Vikram Sethi

An empirical assessment of the organization of transnational information systems

The objective of this study is to aid our understanding of the organization of information systems in organizations whose activities cross national boundaries. The increasing globalization of business has led firms to seek new, and more appropriate, organizational structures, processes, and cultures. This has required the establishment of appropriate information technology platforms to coordinate business processes and to provide coalition mechanisms.This study is based on five important dimensions of transnational strategy--the configuration of value chain activities, the coordination of value chain activities, centralization, strategic alliances, and market integration--that define a comprehensive taxonomy of transnational strategy. A basic proposition is that a firms transnational strategy will be reflected in the design of its information systems. To address this proposition, a two-stage questionnaire study was conducted. Respondents included 150 multinational corporations from 20 countries and 25 industries. The five dimensions of transnational strategy were operationalized, and the analysis established the validity of a taxonomy that is better suited to the study of systems-related issues in MNCs. This taxonomy was used to test hypotheses related to the organization of transnational systems. These hypotheses were stated in terms of IS organizational, strategic, architectural, and personnel dimensions.The results of the study support the proposition that the organizational characteristics of centralization, dispersal, and coordination are differentially reflected in the IT configurations of various kinds of MNCs. In a centrally coordinated business structure, IT is also globally centralized. In addition, local autonomy was shown to affect the deployment of IT in global firms.

What causes stress in information system professionals

Job stress can lead to burnout and turnover, costing IT organizations countless dollars in replacement costs, and making methods for measuring and minimizing stress a business benefit.

The impact of socialization on the role adjustment of information systems professionals

The study of socialization and its practices has only recently been applied to organizations to investigate the manner in which new employees adjust to corporate culture. Past studies have examined the nature of human-resource development from an individual perspective. Research in socialization practices represents an organizational approach toward understanding the manner in which new employees adjust to their roles. This study examines the impact of socialization practices on the nature of this role adjustment with respect to information systems professionals. One hundred and sixty newly hired IS personnel in five different cities were surveyed to examine the relationship between organizational socialization tactics and adjustment variables such as role orientation, role ambiguity, and role clarity. Results suggest that socialization practices affect professional role adjustment. Specifically, institutionalized socialization tactics lead to a custodial role orientation and individualized socialization tactics produce an innovative role orientation. In addition, institutionalized tactics are shown to reduce role ambiguity and role conflict in new employees. Implications for human-resource management of IS personnel and future research in this area are discussed.

Nonlinear and Noncompensatory Models in User Information Satisfaction Measurement

This study applies nonlinear and noncompensatory models to examine how users evaluate their satisfaction with their information systems (IS) environment. Several instruments have been developed in the literature to measure user information satisfaction (UIS). These instruments measure user satisfaction by asking respondents to rate their satisfaction/dissatisfaction with a variety of IS attributes; e.g., EDP services, EDP staff, information product, and involvement in IS development. These responses are then combined linearly to develop a surrogate measure for UIS satisfaction. This linear model is derived from Andersons information theory (Anderson 1981) and based on the assumption that each attribute judgment has a conditionally monotone relationship with the UIS evaluation. However, the literature on attitude formation and decision making suggests that other nonlinear and noncompensatory models are available to decision makers for combining information and are used frequently in attitude formation. In this study, we use two sets of data to examine the linear model and five nonlinear models of decision making to evaluate whether nonlinear models are more effective in predicting a users overall satisfaction with information systems. First, responses from faculty members at an academic institution were used to test each model. All the nonlinear models were more efficient predictors than the linear models. In addition, two nonlinear models-the multiplicative and the scatter models-best represented the data with square multiple correlations of 0.69 and 0.68, as compared to the linear model which had an R2 of 0.61. Second, data from a previous study (Galletta and Lederer 1989) were analyzed to examine whether nonlinear models were more efficient. Data for this study were collected using the short version of the Bailey and Pearson (1983) UIS instrument. Results of the analysis from the full and cross-validation samples show that nonlinear, noncompensatory models performed at par or better than the linear model.

An application of the cusp catastrophe model to user information satisfaction

Abstract This study shows that there is a nonlinear relationship between overall user information satisfaction (UIS) and an index created by combining satisfaction responses to various information systems components/attributes. Several instruments have been developed in the IS literature to measure UIS. These measure UIS by asking respondents to rate their satisfaction/dissatisfaction with a variety of IS attributes; for example, EDP services, EDP staff, information products, and involvement in IS development. Tests of predictive validity, in the past, have shown only a 55% correlation between global UIS and UIS scores. Here, we show that the global UIS measure and IS factor scores follow a nonlinear relationship and are, in fact, cusp-distributed. The extent of use of IS is shown to be a splitting factor in this distribution and produces abrupt, catastrophic changes. Responses from faculty members at an academic institution were used to test for the distribution using IS component scores as the normal independent variable and the extent of use of IS as the splitting variable. The cusp model was a more efficient predictor than the linear model or a control equation using bimodal transformation.

A model of end user attitudes and intentions toward alternative sources of support

End-user computing has been the focus of research for over a decade. Recent studies on end-user computing support concluded that end users are dissatisfied with the support provided by the information center. In addition to support from an information center, end users seek help from informal sources and local MIS staff. In this study we examine why end-users prefer one source of support (e.g. information center) to another (e.g. local MIS staff). In order to understand end user preferences, we study the factors that affect end user attitude toward a support source. Attitude is an important component in determining user behavior toward using a support source. In this study, a model of end user attitudes and intentions toward the source of support is presented. Analysis of data collected from 108 middle-level managers shows that respondents preferred the use of local MIS staff to both information centers and informal support sources. The results appear to reflect an emerging trend in EUC support and implications of these results are examined in the study.

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Implementation in a Global Subsidiary Organization: Lessons Learned

ABSTRACT This article describes the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) implemented by British Petroleum (BP) Worldwide, from the perspective of one of its subsidiary organizations, BP Singapore. The ERP solution, an internally developed system, was implemented globally by BP worldwide quite successfully from a global perspective, though not without challenges at the local level. This study examines the process of implementing a global ERP solution at the local subsidiaries, and the unique problems that may be encountered in force-fitting a global solution at the local level. Among the issues and problems experienced by the subsidiary are higher-than-anticipated costs, longer development times, lack of technical expertise, and compromises in business processes. The findings of the study could be helpful in formulating coping mechanisms in implementing global ERP solutions.

A Trade Value Perspective on Ecommerce Research: An Integration of Transaction Value and Transaction Cost Theories

The impact of web-based electronic commerce on the process of disintermediation and re-intermediation has been extensively studied. Two major limitations of the existing work are the focus on a single economic measure i.e., transaction cost minimization and the examination of channel-structure decisions from only a single perspective the sellers. This paper introduces transactional value theory in the context of channel-structure research and integrates it with transaction cost theory to generate a trade value framework. The trade value framework considers channel-structure decisions from the perspectives of both buyers and sellers and is used to analyze the impact of web-based e-commerce on intermediated channel-structures. The proposed framework suggests that intermediaries function best in a channel-structure if they can reduce trade-inhibiting factors and improve trade-enhancing factors. Intermediaries may also prosper if they deliver extraordinary value on one side of the trade value framework to the point that inhibiting factors on the other end of the trade can be overlooked. Intermediaries maximize the value of the trade for both the buyers and the sellers by trading through an intermediated channel-structure as opposed to trading directly.

A Cross Cultural Comparison of Problems in Business Process Reengineering Initiatives

Abstract Reengineering is rooted in the United States and has since spread to many other NICs (newly industrialized countries) like Singapore. As experience in reengineering accumulates, it is time to explore empirically the different types of problems commonly encountered and the impact of these problems on reengineering success. Also this study looks at whether the same types of problems are relevant in a Chinese-based society like Singapore. The study results show that many of the difficulties encountered in implementing BPR in the U.S. apply equally to Singapore. On the other hand, there are also significant differences between the two countries. While change management and management support problems have been identified as critical problems (which are severe and at the same time have a high impact on BPR success) in the U.S., project management and cultural issues are found to be critical problems in Singapore. It is concluded that culture does affect the types of problems encountered and their impact on reengineering success.

The symbolic aspects of corporate entrepreneurship: The case of a mature organization

Abstract This paper reports on a case study of autonomous strategic behavior in a mature, conservatively managed, low technology organization. The autonomous behavior studied is the firms adoption of a high technology product offering. The paper conceptualizes the organizational change induced by the initiative as a paradigm shift. The study specifically addresses the change agents symbolic actions in unfreezing, changing, and refreezing the organizations paradigm. The paper extends previous work on the political aspects of change agent behavior in the same organization.