Leiser Silva

Circuits of power in creating de jure standards: shaping an international information systems security standard

This paper addresses the role of power and politics in setting standards. It examines the interaction of external contingencies, powerful agents, resources, meaning, and membership of relevant social and institutional groupings in generating successful political outcomes. To study these interactions, the paper adopts the circuits of power, a theoretical framework taken from the social sciences, and applies it to understanding the creation and development of the first standard in information security management. An informal group of UK security chiefs sparked off a process which led first to BS7799, the British standard, and later to ISO 17799, the international standard. The case study portrays how the institutionalization of this ad hoc development process results from the interactions of power among the stakeholders involved. The case study also shows how the different interests and objectives of the stakeholders were influenced by exogenous contingencies and institutional forces. The paper discusses theoretical and practical implications for the future development of such standards.

Fighting against windmills: strategic information systems and organizational deep structures

This paper focuses on the process of implementing strategic information systems (SIS) by studying the radical changes it may bring to an organizations deep structure. It argues that a full understanding of the process of implementation of such systems should include not only technical aspects but also the social dynamics of an organization; specifically core values, distribution of power and mechanisms of control. A theoretical framework is formulated based on punctuated equilibrium and previous SIS literature, and is applied to an exploratory case study conducted in a Latin American public organization. The case study depicts how the initiative to implement SIS was the result of external and internal disturbances. The case analysis highlights relationships between an organizations deep structure and SIS implementation. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of the study. These include (1) the role of the formal organizational structure in influencing the outcome of SIS implementations, (2) the impact of exogenous contingencies such as elections and external funding that may create a sense of crisis and (3) the influence of newcomers who may be brought in to solve the crisis.

Institutional intervention and the expansion of ICTs in Latin America: The case of Chile

Proposes a framework for the analysis and the execution of policies aimed at the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing countries. This framework is derived from institutional theory that offers, we argue, an alternative for those interested in understanding the forces that influence the adoption of ICTs in developing countries. We use the framework as a lens to tease out meanings of the Chilean case and identify possible courses of action that a country in a similar situation may take to expand and boost the expansion of ICTs. By drawing on the framework, we theorize about why some policies achieve their objectives while some others may not. We conclude by suggesting ways in which the framework can be applied by planners and decision makers in the formulation and evaluation of national ICTs policies.

Epistemological and theoretical challenges for studying power and politics in information systems

Abstract.  The study of the role of power in managing information systems (IS) still offers a major epistemological challenge to researchers in the field. Although significant work has been done, there is yet to emerge a research approach that permits a penetrating study of the phenomenon of power by virtue of adopting a Machiavellian stance. This paper proposes such an approach in the form of an interpretivist position combined with a theoretical framework whose origin lies in political science and the sociology of technology. In developing its philosophical argument, the paper compares three meta‐theories that have been applied to study IS: Phenomenology, Critical Theory and Structuration Theory. All three are compared in terms of their epistemological position regarding the relationship between power and IS. We argue that, although enlightening, those meta‐theories fail to unravel the hidden and strategic nature of power. The paper concludes by proposing a particular theoretical formulation that, rather than censoring power and politics, will provide the epistemological means for unravelling them.

Exploring the dynamics of blog communities: the case of MetaFilter

This paper explores the social processes and mechanisms that give form to a prominent type of online community: community blogs. We conducted an interpretive study that examines a particular community blog, MetaFilter, by drawing on the concepts of communities of practice as a theoretical lens. Theoretically, we contribute to the body of knowledge of online communities by identifying the structures of an emergent type of community that is brought together by blog technology. Our findings suggest that cohesion in a community blog is brought about by the following practices: (a) explicit ground rules regarding membership, (b) presence of moderators, (c) availability of profile information, (d) ‘net etiquette’, (e) tacit warrants for discerning pertinent posts, and (f) the deployment of specific techniques of discipline.

Institutionalization does not occur by decree: institutional obstacles in implementing a land administration system in a developing country

This article focuses on the implementation of a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) in a developing country. It concentrates on the institutional obstacles of such implementations. Given the heterogeneity of data sources required for SDIs to function, inter-institutional cooperation is a fundamental condition for these infrastructures to operate successfully. It is argued that one of the main obstacles for institutional cooperation is the contradicting meanings assigned to a SDI by users and designers. Those contradicting meanings were identified through an interpretive study conducted in Guatemala. Using hermeneutic analysis, those meanings were synthesized into four main themes: (a) the contradicting views of Guatemalans and Europeans regarding the rationality of institutions; (b) the link between SDIs and work tasks; (c) institutional jealousy; and (d) the historical resistance to re-examine the institution of land ownership in Guatemala. Each of these themes is examined in the light of critical theory. In so doing, implications for practice and research are discussed. The article concludes by proposing a guideline based on Actor-Network Theory (ANT) that suggests a set of steps required to achieve institutional cooperation.

Outsourcing as an improvisation: A case study in Latin America

This article discusses how political factors influence the outcome of improvisations. Improvisations are unexpected actions rooted on intuition and aimed at solving particular crisis. It is argued that the effectiveness of an act of improvisation is greatly influenced by political factors. Those performing the improvisation require being in a position of power,and the discourse that follows the improvisation has political connotations. The argument is developed through the discussion of concepts of power and improvisation and through the analysis of a case study. The case study concerns the outsourcing of the administrative information systems of the two largest hospitals of a Latin American country. The contributions of the article are twofold: (1) It identifies the relationship between power and improvisations and (2) it draws practical lessons on how to manage outsourcing.

Interpreting IS alignment: A multiple case study in professional organizations

This paper centers on the interpretation attributed by organizational members to the information systems (IS) alignment concept. Its objective is to study IS alignment in professional organizations. Specifically, it reports on an interpretive study conducted in five Chilean organizations; four professional and one entrepreneurial, of which two are private and three are public. The theoretical background of our study is derived from three IS strategic alignment conceptualizations: managerial, emergent and critical. These concepts formed our theoretical framework that guided data collection and analysis. The study centers on the meanings organizational members assigned to IS strategic alignment, as well as their views on the barriers that hinder achieving this level of organizational integration. The analysis results are summarized in seven hermeneutic themes that point out the different connotations the organizations assigned to IS alignment. The significance of the findings are summarized in four insights that formulate theoretical and practical implications. These insights refer to: (1) the difficulties of achieving alignment for professional organizations, particularly public ones, (2) the limitations these organizations have in being agile, (3) the rationale for acquiring technology and determining IT skills, and (4) the imperative meaning that CIOs attribute to IS alignment. The paper concludes with a reflection on the limitations and relevance of the research.

From disruptions to struggles: Theorizing power in ERP implementation projects

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation projects often fail to achieve their objectives. These often problematic projects are frequently the setting for intense and growing power struggles. Existing studies (e.g., Boonstra, 2006; Shepherd, Clegg, & Stride, 2009) have provided researchers with insights about issues of power in these projects. However, existing research has yet to provide a comprehensive picture of power in these projects or insights on how this picture changes with the passage of time. Cleggs (1989) circuits of power framework provides a useful tool for developing this needed comprehensive picture. We use the circuits of power framework as a tool for categorizing existing literature on power in ERP implementations. More importantly, we draw on this framework to provide a comprehensive view of power in the particular context of these projects. Specifically, we analyze the power relations during the implementation of an ERP in an organization. We do so by identifying how disturbances to the circuits of power - power struggles - arise and intensify during the implementation of the ERP. In this way, our work makes both a theoretical and an empirical contribution to the study of power in ERP implementation projects.

Diffusing financial practices in Latin American higher education: Understanding the intersection between global influence and the local context

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine: how financial practices are diffused across countries and who are the carriers of diffusion; and to determine why the nature of adoption varies across countries and specific institutional fields and why certain practices are adopted in some settings but not in others. Design/methodology/approach - In the macro portion of the study the authors document how World Bank loans in Latin America have encouraged the adoption of particular configurations of accounting and accountability practices. In the micro portion of the study, they analyze the cases of Guatemala and Mexico as a way of illustrating the ways in which the configuration of institutional players, capitals and habitus within these two sites have influenced the adoption of Bank recommended financial practices. Findings - First, the analyses illustrate that the World Bank functions as an agent of diffusion via direct contact and through indirect modelling activities. Second, the analyses show that diffusion is not an automatic process – rather the predisposition of national governments, the embodied history of higher education and the distribution of capitals within the field influences whether financial reforms will be attempted. Third the analyses illustrate that, even when the introduction of new accounting and accountability mechanisms are attempted, other important field participants such as students can partially block the introduction of financial reforms. Originality/value - The current study illustrates that international organizations such as the World Bank facilitate the diffusion of accounting and accountability practices but that local actors influence if, when and how accounting will be introduced and implemented.