Organizing for information systems quality.
Item
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Title
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Organizing for information systems quality.
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Identifier
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AAI9431351
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identifier
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9431351
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Creator
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Bays, Marianne.
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Contributor
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Adviser: David Dannenbring
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Date
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1994
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Business Administration, Management
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Abstract
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This research studied approaches to aligning an organization's information systems (IS) application development activities to its line business needs. It examined the relationship between use of organizing mechanisms and perceptions of IS product/service quality. Two views of quality were measured: that of the IS producer unit; and that of the internal line business unit customer for the IS. Independent variables included: extent to which responsibility for accomplishing IS application development activities were organizationally dispersed vs. concentrated; and use made of coordination mechanisms (i.e., joint application design, service level agreements, inspections, and/or customer staff assignment to the IS project team).;Structural contingency theory provided the research framework. The "IS alignment strategy's" relationship to IS quality was expected to be moderated by the level of uncertainty faced in the business problem being automated. Congruence between level of uncertainty faced and level of alignment mechanism use was expected to yield the highest perceptions of quality.;Thirty-four organizational subunits provided data on actual IS application development/support efforts. Effects were tested through moderated multiple regression analyses. Regression function partial derivatives were graphed to examine change in quality given change in a strategic alignment variable over the range of uncertainty.;Uncertainty moderated relationships between alignment strategy and IS quality. Contrary to expectation, under high uncertainty, alignment mechanism use was negatively related to quality perceptions. Under low uncertainty conditions, however, use of IS dispersal and IS coordination mechanisms was positively related to quality. Results further suggest that utility of the different alignment strategies depends upon both the level of uncertainty faced and the specific software quality dimensions needing improvement.;The research yielded management guidance on use of organizing mechanisms in the IS application development function and for assessing perceptions of IS quality. It also confirmed the value of the contingency theory framework for investigating impact of work unit structuring decisions on organizational effectiveness, and of analytical techniques that explicitly test form and direction of contingency effects. The major research limitation was the modest number of independent variables that could be subjected to study. Additional variables are suggested for use in future research.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
