[AISWorld] Cfp: JSIS special issue on Digital Work and Organizational Transformation

[Galliers, Robert]

Call for Papers:
Strategic Perspectives on Digital Work and Organizational Transformation
Special Issue
The Journal of Strategic Information Systems

Guest Editors
Joao Baptista, Warwick Business School, UK
Mari-Klara Stein, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Jungwoo Lee, Yonsei University, South Korea
Mary Beth Watson-Manheim, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
Stefan Klein, WWU Munster, Germany


Continuing the tradition of publishing research on the strategic significance of IT in organizations, this special issue of The Journal of Strategic Information Systems seeks original research on strategic perspectives on the future of work and digital transformation of modern organizations. Strategy often lags behind digital transformations in the workplace that emerge bottom-up driven by user’s adoption of new digital media. This special issue takes a strategic perspective, by interrogating the strategic significance of the digital transformation of organizing, and the role of strategy in driving this process. Technology driven organizational transformation is often presented as pushed by organizations (Besson and Rowe, 2012) but more recent studies suggest we need a closer look at actual practices (Peppard et al., 2014, Whittington, 2014) and a more grounded view of digital transformations that better capture emerging movements such as agile (Rigby et al., 2016) and open strategy (Baptista et al., 2017, Hautz et al., 2017). The special issue follows from previous calls for research in this area (Forman et al., 2014, Zammuto et al., 2007) but is particularly interested in research that captures the digitization of the workplace with an emphasis on implications to strategy and the nature of organizing covering strategic aspects and impacts of new dynamics and patterns of work, new structures and ways of organizing, new capabilities and practices, leadership styles and approaches, places and spaces of work with an outlook into the future of organizing.

Internal communication tools of the late 1990s based on email and intranets are gradually being enhanced and often replaced by more powerful platforms based on social media, collaborative and networking software that keep workers connected to content and colleagues (Martini et al., 2009, McAfee, 2006) but eventually become integral to the lifeblood and day-to-day running of the organization (Baptista, 2009). These tools are increasingly supported by more advanced data-driven intelligent engines (Newell and Marabelli, 2015, Galliers et al., 2017) that learn from use of documents and exchanges to suggest actions and expected behaviors. This is the vision portrayed by the platform companies such as Microsoft, Google, Facebook and others that are positioning themselves as complete digital solutions for the enterprise. Many large organizations enticed by the potential of a more connected, engaged, empowered and smart workforce adopt these technologies in the hope of driving innovation and attracting new talent and more agile teamwork and flexibility – ultimately adding value and gaining competitive advantage (Andriole, 2010). However, while striving to achieve these benefits, organizations face significant challenges (Kane et al., 2010) and unintended consequences (Baptista et al., 2010) often owing to misinformed views on the social and contextual dynamics of knowledge systems (Marabelli and Newell, 2012) that require new perspectives to understand the role of digital media in organizational activity and strategy (Von Krogh, 2012, Spagnoletti et al., 2015, Haefliger et al., 2011, Majchrzak et al., 2013).

Early research on adoption of email (Lee, 1994, Markus, 1994, Orlikowski, 2000, Cecez-Kecmanovic et al., 1999, Watson-Manheim et al., 1998), intranets (Newell et al., 2001, Damsgaard and Scheepers, 2000, Lamb, 2003, Lamb and Davidson, 2005, Duane and Finnegan, 2003) and knowledge management systems (Swan et al., 1999, Pan and Scarbrough, 1998, Jarvenpaa and Tanriverdi, 2003, Wasko and Faraj, 2000) illustrate the importance of the social, formal and informal dimensions at the core of these technologies in the workplace. The valuable lessons from this early work have somehow been lost, and despite recent work on the effects of social media use within organizations (Huang et al., 2013, Leonardi et al., 2013, Leonardi and Vaast, 2016), there is insufficient research capturing the effects of these new and more advanced digital media that now shape modern workplaces. Research is required into the deep effects of these new and more advanced digital platforms in transforming work practices and perceptions of individual roles and identity (Stein et al., 2013) and the very nature of work (Lee, 2016) – and ultimately the strategy and structural arrangements of today’s organizations (Baptista et al., 2017).

We do know that many organizations are moving forward with strategic intent to integrate these advanced workplace technologies in the fabric of their organizations (Dery et al., 2017), seeking more open and fluid collaboration, sharing and engagement (Vodanovich et al., 2010). However, this journey fundamentally ‘rewires’ the organization and the work environment (Watson-Manheim et al., 2002). Tensions emerge when traditional organizational structures based on centralized and command-and-control systems persist even as new ways of working based on digital platforms for open participation are expected (Denyer et al., 2011, Watson-Manheim and Belanger, 2007). These tensions become the catalysts for the development of new capabilities (Huang et al., 2015) that have the potential to move organizations towards new forms of organizing and strategizing (Baptista et al., 2017).

It is therefore important to explore these deep effects of new workplace technologies and their potential for transforming the dynamics, patterns and structure of organizations –, all in the context of their strategic significance. The resultant research agenda requires novel theoretical and methodological approaches to observe the unfolding of the effects of these new technologies in the workplace, and on practices, policy, governance, strategy, leadership and other fundamental aspects of organizing. It is also worth considering the usefulness of established theories that have been developed based on traditional organizations, pre-digitization, and consider the need to develop new theory or deploy theories from other fields to explain the new dynamics and deeper effects of digitization in modern workplace settings. Forward-looking studies are encouraged, in particular those investigating the effects of increased automation, machine learning, augmented reality and the fusion of digital, technological and human dimensions in the workplace.

Some of the topics of interest of this special issue include the following:

-        Strategic opportunities and drivers of adoption of digital workplace technologies for organizations and individuals

-        Emerging patterns and dynamics of work: organizational and individual perspectives

-        Features and functions of new workplace technologies and their role in organizational transformation and strategy

-        Process, phases and mechanisms of integration of workplace technologies into the fabric and strategy of organizations

-        Changing of spatial and temporal dimensions of work

-        Organizational adjustments to increased connectedness, participation and engagement in the strategic progression of the organization

-        Structural mechanisms and framing devices to legitimise digital working

-        Emergent tensions in digital work and the development of new organizational and individual capabilities

-        Work fragmentation and nomadic work practices

-        Implications (e.g., policy and governance) of increased feedback, transparency and open collaboration

-        Managing and structurally integrating digital activity and feedback as a strategic input in the organization

-        New structural and strategic conditions to support employee participation and engagement

-        Emergence of new practices and forms of leadership in modern workplace settings.

We welcome studies that address one or more of these topics or that specifically contribute to our understanding of digital work in modern workplace settings, and their significance to strategizing. The special issue is open to any type of research and methodological approach and encourages innovative research methods and designs that allow for rigorous but rich and current insights into this phenomenon. Either qualitative or quantitative, or mixed, approaches are welcome. We also expect to publish exploratory research based on detailed observations of practices through participant observations and shadowing that provide the basis to advance new concepts and theory. The analysis of large data sets based on computational methods and text analysis is also welcomed. We also welcome studies that draw on concepts and theories from other fields such as strategy, organizational studies and HR.

There will be opportunity for interested authors to discuss their research plans with members of the editorial team of the special issue at the 5th CNoW pre-ICIS 2017 workshop. Participation in this event is highly recommended and requires sending an email with a two-page summary of the research to one of the editors by 4th December 2017. This summary should include 1. Key phenomena and research question 2. Theoretical and conceptual framing 3. Methods and case material 4. Expected contributions bearing in mind the strategic locus of JSIS. Logistical details regarding location and timing for this session will be provided to the participants in due course.

To be considered for publication, papers must be submitted electronically by March 31st, 2018. In line with JSIS convention, selected manuscripts will be sent out for blind review. Authors are instructed to follow the Guide for Authors for the journal, available at the journal’s website http://www.journals.elsevier.com/the-journal-of-strategic-information-systems/-<http://www.journals.elsevier.com/the-journal-of-strategic-information-systems/%5F>.  Please choose "Special Issue: Digital Work and Organizational Transformation” as the paper type in the online submission system. Further enquiries about the special issue can be directed to Joao Baptista (j.baptista at wbs.ac.uk)<mailto:j.baptista at wbs.ac.uk)> and Mari-Klara Stein (ms.digi at cbs.dk<mailto:ms.digi at cbs.dk>).

Indicative timetable:
September 2017             Call issued
December 2017              ICIS Pre-conference workshop
March 31st 2018             Deadline for papers
July 2018                      Reviews returned
November 2018              Revised papers submitted
January 31st 2019          Final papers due
September 2019             Special issue published


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