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Governments’ objective to transition to ‘Smart Cities’ heralds new possibilities for urban data business models to address pressing city challenges and digital transformation imperatives. Urban data business models are not well understood due to such factors as the maturity of the market and limited available research within this domain. Understanding the barriers and challenges in urban data business model development as well as the types of opportunities in the ecosystem is essential for incumbents and new entrants. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to develop a framework for understanding and classifying Urban Data Business Models (UDBM). This paper uses an embedded case study method to derive the framework by analyzing 40 publicly funded and supported business model experiments that address pressing city challenges under one initiative. This research contributes to the scholarly discourse on business model innovation in the context of smart cities.

Research on urban governance has developed into a mature academic field in many disciplines including Information Systems (IS). However, there has been little focus in research on how IT governance...

[Extract] This document, “MSIS 2016: Global Competency Model for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems”, is the latest in the series of reports that provides guidance for degree programs in the Information Systems (IS) academic discipline. MSIS 2016 is the seventh collaborative effort between ACM and AIS (following IS’97, IS 2002, and IS 2010 at the undergraduate level; MSIS 2000 and MSIS 2006 at the graduate level; and CC 2005 as an integrative document)., (undefined), info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

This paper examines how the digitisation of the social network, and the resulting interplay between its online and offline components, has impacted the role of the technological gatekeeper in research and development (R&D) settings. Previous studies have firmly established the technological gatekeeper to be a key node in the innovation process – acquiring, translating and disseminating novel information throughout the R&D social network. Drawing on social network analysis and interview evidence from a software R&D group, we find that the gatekeeper role has undergone a division of labour. Theoretically, we contribute to the body of knowledge by developing an updated technological gatekeeper conceptual framework. For practitioners, we identify the competencies exhibited by the small number of communication specialists who are largely responsible for diffusing novel information. We then advise practitioners how to maximise the contribution of these ‘stars’ to the information flow network.

Previous studies have firmly established the technological gatekeeper to be a key node in the innovation process – acquiring, translating, and disseminating external information throughout the R&D unit. However, the gatekeeper concept has received modest attention in recent times. We argue that the concept needs to be re-examined in light of the recent advances in Internet technologies that have dramatically altered how knowledge workers source and share their information. Drawing on social network analysis and interview evidence from a medical devices R&D group, we find that the gatekeeper role is still vital, but no longer needs to be performed by a single individual. Instead, the modern R&D group can keep abreast of the latest technological advances through a combination of Internet-enabled internal and external communication specialists. This study makes a number of important contributions. The gatekeeper theory is extended through the development of an updated conceptual framework. We also discuss the practical implications of our findings and advise R&D managers on how to organise resources to maximise optimal information flows.

Previous research has firmly established the importance of informal social networks in facilitating knowledge flows in research and development (R&D) settings. However, the explosion of Web technologies in recent years have ’flattened’ the planet and dramatically altered our understanding of what constitutes a social network. Despite this, current research has neglected to examine how Web technologies have impacted knowledge flows in R&D. To address this research gap, we revisit the highly influential technological gatekeeper theory. Drawing on social network analysis (SNA) and interview evidence from a medical devices R&D group, we find that the gatekeeper role is still vital, but no longer needs to be performed by a single individual. Instead, the modern R&D group can keep abreast of the latest technological advances through a combination of Web-enabled internal and external communication specialists. A unique contribution this paper makes to the IT-enabled social network literature is the development of an updated conceptual framework of how the gatekeeper role is performed in the modern R&D group.

Green IS refers to the design and implementation of information systems that contribute to sustainable business processes. This article provides an introduction to core concept of Green Information Systems (Green IS) and their role within organizations. An example Green IS for energy management is discussed. The article concludes with highlights on future research challenges in Green IS. Keywords: green information systems; sustainable IT; green IT; sustainability; energy informatics; linked data

Sustainable IT (Information Technology) involves the responsible management of resources (both IT and non-IT) encompassing environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Sustainable IT has the potential to be a significant contributor to an organization's sustainability strategy. In this teaching case, we examine what Intel IT has done to transform its operations with Sustainable IT, resulting in the avoidance of significant CO2 emissions and cost savings. This teaching case challenges the reader to analyze the Sustainable IT capability at Intel. The case includes insights into strategic and operational challenges of planning and managing Sustainable IT.

This article is a response to the assessment by IS scholars that there are significant research questions to be addressed in the important topic of information systems innovation. For example, Swanson concludes that current theory explains little about IS innovation; Avgerou describes it as a relatively unexplored subject, and Fichman identifies signs of exhaustion in the current research agenda. The result of our analysis is an adaptation of ecological systems theory (EST) in order to apply it to the IS innovation landscape. We then build on the theoretical framework to propose an agenda for future research in terms of research directions, research themes, and study designs. Finally, implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

This chapter describes the IT Capability Maturity Model (IT-CMF), a high-level process capability maturity framework for managing the IT function within an organisation. The framework identifies a number of critical IT processes and describes an approach to improving maturity for each process. The design environment of the IT-CMF is challenging as the processes are based on “open innovation” principles. An example of the application of the IT-CMF to the Intel Corporation Information Technology organisation is outlined. The practical usefulness of the framework lies in its potential to organise and structure a complex portfolio of IT innovation activities in a manner that enabled continuous improvement.

In the effort to measure the business value and impact of Enterprise Architecture (EA), we need to adapt an appropriate form of information systems research in order to cope with the encountered challenges. For this purpose, we employed Design Science Research (DSR), a problem-driven approach to provide a solution represented as artifacts to provide the required utility to our stakeholders. The main contribution of this research is the detailed focus on how artifacts are actually conceived in an organizational context and the realization that a complex environment demands for more than just one artifact. Therefore, we are in need of a flexible research methodology. The DSR in this case is conducted within a well-known information systems research framework and follows widely accepted principles and guidelines. We explain the business need that arose from the current business practices in the course of a case study and describe the flexible research methodology we pursue and how we intend to solve the problems we identified as current DSR approaches lack the necessary flexibility we were looking for in practice. This flexibility greatly improves the management of our project in the organizational environment in terms of planning and implementation. Furthermore, we outline the evolutionary state of the artifacts during our adapted research process.

What is the relationship between design science research and innovation? Our industry-academic collaboration poses this intriguing question and suggests a context and an experimental design for its study. We wish to understand the synergies between the active research areas of DSR and innovation by exploring their overlapping concepts and identifying unique ideas in each that have the potential to inform the other. We present a case study of an actual innovation process in Chevron as a source of empirical data for the exploration and subsequent analysis of how the application of DSR guidelines might inform the practical implementation of innovation processes.

The central thesis of this paper is that Mathematical Economics can provide a novel approach to the examination of offshoring business decisions and provide an impetus for future research in the area. A growing body of research indicates that projected cost savings from IT offshoring projects are not being met. Furthermore, evidence suggests that decision-making processes have been more emotional than rational, and that many offshoring arrangements have been rushed into without adequate analysis of the true costs involved. Building on the concept of mindfulness and mindlessness introduced to the IS literature by Swanson and Ramiller, a cost equation is developed using “deductive reasoning rather than inductive study” in the tradition of mathematical economics. The model endeavours to capture a wide range of both the quantitative and qualitative parameters. Although the economic model is illustrated against the background of a European scenario, the theoretical framework is generic and applicable to organisations in any global location. Yes

The objective of this panel is to discuss how firms can operate both an open and agile innovation process. In an era of unprecedented changes, companies need to be open and agile in order to adapt rapidly and maximize their innovation processes. Proponents of agile methods claim that one of the main distinctions between agile methods and their traditional bureaucratic counterparts is their drive toward creativity and innovation. However, agile methods are rarely adopted in their textbook, “vanilla” format, and are usually adopted in part or are tailored or modified to suit the organization. While we are aware that this happens, there is still limited understanding of what is actually happening in practice. Using innovation adoption theory, this panel will discuss the issues and challenges surrounding the successful adoption of agile practices. In addition, this panel will report on the obstacles and benefits reported by over 20 industrial partners engaged in a pan-European research project into agile practices between 2006 and 2009.

This paper focuses on the communication concerns that unfolded in a company as it endeavored to move from its existing waterfall model to an agile environment. A task team was established to adopt an agile practice and to trial it on a customer specific project. The team was given the freedom to be innovative and adopt whatever agile practices they wished. Early enthusiasm was evident however management had concerns about viability of this new approach. Management did not see the project plans and corresponding documentation trail of the waterfall model, and from their perspective it lacked structure. Trust between management and engineers weakened primarily due to a lack of communication and a reduction in the ability to work together, resulting in the waterfall model being reinstated.

Knowledge flows are the lifeblood of any R&D organisation. These firms are increasingly discovering that the knowledge they require is often located beyond their boundaries. In this paper, we investigate how R&D groups acquire and diffuse external knowledge and the role Internet technologies play in this process. The focus of our study is on the technological gatekeeper. Previous studies have found that gatekeepers are key nodes in the innovation process. These sporadic individuals have the skills to identify useful knowledge outside the firm and disseminate this among their local colleagues. However, much of the seminal gatekeeper research has been conducted over two decades ago. In the time since, there have been huge advances in ICT and especially Internet technologies. These technologies have dramatically altered how knowledge workers source and share their information. Our objective is to advance the gatekeeper theory into an era where the knowledge worker is saturated with information. Using case study methods, we examine knowledge flows in the R&D group of an Irish medical devices firm. Our results indicate that due to advances in Internet technology, the traditional gatekeeper no longer exists to any great extent. Instead, the modern R&D group acquires and diffuses external knowledge through a combination of a “Web star” and a “knowledge transformer.”

Despite constant growth of service economy there exist different approaches which mainly provide different perspectives toward the definition of service and have proposed service realization methods, technologies, productivity, quality measurement and innovation in services merely as areas for further research. One of the most important factors which influence this fact is the multidisciplinary nature of this field of study and its wide variety. While in some Industries service is observed as a component of the product-service bundle, in other it can be seen as an autonomous unit. Regardless of the context in which service is being provided and the discipline through which the service is being studied, knowledge is of the essence for using and providing services. However, the need for a multi-perspective analysis of "required knowledge for realizing services" is still immense.

Despite more than a decade of hype around the concept of talent management, we still have a relatively limited knowledge regarding its application in practice. In this paper we examine how the concepts of talent management apply in knowledge intensive settings. A case study of a high-technology R&D group is conducted. Extending the technological gatekeeper theory, we apply social network analysis (SNA) techniques to identify those employees critical to the knowledge flow network. The specific talents exhibited by these individuals are then explored and we point to some organisational level interventions which can facilitate knowledge intensive organisations in fully exploiting their resources to maximise innovative capabilities.

This paper examines the implications for research into the diffusion of innovations (DOI) arising from a growing body of literature in two related fields. The first area concerns the debate on the role of regional and national systems of innovation (NSI) in the innovation process. The second area deals with the argument that enterprises must move from a “closed innovation” to an “open innovation” paradigm. The review is presented in the context of a case study being undertaken in a subsidiary of American Power Conversion (APC) located in the West of Ireland. Based on the preliminary stages of our work, we present a conceptual 3-D model of Rogers’ innovation-decision process and suggest a series of propositions to stimulate future research efforts. Yes

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The way in which firms innovate ideas and bring them to market is undergoing a fundamental change. Useful knowledge is increasingly dispersed outside the firm’s boundaries and the exceptionally fast time to market for many products and services suggest that some very different organising principles for innovation are needed. These developments have led to an increased interest in the electronic network of practice concept to facilitate innovation. This paper argues that innovative behaviour in electronic networks of practice is determined by three interacting systems — individual motivations, network communication structure, and the social context of the network. The theoretical position of the interactive process theory of innovation is used to support this claim.

peer-reviewed This paper addresses a ???challenge in practice??? by describing the initial stage of an information systems development (ISD) project to support the management of innovation within a subsidiary of APC-MGE. To begin with, a review is presented of relevant literature on the management of innovation and on information systems development. The background of the case study is outlined and the advantages of a dialogical action research approach to ISD are discussed. Then the development of a conceptual model using the organizational analysis approach of Multiview2 is described. The work proposes to make a contribution in a number of areas. Firstly it provides empirical evidence of the role of innovation in an organ-izational transformation and the challenge of designing an information system to support this objective. Secondly it presents an example of using dialogical action research, recently intro-duced to the MIS discipline by M??rtensson & Lee, to develop an information system. Future work will involve tracking the implementation of the concept in order to evaluate its impact on the organization.

The growth and diffusion of self-service technology (SST) over the last decade has resulted in an increasing number of business and government transactions being completed without human assistance. One innovation in this area, the speech-enabled business system, is characterised by complex implementations that bring together language-processing technologies, applications development, and end-user psychology. A resulting secondary innovation, the Wizard-of-OZ (WOZ) experiment is a valuable technique for simulating and building human–machine prototypes to ensure successful deployment of the completed service. The objective of the paper is to examine these innovations in relation to the changing business landscape; the technology and innovation literature, and the population of likely adopters. The review is carried out by placing the authors’ former experience as practitioners within current theoretical research frameworks. The result is a number of suggestions relating to both IT technology research and IT innovation research. Firstly, it proposes the simplification and diffusion of the WOZ methodology to support the growth in demand for automated e-business transactions that is mindful of human and ethical challenges. Secondly, the paper argues that because SST and business extends the traditional boundaries of the customer service function, it now needs to be incorporated into Swanson's tri-core innovation typology. The paper concludes by presenting the suggested reorientation of information systems research that incorporates an outward facing perceptive as a conceptual model.

peer-reviewed The concept of knowledge bases originated in artificial intelligence as one side of expert systems-namely, the fundamental body of knowledge available to a domain. KBs are particularly appropriate in knowledge-intensive activities like software development. They offer context-based access to complex information, including informal documents and multimedia, as well as a centralized means of storing and preserving digital assets. KBs can help software engineers with many tasks-from project management and design rationale to version control, defect tracking, code reuse, and staff training and development. We recently implemented an open source KB to support the Consortium for Studying Open Source in Public Administrations. COSPA originated in a EU initiative to study the use of open source software to reduce public administrative software and system support costs. The KB project aimed to build a multilingual knowledge base for comparing and pooling knowledge and experience.

In today's competitive and turbulent environment companies engaged in new product development (NPD) need to have a sophisticated understanding of the types of knowledge critical to the each phase of the NPD process. This types of knowledge is used in so-called "stage-gate" NPD processes. This work will describe a typical NPD stage-gate process and indicate the critical knowledge types needed at the different stages. The identification of the critical knowledge used at each stage was done by combining knowledge of the literature and practical experience of running NPD processes in an industrial setting. The different types of knowledge required at different stages of the development process will be described and elaborated on. When providing knowledge management systems to support the NPD process, one needs to consider providing a system that can cater for knowledge that may take Different forms. This research contributes to our understanding of the nature of those knowledge forms.

The institutionalisation of Smart City Functions (SCF) within local authorities creates significant IT Governance (ITG) challenges, including the need to foster a triadic alignment between the overall organization, the IT function and the SCF. Building on existing literature on ITG, smart cities, and the emerging conversation on Adaptive Governance in the public sector, the following exploratory question has been formulated for this study: How are ITG structural mechanisms implemented in city authorities to oversee and govern smart cities? To address this question, a qualitative multiple case study was carried out across three city authorities in Ireland characterised by diversity in their ITG structural arrangements to govern portfolios of smart city initiatives. From this analysis three types of ITG structural implementation are proposed named: Detached, Integrated, and Traditional. These are compared and discussed in relation to: (1) orientation of each approach; (2) decision-making authority; (3) alignment with the IT function and the overall municipal organization; and (4) the challenge perceived by the SCFs under each ITG arrangement. This research contributes to the academic conversation on adaptive governance, smart cities as well as to the broader ongoing debate on ITG in the public sector.