Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2009. / Title from title screen (site viewed October 13, 2009). PDF text:x, 119 p. ; 962 K. UMI publication number: AAT 3355621. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Macquarie Graduate School of Management, 2005. / Bibliography: p. 241-260.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2005. / Title from title page screen, viewed September 26, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Dent M. Rhodes (chair), Temba C. Bassoppo-Moyo, Thomas Crumpler, Patricia Rushing. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 196-200) and abstract. Also available in print.

Today's technological development means that organizations are constantly evolving. This means that the market, which the organizations operate in, is constantly changing and becoming more complex to interpret. This development increases the demand to forecast possible outcomes and receive real-time information from the operations – i.e., obtain the most accurate data for decision-support. To make this possible, organizations need so-called ‘decision support systems’; IT-tools that rapidly provide decision makers with information based on relevant data. To obtain the highest possible value from the systems, they must seamlessly integrate and interact with the organization. This study examines how decision support systems, organizations and users relate to each other in an organizational context. The aim is to provide an insight into the limitations and possibilities of human behaviour, technological development and organizational structure to create and enable relevant and effective decision support systems. The paper’s theoretical framework is based on Orlikowski’s (1992) structurational model. The empirical material consists of semi-structured interviews, which are analysed based on Orlikowski’s model. The results show that although there is a common understanding on how the different factors should interact in order for the decision support systems to function the respondents neglected their own influence as users of the systems. / Dagens teknikutveckling medför att organisationer hela tiden utvecklas och förändras. Det i sin tur medför att den marknad organisationer agerar på förändras och blir alltmer komplex att tolka. Denna utveckling ökar efterfrågan att förutspå sannolika utfall, få information om verksamheten i realtid, kort sagt få ett korrekt beslutsunderlag. För att detta ska vara möjligt behövs IT-verktyg som snabbt kan förse beslutsfattare med underlag som grundar sig på relevanta data, så kallade beslutsstödsystem. För att få ut mesta möjliga värde från beslutsstödsystemen ställs höga krav på att de integreras och samverkar med organisationen. I studien undersöks hur beslutsstödsystem, organisationer och användare förhåller sig till varandra i en organisatorisk kontext. Målet är att ge en inblick i de begränsningar och möjligheter människors agerande, teknikens utveckling och organisationens struktur skapar för att möjliggöra relevanta och effektiva system för beslutsstöd. Studiens teoretiska ramverk tar sin utgångspunkt i Orlikowskis (1992) struktureringsmodell. Det empiriska materialet utgörs av semistrukturerade intervjuer som analyseras med utgångspunkt från Orlikowskis modell. Resultatet visar att även om det överlag finns en förståelse för hur olika faktorer bör samspela för att beslutsstödsystemen ska fungera, tonar respondenterna ner sin egen betydelse som användare av systemen.

In the search to reduce the various divides between the developed and the developing world, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is seen as an enabler in resource-constrained environments. However, the impact of ICT for Development (ICT4D) implementations is contested, and the ability to facilitate sustained change remains elusive. Sustainability emerged as a key lesson from the failure of early ICT4D projects, and has served as a focal point in facilitating ICT4D success. However, interpretation of the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development seems to be multiple and disconnected from practice, and is rarely translated into a useful construct for guiding project-level actions. The focus of international development is gradually shifting from donated aid towards capability and choice, empowerment, and per-poor initiatives. However, the reality remains that multiple organisations with varying levels of power, resources, and influence determine the outcomes and the sustainability of benefits from a development intervention. This research investigates mechanisms to sustain benefit by exploring the interface between various role players through the lens of decision-making. It builds on the view that the value created by the virtual ‘organisation’ of stakeholders in an ICT4D implementation results from the sum of its decisions, and develops a framework for decision-making with a view on sustaining benefits. The work follows a Design Science Research methodology, comprising an iterative process for the development, testing, and improvement of the framework based on three literature reviews, two case studies, and an expert review. The research answers the primary research question, namely: What are the elements of a framework that support strategic decision-making for the design and implementation of ICT4D interventions in resource-constrained environments, in support of sustained benefit? The knowledge contribution is primarily at the concept and methodological level. In addition to framework development, the decision problem in ICT4D is defined, andthe concept of sustained benefit is proposed as a means of operationalizing sustainability. This research illustrates the role of decision concepts in structuring the complexity of ICT4D problems. It introduces an alternative perspective into the debate on sustainability in ICT4D, and provides a basis for the future development of theory. / Information Systems / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information Systems)

The evidence from the literature suggests that Information Technology adoption (IT) governance in organisations is still a challenge. The diversity of application and the ever-increasing use of IT results in making decisions on IT adoption a major challenge for organisations. The decision about using a particular technology from an organisational perspective is problematic since individual users have different worldviews. The implicit assumption in IT adoption literature is that stakeholders always reach consensus during IT adoption decision making in organisations. This study explored the existing models and frameworks in order to develop a preliminary improved IT adoption governance framework. This study used a case study sequential explanatory mixed methods research approach to validate the preliminary IT adoption governance framework. The first validation phase of the framework was done using a quantitative approach followed by the second validation phase based on qualitative interviews. The last validation was done after integrating the quantitative and qualitative results to produce the refined framework. The results suggest that the developed framework may improve IT adoption governance in organisations. The results showed that the framework components facilitate IT adoption governance in organisations. The results also suggest that the components have an association with each other except for the Technology Acceptance Model component. The results indicate that stakeholder participation and hard systems thinking components have a strong predictive impact on IT governance framework component perception in organisations. The study results suggest that IT adoption decision makers need to balance different stakeholders’ demands during IT adoption decision making in organisations. The framework helps in that regard by reconciling different stakeholders’ demands through collective IT adoption decision making. The strength of the framework is its integration of theories from various disciplines in understanding stakeholder expectations. On that basis the framework is in a better position to offer more insight into understanding challenges of IT adoption decision making than existing frameworks and models. The framework offers a potentially valuable basis for future research in IT adoption decision making in organisations. The results suggest that the framework may facilitate IT adoption in organisations using different components. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information systems)

The evidence from the literature suggests that Information Technology adoption (IT) governance in organisations is still a challenge. The diversity of application and the ever-increasing use of IT results in making decisions on IT adoption a major challenge for organisations. The decision about using a particular technology from an organisational perspective is problematic since individual users have different worldviews. The implicit assumption in IT adoption literature is that stakeholders always reach consensus during IT adoption decision making in organisations. This study explored the existing models and frameworks in order to develop a preliminary improved IT adoption governance framework. This study used a case study sequential explanatory mixed methods research approach to validate the preliminary IT adoption governance framework. The first validation phase of the framework was done using a quantitative approach followed by the second validation phase based on qualitative interviews. The last validation was done after integrating the quantitative and qualitative results to produce the refined framework. The results suggest that the developed framework may improve IT adoption governance in organisations. The results showed that the framework components facilitate IT adoption governance in organisations. The results also suggest that the components have an association with each other except for the Technology Acceptance Model component. The results indicate that stakeholder participation and hard systems thinking components have a strong predictive impact on IT governance framework component perception in organisations. The study results suggest that IT adoption decision makers need to balance different stakeholders’ demands during IT adoption decision making in organisations. The framework helps in that regard by reconciling different stakeholders’ demands through collective IT adoption decision making. The strength of the framework is its integration of theories from various disciplines in understanding stakeholder expectations. On that basis the framework is in a better position to offer more insight into understanding challenges of IT adoption decision making than existing frameworks and models. The framework offers a potentially valuable basis for future research in IT adoption decision making in organisations. The results suggest that the framework may facilitate IT adoption in organisations using different components. / Information Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Information systems)