features, aesthetics and learning.