One of the major challenges of MIS activities is the difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of delivered systems. The principal purpose of my research is to explore this field in order to develop an instrument by which to measure such effectiveness. Conceptualisation of Information System (IS) Effectiveness has been substantially framed by DeLone and McLean's (1992) Success; Model. But with the innovation in Information Technology (IT) over the past decade, and the constant pressure in IT to improve performance, there is merit in undertaking a fresh appraisal of the issue. This study built on the model of IS Success developed by DeLone and MeLean, but was broadened to include related research from the domains of IS, Management and Marketing. This analysis found that an effective IS function is built on three pillars: the systems implemented; the information held and delivered by these systems; and, the service provided in support of the IS function. A common foundation for these pillars is the concept of stakeholder needs. In seeking to appreciate the effectiveness: of delivered IS applications in relation to the job performance of stakeholders, this research developed an understanding of what quality means in an IT context I argue that quality is a more useful criterion for effectiveness than the more customary measures of use and user satisfaction. Respecification of the IS Success Model was then proposed. The second phase of the research was to test this model empirically through judgment panels, focus groups and interviews. Results consistently supported the structure and components of the respecified model. Quality was determined as a multi-dimensional construct, with the key dimensions for the quality of delivered IS differing from those used in the research from other disciplines. Empirical work indicated that end-user stakeholders derived their evaluations of quality by internally evaluating perceived performance of delivered IS in relation to their expectations for such performance. A short trial explored whether, when overt measurement of expectations was concurrent with the measurement of perceptions, a more revealing appraisal of delivered IS quality was provided than when perceptions alone were measured. Results revealed a difference between the two measures. Using the New IS Success Model as the foundation, and drawing upon the related theoretical and empirical research, an instrument was developed to measure the quality/effectiveness of delivered IS applications. Four trials of this instrument, QUALIT, are documented. Analysis of results from preliminary trials indicates promise in terms of business value: the instrument is simple to administer and has the capacity to pinpoint areas of weakness. The research related to the respecification of the New IS Success Model and the associated empirical studies, including the development of QTJALIT, have both contributed to the development of theory about IS Effectiveness. More precisely, my research has reviewed the components of an information system, the dimensions comprising these components and the indicators of each, and based upon these findings, formulated an instrument by which to measure the effectiveness of a delivered IS.

<p>Strategy and IT research has been extensively discussed during the past 40 years. Two scientific disciplines Management Science (MS) and Management Information Science (MIS) investigate the importance of IT as a competitive factor. However, although much research is available in both disciplines, it is still difficult to explain how to manage IT to enable competitive advantages. One reason is that MS research focuses on strategies and competitive environments but avoids the analysis of IT. Another reason is that MIS research focuses on IT as a competitive factor but avoids the analysis of the competitive environment. Consequently, there is a gap of knowledge in the understanding of the strategic management of information technology (SMIT).</p><p>The strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor is important for achieving the competitive advantages of IT. This thesis explores factors related to strategy and IT that should be considered for the strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor, and proposes a framework for SMIT. The research is conducted by means of a qualitative analysis of theoretical data from the disciplines of MS and MIS. Data is explored to find factors related to SMIT.</p><p>The results of the analysis show that the strategic management of information technology is a continuous process of evaluation, change, and alignment between factors such as competitive environment, competitive strategies (business and IT strategies), competitive outcome, and competitive factors (IT). Therefore, the understanding of the relationships between these factors is essential in order to achieve the competitive advantages of using IT.</p><p>This thesis contributes to strategic management research by clarifying the relationships between strategic management, competitive environment, and IT as competitive factor into a holistic framework for strategic analysis. The framework proposed is valuable not only for business managers and for IT managers, but also for academics. The framework is designed to understand the relationship between competitive elements during the process of strategic analysis prior to the formulation of competitive strategies. Moreover, it can also be used as a communication tool between managers, in order to achieve alignment among company strategies. To academics, this thesis presents the state-of-the-art related to strategic management research; it can also be a valuable reference for strategic managers, as well as researchers interested in the strategic management of IT.</p> / Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic.2006:53.

Submitted by Marcelo Cruz (profmcruz66@gmail.com) on 2014-03-20T21:45:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_AEMarcelo_Alves_Cruz_FGV.pdf: 1595656 bytes, checksum: cbb616588ff4069d91b243c725b6d060 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by PAMELA BELTRAN TONSA (pamela.tonsa@fgv.br) on 2014-03-21T11:04:46Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_AEMarcelo_Alves_Cruz_FGV.pdf: 1595656 bytes, checksum: cbb616588ff4069d91b243c725b6d060 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-03-21T12:53:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_AEMarcelo_Alves_Cruz_FGV.pdf: 1595656 bytes, checksum: cbb616588ff4069d91b243c725b6d060 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-10 / Terceirização de Serviços de Tecnologia da Informação (TI) é uma prática crescente entre organizações de diversos portes e setores, onde uma relação entre contratante e contratado usualmente regida por contratos. Contratos são dispositivos destinados a regular obrigações e direitos entre as partes. Em função da impossibilidade das partes preverem todas as contingências futuras e também devido à imprecisão da linguagem escrita, contratos são usualmente reconhecidos em Economia como sendo fundamentalmente incompletos. Disso se origina a possibilidade de classificar contratos como predominantemente formais, aqueles cuja estrutura escrita apresenta mecanismos de completude suficiente para conduzir o relacionamento entre as partes, e predominantemente relacionais, aqueles cuja estrutura formal é insuficiente para coordenar o relacionamento, e que demandam mecanismos adicionais de comunicação e interação para que o relacionamento entre as partes ocorra de adequadamente em torno do objeto contratado. Dentre os mecanismos usados em contratos formais para sinalizar às partes os comportamentos desejados, inclui-se a estrutura de incentivos. Pouco se estudou sobre o efeito que a combinação de estruturas de incentivos e mecanismos relacionais tem sobre o andamento dos contratos. Este estudo analisa os efeitos de mecanismos formais de estruturas de incentivos e os mecanismos relacionais sobre o andamento do contrato, usando como contexto o cenário de contratações de serviços de terceirização de Tecnologia da Informação (TI). Como resultados dos três capítulos principais deste estudo, configurados no formato de artigos acadêmicos, são apresentados altos poderes explicativos das interações entre estruturas de incentivos, governança relacional, comportamento do contratado e expectativa de sucesso dos contratos. Da mesma forma, antecedentes e resultantes são analisados e discutidos. Do ponto de vista da contribuição para a prática gerencial, o trabalho como um todo contribui para melhorar decisões de contratação de serviços de TI, formulação de contratos mais efetivos, e apoio na escolha dos mecanismos de contratação mais adequados ao contexto do contratante. / Outsourcing Information Technology services is a growing practice among organizations of many sizes and sectors, where the relationship between contractor and supplier is usually governed by contracts. Contracts are devices intended to govern rights and obligations between the parties. Due to the impossibility of the parties foresee all future contingencies and also due to the imprecision of the written language, contracts are usually recognized in economics as fundamentally incomplete. This raises the possibility of classifying contracts as predominantly formal, those written in completeness of structure that is sufficient to guide the relationship between the parties, and predominantly relational, those whose formal structure is insufficient to coordinate the relationship, and so require additional communication and interaction mechanisms for the relationship between the parties to properly occur around the contractual object. The structure of incentives is among the mechanisms used in formal contracts to signal desired behaviors to the parties. Little has been studied about the effect of the combination between incentive structures and relational mechanisms on the progress of contracts. This study examines the effects of formal mechanisms of incentive structures and relational mechanisms on the progress of the contract, using hiring outsourcing of Information Technology (IT) services as context. The results of the three main chapters of this study, set as formal academic papers, derive high explanatory power of interactions between incentive structures, relational governance, supplier behavior and expectation of success. Similarly, antecedents and combined effects are analyzed and discussed. From the standpoint of the contribution to managerial practice, the work as a whole contributes to improve hiring decisions of IT services, formulating more effective contracts, and offers assistance in choosing the most appropriate contracting mechanisms to the context of the contractor.

Strategy and IT research has been extensively discussed during the past 40 years. Two scientific disciplines Management Science (MS) and Management Information Science (MIS) investigate the importance of IT as a competitive factor. However, although much research is available in both disciplines, it is still difficult to explain how to manage IT to enable competitive advantages. One reason is that MS research focuses on strategies and competitive environments but avoids the analysis of IT. Another reason is that MIS research focuses on IT as a competitive factor but avoids the analysis of the competitive environment. Consequently, there is a gap of knowledge in the understanding of the strategic management of information technology (SMIT). The strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor is important for achieving the competitive advantages of IT. This thesis explores factors related to strategy and IT that should be considered for the strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor, and proposes a framework for SMIT. The research is conducted by means of a qualitative analysis of theoretical data from the disciplines of MS and MIS. Data is explored to find factors related to SMIT. The results of the analysis show that the strategic management of information technology is a continuous process of evaluation, change, and alignment between factors such as competitive environment, competitive strategies (business and IT strategies), competitive outcome, and competitive factors (IT). Therefore, the understanding of the relationships between these factors is essential in order to achieve the competitive advantages of using IT. This thesis contributes to strategic management research by clarifying the relationships between strategic management, competitive environment, and IT as competitive factor into a holistic framework for strategic analysis. The framework proposed is valuable not only for business managers and for IT managers, but also for academics. The framework is designed to understand the relationship between competitive elements during the process of strategic analysis prior to the formulation of competitive strategies. Moreover, it can also be used as a communication tool between managers, in order to achieve alignment among company strategies. To academics, this thesis presents the state-of-the-art related to strategic management research; it can also be a valuable reference for strategic managers, as well as researchers interested in the strategic management of IT. / <p>Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic.2006:53.</p>

[pt] O crescimento do setor de Tecnologia da Informação tem demandado a contratação de consultores dos quais são pretendidos elevados desempenhos e dedicação intensa ao trabalho. A satisfação no trabalho afeta diretamente a qualidade dos serviços prestados por estes consultores de TI. Desta forma, este estudo objetiva analisar a satisfação dos consultores do setor de TI de empresas brasileiras com algumas das dimensões do trabalho. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa (survey) baseada no modelo Job Descriptive Index (SMITH et al., 1969) e coletados 158 questionários de empregados de consultorias de TI no Brasil. Concluímos que os consultores de TI no território brasileiro não estão satisfeitos com os salários que recebem nem com as oportunidades de promoção que as empregadoras oferecem. Por outro lado, eles sentem-se satisfeitos com as atividades laborais que exercem e com seus companheiros de equipe, mas são indiferentes quanto aos seus supervisores (incapazes de alimentar qualquer sentimento positivo ou negativo). Por fim identificamos também que não há evidências de que a satisfação com o salário e com as oportunidades de promoção interfira na satisfação com os supervisores e com a natureza do trabalho; e também não podemos afirmar que a satisfação com os companheiros de equipe afete a satisfação com as atividades laborais. / [en] The growth of the Information Technology sector has demanded the hiring of consultants from whom high performance and intense dedication to work are desired. Job satisfaction directly affects the quality of services provided by these IT consultants. In this way, this study aims to analyze the satisfaction of consultants in the IT sector of Brazilian companies with some of the work dimensions. A survey was conducted based on the Job Descriptive Index (SMITH et al., 1969) and 158 questionnaires were collected from IT consultants in Brazil. We conclude that IT consultants in Brazil are not satisfied with the salaries they receive, nor with the promotion opportunities offered by employers. On the other hand, they feel satisfied with the work activities they do and with their coworkers, but they are indifferent to their supervisors (unable to feed any positive or negative feelings). Finally, we also identify that there is no evidence that satisfaction with salary and promotion opportunities interferes with satisfaction with supervisors and the nature of work; And we cannot say that satisfaction with teammates affects satisfaction with work activities.

Information technology (IT) plays an important role in contemporary organisations and this role continues to expand in scope and complexity and affects business operations dramatically. Advances in the IT industry have caused major changes in every industry sector. The banking industry is no exception and it has undergone a dramatic change over the past few decades. With the coming of the information age, IS investments are becoming increasingly important to banks` survival, growth and prosperity. IS managers are under increasing pressure to justify the value and contribution of IS expenditure to the productivity, quality and competitiveness of the organisation. This study aims to propose a model which investigates the success of information systems in the banking industry in order to help bank managers to evaluate the success of their IS, to be able to develop these systems and to improve the performance of bank managers and employees. Given that the ultimate dependent variable for this research is individual impacts, DeLone and McLean (2003) updated IS success model is leveraged and extended in this research. The study proposes a research model which is guided by the decision to select a suitable number of key potential demographic and situational variables, in addition to the adoption of DeLone and McLean (2003) updated model. This model proposes that a variety of factors were found to affect IS success in general, however, from the socio-technical viewpoint, IS success should capture both technological and human elements. Therefore, an effective Banking Information System (BIS) typically requires an appropriate combination of both. As such, Thus, the technological dimensions (i.e. system, service and information quality) and the human dimensions (e.g. user satisfaction, perceived system benefits, user involvement, user training, age, education and system use) can be a good starting point when considering suitable constructs for measuring BIS success. The research methodology of this study involved interviews with BIS practitioners and professionals to shape and refine the research model. Further, questionnaire survey was employed to collect data from bank managers in Egyptian banks. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using Partial Least Square (PLS) was used to test the research model. Three research models were proposed according to age groups and initial results from PLS analysis reported different results in each research model. Findings indicated that system, information and service quality, level of training, age, length of system use, user involvement and top management support were the main predictors (success constructs) of user satisfaction and individual impacts in the three proposed research models. However, the relationships between these constructs varied according to each age group of managers. The study offers important academic and practical contributions. Firstly, as a contribution to research, the study serves to extend the DeLone and McLean (2003) IS success model by introducing some key human and situational dimensions and confirming certain links in that model with the context of banking industry. The contribution to practice is especially relevant for bank CIOs, software designers and developers looking for ways to improve BIS developments by providing them with directions regarding the BIS success dimensions that should be considered to encourage bank managers to adopt and be more satisfied with BIS which in turn influence their job performance. / Egyptian Higher Education Ministry

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Yes / Although IT-enabled dynamic capabilities (ITDCs) add value to firms operating in turbulent and rapidly changing environments, firms face several challenges in developing, deploying, and maintaining the right portfolio of ITDCs. Since ITDCs are not uniformly advantageous, firms need to make strategic decisions in order to accomplish the complex task of achieving optimal ITDC configurations. This conceptual paper draws on the strategic alignment perspective to identify the optimal configuration of ITDCs for a firm based on its business strategy orientation indicated by the Miles and Snow typology. This paper first explicates the theoretically ideal configurations of ITDCs based on the competitive strategy patterns associated with each Miles and Snow archetype and then develops a model for measuring the strategic fit of ITDCs. This paper contributes to the literatures on ITDCs and strategic alignment by identifying optimal ITDC configurations and by conceptualizing the strategic fit of ITDCs respectively.

[pt] O presente trabalho pretende identificar, descrever e compreender a natureza das principais relações entre tecnologia da informação (TI) e poder, nas organizações que adotam os sistemas ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). Para tal, é preciso adotar uma visão crítica, que dê novo enfoque ao estudo sobre estas relações. No referencial teórico, analisado sob esta perspectiva crítica, o tema poder se configura de forma complexa, não sendo uma mera característica da estrutura organizacional e, com isso, a tecnologia apresenta-se como um de seus instrumentos dentro da organização. Identifica-se o caráter dual do poder, que atua em duas dimensões interdependentes: a dimensão superficial (tomada de decisão, negociação, relacionamento interpessoal, estruturas hierárquicas e delegação de poder) e a dimensão profunda (sistemas de influências, dominação, criação de crenças, símbolos e significados). A pesquisa de campo ilustra tais relações, focando o contexto dos sistemas de informação ERP. Além de gerar grande quantidade de informações para a gestão e tomada de decisão nas empresas, a TI altera a estrutura organizacional. No caso dos ERP, a implantação destes sistemas é extremamente complexa e tende a alterar a estrutura de poder dentro das empresas, desta forma, é possível identificar e descrever diversas relações que envolvem poder e tecnologia. Com este estudo, espera-se poder contribuir com o pensamento administrativo a desenvolver uma visão mais crítica e abrangente sobre sua própria realidade. / [en] The present work intends to identify, describe and understand the nature of the main relationships between information technology (IT) and power, in organizations which adopts ERP systems (Enterprise Resource Planning). To do so, it s necessary to adopt a critic view,witch gives a new approach about these relationships. In the theoretical framework, power is analyzed under this critic perspective, not as a simple characteristic inside the organizationalstructure, and, doing this, technology shows up as one of its instruments inside organizations. It is identified a dual character of power, witch acts on two interdependentdimensions: the superficial dimension (decision-making, negotiating, interpersonal relationship, hierarchical structures and empowerment) and the deep dimension (influence systems, domination, constructing believes, symbols and meanings). The research illustratesthese relationships, focusing the context of ERP information systems. Besides information generation to support management and decision making, IT also changes organizational structure. In ERP cases, this system implementation process is extremely complex and tendsto change power structure inside organizations, so it s possible to identify and describe a great number of relationships involving power and technology. This study wishes to contribute the administrative thinking to develop a more critical and comprehensive view about its own reality.