Katarina Lindblad-Gidlund

Leaders as Mediators of Global Megatrends: A Diagnostic Framework

The idea of eGovernment is moving rapidly within supra-national and national and local institutions. At every level leaders are interpreting the idea, attempting to grasp either the next step or indeed the very essence of the idea itself. This article outlines a diagnostic framework, resting on three different dimensions; translation, interpretative frames and sensemaking, to create knowledge about the translation processes and by doing so, emphasize enactment rather than vision. The diagnostic framework is then empirically examined to explore its possible contribution to the understanding of the complexity of leader’s translating and mediating the idea of eGovernment in their local context. In conclusion it is noted that the diagnostic framework reveals logic of appropriateness between local mediators, eGovernment, different areas of interest and appropriate organizational practices.

When and How Do We Become a “User”?

This chapter will begin with a critical examination of the thought of participation and representation in relation to the user concept in information systems design (ISD) theory and practice. The argument being put forward is that the thought of a participating representative user is problematic from several points of view. Firstly, the idea of a ‘user’ automatically holds a power dimension since the users are identified by someone in the design process i.e. the user is not an active subject in the selection process. They are being categorized and defined by someone and consequently run the risk of becoming passive in the construction. Secondly, the user concept is closely coupled with a specific information technology development context. As such, certain interests are enclosed and others are left behind. In addition, the process of enclosure is largely in the hands of someone other than the user himself/herself. Finally, this implies that the power relation between the user and the someone referred to above, is not equally distributed; there exists different positions in relation to design processes that hold explanatory value to some of the complications we are facing in ISD practice.

Position Statement: Sustainable Information and Information Systems (SIIS)

In this position statement we provide our understanding of the relation between the IS field and the notion of sustainability, and present our focus through a characterization of the “sustainability research” construct. By doing so, we hope to contribute to the discourse on a clarification of the construct itself in our research community.

Value-Based Decision Making : Decision Theory Meets e-Government

Electronic government, or e-Government, is the use of information and communication technology in the public sector. As a research field, it is characterized as multi-disciplinary with heritage from both the information systems and public administration fields. This diverse background may be beneficial, but it may also result in a fragmented theoretical base and conceptual vagueness. This paper applies decision theory to e-Government to tie a number of theoretical and practical concepts together. In particular, five concepts from decision theory (i.e. objectives, stakeholder inclusion, weighting and resource allocation, risk analysis, and outcomes assessment) are compared with counterparts in e-Government. The findings have both theoretical and practical implications. First, they add to and unite e-Government theory. Second, practical methods for operationalizing the theoretical concepts are proposed. This operationalization includes using a holistic approach to e-participation throughout decision processes.

User’s Knights in Shining Armour?

The aim of this article is to address the relation between a user-centred objective and social constructionism and the possibility to refine user-centred fundamentals by enhancing the awareness of the relation between humans and the constructed environment. Through social constructionism we could enter a bit deeper into questions like; (1) reality’s subjective character especially concerning technology development, (2) the importance of a power analysis while creating technological artefacts, (3) the importance of analysing our own role in technology’s construction and (3) we are made aware of the importance of how technology is communicated to others. The article is in a way an extension of an argument put forward by Jacob Nielsen about usability as empiricism and/or ideology.