Low code/no code (LCNC) enterprise solutions present a new dimension to digital transformation th... more Low code/no code (LCNC) enterprise solutions present a new dimension to digital transformation through supporting stakeholders in developing new capabilities in-house without a traditional IS development background. In addition to the widely cited benefits however, are inherent risks to introducing these platforms within a wider organisational digital transformation. The risks and their impacts on digital transformation have not been explored to date. As these platforms introduce several unique characteristics which challenge the current understanding of risk as a concept, this study presents a critical perspective on several assumptions which have impacts on the viability of LCNC-enabled digital transformations. In doing so, we present a foundation for future research in leveraging these solutions for more successful transformations through managing the inherent risks in LCNC platforms.
Control is necessary for aligning the actions of management (i.e., controllers) and subordinates ... more Control is necessary for aligning the actions of management (i.e., controllers) and subordinates (i.e., controlees) around common goals. The enactment of control often fails in practice; however, as controlee perceptions may not match those of controllers, leading to a myriad of possible outcomes. Through an interpretive case study of two interorganisational IT projects, we reveal how controlees' appraisals and responses to controls are context-dependent and play out across multiple levels (e.g., personal, profes
Digital technologies are often developed and marketed under the premise that their use is positiv... more Digital technologies are often developed and marketed under the premise that their use is positive-leading to innovation, development, and value creation (Turel et al., 2011). However, their large-scale diffusion in our workplaces and private space has also raised awareness of their risks and potential serious consequences across individual, organisational, and societal levels (Pirkkalainen and Salo, 2016). The versatility of digital technologies, their internet connectivity, and diverse suite of applications can create multiple pathways to problematic outcomes such as emotional health (e.g., anxiety, technostress), physical health (e.g., hypertension, poor sleep quality), data injustice (e.g., surveillance capitalism), and performance impacts (e.g., social, work) (Cinnamon et al., 2017; McCarthy et al., 2023; Shi et al., 2023; Wang and Lee, 2020).
The purpose of this special issue is to provide a venue for IS researchers to advance our understanding of how IT artefacts contribute towards adverse aspects of technology use. While the 'dark sides' of technology continue to garner attention by information systems (IS) scholars, we believe that there is a need for increased scholarly attention toward theorising the IT artefact in problematic technology use, and how individuals, organisations, and society can prevent and respond to undesirable technology behaviour. The IT artefact is a core part of the information systems discipline (Chatterjee et al., 2020). However, conceptualisations of materiality in existing studies on dark side phenomena are often unclear. We invite studies that focus on design and action but also research papers (e.g., behavioural and conceptual research) that enable an improved understanding of the IT artefacts: the way they influence negative effects and/or help resolving issues to combat the dark side. Moreover, studies are often cross-sectional, conducted with students as subjects, and using self-reported data (e.g., Busch & McCarthy, 2021). We recommend longitudinal studies using a variety of methods including mixed methods research designs as well as using actual usage data to overcome the bias limitations of self-reported usage.
Topics of relevance to this special issue include, but are not limited, to: • Theoretical frameworks, conceptual models, and ethical considerations (e.g., social justice) that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena. • Innovative methodologies for investigating problematic technology use and the influence of IT artefacts on users, organisations, and society as a whole. • Research contributing to an improved understanding on the design and IT-related characteristics that trigger or contribute to negative effects or alternatively help resolve the key issues. For example, are dark-sided phenomena already existent when an IT artefact is introduced, or is it produced/reproduced by an IT artefact? • Design principles explaining why users, organisations, and society engage in problematic behaviours within voluntary and involuntary IT use contexts. • Research on the dark side of emerging technologies such as AI (e.g., ChatGPT), the metaverse, digital twins, augmented reality, and deep fakes. • Unintended consequences of IT artefacts such as deception and malicious use, new forms of technostress (e.g., in the metaverse), technology-mediated addiction, cyberbullying, monitoring/surveillance and privacy issues. • IT artefact design features and policy agendas for data justice and mitigating problematic technology use (e.g., digital locks, control mechanisms, digital nudging and sludging). • Context-specific (e.g., cultural, geographical, industry, educational settings) studies that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena.
We invite authors to follow the sensibilities of phenomenon-driven problematization (Monteiro et al., 2022) to tease out the relevance of the “dark side” phenomena addressed beyond rhetorical aspects. This includes opening up to new empirical settings, challenging assumptions, understanding the pathways/trajectories leading to problematic technology use, and making “the invisible visible” in dark side phenomena (cf., Monteiro et al., 2022). We also encourage researchers to acknowledge connections between their work and the long tradition of related studies on design theorising in Scandinavia. This includes contributions about the changing nature of work, AI’s implications for workers etc. which builds on rich literature in information systems, participatory design, socio-technical systems, and sociology of work. While IT and its applications have changed much in the past 20 years, submissions should build upon and extend, not repeat, previous insights and show us what is really new (cf., Kautz et al., 2007).
Important dates - Submissions Due: October 15th 2023 - Round 1 Decisions: December 15th 2023 - Revisions Due: March 15th 2024 - Round 2 Decisions: May 1st 2024 - Second Revisions (if needed): June 20th 2024 - Anticipated Publication Date: December 31st 2024
Purpose-Social media platforms are a pervasive technology that continues to define our modern wor... more Purpose-Social media platforms are a pervasive technology that continues to define our modern world. While social media has brought many benefits to society in terms of connection and content sharing, numerous concerns remain for the governance of social media platforms going forward; including (but not limited to) the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and online surveillance. However, the voice of citizens and other non-experts is often missing from such conversations in information systems literature, which has led to an alleged gap between research and the everyday life of citizens. Design/methodology/approach-We address this gap by presenting findings from 16 hours of online dialogue with 25 citizens on social media platform governance. The online dialogue was undertaken as part of a worldwide consultation project called "We, the Internet", which sought to provide citizens with a voice on a range of topics such as "Digitalization and Me", "My Data, Your Data, Our Data", and "A Strong Digital Public Sphere". Five phases of thematic analysis were undertaken by the authors to code the corpus of qualitative data. Findings-Drawing on the Theory of Communicative Action, we discuss three dialogical processes critical to citizen discourse: lifeworld reasoning, rationalization, and moral action. Our findings point toward citizens' perspectives of current and future issues associated with social media platform governance, including concerns around the multiplicity of digital identities, consent for vulnerable groups, and transparency in content moderation. We also reveal citizens' rationalization of the dilemmas faced in addressing these issues going forward, including tensions such as digital accountability vs. data privacy, protection vs. inclusion, and algorithmic censorship vs. free speech. Originality/value-Based on outcomes from this dialogical process, moral actions in the form of policy recommendations are proposed by citizens and for citizens. We find that tackling these dark sides of digitalization is something too important to be left to 'Big Tech' and equally requires an understanding of citizens' perspectives to ensure an informed and positive imprint for change.
Purpose-The drop-out rates of open e-learning platforms are often cited as high as 97%, with many... more Purpose-The drop-out rates of open e-learning platforms are often cited as high as 97%, with many users discontinuing their use after initial acceptance. Our study aims to explore this anomaly through the lens of Affordances Theory, revealing design-reality gaps between users' diverse goals and the possibilities for action provided by an open IT artefact. Design/methodology/approach-A 6-month case study was undertaken to investigate the design implications of user-perceived affordances in an EU sustainability project which developed an open e-learning platform for citizens to improve their household energy efficiency. Thematic analysis was used to reveal the challenges of user continuance behaviour based on how an open IT artefact supports users in achieving individual goals (e.g., reducing energy consumption in the home) and collective goals (lessening the carbon footprint of society). Findings-Based on our findings, we inductively reveal seven affordances related to open elearning platforms: Informing, Assessment, Synthesis, Emphasis, Clarity, Learning Pathway, and Goal-planning. Our findings centre on users' perception of these affordances, and the extent to which the open IT artefact catered to the goals and constraints of diverse user groups. We further discuss open IT platform development from an iterative and collaborative perspective in order to explore different possibilities for action. Originality/value-We contribute towards research on open IT artefact design by presenting key learnings on how the designers of e-learning platforms can bridge design-reality gaps through exploring affordance personalisation for diverse user groups. This can inform the design of open IT artefacts to help ensure that system features match the expectations and contextual constraints of users through clear action-oriented possibilities.
ObjectivesTo explore and reflect on the current anticoagulation therapy offered to patients with ... more ObjectivesTo explore and reflect on the current anticoagulation therapy offered to patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), potential challenges and the future vision for oral anticoagulants for patients with AF and healthcare professionals in Ireland.DesignA multistakeholder focus group using a World Café approach.ParticipantsNine participants from academic, clinical and health backgrounds attended the focus group together with a facilitator.ResultsEnhanced patient empowerment; more effective use of technology and developing system-based medical care pathways would provide improved supports for AF management. The challenges in providing these include cost and access issues, the doctor–patient relationship and the provision of education. While consensus for developing evidence-based pathways to maximise efficiency and effectiveness of AF treatment was evident, it would require a shared vision between stakeholders of integrated care. The benefits of embracing technological advances fo...
BackgroundMedication errors frequently occur as patients transition between hospital and the comm... more BackgroundMedication errors frequently occur as patients transition between hospital and the community, and may result in patient harm. Novel methods are required to address this issue.AimTo assess the feasibility of introducing an electronic patient-held active record of medication status device (PHARMS) at the primary–secondary care interface at the time of hospital discharge.Design and settingA mixed-methods study (non-randomised controlled intervention, and a process evaluation of qualitative interviews and non-participant observation) among patients >60 years in an urban hospital and general practices in Cork, Ireland.MethodThe number and clinical significance of errors were compared between discharge prescriptions of the intervention (issued with a PHARMS device) and control (usual care, handwritten discharge prescription) groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients, junior doctors, GPs, and IT professionals, in addition to direct observation of the impl...
A next major impetus for strategic growth can be funded through Compliance-Innovation a transform... more A next major impetus for strategic growth can be funded through Compliance-Innovation a transformational process through which conformity with all requirements – compliance – drives innovations in quality. The current lack of integration of Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC), Innovation, IT and Strategy results in lost opportunities for growth. If a recent KPMG Report reflects the true picture, less than 10% of businesses today demonstrate full integration of GRC activities with their business strategy. This paper argues for Board level support for better ‘Absorptive Capacity’ across the entire organization to drive innovation, growth and sustainability. In GRC-specific terms ‘Absorptive Capacity’ gets at the ability to nail the various intersections of three fast-moving business targets i.e. (i) new regulations (policy, law, standards) (ii) product evolution (new and improved) and (iii) evolving intra-organisational strategic and operational imperatives. Conceptually no more than...
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2020
Information Systems (IS) research is often conducted under the assumption that technology use lea... more Information Systems (IS) research is often conducted under the assumption that technology use leads to positive outcomes for different stakeholders. However, many IS studies demonstrate limited evidence of having engaged with the stakeholders that they claim benefit and speak on behalf of. It is therefore not surprising that examples abound of where technology use has failed ‘to make the world a better place’, or worse still has contributed towards unintended negative outcomes. In light of these concerns, calls have recently emerged for responsible research and innovation (RRI) studies in IS to understand how different stakeholder groups can have a voice in complex socio-technical issues. In this paper, we take steps towards addressing this call by presenting case study findings from a responsible IS research project which combined ‘blended’ face-to-face and online participatory techniques. The case study relates to a large-scale consultation undertaken in a 24-month European project involving 30 countries. The project engaged over 1,500 stakeholders in the co-creation of future research agendas for the European Union. We discuss case study findings using Stilgoe, Owen, & Macnaghten’s (2013) RRI framework (Anticipation, Reflexivity, Inclusion, Deliberation, Responsiveness) and reflect on lessons learned for responsible IS research going forward.
Proceedings of the Twenty-Eighth European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS2020), 2020
Participation is critical in information systems development (ISD) for promoting effective knowle... more Participation is critical in information systems development (ISD) for promoting effective knowledge sharing among diverse stakeholder groups. However, the emergence of new, challenging project contexts has led to calls for the 'old, tired' concept of participation to be revisited. In particular, our understanding of intergroup participation within the context of distributed teamwork remains under theorised. Distributed ISD projects require participation among both IT specialists and domain experts or users, who more often than not come from diverse geographical, organisational, and disciplinary backgrounds. In addition to geographical and temporal distances, socio-political differences between stakeholders in distributed ISD projects raise questions around the nature of participation. In this paper, we investigate how participation emerges in distributed ISD projects and the factors which support or impede its emergence, using the 'Theory of Practice' and 'Collective Reflection-in-Action' frameworks a theoretical lens. We draw on empirical findings from an in-depth case study of a 6-month distributed project called 'Health ISD', which involved a distributed team of IT specialists and clinicians. Our findings point to five socio-political factors which support or impede participation: rules, resources, interests, values, and goals. These factors act as instruments of both coordination and conflict across both face-to-face and online communications. We also identify five modes through which participation emerges: adding, challenging, ignoring, defining, and finalising.
Proceedings of the 27th European Conference on Information Systems, 2019
Agile distributed Information Systems Development (ISD) is an innately social process in which di... more Agile distributed Information Systems Development (ISD) is an innately social process in which distributed team members must continuously interact to develop new IT solutions. Existing literature suggests that shared understanding and shared commitment are essential for the effective functioning of agile distributed ISD project teams; however, the factors that shape the emergence of these two phenomena remain elusive. In this paper, we seek to develop a framework for investigating the interplay of factors that shape shared understanding and shared commitment during agile distributed ISD project team interactions. We draw on in-depth case study findings from an agile distributed ISD project called the “CHP project” which involved team members from diverse backgrounds such as academia, healthcare, and industry. The study reveals that shared understanding and shared commitment in agile distributed project teams are shaped by the dynamic interplay between macro-level (contextual) and micro-level (localised) factors. In particular, we find that diverse macro-level structures, identities, and cultures interplay with the micro-level vision, approach, and means of the project to impact shared understanding and shared commitment. Empirical findings also suggest that the absence of shared understanding and shared commitment can sometimes be constructive as conflict allows team members to air differences of opinion.
The ideas presented in this paper have emerged from our curiosity about how technological objects... more The ideas presented in this paper have emerged from our curiosity about how technological objects might be leveraged as more than mere evidence in IS research. As constructions of a particular time and place, objects can tell us a great deal about the people, organisations and cultures that produced and used them. Objects reflect the values, beliefs and activities of those people, organisations, and cultures. But many IS scholars following a sociomaterial agenda continue to see objects as no more than background facts that play a supporting role in our research. There is little guidance in the IS literature on how objects might participate more directly and fully in our research and how we as scholars should engage with them. In this paper, we present an object-inspired perspective largely drawn from the material culture literature where we engage with objects as the units of observation. We discuss what this might contribute to IS theory-building and what opportunities it might create for new types of object-centred and -driven theories. We describe a framework for undertaking this object-inspired research. In so doing, we are challenged to think about the ontological commitments of our approach and how this differs from dominant forms of sociomateriality.
Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science, 2019
Distributed ISD projects are often typified by deep-seated differences between team members from ... more Distributed ISD projects are often typified by deep-seated differences between team members from diverse organizational and professional backgrounds. Consequently, literature suggests that cohesion is crucial for aligning the efforts of a distributed ISD team; however, a competing body of literature also asserts that conflict is essential for capitalizing on diverse knowledge flows. Team leaders can therefore face a conundrum around how to balance the paradoxical need for both cohesion and conflict. In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework to analyze case study findings from the ‘CDSS project’, a distributed ISD project undertaken in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We find evidence that distributed ISD leaders must adopt a ‘paradox mindset’, one which embraces both cohesion and conflict. Based on these findings, we also put forward the concept of ‘leadership intelligence’ which describes the simultaneous enactment of a diverse set of leadership styles for balancing constructive cohesion and conflict.
International Conference on Information Systems, 2018
The effectiveness of distributed ISD teams is often inhibited by tensions between contextual (mac... more The effectiveness of distributed ISD teams is often inhibited by tensions between contextual (macro) and localised (micro) factors. In light of these challenges, literature suggests that cohesion is a key determinant of team performance; however, competing literature asserts that conflict is essential for exploiting diverse knowledge. This suggests a paradoxical need for both cohesion and conflict. However, extant ISD literature has yet to explore how the interplay of macro- and micro-level factors affect cohesion and conflict in distributed settings. To address this gap, we present and utilise a theoretical framework to analyse ethnographic data from a distributed ISD project called ‘Athena’. The findings point to a ‘double edged sword’ of cohesion and suggest that moderate levels of task-based conflict are essential for addressing diversity in distributed teams. Additionally, excessive levels of cohesion can contribute to social conflict between subgroups when task conflict is constrained.
Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, Aug 1, 2014
ABSTRACT Motivated by a gap in the literature linking compliance and innovation, this paper devel... more ABSTRACT Motivated by a gap in the literature linking compliance and innovation, this paper develops the novel concept of Compliance–Innovation (C–I). Based on a review of the literature and interviews with experienced practitioners, we characterise C–I as a transformational process to drive organisational improvements in sustainability and competitiveness. We explain how the organisational mechanism that permits identification and exploitation of knowledge for commercial purposes, i.e. Absorptive Capacity, may be enlarged through application of C–I because both external and internal contexts are appropriately and comprehensively incorporated. C–I's roots lie in the integration of quality and compliance knowledge into a central IT repository, and its potential for commercial exploitation through, for example, the Six Sigma approach is outlined – indicating its usefulness for orienting business focus, performance and innovation.
Low code/no code (LCNC) enterprise solutions present a new dimension to digital transformation th... more Low code/no code (LCNC) enterprise solutions present a new dimension to digital transformation through supporting stakeholders in developing new capabilities in-house without a traditional IS development background. In addition to the widely cited benefits however, are inherent risks to introducing these platforms within a wider organisational digital transformation. The risks and their impacts on digital transformation have not been explored to date. As these platforms introduce several unique characteristics which challenge the current understanding of risk as a concept, this study presents a critical perspective on several assumptions which have impacts on the viability of LCNC-enabled digital transformations. In doing so, we present a foundation for future research in leveraging these solutions for more successful transformations through managing the inherent risks in LCNC platforms.
Control is necessary for aligning the actions of management (i.e., controllers) and subordinates ... more Control is necessary for aligning the actions of management (i.e., controllers) and subordinates (i.e., controlees) around common goals. The enactment of control often fails in practice; however, as controlee perceptions may not match those of controllers, leading to a myriad of possible outcomes. Through an interpretive case study of two interorganisational IT projects, we reveal how controlees' appraisals and responses to controls are context-dependent and play out across multiple levels (e.g., personal, profes
Digital technologies are often developed and marketed under the premise that their use is positiv... more Digital technologies are often developed and marketed under the premise that their use is positive-leading to innovation, development, and value creation (Turel et al., 2011). However, their large-scale diffusion in our workplaces and private space has also raised awareness of their risks and potential serious consequences across individual, organisational, and societal levels (Pirkkalainen and Salo, 2016). The versatility of digital technologies, their internet connectivity, and diverse suite of applications can create multiple pathways to problematic outcomes such as emotional health (e.g., anxiety, technostress), physical health (e.g., hypertension, poor sleep quality), data injustice (e.g., surveillance capitalism), and performance impacts (e.g., social, work) (Cinnamon et al., 2017; McCarthy et al., 2023; Shi et al., 2023; Wang and Lee, 2020).
The purpose of this special issue is to provide a venue for IS researchers to advance our understanding of how IT artefacts contribute towards adverse aspects of technology use. While the 'dark sides' of technology continue to garner attention by information systems (IS) scholars, we believe that there is a need for increased scholarly attention toward theorising the IT artefact in problematic technology use, and how individuals, organisations, and society can prevent and respond to undesirable technology behaviour. The IT artefact is a core part of the information systems discipline (Chatterjee et al., 2020). However, conceptualisations of materiality in existing studies on dark side phenomena are often unclear. We invite studies that focus on design and action but also research papers (e.g., behavioural and conceptual research) that enable an improved understanding of the IT artefacts: the way they influence negative effects and/or help resolving issues to combat the dark side. Moreover, studies are often cross-sectional, conducted with students as subjects, and using self-reported data (e.g., Busch & McCarthy, 2021). We recommend longitudinal studies using a variety of methods including mixed methods research designs as well as using actual usage data to overcome the bias limitations of self-reported usage.
Topics of relevance to this special issue include, but are not limited, to: • Theoretical frameworks, conceptual models, and ethical considerations (e.g., social justice) that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena. • Innovative methodologies for investigating problematic technology use and the influence of IT artefacts on users, organisations, and society as a whole. • Research contributing to an improved understanding on the design and IT-related characteristics that trigger or contribute to negative effects or alternatively help resolve the key issues. For example, are dark-sided phenomena already existent when an IT artefact is introduced, or is it produced/reproduced by an IT artefact? • Design principles explaining why users, organisations, and society engage in problematic behaviours within voluntary and involuntary IT use contexts. • Research on the dark side of emerging technologies such as AI (e.g., ChatGPT), the metaverse, digital twins, augmented reality, and deep fakes. • Unintended consequences of IT artefacts such as deception and malicious use, new forms of technostress (e.g., in the metaverse), technology-mediated addiction, cyberbullying, monitoring/surveillance and privacy issues. • IT artefact design features and policy agendas for data justice and mitigating problematic technology use (e.g., digital locks, control mechanisms, digital nudging and sludging). • Context-specific (e.g., cultural, geographical, industry, educational settings) studies that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena.
We invite authors to follow the sensibilities of phenomenon-driven problematization (Monteiro et al., 2022) to tease out the relevance of the “dark side” phenomena addressed beyond rhetorical aspects. This includes opening up to new empirical settings, challenging assumptions, understanding the pathways/trajectories leading to problematic technology use, and making “the invisible visible” in dark side phenomena (cf., Monteiro et al., 2022). We also encourage researchers to acknowledge connections between their work and the long tradition of related studies on design theorising in Scandinavia. This includes contributions about the changing nature of work, AI’s implications for workers etc. which builds on rich literature in information systems, participatory design, socio-technical systems, and sociology of work. While IT and its applications have changed much in the past 20 years, submissions should build upon and extend, not repeat, previous insights and show us what is really new (cf., Kautz et al., 2007).
Important dates - Submissions Due: October 15th 2023 - Round 1 Decisions: December 15th 2023 - Revisions Due: March 15th 2024 - Round 2 Decisions: May 1st 2024 - Second Revisions (if needed): June 20th 2024 - Anticipated Publication Date: December 31st 2024
Purpose-Social media platforms are a pervasive technology that continues to define our modern wor... more Purpose-Social media platforms are a pervasive technology that continues to define our modern world. While social media has brought many benefits to society in terms of connection and content sharing, numerous concerns remain for the governance of social media platforms going forward; including (but not limited to) the spread of misinformation, hate speech, and online surveillance. However, the voice of citizens and other non-experts is often missing from such conversations in information systems literature, which has led to an alleged gap between research and the everyday life of citizens. Design/methodology/approach-We address this gap by presenting findings from 16 hours of online dialogue with 25 citizens on social media platform governance. The online dialogue was undertaken as part of a worldwide consultation project called "We, the Internet", which sought to provide citizens with a voice on a range of topics such as "Digitalization and Me", "My Data, Your Data, Our Data", and "A Strong Digital Public Sphere". Five phases of thematic analysis were undertaken by the authors to code the corpus of qualitative data. Findings-Drawing on the Theory of Communicative Action, we discuss three dialogical processes critical to citizen discourse: lifeworld reasoning, rationalization, and moral action. Our findings point toward citizens' perspectives of current and future issues associated with social media platform governance, including concerns around the multiplicity of digital identities, consent for vulnerable groups, and transparency in content moderation. We also reveal citizens' rationalization of the dilemmas faced in addressing these issues going forward, including tensions such as digital accountability vs. data privacy, protection vs. inclusion, and algorithmic censorship vs. free speech. Originality/value-Based on outcomes from this dialogical process, moral actions in the form of policy recommendations are proposed by citizens and for citizens. We find that tackling these dark sides of digitalization is something too important to be left to 'Big Tech' and equally requires an understanding of citizens' perspectives to ensure an informed and positive imprint for change.
Purpose-The drop-out rates of open e-learning platforms are often cited as high as 97%, with many... more Purpose-The drop-out rates of open e-learning platforms are often cited as high as 97%, with many users discontinuing their use after initial acceptance. Our study aims to explore this anomaly through the lens of Affordances Theory, revealing design-reality gaps between users' diverse goals and the possibilities for action provided by an open IT artefact. Design/methodology/approach-A 6-month case study was undertaken to investigate the design implications of user-perceived affordances in an EU sustainability project which developed an open e-learning platform for citizens to improve their household energy efficiency. Thematic analysis was used to reveal the challenges of user continuance behaviour based on how an open IT artefact supports users in achieving individual goals (e.g., reducing energy consumption in the home) and collective goals (lessening the carbon footprint of society). Findings-Based on our findings, we inductively reveal seven affordances related to open elearning platforms: Informing, Assessment, Synthesis, Emphasis, Clarity, Learning Pathway, and Goal-planning. Our findings centre on users' perception of these affordances, and the extent to which the open IT artefact catered to the goals and constraints of diverse user groups. We further discuss open IT platform development from an iterative and collaborative perspective in order to explore different possibilities for action. Originality/value-We contribute towards research on open IT artefact design by presenting key learnings on how the designers of e-learning platforms can bridge design-reality gaps through exploring affordance personalisation for diverse user groups. This can inform the design of open IT artefacts to help ensure that system features match the expectations and contextual constraints of users through clear action-oriented possibilities.
ObjectivesTo explore and reflect on the current anticoagulation therapy offered to patients with ... more ObjectivesTo explore and reflect on the current anticoagulation therapy offered to patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), potential challenges and the future vision for oral anticoagulants for patients with AF and healthcare professionals in Ireland.DesignA multistakeholder focus group using a World Café approach.ParticipantsNine participants from academic, clinical and health backgrounds attended the focus group together with a facilitator.ResultsEnhanced patient empowerment; more effective use of technology and developing system-based medical care pathways would provide improved supports for AF management. The challenges in providing these include cost and access issues, the doctor–patient relationship and the provision of education. While consensus for developing evidence-based pathways to maximise efficiency and effectiveness of AF treatment was evident, it would require a shared vision between stakeholders of integrated care. The benefits of embracing technological advances fo...
BackgroundMedication errors frequently occur as patients transition between hospital and the comm... more BackgroundMedication errors frequently occur as patients transition between hospital and the community, and may result in patient harm. Novel methods are required to address this issue.AimTo assess the feasibility of introducing an electronic patient-held active record of medication status device (PHARMS) at the primary–secondary care interface at the time of hospital discharge.Design and settingA mixed-methods study (non-randomised controlled intervention, and a process evaluation of qualitative interviews and non-participant observation) among patients >60 years in an urban hospital and general practices in Cork, Ireland.MethodThe number and clinical significance of errors were compared between discharge prescriptions of the intervention (issued with a PHARMS device) and control (usual care, handwritten discharge prescription) groups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients, junior doctors, GPs, and IT professionals, in addition to direct observation of the impl...
A next major impetus for strategic growth can be funded through Compliance-Innovation a transform... more A next major impetus for strategic growth can be funded through Compliance-Innovation a transformational process through which conformity with all requirements – compliance – drives innovations in quality. The current lack of integration of Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC), Innovation, IT and Strategy results in lost opportunities for growth. If a recent KPMG Report reflects the true picture, less than 10% of businesses today demonstrate full integration of GRC activities with their business strategy. This paper argues for Board level support for better ‘Absorptive Capacity’ across the entire organization to drive innovation, growth and sustainability. In GRC-specific terms ‘Absorptive Capacity’ gets at the ability to nail the various intersections of three fast-moving business targets i.e. (i) new regulations (policy, law, standards) (ii) product evolution (new and improved) and (iii) evolving intra-organisational strategic and operational imperatives. Conceptually no more than...
Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2020
Information Systems (IS) research is often conducted under the assumption that technology use lea... more Information Systems (IS) research is often conducted under the assumption that technology use leads to positive outcomes for different stakeholders. However, many IS studies demonstrate limited evidence of having engaged with the stakeholders that they claim benefit and speak on behalf of. It is therefore not surprising that examples abound of where technology use has failed ‘to make the world a better place’, or worse still has contributed towards unintended negative outcomes. In light of these concerns, calls have recently emerged for responsible research and innovation (RRI) studies in IS to understand how different stakeholder groups can have a voice in complex socio-technical issues. In this paper, we take steps towards addressing this call by presenting case study findings from a responsible IS research project which combined ‘blended’ face-to-face and online participatory techniques. The case study relates to a large-scale consultation undertaken in a 24-month European project involving 30 countries. The project engaged over 1,500 stakeholders in the co-creation of future research agendas for the European Union. We discuss case study findings using Stilgoe, Owen, & Macnaghten’s (2013) RRI framework (Anticipation, Reflexivity, Inclusion, Deliberation, Responsiveness) and reflect on lessons learned for responsible IS research going forward.
Proceedings of the Twenty-Eighth European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS2020), 2020
Participation is critical in information systems development (ISD) for promoting effective knowle... more Participation is critical in information systems development (ISD) for promoting effective knowledge sharing among diverse stakeholder groups. However, the emergence of new, challenging project contexts has led to calls for the 'old, tired' concept of participation to be revisited. In particular, our understanding of intergroup participation within the context of distributed teamwork remains under theorised. Distributed ISD projects require participation among both IT specialists and domain experts or users, who more often than not come from diverse geographical, organisational, and disciplinary backgrounds. In addition to geographical and temporal distances, socio-political differences between stakeholders in distributed ISD projects raise questions around the nature of participation. In this paper, we investigate how participation emerges in distributed ISD projects and the factors which support or impede its emergence, using the 'Theory of Practice' and 'Collective Reflection-in-Action' frameworks a theoretical lens. We draw on empirical findings from an in-depth case study of a 6-month distributed project called 'Health ISD', which involved a distributed team of IT specialists and clinicians. Our findings point to five socio-political factors which support or impede participation: rules, resources, interests, values, and goals. These factors act as instruments of both coordination and conflict across both face-to-face and online communications. We also identify five modes through which participation emerges: adding, challenging, ignoring, defining, and finalising.
Proceedings of the 27th European Conference on Information Systems, 2019
Agile distributed Information Systems Development (ISD) is an innately social process in which di... more Agile distributed Information Systems Development (ISD) is an innately social process in which distributed team members must continuously interact to develop new IT solutions. Existing literature suggests that shared understanding and shared commitment are essential for the effective functioning of agile distributed ISD project teams; however, the factors that shape the emergence of these two phenomena remain elusive. In this paper, we seek to develop a framework for investigating the interplay of factors that shape shared understanding and shared commitment during agile distributed ISD project team interactions. We draw on in-depth case study findings from an agile distributed ISD project called the “CHP project” which involved team members from diverse backgrounds such as academia, healthcare, and industry. The study reveals that shared understanding and shared commitment in agile distributed project teams are shaped by the dynamic interplay between macro-level (contextual) and micro-level (localised) factors. In particular, we find that diverse macro-level structures, identities, and cultures interplay with the micro-level vision, approach, and means of the project to impact shared understanding and shared commitment. Empirical findings also suggest that the absence of shared understanding and shared commitment can sometimes be constructive as conflict allows team members to air differences of opinion.
The ideas presented in this paper have emerged from our curiosity about how technological objects... more The ideas presented in this paper have emerged from our curiosity about how technological objects might be leveraged as more than mere evidence in IS research. As constructions of a particular time and place, objects can tell us a great deal about the people, organisations and cultures that produced and used them. Objects reflect the values, beliefs and activities of those people, organisations, and cultures. But many IS scholars following a sociomaterial agenda continue to see objects as no more than background facts that play a supporting role in our research. There is little guidance in the IS literature on how objects might participate more directly and fully in our research and how we as scholars should engage with them. In this paper, we present an object-inspired perspective largely drawn from the material culture literature where we engage with objects as the units of observation. We discuss what this might contribute to IS theory-building and what opportunities it might create for new types of object-centred and -driven theories. We describe a framework for undertaking this object-inspired research. In so doing, we are challenged to think about the ontological commitments of our approach and how this differs from dominant forms of sociomateriality.
Hawaii International Conference on Systems Science, 2019
Distributed ISD projects are often typified by deep-seated differences between team members from ... more Distributed ISD projects are often typified by deep-seated differences between team members from diverse organizational and professional backgrounds. Consequently, literature suggests that cohesion is crucial for aligning the efforts of a distributed ISD team; however, a competing body of literature also asserts that conflict is essential for capitalizing on diverse knowledge flows. Team leaders can therefore face a conundrum around how to balance the paradoxical need for both cohesion and conflict. In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework to analyze case study findings from the ‘CDSS project’, a distributed ISD project undertaken in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). We find evidence that distributed ISD leaders must adopt a ‘paradox mindset’, one which embraces both cohesion and conflict. Based on these findings, we also put forward the concept of ‘leadership intelligence’ which describes the simultaneous enactment of a diverse set of leadership styles for balancing constructive cohesion and conflict.
International Conference on Information Systems, 2018
The effectiveness of distributed ISD teams is often inhibited by tensions between contextual (mac... more The effectiveness of distributed ISD teams is often inhibited by tensions between contextual (macro) and localised (micro) factors. In light of these challenges, literature suggests that cohesion is a key determinant of team performance; however, competing literature asserts that conflict is essential for exploiting diverse knowledge. This suggests a paradoxical need for both cohesion and conflict. However, extant ISD literature has yet to explore how the interplay of macro- and micro-level factors affect cohesion and conflict in distributed settings. To address this gap, we present and utilise a theoretical framework to analyse ethnographic data from a distributed ISD project called ‘Athena’. The findings point to a ‘double edged sword’ of cohesion and suggest that moderate levels of task-based conflict are essential for addressing diversity in distributed teams. Additionally, excessive levels of cohesion can contribute to social conflict between subgroups when task conflict is constrained.
Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, Aug 1, 2014
ABSTRACT Motivated by a gap in the literature linking compliance and innovation, this paper devel... more ABSTRACT Motivated by a gap in the literature linking compliance and innovation, this paper develops the novel concept of Compliance–Innovation (C–I). Based on a review of the literature and interviews with experienced practitioners, we characterise C–I as a transformational process to drive organisational improvements in sustainability and competitiveness. We explain how the organisational mechanism that permits identification and exploitation of knowledge for commercial purposes, i.e. Absorptive Capacity, may be enlarged through application of C–I because both external and internal contexts are appropriately and comprehensively incorporated. C–I's roots lie in the integration of quality and compliance knowledge into a central IT repository, and its potential for commercial exploitation through, for example, the Six Sigma approach is outlined – indicating its usefulness for orienting business focus, performance and innovation.
In recent years, we have witnessed an increasing trend towards the conduct of Information Systems... more In recent years, we have witnessed an increasing trend towards the conduct of Information Systems Development (ISD) projects in distributed environments, whereby ISD team members are geographically, spatially and organizationally dispersed. This has been driven by the desire of organizations to expand their pool of development resources and to gain access to diverse sources of expertise, irrespective of location or organizational affiliation. While these benefits are impressive, the conduct of distributed ISD projects is far from a routine undertaking. This is reflected more broadly in the high rate of ISD project failure recorded across different industry sectors and organizational settings over the past twenty years. In particular, the effectiveness of distributed ISD teams is often inhibited by deep seated social and task-related differences between team members. For instance, distributed ISD project team members typically come from diverse backgrounds which can create social challenges around the alignment of structures, identities, and cultures, as well as task-based challenges related to the delivery of project outcomes. In light of these challenges, literature suggests that cohesion is a key determinant of team performance. However, a competing set of literature asserts that conflict is essential for exploiting diverse knowledge. These contrasting bodies of literature highlight an opportunity to explore the factors which affect the tension between both cohesion and conflict in distributed ISD projects and the impact these have on team performance. The dissertation therefore seeks to explore how cohesion and conflict co-exist and co-evolve through distributed ISD project team interactions, and how this impacts team performance. The dissertation presents a within-case and cross-case analysis of three distributed ISD projects. Each in-depth case study is characterised by inherent aspects of complexity or ‘wickedness’ which created unique challenges around the need for both cohesion and conflict. For instance, the distributed ISD projects were undertaken in emergent areas (i.e. connected health), and the team members in each case had not worked together before. In order to explore this emerging research area, theory building is undertaken by the researcher to describe and explain the factors which affect cohesion and conflict in distributed ISD project team interactions. The theoretical framework co-evolved through empirical insights from the in-depth case studies as well as logical propositions from seminal literature. Discussions of case study findings are structured according to the concepts developed in the theoretical framework, as well as their underlying relationships. These emergent theoretical insights are also used to guide discussions around both team performance and distributed ISD project team leadership later in the dissertation. The dissertation presents a number of unique contributions. Firstly, the dissertation develops a novel theoretical framework for describing and explaining how the interplay between different factors shape team interactions in distributed ISD projects. This contribution can help deepen scholars’ understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of team interactions in distributed ISD projects. Secondly, the dissertation contributes insights into how shared understanding and shared commitment among the team can be affected by these factors. In particular, findings presented from the in-depth case studies suggest that shared understanding and shared commitment may evolve in ways which are often unexpected. Thirdly, novel contributions are made by considering the relationship between cohesion, conflict and team performance. For instance, findings from the cross-case analysis suggests that cohesion and conflict are both needed to maximise team performance in distributed ISD projects. In particular, findings suggest that cohesion and conflict are appropriate for realising different perspectives of ISD project team performance. Lastly, the dissertation contributes insights into how team leaders can respond to social and task-based factors in distributed ISD projects. The dissertation puts forward a new style of team leadership called ‘agitation’. This theoretical contribution expands on existing literature by considering how team leaders embed constructive conflict into team member interactions in order to challenge social and task-related differences. Finally, the dissertation puts forward the concept of ‘leadership intelligence’ to contribute insights into how leaders can develop the sensitivity to know when to promote and suppress different leadership styles over the course of a project, and indeed even during an individual interaction. The structure of the dissertation is as follows: Chapter 1 provides a high-level introduction to the dissertation and sets out the structure of the remaining chapters as well as how they relate to each other. Chapter 2 presents a review of existing literature across the key areas of study and identifies areas which the dissertation will aim to investigate. Chapter 3 then outlines the first stage of theoretical development undertaken by the researcher which uses logical propositions from literature to investigate the relationship between concepts. Meanwhile, Chapter 4 presents an overview of the paradigm choice, research method, research strategy, and research process. Chapters 5-8 then investigate each research question in turn based on in-depth case study findings from three distributed ISD projects. Each case study is used to support theory building through empirical insights from a within-case analysis. Chapter 9 then provides a cross-case analysis of the research questions drawing on further empirical insights from across the three in-depth case studies. Chapter 10 draws the dissertation to a close with a conclusion.
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Papers by Stephen McCarthy
The purpose of this special issue is to provide a venue for IS researchers to advance our understanding of how IT artefacts contribute towards adverse aspects of technology use. While the 'dark sides' of technology continue to garner attention by information systems (IS) scholars, we believe that there is a need for increased scholarly attention toward theorising the IT artefact in problematic technology use, and how individuals, organisations, and society can prevent and respond to undesirable technology behaviour. The IT artefact is a core part of the information systems discipline (Chatterjee et al., 2020). However, conceptualisations of materiality in existing studies on dark side phenomena are often unclear. We invite studies that focus on design and action but also research papers (e.g., behavioural and conceptual research) that enable an improved understanding of the IT artefacts: the way they influence negative effects and/or help resolving issues to combat the dark side. Moreover, studies are often cross-sectional, conducted with students as subjects, and using self-reported data (e.g., Busch & McCarthy, 2021). We recommend longitudinal studies using a variety of methods including mixed methods research designs as well as using actual usage data to overcome the bias limitations of self-reported usage.
Topics of relevance to this special issue include, but are not limited, to: • Theoretical frameworks, conceptual models, and ethical considerations (e.g., social justice) that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena. • Innovative methodologies for investigating problematic technology use and the influence of IT artefacts on users, organisations, and society as a whole. • Research contributing to an improved understanding on the design and IT-related characteristics that trigger or contribute to negative effects or alternatively help resolve the key issues. For example, are dark-sided phenomena already existent when an IT artefact is introduced, or is it produced/reproduced by an IT artefact? • Design principles explaining why users, organisations, and society engage in problematic behaviours within voluntary and involuntary IT use contexts. • Research on the dark side of emerging technologies such as AI (e.g., ChatGPT), the metaverse, digital twins, augmented reality, and deep fakes. • Unintended consequences of IT artefacts such as deception and malicious use, new forms of technostress (e.g., in the metaverse), technology-mediated addiction, cyberbullying, monitoring/surveillance and privacy issues. • IT artefact design features and policy agendas for data justice and mitigating problematic technology use (e.g., digital locks, control mechanisms, digital nudging and sludging). • Context-specific (e.g., cultural, geographical, industry, educational settings) studies that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena.
We invite authors to follow the sensibilities of phenomenon-driven problematization (Monteiro et al., 2022) to tease out the relevance of the “dark side” phenomena addressed beyond rhetorical aspects. This includes opening up to new empirical settings, challenging assumptions, understanding the pathways/trajectories leading to problematic technology use, and making “the invisible visible” in dark side phenomena (cf., Monteiro et al., 2022). We also encourage researchers to acknowledge connections between their work and the long tradition of related studies on design theorising in Scandinavia. This includes contributions about the changing nature of work, AI’s implications for workers etc. which builds on rich literature in information systems, participatory design, socio-technical systems, and sociology of work. While IT and its applications have changed much in the past 20 years, submissions should build upon and extend, not repeat, previous insights and show us what is really new (cf., Kautz et al., 2007).
Important dates
- Submissions Due: October 15th 2023
- Round 1 Decisions: December 15th 2023
- Revisions Due: March 15th 2024
- Round 2 Decisions: May 1st 2024
- Second Revisions (if needed): June 20th 2024
- Anticipated Publication Date: December 31st 2024
The purpose of this special issue is to provide a venue for IS researchers to advance our understanding of how IT artefacts contribute towards adverse aspects of technology use. While the 'dark sides' of technology continue to garner attention by information systems (IS) scholars, we believe that there is a need for increased scholarly attention toward theorising the IT artefact in problematic technology use, and how individuals, organisations, and society can prevent and respond to undesirable technology behaviour. The IT artefact is a core part of the information systems discipline (Chatterjee et al., 2020). However, conceptualisations of materiality in existing studies on dark side phenomena are often unclear. We invite studies that focus on design and action but also research papers (e.g., behavioural and conceptual research) that enable an improved understanding of the IT artefacts: the way they influence negative effects and/or help resolving issues to combat the dark side. Moreover, studies are often cross-sectional, conducted with students as subjects, and using self-reported data (e.g., Busch & McCarthy, 2021). We recommend longitudinal studies using a variety of methods including mixed methods research designs as well as using actual usage data to overcome the bias limitations of self-reported usage.
Topics of relevance to this special issue include, but are not limited, to: • Theoretical frameworks, conceptual models, and ethical considerations (e.g., social justice) that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena. • Innovative methodologies for investigating problematic technology use and the influence of IT artefacts on users, organisations, and society as a whole. • Research contributing to an improved understanding on the design and IT-related characteristics that trigger or contribute to negative effects or alternatively help resolve the key issues. For example, are dark-sided phenomena already existent when an IT artefact is introduced, or is it produced/reproduced by an IT artefact? • Design principles explaining why users, organisations, and society engage in problematic behaviours within voluntary and involuntary IT use contexts. • Research on the dark side of emerging technologies such as AI (e.g., ChatGPT), the metaverse, digital twins, augmented reality, and deep fakes. • Unintended consequences of IT artefacts such as deception and malicious use, new forms of technostress (e.g., in the metaverse), technology-mediated addiction, cyberbullying, monitoring/surveillance and privacy issues. • IT artefact design features and policy agendas for data justice and mitigating problematic technology use (e.g., digital locks, control mechanisms, digital nudging and sludging). • Context-specific (e.g., cultural, geographical, industry, educational settings) studies that provide new understandings of the IT artefact in dark side phenomena.
We invite authors to follow the sensibilities of phenomenon-driven problematization (Monteiro et al., 2022) to tease out the relevance of the “dark side” phenomena addressed beyond rhetorical aspects. This includes opening up to new empirical settings, challenging assumptions, understanding the pathways/trajectories leading to problematic technology use, and making “the invisible visible” in dark side phenomena (cf., Monteiro et al., 2022). We also encourage researchers to acknowledge connections between their work and the long tradition of related studies on design theorising in Scandinavia. This includes contributions about the changing nature of work, AI’s implications for workers etc. which builds on rich literature in information systems, participatory design, socio-technical systems, and sociology of work. While IT and its applications have changed much in the past 20 years, submissions should build upon and extend, not repeat, previous insights and show us what is really new (cf., Kautz et al., 2007).
Important dates
- Submissions Due: October 15th 2023
- Round 1 Decisions: December 15th 2023
- Revisions Due: March 15th 2024
- Round 2 Decisions: May 1st 2024
- Second Revisions (if needed): June 20th 2024
- Anticipated Publication Date: December 31st 2024
In particular, the effectiveness of distributed ISD teams is often inhibited by deep seated social and task-related differences between team members. For instance, distributed ISD project team members typically come from diverse backgrounds which can create social challenges around the alignment of structures, identities, and cultures, as well as task-based challenges related to the delivery of project outcomes. In light of these challenges, literature suggests that cohesion is a key determinant of team performance. However, a competing set of literature asserts that conflict is essential for exploiting diverse knowledge. These contrasting bodies of literature highlight an opportunity to explore the factors which affect the tension between both cohesion and conflict in distributed ISD projects and the impact these have on team performance.
The dissertation therefore seeks to explore how cohesion and conflict co-exist and co-evolve through distributed ISD project team interactions, and how this impacts team performance. The dissertation presents a within-case and cross-case analysis of three distributed ISD projects. Each in-depth case study is characterised by inherent aspects of complexity or ‘wickedness’ which created unique challenges around the need for both cohesion and conflict. For instance, the distributed ISD projects were undertaken in emergent areas (i.e. connected health), and the team members in each case had not worked together before.
In order to explore this emerging research area, theory building is undertaken by the researcher to describe and explain the factors which affect cohesion and conflict in distributed ISD project team interactions. The theoretical framework co-evolved through empirical insights from the in-depth case studies as well as logical propositions from seminal literature. Discussions of case study findings are structured according to the concepts developed in the theoretical framework, as well as their underlying relationships. These emergent theoretical insights are also used to guide discussions around both team performance and distributed ISD project team leadership later in the dissertation.
The dissertation presents a number of unique contributions. Firstly, the dissertation develops a novel theoretical framework for describing and explaining how the interplay between different factors shape team interactions in distributed ISD projects. This contribution can help deepen scholars’ understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of team interactions in distributed ISD projects. Secondly, the dissertation contributes insights into how shared understanding and shared commitment among the team can be affected by these factors. In particular, findings presented from the in-depth case studies suggest that shared understanding and shared commitment may evolve in ways which are often unexpected. Thirdly, novel contributions are made by considering the relationship between cohesion, conflict and team performance. For instance, findings from the cross-case analysis suggests that cohesion and conflict are both needed to maximise team performance in distributed ISD projects. In particular, findings suggest that cohesion and conflict are appropriate for realising different perspectives of ISD project team performance. Lastly, the dissertation contributes insights into how team leaders can respond to social and task-based factors in distributed ISD projects. The dissertation puts forward a new style of team leadership called ‘agitation’. This theoretical contribution expands on existing literature by considering how team leaders embed constructive conflict into team member interactions in order to challenge social and task-related differences. Finally, the dissertation puts forward the concept of ‘leadership intelligence’ to contribute insights into how leaders can develop the sensitivity to know when to promote and suppress different leadership styles over the course of a project, and indeed even during an individual interaction.
The structure of the dissertation is as follows: Chapter 1 provides a high-level introduction to the dissertation and sets out the structure of the remaining chapters as well as how they relate to each other. Chapter 2 presents a review of existing literature across the key areas of study and identifies areas which the dissertation will aim to investigate. Chapter 3 then outlines the first stage of theoretical development undertaken by the researcher which uses logical propositions from literature to investigate the relationship between concepts. Meanwhile, Chapter 4 presents an overview of the paradigm choice, research method, research strategy, and research process. Chapters 5-8 then investigate each research question in turn based on in-depth case study findings from three distributed ISD projects. Each case study is used to support theory building through empirical insights from a within-case analysis. Chapter 9 then provides a cross-case analysis of the research questions drawing on further empirical insights from across the three in-depth case studies. Chapter 10 draws the dissertation to a close with a conclusion.