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PublicationCrossing the line: overcoming knowledge boundaries in enterprise transformationEnterprise transformations are fundamental changes in an organization. Such changes typically affect different stakeholder groups (e.g., program managers, business managers) that exhibit a significant diversity regarding their members' knowledge, goals, and underlying assumptions. Yet, creating shared understanding among diverse stakeholder groups in transformations is a main antecedent for success. In this paper, we analyze which properties of enterprise architecture models contribute to syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic capacities and thereby help to create shared understanding among stakeholder groups involved in enterprise transformation. We assess the differences among stakeholder groups through the lens of knowledge boundaries, and enterprise architecture models through the lens of boundary objects. We develop and empirically test a research model that describes which boundary object properties are required to overcome three progressively complex knowledge boundaries-syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic. Our findings show which boundary object properties contribute to a respective capacity needed to overcome each of the three knowledge boundaries. Specifically, we find that for (1) a syntactic capacity, concrete and modular EA models are helpful; (2) a semantic capacity, visual EA model properties are relevant, and (3) a pragmatic capacity, broad stakeholder participation is conductive.Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 41 -
PublicationFail Early, Fail Often: Towards Coherent Feedback Loops in Design Science Research EvaluationWe propose feedback loops that increase the coherence between evaluation activities in a design science research (DSR) process. While several scholars have proposed DSR cycles with frequent evaluation activities to provide timely feedback on design activities, the question of how to ensure coherence between these activities has remained largely unaddressed. Yet, coherence is essential to claim validity not only for the DSR artifact, but also for the DSR process. Based on a review of existing DSR literature, we propose an approach that ensures coherence between initial problem definition and final evaluation activities by explicating the notion of relevance underlying the DSR project, and between design and construction activities by creating situational design specifications.We exemplarily apply our approach to an ongoing DSR project. We conclude with a research agenda, where we build on the recent debate on generalizability in information systems to identify six fruitful avenues for further research.
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PublicationEnterprise Architecture Artifacts as Boundary Objects - A Framework of Properties(Association for Information Systems, 2013-06-05)This paper uses the concept of boundary objects to derive hypotheses for the design of Enterprise Architecture (EA) artifacts. Boundary objects are a useful concept to understand the coordinative role of artifacts in practice, making them a proper vehicle to analyze how EA artifacts can be designed to support communication and coordination during enterprise transformation. Since enterprise transformation projects typically involve multiple communities of practice, communication and coordination are important success factors.The paper combines a theoretical with a practice-oriented perspective: In a first step, a set of 11 boundary object properties is identified via a structured literature review. In a second step, this set of properties is discussed and extended in a focus group of nine enterprise architects, leading to a final set of 12 properties. Finally, the set of boundary object properties is linked to three classes of EA artifacts (repositories, matrices, and diagrams) from the TOGAF framework, and hypotheses are derived for the design of EA artifacts in order to become boundary objects capable of crossing a given knowledge boundary (syntactic, semantic, pragmatic). These hypotheses argue for a common syntax, stability and the provision of community-specific views.
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PublicationUnderstanding Coordination Support of Enterprise Architecture Management - Empirical Analysis and Implications for Practice(Association for Information Systems, 2013-08-15)
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PublicationCan boundary objects mitigate communication defects in enterprise transformation? Findings from expert interviews(Köllen, 2013-09-05)
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PublicationTransformation of Multi-level Systems - Theoretical Grounding and Consequences for Enterprise Architecture Management(Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2013-05-13)
Scopus© Citations 12 -
PublicationWhy innovation in air navigation services is so difficult in Europe - A study identifying current obstacles and potential ICT enablers( 2013-08-06)The Air Navigation Service (ANS) industry has not experienced many major technological innovations in the last decades. Despite its indisputable contribution to economic welfare, it relies on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) that lag way behind their current technological potential. Yet, it is not well understood what exactly restrains ANS providers from introducing novel ICT systems despite the legacy ICT in use which reaches the end of its life-cycle. On the basis of an interview series with managers in the ANS industry, this study sheds light on the various barriers that hinder the diffusion of technological innovation. Our findings suggest that the stagnation in technological innovation cannot be ascribed to one single obstacle, but rather to intertwining political, economic, social and technological aspects. This study concludes by proposing ICT approaches to tackle the identified barriers. The analysis of obstacles and potential ICT enablers can support decision makers of ANS providers and can enable business transformations in the ANS industry. ICT researchers can use this study as a help for developing ANS technologies, and business researchers can focus on specific incentives to foster innovation.
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PublicationArchitectural Coordination of Transformation: Implications from Game Theory(Springer, 2012-09-08)
Scopus© Citations 5 -
PublicationExtending Enterprise Architecture Management into an Enterprise-Wide Coordination Service( 2012-05-30)
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PublicationEnterprise Architecture as a Means for Coordination - An Empirical Study on Actual and Potential PracticeEnterprise architecture management (EAM) is considered a means to guide the alignment of business- and IT-related concerns from an enterprise-wide perspective. Our goal in this paper is to understand by which means EAM supports this coordination task today and potentially in the future. We designed a questionnaire and conducted an empirical study (n=95) with participants from the field of EAM. Based on common coordination mechanisms from literature, we analyze (1) the relation between coordination mechanism and their current EAM support, (2) to what degree participants are aware of opportunities of EAM supporting coordination mechanisms, and (3) what the perceived gap between potential and realized EAM coordination support is. An exploratory factor analysis leads to three factors that represent coordination mechanisms in enterprises. Using these factors, we group participating enterprises in three different clusters: (1) non-coordinators, (2) dominators and (3) negotiators. We find that a similar awareness of opportunities exists in all three clusters, yet there are gaps in the realization of EAM coordination support: non-coordinators show the lowest realization, negotiators the highest. Based on this clustering, we provide implications on further EAM development options.
