[Paper Review] Cross-contextual use of integrated information systems

Gasparas Jarulaitis, Eric Monteiro|arXiv (Cornell University)|Jan 1, 2009

Information Systems Theories and Implementation11 citations

TL;DR

This paper investigates how integrated information systems enable cross-contextual collaboration in a large oil and gas company, revealing that integration necessitates interdependent enactment across disciplinary and geographical boundaries. It contributes a socio-technical understanding of how work practices emerge through temporal, performative, and locally negotiated strategies across multiple enterprise systems, challenging the notion that work is inherently local.

ABSTRACT

This thesis investigates collaborative work practices in a large oil and gas company (OGC), with special attention being given to recent integration and standardisation efforts to the collaborative infrastructure for improving knowledge sharing practices across disciplinary and geographical boundaries. Through a longitudinal case study, the thesis investigates how these efforts unfold in different organisational contexts. This dissertation is inspired by social studies of Information Systems (IS) and more recent debates on the mediating role of integrated systems. Drawing on the interdisciplinary field of science studies, the thesis investigates how working integrated systems are established in practice. Through the use of vivid empirical examples, previous research has illustrated how various systems do not account for locally unique practices, resulting in them having to be worked-around. In this research, we make a distinction between stand-alone and integrated information systems since local enactments have different dynamics. In particular, we argue that as opposed to largely local, independent contexts of enacted technology, the use of integrated systems implies the interdependent enactment across contexts now linked as a result of the integration. For that reason, we aim to contribute to a higher visibility of cross-contextual effects regarding the use of integrated information systems. The thesis is not restricted to investigations of a single integrated system, but instead aims to understand work practices which span multiple contexts and are supported by multiple enterprise systems. The primary aim is to investigate the core work practices related to oil and gas production. In contrast to social studies of IS which tend to emphasise that work is a predominantly local affair, our aim is to empirically illustrate and analytically discuss cross-contextual (i.e. non-local) aspects of work. We exemplify the array of strategies needed to sort out local differences and establish cross-contextual work practices, thereby leading us to emphasise the temporal and performative aspects of integration. As a whole, this thesis investigates socio-technical work practices within a large-scale heterogeneous organisation and aims to contribute to the literature on the social construction of information systems and provide practical implications for managing integrated information systems.

Motivation & Objective

• To understand how integrated information systems support knowledge sharing across disciplinary and geographical boundaries in a large-scale organisation.
• To investigate the socio-technical dynamics of integrated systems beyond isolated local implementations, focusing on interdependent enactments across contexts.
• To challenge the dominant view in social studies of IS that work is primarily local by empirically demonstrating non-local, cross-contextual work practices.
• To examine the temporal and performative dimensions of system integration in real-world organisational settings.
• To provide practical insights for managing integrated systems in heterogeneous, large-scale enterprises.

Proposed method

• Conducting a longitudinal case study within a large oil and gas company to observe integration efforts over time.
• Drawing on social studies of information systems and science studies to analyse how systems are enacted in practice.
• Using vivid empirical examples to illustrate how local work practices are negotiated and adapted in response to integrated systems.
• Distinguishing between stand-alone and integrated systems to examine differences in enactment dynamics.
• Analysing cross-contextual work practices that span multiple enterprise systems and organisational units.
• Emphasising performative and temporal aspects of integration, focusing on how practices are sustained across contexts.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How do integrated information systems mediate collaboration across disciplinary and geographical boundaries in a large oil and gas company?
• RQ2 What strategies do practitioners use to reconcile local work practices with the requirements of integrated systems?
• RQ3 How do the dynamics of system enactment differ between stand-alone and integrated information systems?
• RQ4 In what ways do cross-contextual dependencies emerge during the integration of enterprise systems?
• RQ5 How do temporal and performative aspects shape the success and sustainability of integrated system use?

Key findings

• Integrated systems require interdependent enactments across contexts, as opposed to isolated, local implementations.
• Work practices in integrated systems are shaped by ongoing negotiation and adaptation to reconcile local differences.
• The integration process reveals non-local, cross-contextual effects that are not captured by traditional, localised views of system use.
• Practitioners develop performative strategies to manage mismatches between system design and local practices.
• Temporal continuity is essential for sustaining cross-contextual collaboration, as integration is not a one-time event but an ongoing process.
• The success of integrated systems depends on visibility into cross-contextual dependencies and the ability to manage them through coordinated enactment.