Shadow systems are applications of information technology that are not under the control of central IT and are often seen to duplicate the services offered by central IT. Consequently, central IT organisations, IT/IS researchers and the wikipedia shadow systems page demonise shadow systems as an evil to be expunged.
.. technology practitioners and senior managers alike to re-examine typical prejudices surrounding shadow systems, and see them for what they are. In some cases, shadow systems may be bad to the core, but in others they can be just what an organization needs – a powerful source of creativity and innovation.
This paper is essentially a re-worked/updated version of the paper I presented at ICIS 2007. I’ve actually been working on this for some time, trying to figure out a way to progress it forward from a conference paper into a journal paper. It is targeted at an IS journal. I’m hoping it will appeal to a broad IS academic base. However, I would appreciate feedback from anyone who finds the subject interesting; from IS academics to linguistic experts.
The EROS collective has been bumbling along for a few years in a more or less semi-organised manner. The creation of this new EROS site offers a chance to revisit some of the things we said about each other in the past. The following presentation was given in early 2006, the rest of this post reflects on some of the content of that presentation and how the group has progressed since then.
(slide 2) First of all, the presentation never really broke down any silos or encouraged other folk to work with the group. In fact, the group itself has only worked together in a loose, supportive way since 2006. We haven’t really done any truly collaborative work. The conference presentation that was tested went over okay, but still needed some work.
(slide 5) Since 2006 we’ve added one journal paper, 1 book chapter and 7 conference papers to our publication list. One of those conference papers was nominated for best paper at ICIS’2007 and the journal paper was the best paper of 2007 for the Journal of the Association for Information Systems.
(slide 7) I might be somewhat hazy on the details here, but I believe 2 of the 4 PhDs have been completed. The MISQ article never got started, let alone submitted. I think the book chapter got up. The EdMedia and ANZAM papers never got written.
(slide 52) Sandy’s PhD has moved a long way away from Shadow Systems and ERPs. Though she has published in that area.
(slide 54) Kieren is now Dr Jamieson, is well published and is happy living by the sea.
(slide 55-) My website has moved to here. I’m still doing stuff other than the PhD (e.g. writing this post). Not the least of is looking after the newest member of the family.
(slide 66) Jo didn’t submit her PhD in July. But it is submitted and she is now Dr Luck.
Well my ICIS presentation is – as of a few hours ago – complete. After starting off extremely nervously it went by in a flash. Strangely enough no public flayings occurred afterward. I’m left wondering whether my talk was o.k or simply that no-body really understood it enough to say anything scathing. However, on a more positive note I’m happy with how it went across and the questions afterward. I can of course now only be hopeful that the people who attended will actually do as I want – whether my argument was actually successful. Whether they will do as I have asked. That is, read the paper. My hope is that in doing so they will find something useful in the paper. Whether they will find the ideas contained within it helpful in viewing their own research as well as the research of others. My biggest desire though – naturally – is that the ideas in the paper are considered critical and significant enough for them to help me develop further.
The EROS group has been going for a number of years in an ad hoc, rambling sort of way. For various reasons we’re moving from our previous home on the web to this one. We’ll wait and see if it means any change in how the group operates.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be moving much of the content from our old web home to this one and start figuring out how we can use this platform to achieve our goals.
