Information Systems and Small Business

1. Information SystemsandSmall Business M. Gordon Hunter The University of Lethbridge Visiting Professor – London South Bank University School of Management Royal Holloway University of London March 18, 2008

2. Agenda • Introduction • Qualitative Perspective • PCT and RepGrids • Narrative Inquiry • Small Business • Research Projects • Conclusions

3. Introduction • Canada, eh? • Education • Work Experience • Research Approach • People Emphasis • IS/IT

5. Qualitative Research Perspective • Interpretive approach to research participants in their natural surroundings • Attempt to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings attributed by individuals

6. Grounded Theory Method • The discovery of theory from data • A general method of continual comparative analysis • Generates conceptual categories from the data • Themes

7. Personal Construct Theory(Kelly) • Individuals are scientists • System devised by individuals in their attempt to interpret and predict interpersonal situations

8. Repertory Grids(Kelly) • Technique to elicit and document personal construct systems • Elements – subjects within the domain of discourse • Constructs – the ways research participants differentiate elements • Elicitation – method of generating constructs • Laddering – method of exploring interpretations

9. “Excellent” Systems Analysts • Research Objectives • Skills and personal characteristics • Better understanding • Possible to differentiate • Application of results

10. Recruitment and Retention of Medical Doctors • Research Objectives • What motivates medical doctors? • Motivation: the extent to which persistent effort is directed toward a goal • Provide input to recruitment and retention policies

11. Research Themes • Lend structure to the interview • Allow flexibility in discussion • Support grounding the interview data within the domain of the research participant • Reduce researcher bias

12. Narrative Inquiry • Documentation and analysis of personal accounts from a specific domain of discourse • Allows research participants to tell their own story • Contextually rich • Personal accounts of experiences are vividly remembered • Temporally bounded • Structured in a sequence with a beginning and an end

13. Long Interview(McCracken) • Review the literature • Review self in relation to research context • Conduct interview • Grand-tour • Planned prompts • Floating prompts • Identify emerging themes

14. Projects EmployingNarrative Inquiry • Information Systems and Small Business • Multi-Generation Small Business • Information Systems Professionals: Voluntary Turnover Decisions • ERP Implementation Issues • The Contemporary CIO: Management Experiences

15. Small Business • Definition • Unique Aspects • Strategic orientation • Decision making • Resource poverty

16. Small Business Context

17. The Outcome of Information Systems Development:A Case Study of Stakeholder Interpretation • This project documented the development and installation of an integrated accounting system for a small business

18. The Use of Information Technology by Independent Business • This project documented the approaches taken by small business in an eastern region of Canada regarding the implementation and use of information technology • Results • Dependency • Efficiency

19. Research Results • Theme 1: Dependency • Internal Champion • External Influence • Competitors • Customers • Suppliers • Consultants • Little evidence of systematic assessment

20. Research Results • Theme 2: Efficiency • Information systems are primarily used at the transactional/operational level • Very little strategic use or adoption of information systems for competitive advantage

21. Information Systems in Small Business:What’s in the Wind in L, A? • This project investigated how information systems are employed by small businesses located in Lethbridge, Alberta

22. Recommendations • Small business managers • Establish long-term relationship with an independent advisor • Consultants • Understand the nature, timing, and acquisition process of resources • Vendors • Make a visible commitment • Address functionality • Government • Pro-active facilitation

23. Small Business and Information Technology • A virtual research group conducted a “worldwide” research project studying the use of information technology by small business • Countries • Australia (Victoria and Tasmania) • Canada (Alberta) • Portugal • South Africa • USA (Colorado and Rhode Island)

24. Information Systems Effectiveness • Examined the applicability of a model of information systems effectiveness • Developed in Singapore • Replicated in Alberta • Results • Managerial and vendor support promote effective IS use • Singapore: same consultant – Canada: many

25. The Extended Website Stages Model • Examined an existing stages model (Rao, Metts, and Mors Monge, 2003) • Presence; Portals; Transactions Integration; • Enterprise Integration • 206 winery web sites in Canada • Introduces the concepts of Market Integration • Internal • External

26. Conclusions:Research Themes • Lend structure to the interview • Allow flexibility in discussion • Support grounding the interview data within the domain of the research participant • Reduce researcher bias • Facilitate cross-cultural qualitative research

27. Thank You