Complexity and Control

Question 1

Explain rigor and relevance

Answer 1

Rigor: Accurately applying all the academic rules
Relevance: Is the problem applicable to the real world

Question 2

What is a case study?

Answer 2

Phenomenon, data collection, boundaries, no experiment (there are 11 characteristics)

Question 3

When is case study appropriate?

Answer 3

4 factors

Question 4

Why choose is case study?

Answer 4

Constant technological change, practice ahead of academia

Question 5

Describe “unit of analysis”

Answer 5

Will the focus be on individuals, groups, or the entire organization ?

Question 6

Research design

Answer 6

How many cases do I need? How do I select the cases?

Question 7

Data collection in case studies

Answer 7

Documentation, Archival records, Interviews, Direct observation, Physical artifacts

Question 8

Researcher skills

Answer 8

ask good questions, good listener, Adaptive and flexible, Have a firm grasp on issues being studied, be unbiased

Question 9

How to analyse case study data? (steps and techniques)

Answer 9

Steps: Examining, categorizing, tabulating, creating a data display, testing, combining qualitative and quantitative evidence
Techniques: Pattern matching, explanation building, time-series analysis, logic model, cross- case synthesis

Question 10

Charateristics of “complex adaptive systems” (CAS)

Answer 10

Large number of components, variation, self-organization, diversity, dynamism, adaptation to environment, interactions, non-linearity, selection

Question 11

IS Complexity model

Answer 11

Structural_org, dynamic_org, structural_IT, dynamic_IT

Question 12

Managing complexity through “control”

Answer 12

Behavior, outcome, clan, self

Question 13

7 principles to ensure high success rate when developing IS (by Benbya & McKelvey)

Answer 13

Adaptive tension, requisite complexity, change rate, modular design, positive feedback, causal intricacy, coordination rhythm