Bentley University Cammarata Professor of Management Susan Newell and co-authors received a Best Paper Award at the 19th European Conference on Information Systems, held June 9 to 11 in Helsinki, Finland. The paper, “Translating ES-Embedded Institutional Logics through Technological Framing: An Indian-Based Case Example,” explores the implementation of an enterprise system (ES) software package with built in processes that integrate information across a global business – for example financial information, supplier information, employee information. The researchers focused on the differences between the business practices supported by an enterprise system and legacy business practices in the organization based in India.
“We find that the ES and legacy business practices are rather different,” Newell explains. “While originally the intent was to substitute ES business practices for legacy business practices, those involved in the initial experience with the ES elected to reinstate some of the legacy practices appropriate for the local business context. This meant customizing the ES rather than adopting an ES with an assumed set of ‘best practices’ built into its design.”
Findings suggest that the idea of global ‘best practices’ is problematic, and indicates that some local adaptation can be helpful and that managers can play a significant role in helping to localize global software packages such as ES. This adaptation, according to Newell, is likely to happen in the post-implementation environment when those involved are in a better position to understand the competing logics underpinning the ES and legacy business practices.
Additional Bentley authors presenting at the conference were:
- Monica Garfield, associate professor of computer information systems, and Janis Gogan, professor of information and process management: “Developing resources to save lives: Partners Tele-Stroke Service”
- Mari-Klara Oja, PhD candidate, and Robert Galliers, university distinguished professor: “Affect and Materiality in Enterprise Systems Usage: Setting the Stage for User Experience”
Galliers also participated in a panel discussing the topic: “Reconsidering IT and Competitive Advantage: Is the Age of IT as an Essential Strategic Tool Now Over?” Marco Marabelli, visiting professor at Bentley, and Galliers were co-track chairs for the Behavioral, Social and Organizational Aspects of IS track; and Newell was a co-track chair for the Knowledge Management for Sustainability track.