[AISWorld] Journal of IT Case and Application Research (JITCAR), Vol 15, Number 1 Published !

Fri Aug 30 11:28:42 EDT 2013

Dear AISworld members around the world:

It is my pleasure to announce the publication of this issue on behalf of the Editor in Chief Dr. Suprateek Sarker.

Sincerley

Dr. Shailendra Palvia
Professor of MIS, College of Management
Long Island University Post, Brookville, NY 11801.
http://liu.edu/CWPost/Academics/Faculty/P/Shailendra-Palvia.aspx?rn=Faculty&ru=/CWPost/Academics/Faculty.aspx
World Conference Chairperson, Twelfth Annual International Smart Sourcing Conference
www.outsourceglobal.org<http://www.outsourceglobal.org/> , Toronto, Canada, June 26-27, 2014
2012 LIU Post Nominee for Abraham Krasnoff Lifetime Scholarship Achievement Award
Faculty Advisor for the Indo-American Club
Founding Editor, Journal of IT Case and Applications Research (JITCAR), www.jitacr.org<http://www.jitacr.org/>
Phone #: 732-983-7034
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I am pleased to introduce the three research articles in this issue.

The first research article is titled "Enhancing IT Artifact Construction with Explanatory and Predictive Knowledge in Design Science Research." It is co-authored by Roman Beck and Sven Weber, both from the Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany. The abstract of their paper follows:

Design science research (DSR) has become an area of interest within information systems (IS) through its possibility to develop information technology (IT) artifacts in a structured way and to derive theoretical findings at the same time. In this paper, we present findings from the development of three IT artifacts together with industry. We started these development projects with a strict DSR lens but soon realized that guidelines recommended by established DSR frameworks fall short when it comes to develop predictive and explanatory knowledge. In addition, existing DSR frameworks do not consider the non-linear, dynamic process of IT artifact development, especially when conducted together with partners from industry. Thus, in the aftermath we conducted a comparison between our research approach and resulting findings with relevant literature on theorizing in IS to generate explanatory and predictive knowledge in DSR. In so doing, we were able to enrich the IT artifact development process with techniques to generate explanatory and predictive knowledge. This paper summarizes our findings in a reflection of the three IT artifact development projects as well as illustrates how explanatory and predictive knowledge can be generated and used in DSR.

The second research article is titled "Cheeni: A Case of Inside-Out Innovation Approach to IT" This case research is authored by Priya Seetharaman, Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, India. The abstract of their paper follows:

Innovative information technology applications have often emerged from experts who envision technology fit with business applications.  Technology scan, fit and forecast exercises are not uncommon when conducted by IT managers in organizations.  But such exercises are rarely conducted by technology users.  Inside-out innovation approach to IT applications suggests the need to place young, enthusiastic, brightsparks in areas where IT may have strategic potential, typically boundary-spanning activities.  Given potential generic technologies to experiment, the time to innovate, the resources and funds to foster innovations, such brightsparks may envision and create applications that can draw from external sources such as suppliers and customers.  Applications created in such organizations can then be suitably identified, prioritized and institutionalized.  One such case is that of Cheeni, an Indian sugar manufacturing firm which experienced the need for an innovative IT application. Cheeni's IT department designed and developed a tool in collaboration with cane inspectors, whose role is to monitor the growth of cane in farms under their supervision and capture this data.  Rapid adoption of the handhelds and use of the tool by cane inspectors resulted in significant improvement in time taken for various farming related activities and monitoring of cane production in the farm sites.  The company is further strengthening the system by providing text services and is contemplating extending the implementation to multiple sites.  This paper demonstrates the inside-out innovation approach to IT Applications using Cheeni as a case in point.  Lessons for practitioners and implications for researchers in the area are also discussed.

The third research article is titled "Knowledge Boundaries and Spanning Practices in Configuring Packaged Systems," and it is co-authored by Xuefei (Nancy) Deng and Elizabeth J. Davidson and, both from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA. The abstract of their paper follows:

The implementation of organizational information systems (IS) typically involves collaborative work among business area personnel, IS professionals and information technology (IT) vendors or consultants. Knowledge boundaries exist between these domains of expertise, presenting problematic barriers in knowledge-intensive IS work. Our understanding of how IS project teams overcome knowledge barriers in practice remains limited. To investigate these issues we conducted an intensive field study of business client and IT consultant teamwork in a multi-site enterprise resource planning (ERP) configuration project. We assessed three types of knowledge boundaries (syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic) discussed by Carlile (2002; 2004) and identified a fourth boundary (authority-related). Each presented barriers to effective knowledge flows in user-consultant teams' collaborative work. We identified four situated practices (translating, illustrating, probing, and escalating) that project analysts, the designated boundary spanners, enacted to overcome these barriers and assessed the implications of the practices for knowledge flow outcomes (communication, integration, transformation, negotiation). Boundary-spanning competence entailed a variety of abilities, which project analysts developed and deepened through their enactment of spanning practices. Our study extends understanding of knowledge-intensive IS project work by integrating consideration of knowledge barriers, spanning practices, and knowledge flow outcomes.  Our study also provides practical insights for nurturing boundary-spanning competence.

Together, these articles represent a diverse but strong collection of work that the journal continues to publish. We hope you enjoy the issue. Again, a big "thank you" goes to Dr. Phil Longstreet, JITCAR's Managing Editor, for ensuring smooth operation of the journal since January 2011.

Before I conclude, I should mention that I will be stepping down from the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) role at the end of this month (i.e. August). My former colleague at Washington State University, who is an excellent, caring scholar and who has been one of the best Associate Editors for the journal for the past 2 years or so, Professor Andrew Urbaczewski, from the University of Denver, will be taking on the EIC role.

Reflecting back on the past 2 ½ years of my term as the EIC, I can say that it has been a great pleasure for me to work with the JITCAR community, including the former EICs (especially Professor Steve Gordon), the publisher, the managing editor, the editorial board members, and, of course, the authors. As I hand over the reins of the journal to Professor Urbaczewski, I know it will be in good hands, and I have no doubt that JITCAR, started in 1999 by Professor Shailendra Palvia to address the need for quality case research journals in the IS discipline, will continue to grow in quality and reputation. Keep reading and please continue to send your interesting case study manuscripts to JITCAR!

Best regards,
Suprateek Sarker
University of Virginia
EIC at jitcar.org<mailto:EIC at jitcar.org>
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