Melanie Steinhüser

Towards a Measurement Model of Corporate Social Software Success - Evidences from an Exploratory Multiple Case Study

In many organizations, social software is well established and no longer just a trend topic, which means that benefits are expected. As with any other type of information systems (IS), assessing social software success is an important and challenging task for both practitioners and researchers. This motivated us to present a conceptual model for measuring social software success. This model is based on Gable et al.s IS Impact Measurement Model, a review of the related research, as well as data gained from three case studies. Our findings indicate that modifications have to be made to existing IS success measurement models regarding the peculiarities of social software. The results reveal that new measures are necessary. Furthermore, social factors concerning the organization and the individuals can specifically influence social software success positively.

Measuring the Success of Social Software Adoption in the Firm: Empirical Evidence and Model Design

Recently, the use of social software has gained enormous popularity in many organizations. However, despite its development from a trend topic to a well established technology, there is little theoretical study on how to measure the success of this kind of information system. Allowing for the unique characteristics of social software, the author assumes that existing IS success models are not applicable to social software without modifications. Therefore, this article aims to develop a model for measuring social software success, which is based on theoretic foundations and the findings of a multiple case study. Results show that existing models are not able to represent all dimensions which are relevant in this context. Especially social aspects related to the organization and the people within have to be taken into account.

IT on the Shop Floor - Challenges of the Digitalization of Manufacturing Companies

A new generation of information technology (IT), promises significant benefits for manufacturing companies in their daily work. However, the companies are rather slow in taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the current wave of digitalization. This paper starts with an overview of emerging sociotechnical trends in manufacturing. We discuss technology as catalyser of this transformation process and its impact on individual and organisational levels. The intense collaboration with six manufacturing companies in a European project allowed us to identify and further specify four digital challenges: 1) Digitally augmented human work, 2) Worker-centric knowledge sharing, 3) Self-learning manufacturing workplaces, and 4) In-situ mobile learning. The four digital challenges illustrate how companies (can) embrace emerging sociotechnical trends in manufacturing and thus contribute to a better understanding of the changing role of IT on the Shop Floor.

Erfolgsmessung von Enterprise Social Software: Wer? Was? Wie?

Zusammfassung Während Enterprise Social Software (ESS) zunehmend zum Einsatz kommt, stellt die Evaluierung ihres Nutzens immer noch eine Herausforderung für die meisten Unternehmen dar. Um ein besseres Verständnis für existierende Probleme zu entwickeln und Lösungsansätze zu finden, werden im vorliegenden Beitrag Barrieren der ESS-Erfolgsmessung auf Basis von 26 Experten-Interviews untersucht. Es werden 16 Barrieren identifiziert und in die Kategorien (1) Ressourcen und Verantwortlichkeit, (2) Ziele und Zieldefinition sowie (3) Vorgehen und Datenmaterial eingeordnet. Dabei zeigt sich, dass im Kontext von ESS insbesondere fehlende oder ungenaue Ziele die Erfolgsmessung erschweren und, dass der Erhebung von Nutzungsdaten eine höhere Bedeutung zukommt. Die anschließende Diskussion soll helfen, Potenziale zur Überwindung der Barrieren zu erkennen.

The Impacts of Enterprise Social Software on the Innovation Process

Innovations are essential if companies are to maintain and increase their competitiveness. Thus, companies face the question how rather than whether to generate innovations. One possible parameter to design an innovation-friendly environment is providing appropriate software such as enterprise social software (ESS). This motivated us to explore how the use of ESS may impact the innovation process. We present results deduced from an exploratory case study. Based on 26 interviews and theoretical considerations about the innovation process, our findings reveal that ESS has the potential to support the different stages of the innovation process. Furthermore, the results indicate that ESS usage creates impacts concerning (1) the information processing itself, (2) daily work outputs, and (3) measurable outcomes at the organizational level. Here, particularly the generic processes in the knowledge and implementation stages stand to benefit.