Jonny Holmström

Trojan actor‐networks and swift translation: Bringing actor‐network theory to IT project escalation studies

This study investigates the potential of actor‐network theory (ANT) for theory development on information technology project escalation, a pervasive problem in contemporary organizations. In so doing, the study aims to contribute to the current dialogue on the potential of ANT in the information systems field. While escalation theory has been used to study “runaway” IT projects, two distinct limitations suggest a potential of using ANT: First, there is a need for research that builds process theory on escalation of IT projects. Second, the role of technology as an important factor (or actor) in the shaping of escalation has not been examined. This paper examines a well‐known case study of an IT project disaster, the computerized baggage handling system at Denver International Airport, using both escalation theory and ANT. A theory‐comparative analysis then shows how each analysis contributes differently to our knowledge about dysfunctional IT projects and how the differences between the analyses mirror characteristics of the two theories. ANT is found to offer a fruitful theoretical addition to escalation research and several conceptual extensions of ANT in the context of IT project escalation are proposed: embedded actor‐networks, host actor‐networks, swift translation and Trojan actor‐networks.

Technologies for value creation: an exploration of remote diagnostics systems in the manufacturing industry

Abstract.  With firms increasingly relying on ubiquitous computing to implement major business initiatives, it is becoming ever more necessary to understand the technological aspects of business developments. This paper analyzes the use of remote diagnostics systems in the manufacturing industry and discusses the opportunities and challenges for the early adopters. It pays specific attention to the impact on business aspects such as the value creation process consisting of relationships, roles, and architecture and the value proposal consisting of a business offer and customer value. The study shows how ubiquitous computing allows manufacturers to become remote service providers while customers can either become co‐creators of value or passive receivers of created value. Ubiquitous computing also creates possibilities for the manufacturing industry to design new kinds of business offers based on remote presence. Studying remote diagnostics systems shows that ubiquitous computing creates value when deployed in products, and not just in relation to individuals. Moreover, the design of the value‐creation process should not be limited to the single supplier or customer organization, as ubiquitous computing applications take no notice of organizational boundaries.

Drifting technologies and multi-purpose networks: the case of the Swedish cashcard

Abstract In this paper, we combine two theories of the dynamics of a large socio-technical system — technology drift and actor-network theory — to address how and why information technologies often need to change, relative to their initial conceptions, during implementation. We analyze the failure of the first introduction of electronic cash in Umea, Sweden as an example of what happens when drift does not occur: the lack of drift resulted in the socio-technical systems failure to stabilize. Lack of flexibility is identified as an important reason for the cards poor public acceptance. Banks ignored the critical comments of merchants, thus refusing to negotiate about the intended role of the technology. The cards were perceived as serving only the needs of the banks, while ignoring the needs of merchants and card users. Based on the findings in this case study, we argue that in order for a socio-technical system to stabilize it must drift from a single-purpose network, reflecting the interest and agenda of its designers/originators, to a multi-purpose network that reflects the interests of all involved social actors. In addition, we argue that a network-building process can be successful only if the network is flexible enough to serve the multiple purposes of its constituent actors.

Turn to the material: Remote diagnostics systems and new forms of boundary-spanning

To learn and adapt, organizations engage widely in Information Technology (IT)-mediated boundary-spanning. This involves making sense of a swath of peripheral information made available by digital means so as to expand local knowledge. Prior research on boundary-spanning has paid scant attention to material differences between IT systems in enabling or constraining such activity. In this article, we argue that material features do matter: features afforded by IT systems have a significant impact on the form and content of boundary-spanning. We analyze material features and related affordances provided by remote diagnostics systems - a family of ubiquitous IT systems. These features allow remote diagnostics systems to collect, store, and continuously analyze data about the state of machinery and related production processes across space, time and organizational boundaries. Organizations use these systems to determine when maintenance intervention is needed, or to improve their production processes. Often, these systems are run by external service providers at remote sites, which become the new ears and the eyes of a focal organizations production processes. Building on a longitudinal multi-site case study of two organizations, we explore the impacts of remote diagnostics systems on boundary-spanning. We observe that material features afforded by the remote diagnostics led the organizations to change their boundary-spanning in contradictory ways. On one hand, they reinforced existing boundaries. On the other hand, they crossed or cut down others, or created new ones. This suggests that the material features of these systems, when combined with new knowledge creation and sharing practices, within and between the local and the remote sites generate richer, multi-faceted inter-organizational knowledge flows. We surmise that ITs new material features will continue to significantly shape organizing logics that determine where and when organizational boundaries are drawn and crossed. Future boundary-spanning will increasingly be shaped by socio-technical assemblages brought together by increasingly pervasive IT capabilities.

Information systems use as strategy practice

Conceptualize three key challenges within strategic IS implementation.Develop a multi-dimensional view of IS strategy to analyze the IS strategy process.Identify three factors that contribute to strategy blindness during IS strategy implementation.Extend the cognitive framing literature by adopting a cognitive entrenchment lens.Highlight the role of change-recipients as construers of change in implementation. Information systems (IS) are strategic in so far as they are used to realize strategic intent. Yet, while much has been said about aligning IS functionality with the strategic intent and how to organizationally implement strategically aligned systems, less is known of how to successfully implement strategic change associated with system use - a truly critical challenge within strategic IS implementation. Drawing on a strategy-as-practice perspective we address this gap by developing a multi-dimensional view of IS strategy, conceptualizing three key challenges in the IS strategy process, to explain how and why a paper mill, despite successfully implementing a strategic production management system, failed to produce intended strategic change. We call this outcome strategy blindness: organizational incapability to realize the strategic intent of implemented, available system capabilities. Using a longitudinal case study we investigate how cognitive rigidity of key actors and fixed, interrelated practices shaped the implementation of the new production system. We also identify core components and dynamics that constitute a richer multi-dimensional view of the IS strategy implementation (alignment) process. In particular, we identify three salient factors that contribute to strategy blindness - mistranslation of intent, flexibility of the IT artifact and cognitive entrenchment - and discuss how they affect strategic implementation processes. We conclude by discussing implications of our findings for IS strategy theory and practice, especially the contribution of strategy-as-practice to this stream of research.

Exploring preconditions for open innovation: Value networks in industrial firms

The open innovation model embraces the purposive flow of internal and external ideas as a foundation for innovation and network formation. While the open innovation paradigm has been successfully applied in high-tech settings, there is a lack of research on adopters of open innovation in other settings. We describe a case study conducted in a process industry setting, focusing on the LKAB mineral group as it makes a transition from a closed to a more open innovation context by adopting remote diagnostics technology. This process has resulted in the creation of new value networks. By tracing the reasoning behind the organizational transformation and studying the technology used to carry it through, we seek to explore the preconditions for open innovation and provide insight into the role of IT in the process. Our findings show that adoption of the open innovation model is grounded in developing organizational environments that are conducive to innovation, including expertise in creating a culture for knowledge sharing, building a trustful environment, and a resourceful use of IT.

Transforming municipal governance in global context : a case study of the dialectics of social change

Abstract This paper presents a social analysis of the development and use of information technology to support the governance process in the municipal organization of Umeå, Sweden. The technology was intended to monitor and scrutinize organizational activities by paying closer attention to the resources required for public programs. Through its use, municipal managers hoped to increase the visibility of the economic consequences of decisions to fund particular social programs. In this paper, we analyze the implementation of the system at the organizational and institutional levels of social analyses. Employing a dialectic approach, which examines forces promoting and opposing social change, we explain how the tool was easily implemented in the organization but opposed by the communitys citizens. Although the information system reinforced a new economic discourse and helped to make organizational members more accountable for their actions, the citizens protested the effects of the new economic discourse. By focusing simultaneously upon organizational and institutional influences, we can understand more completely how global pressures translate into organizational and societal change.

Requirements engineering blinders: exploring information systems developers' black-boxing of the emergent character of requirements

In this paper we focus empirical and conceptual attention on the social construction of information systems (IS) requirements, and illustrate that IS developers too often choose to ignore, and thus effectively black-box, the complexities of gathering requirements in order to simplify both the difficulties of their work and their relations with customers. The empirical contribution of this paper is evidence drawn from a study of how IS developers pursue requirements engineering and how they conceive its value. The factors we found to be important in this process include: the changing needs of the organization, the ways in which structured IS methods are enacted via experience and social competency, the formation of project groups, and finally engagement in interpersonal conflict and negotiations. Our conceptual contribution is theorization on the nature of developing requirements as a process of social learning.

IT‐adaptation challenges in the process industry: an exploratory case study

Purpose – This paper seeks to identify and explore critical challenges for the process industry in information technology (IT) infrastructure integration and adaptation.Design/methodology/approach ...

Organizational dimensions of e-maintenance: a multi-contextual perspective

A key objective for e-maintenance efforts is to align maintenance processes with business- and operational processes in order to reach organizational objectives. In the context of the process- and manufacturing industry a key objective for firms is to avoid downtime and to make sure all critical production equipment is up and running. To this end, e-maintenance has become increasingly important for the process- and manufacturing industry. Successful e-maintenance is realized by the organizational use of advanced information technology-solutions which aims at moving maintenance work from being primarily reactive (e.g. to react and respond to equipment breakdowns) to predictive (e.g. to predict when equipment are in need of maintenance before it breaks down). Building on a collaborative project with industrial organizations in the pulp and paper and the mining industry this paper explores organizational opportunities and challenges associated with the design and implementation of IT-based services for remote diagnostics of industrial equipment. We observe opportunities and challenges related to organizational innovation and learning. The paper introduces a multi-contextual perspective to better understand the opportunities and challenges associated with organizational learning and innovation. We argue that in order for e-maintenance services to be successful it must not only build on leading-edge technological solutions but also be built on an explicit model for how the maintenance work is organized and how e-maintenance efforts are aligned with overall organizational objectives.