Kunal Mohan

Understanding acceptance of information system development and management methodologies by actual users: A review and assessment of existing literature

Abstract Despite the advantages of using IS methodologies, they are often rejected by actual users. Consequently, researchers have repeatedly attempted to understand why individuals accept certain methodologies while rejecting others. In order to differentiate what has been done from what needs to be done in research, a systematic review of academic studies that examine the acceptance of IS methodologies by actual users was conducted. This review revealed 19 articles. We found that the studies were either: (a) descriptive, (b) focused on specific determinants, or (c) applied a holistic approach, examining methodology acceptance from a number of dimensions. Furthermore, while cognitive aspects have received considerable attention, none of the publications studied the effect of habits, emotions and the personal characteristics of individuals. We also examined the studies with respect to the reported research practices, and thereby identified areas of improvement. Based upon our findings, we developed a research agenda to guide future studies on this crucial subject.

What methodology attributes are critical for potential users? understanding the effect of human needs

Despite the overwhelming advantages of using IS development and management (ISDM) methodologies, organisations are rarely able to motivate their staff to use them. The resulting lack of methodology usage by individuals fails to deliver the expected advantages of better quality, control, less time, and less effort in IS development projects. We analyse the technical as well as non-technical aspects of an individuals use of ISDM methodologies, in order to enable organisations to engineer those that meet the needs of actual users and are actually used by them in a productive manner. We construct a conceptual model, based upon which, we posit that: technical methodology attributes such as relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, demonstrability, visibility, triability, and reinventability influence an individuals methodology usage behaviour. We also propose that the strengths of these relationships depend on non-technical, deeply rooted psychological needs of the people.

Humanizing User Influence Tactics in the Quest to Reduce Resistance against IT Project Management Methodology Use

Despite the benefits of using an IT project management methodology, only a handful of organizations are actually able to make their staff use such methodologies. Hence, organizational managers must identify and apply user influence tactics (UIT), to ensure adequate and appropriate use of these methodologies within their organizations. In order to understand the complex nature of UITs and their effects on employees, we use needs theory and develop and test a conceptual model based on a pre-test sample of 65 participants to address the following issues: 1) the need for an abstract taxonomy of UITs to group together similar tactics so as to reduce complexity as well as increase generalizability and results comparability, and 2) the need to examine innate desires of the employee, since the likelihood that a specific UIT will be effective in motivating an individual to use a methodology depends upon the characteristics of the potential adopter as well as that of the methodology.

People, adoption and introduction of EAM

Enterprise architecture management (EAM) has emerged from a fairly technical perspective on enterprises, and did not initially fully realise the importance of ‘soft’ human factors. Consequently, EAM practices were developed and implemented without significant attention to the needs and perspectives of EAM practitioners and the relevant stakeholders. Neglecting these individuals’ requirements sometimes leads to the implementation of EAM practices considered unsuitable, which are then rejected by their stakeholders. In short, because key users and important EAM stakeholders are the ones who eventually decide a new management approach’s success or failure, aligning EAM practices with stakeholders’ needs is a critical success factor. We find that, among other things, we need to ensure that EAM practices are perceived to be useful to and by the actual stakeholder. Furthermore, EAM practices should be recommended by influential colleagues and managers to generate positive word of mouth. We also find that the use of EAM practices can be increased through organisational support in the form of training and technical assistance. Such training and assistance will reduce people’s doubt that they are capable of using such practices properly. Providing incentives and making the techniques fun to use are further ways to encourage individuals to apply EAM practices. Based on these insights, organisations can develop specific change strategies to foster the organisational adoption of EAM and to integrate these strategies into a cyclic process of introducing EAM. Such an introduction process consists of ten steps from identifying the project sponsors to the final roll-out and continuous improvement of EAM practices. Each process cycle should not take longer than three to nine months, allowing for the quick realisation of benefits and an ongoing improvement of EAM practices. In order to avoid working in an ivory tower, management should adopt a pragmatic 80/20 approach, combined with a strong stakeholder orientation. This strategy also ensures a lasting impact.

Managing the Achievement of Strategic Organizational Goals through Projects: Understanding the Role of Management Practices

Developing organisational strategies and achieving set goals is one of the most researched and taught topics in business today. Although management disciplines such as project management are often quoted as important means of implementing and realizing organizational strategies through enabling the realization of successful projects, there is considerable confusion in organizational literature on how this happens. Grounded upon a questionnaire based survey of 456 managers and using component-based structural equation modelling technique, we find that portfolio management (PPM) and benefits management practices enable an organisation to achieve planned strategic goals. While portfolio management does this directly, benefits management achieves this indirectly by reinforcing PPM with the assurance that planned project benefits will be delivered. Furthermore, we find that alignment of Business and IT increases the effectiveness and maturity of the management concepts. We also find that in order to develop mature benefits management practices organizations need to be committed to declaring benefits management as a strategically important discipline and investing relevant resources in the adoption and diffusion of the practices throughout the organization.