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Subject: TOC: MIS Quarterly 26 (1) March 2002 Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2002 10:03:02 +1000 From: Ron Weber weber@COMMERCE.UQ.EDU.AU To: ISWORLD@LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
MIS Quarterly, Volume 26, Number 1, March 2002
Contents
Issues and Opinions
Information Systems as a Reference Discipline Richard L. Baskerville and Michael D. Myers
The conventional wisdom amongst information systems (IS) researchers is that information systems is an applied discipline drawing upon other, more fundamental, reference disciplines. These reference disciplines are seen as having foundational value for IS. We believe that it is time to question the conventional wisdom. We agree that many disciplines are relevant for IS researchers, but we suggest a re-think of the idea of "reference disciplines" for IS. In a sense, IS has come of age.
Perhaps the time has come for IS to become a reference discipline for others.
Keywords: Computing reference disciplines, research tradition, knowledge networks, diffusion of research, IS research agenda, IS research issues, future of IS.
Research Article
Beyond Sabre: An Empirical Test of Expertise Exploitation in Electronic Channels Ellen Christiaanse and N. Venkatraman
This paper develops a perspective of interorganizational relationships based on the concept of exploitation of expertise. Insights from marketing channel theory and resource-based views of the firm are integrated to test the effects of expertise exploitation capabilities in electronic channels. The distinctiveness of this study is based on the role of information and computer technology in creating advantage through differential expertise. A model of IT-induced quasi-integration was developed and tested on a sample of 117 travel agencies targeted by American Airlines using the Sabre system and SMARTS. We find that while the degree of quasi-integration is moderately explained by the Sabre link, it is more significantly explained by American Airlines' use of an expertise exploitation capability using SMARTS. These results show the necessity of extending the theoretical perspectives on IT-induced interorganizational relationships from an efficiency perspective to an expertise point of view.
Keywords: Electronic channels, expertise-driven advantage, interorganizational systems, resource based approaches, airline industry
Research Essay The Repertory Grid Technique: A Method for the Study of Cognition in Information Systems Felix B. Tan and M. Gordon Hunter
Recent studies have confirmed the importance of understanding the cognition of users and information systems (IS) professionals. These works agree that organizational cognition is far too critical to be ignored as it can impact on IS outcomes. While cognition has been considered in a variety of IS contexts, no specific methodology has dominated. A theory and method suitable to the study of cognition--defined as personal constructs that individuals use to understand IT in organizations--is Kelly's (1955) personal construct theory and its cognitive mapping tool known as the repertory grid (RepGrid). This article expounds on the potential of this technique to IS researchers by considering the variety of ways the RepGrid may be employed. The flexibility of the RepGrid is illustrated by examining published studies in IS. The diagnostic qualities of the RepGrid and its mapping outcomes can be used for practical intervention at the individual and organizational levels
Keywords: Cognitive mapping, repertory grid, personal construct theory, qualitative research, quantitative research
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Executive overview and abstract are available at:
http://misq.org/archivist/vol/no26/issue1/vol26n1index.html
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Gustaf Neumann