Achieving Desired Project Outcomes with Control Modes amidst Technical Uncertainty
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v28.4669Keywords:
Control modes, Technical uncertainty, Internal efficiency, Psychological outcomes, Information systems development projectAbstract
Organizations aim to achieve successful project outcomes in information systems development (ISD) projects by managing the technical uncertainties that arise with adopting innovative technologies. This study, guided by control theory, investigates various control modes—namely, behavior, outcome, clan, and self-control—and their role in enhancing internal efficiency and psychological outcomes among project members in the presence of technical uncertainty. Our findings reveal that outcome and clan control modes are particularly effective at promoting favorable project results amidst the technical uncertainty surrounding innovative technology development, whereas behavior and self-control modes show no significant impact. As a result, prioritizing outcome and clan control modes is recommended for managing ISD projects characterized by technical uncertainty.
References
Aladwani, A. M. (2002). An integrated performance model information systems project. Journal of Management Information Systems, 19(1), 185–210. doi.org/10.1177/87569728221089831
Atanassov, J., Julio, B., & Leng, T. (2024). The bright side of political uncertainty: The case of R&D. The Review of Financial Studies, hhae023. doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhae023
Baccarini, D. (1999). The logical framework method for defining project success. Project Management Journal, 30(4), 25–32. doi.org/10.1177/875697289903000405
Bakos, J. Y. (1991). A strategic analysis of electronic marketplaces. MIS Quarterly, 295–310. https://www.jstor.org/stable/249641
Banker, R. D., & Kemerer, C. F. (1992). Performance evaluation metrics for information systems development: A principal-agent model. Information Systems Research, 3(4), 379-400. doi.org/10.1287/isre.3.4.379
Barclay, D., Higgins, C., & Thompson, R. (1995). The partial least squares (PLS) approach to casual modeling: personal computer adoption ans use as an Illustration. Technology Studies, 2, 285–309.
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6), 1173. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173
Beese, J., Haki, K., Schilling, R., Kraus, M., Aier, S., & Winter, R. (2023). Strategic alignment of enterprise architecture management–how portfolios of control mechanisms track a decade of enterprise transformation at Commerzbank. European Journal of Information Systems, 32(1), 92-105. doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2022.2085200
Chen, W., Huang Chua, C. E., Young, R., & Xu, X. (2022). Explaining Reverse Outcome Tight Control: A Case Study of Mindless/Mindful Governance. Project Management Journal, 53(3), 309–324. doi.org/10.1177/87569728221091484
Cheng, Q., Goh, B. W., & Kim, J. B. (2018). Internal control and operational efficiency. Contemporary Accounting Research, 35(2), 1102-1139. doi.org/10.1111/1911-3846.12409
Chien, S. W., Hu, C., Reimers, K., & Lin, J. S. (2007). The influence of centrifugal and centripetal forces on ERP project success in small and medium-sized enterprises in China and Taiwan. International Journal of Production Economics, 107(2), 380–396. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2006.10.002
Chin, W. W. (1998). The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling. Modern Methods for Business Research/ Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Chin, W. W., Gopal, A., & Salisbury, W. D. (1997). Advancing the theory of adaptive structuration: The development of a scale to measure faithfulness of appropriation. Information Systems Research, 8(4), 342-367. doi.org/10.1287/isre.8.4.342
Choudhury, V., & Sabherwal, R. (2003). Portfolios of control in outsourced software development projects. Information Systems Research, 14(3), 291–314. doi.org/10.1287/isre.14.3.291.16563
Chua, C. E. H., Lim, W. K., Soh, C., & Sia, S. K. (2012). Enacting clan control in complex IT projects: A social capital perspective. MIS Quarterly, 577-600. doi.org/10.2307/41703468
Codex, A. C. (2023, June 16). Managing the challenges of software development projects with high levels of technical uncertainty. Reintech Media. https://reintech.io/blog/managing-challenges-of-software-development-with-technical-uncertainty
Cram, W. A., Brohman, K., & Gallupe, R. B. (2016). Information systems control: A review and framework for emerging information systems processes. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 17(4), 2. https://aisel.aisnet.org/jais/vol17/iss4/2/
Cyr, D., Head, M., Larios, H., & Pan, B. (2009). Exploring human images in website design: a multi-method approach. MIS Quarterly, 539–566. doi.org/10.2307/20650308
Dasgupta, M., Gupta, R. K., & Sahay, A. (2011). Linking technological innovation, technology strategy and organizational factors: A review. Global Business Review, 12(2), 257–277. doi.org/10.1177/097215091101200206
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1987). The support of autonomy and the control of behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(6), 1024.
Dönmez, D., & Grote, G. (2018). Two sides of the same coin–how agile software development teams approach uncertainty as threats and opportunities. Information and Software Technology, 93, 94-111. doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2017.08.015
Duan, W., Gu, B., & Whinston, A. B. (2009). Informational cascades and software adoption on the internet: an empirical investigation. MIS Quarterly, 23–48. doi.org/10.2307/20650277
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1985). Control: Organizational and economic approaches. Management Science, 31(2), 134-149. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.31.2.134
Ens, N., Hukal, P., & Blegind Jensen, T. (2023). Dynamics of control on digital platforms. Information Systems Journal, 33(4), 890–911. doi.org/10.1111/isj.12429
Ferris, K. R. (1977). Perceived uncertainty and job satisfaction in the accounting environment. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 2(1), 23–28. doi.org/10.1016/0361-3682(77)90004-6
Gerber, E. (2009). Prototyping: facing uncertainty through small wins. In DS 58-9: Proceedings of ICED 09, the 17th International Conference on Engineering Design, Vol. 9, Human Behavior in Design, Palo Alto, CA, USA, 24.-27.08. 2009, 333–342.
Gerber, E., & Carroll, M. (2012). The psychological experience of prototyping. Design Studies, 33(1), 64-84. doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2011.06.005
Gnanasambandam, C., Miller, A., & Sprague, K. (2018, April 9). Grow fast or die slow: The role of profitability in sustainable growth. Mckinsey. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/grow-fast-or-die-slow-the-role-of-profitability-in-sustainable-growth
Goldbach, T., & Benlian, A. (2015). How informal control modes affect developers' trust in a platform vendor and platform stickiness. Wirtschaftsinformatik Proceedings 2015. 89. https://aisel.aisnet.org/wi2015/89
Harris, M., Hevner, A. R., & Collins, R. W. (2006, January). Controls in flexible software development. In Proceedings of the 39th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS'06) (Vol. 9, pp. 216a–216a). IEEE. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1579732/citations
Heales, J., Susilo, A., & Rohde, F. (2007). Project Management Effectiveness: the choice-formal or informal controls. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 15(1). doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v15i1.480
Hedt, B. L., & Pagano, M. (2011). Health indicators: eliminating bias from convenience sampling estimators. Statistics in medicine, 30(5), 560-568. doi.org/10.1002/sim.3920
Henderson, J. C., & Lee, S. (1992). Managing I/S design teams: A control theories perspective. Management Science, 38(6), 757-777. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.38.6.757
Henry, R. M., Narayanaswamy, R., & Purvis, R. L. (2015). Effect of control on information systems development performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 55(3), 46–54. doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2015.11645771
Holland, W. E., Stead, B. A., & Leibrock, R. C. (1976). Information channel/source selection as a correlate of technical uncertainty in a research and development organization. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, (4), 163–167. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/6447184
Hwang, Y. (2005). Investigating enterprise systems adoption: uncertainty avoidance, intrinsic motivation, and the technology acceptance model. European Journal of Information Systems, 14(2), 150-161. doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.ejis.3000532
Iacovou, C., Smith, J., & Thompson, R. (2005). The linkage between reporting quality and performance in information systems projects. ICIS 2005 Proceedings. 34. https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2005/34
Jain, N. K., Celo, S., & Kumar, V. (2019). Internationalization speed, resources and performance: Evidence from Indian software industry. Journal of Business Research, 95, 26-37. doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.09.019
Jalonen, H. (2012). The uncertainty of innovation: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of Management Research, 4(1), 1-47. http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/jmr.v4i1.1039
Jaworski, B. J. (1988). Toward a theory of marketing control: environmental context, control types, and consequences. Journal of Marketing, 52(3), 23–39. doi.org/10.1177/002224298805200303
Jaworski, B. J., & MacInnis, D. J. (1989). Marketing jobs and management controls: toward a framework. Journal of Marketing Research, 26(4), 406–419. doi.org/10.1177/002224378902600403
Jaworski, B. J., Stathakopoulos, V., & Krishnan, H. S. (1993). Control combinations in marketing: conceptual framework and empirical evidence. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 57-69. doi.org/10.1177/002224299305700104
Johnson, D. S., Bardhi, F., & Dunn, D. T. (2008). Understanding how technology paradoxes affect customer satisfaction with self‐service technology: The role of performance ambiguity and trust in technology. Psychology & Marketing, 25(5), 416–443. doi.org/10.1002/mar.20218
Jun, L., Qiuzhen, W., & Qingguo, M. (2011). The effects of project uncertainty and risk management on IS development project performance: A vendor perspective. International Journal of Project Management, 29(7), 923–933. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2010.11.002
Jurado, K., Ludvigson, S. C., & Ng, S. (2015). Measuring uncertainty. American Economic Review, 105(3), 1177-1216. https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.20131193
Kanwal, N., Zafar, M. S., & Bashir, S. (2017). The combined effects of managerial control, resource commitment, and top management support on the successful delivery of information systems projects. International Journal of Project Management, 35(8), 1459–1465. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2017.08.007
Keil, M., Rai, A., & Liu, S. (2013). How user risk and requirements risk moderate the effects of formal and informal control on the process performance of IT projects. European Journal of Information Systems, 22(6), 650–672. doi.org/10.1057/ejis.2012.42
Kirsch, L. J. (1996). The management of complex tasks in organizations: Controlling the systems development process. Organization Science, 7(1), 1-21. doi.org/10.1287/orsc.7.1.1
Kirsch, L. J., & Cummings, L. L. (1996). Contextual influences on self-control of IS professionals engaged in systems development. Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, 6(3), 191-219. doi.org/10.1016/0959-8022(96)00018-5
Kirsch, L. J., Ko, D. G., & Haney, M. H. (2010). Investigating the antecedents of team-based clan control: Adding social capital as a predictor. Organization Science, 21(2), 469–489. doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1090.0458
Kirsch, L. J., Sambamurthy, V., Ko, D. G., & Purvis, R. L. (2002). Controlling information systems development projects: The view from the client. Management Science, 48(4), 484–498. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.48.4.484.204
Kirsch, L. S. (1997). Portfolios of control modes and IS project management. Information Systems Research, 8(3), 215–239. doi.org/10.1287/isre.8.3.215
Klir, G. J. (2006). Uncertainty and information: foundations of generalized information theory. Kybernetes, 35(7/8), 1297–1299. doi.org/10.1108/03684920610675283
Kreutzer, M., Cardinal, L. B., Walter, J., & Lechner, C. (2016). Formal and informal control as complement or substitute? The role of the task environment. Strategy Science, 1(4), 235–255. doi.org/10.1287/stsc.2016.0019
Laine, T., Korhonen, T., & Martinsuo, M. (2016). Managing program impacts in new product development: An exploratory case study on overcoming uncertainties. International Journal of Project Management, 34(4), 717-733. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2016.02.011
Lewis, M. W., Welsh, M. A., Dehler, G. E., & Green, S. G. (2002). Product development tensions: Exploring contrasting styles of project management. Academy of Management Journal, 45(3), 546-564. doi.org/10.5465/3069380
Lin, L., Müller, R., Zhu, F., & Liu, H. (2019). Choosing suitable project control modes to improve the knowledge integration under different uncertainties. International Journal of Project Management, 37(7), 896-911. doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2019.07.002
Liu, G. H. W., & Chua, C. E. H. (2020). The reinforcing effects of formal control enactment in complex IT projects. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 21(2). doi.org/10.17705/1jais.00603
Liu, S. (2015a). Effects of control on the performance of information systems projects: the moderating role of complexity risk. Journal of Operations Management, 36, 46–62. doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2015.03.003
Liu, S. (2015b). How team risk and planning and control risk moderate the effects of clan and self control on the process performance of IT projects: the perspective of user liaisons. Information Development, 31(1), 27–39. doi.org/10.1177/0266666913501682
Liu, S., & Wang, L. (2014). User liaisons’ perspective on behavior and outcome control in IT projects: Role of IT experience, behavior observability, and outcome measurability. Management Decision, 52(6), 1148–1173. doi.org/10.1108/MD-08-2013-0430
Lynn, G. S., & Akgün, A. E. (1998). Innovation strategies under uncertainty: a contingency approach for new product development. Engineering Management Journal, 10(3), 11–18. doi.org/10.1080/10429247.1998.11414991
Maes, T., Gebhardt, K., & Riel, A. (2022). The relationship between uncertainty and task execution strategies in project management. Project Management Journal, 53(4), 382–396. doi.org/10.1177/87569728221089831
Marinho, M., Sampaio, S., & Moura, H. (2018). Managing uncertainty in software projects. Innovations in Systems and Software Engineering, 14, 157–181. doi.org/10.1007/s11334-017-0297-y
McCarthy, S., O'Raghallaigh, P., Li, Y., & Adam, F. (2023). Control enactment in context: Understanding the interaction of controlee and controller perceptions in inter‐organisational project teams. Information Systems Journal, 33(5), 1029–1084. doi.org/10.1111/isj.12434
Mehta, N., Hall, D., & Byrd, T. (2014). Information technology and knowledge in software development teams: The role of project uncertainty. Information & Management, 51(4), 417-429. doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2014.02.007
Mullen, J. (2023, April 25). 2023 Insight intelligent technology report: Are we entering a new era of innovation? Insight. https://www.insight.com/en_US/content-and-resources/gated/insight-intelligent-technology-report-ac1252.html
Nidumolu, S. R., & Subramani, M. R. (2003). The matrix of control: Combining process and structure approaches to managing software development. Journal of Management Information Systems, 20(3), 159–196. doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2003.11045774
Ouchi, W. G. (1979). A conceptual framework for the design of organizational control mechanisms. Management Science, 25(9), 833–848. doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.25.9.833
Patterson, P. G., Johnson, L. W., & Spreng, R. A. (1997). Modeling the determinants of customer satisfaction for business-to-business professional services. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 25, 4–17. doi.org/10.1007/BF02894505
Piccoli, G., & Ives, B. (2003). Trust and the unintended effects of behavior control in virtual teams. MIS Quarterly, 365–395. doi.org/10.2307/30036538
Ply, J. K., Moore, J. E., Williams, C. K., & Thatcher, J. B. (2012). IS employee attitudes and perceptions at varying levels of software process maturity. Mis Quarterly, 601–624. doi.org/10.2307/41703469
Ragatz, G. L., Handfield, R. B., & Petersen, K. J. (2002). Benefits associated with supplier integration into new product development under conditions of technology uncertainty. Journal of Business Research, 55(5), 389–400. doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(00)00158-2
Remus, U., Wiener, M., Saunders, C., & Mähring, M. (2020). The impact of control styles and control modes on individual-level outcomes: a first test of the integrated IS project control theory. European Journal of Information Systems, 29(2), 134–152. doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2020.1718008
Rijsdijk, S. A., & van den Ende, J. (2011). Control combinations in new product development projects. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28(6), 868-880. doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5885.2011.00850.x
Saxena, D., & McDonagh, J. (2020). The Evolving Nature of Information Systems Controls in Healthcare Organisations: The Case of a Blood Banking Enterprise System from Western Europe. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 24. doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v24i0.2635
Shenhar, A. J., & Dvir, D. (2007). Reinventing project management: the diamond approach to successful growth and innovation. Harvard Business Review Press.
Shenhar, A. J., Levy, O., & Dvir, D. (1997). Mapping the dimensions of project success. Project Management Journal, 28, 5-13. https://www.wcu.edu/pmi/1998/J97JUN05.PDF
Song, M., & Montoya-Weiss, M. M. (2001). The effect of perceived technological uncertainty on Japanese new product development. Academy of Management journal, 44(1), 61–80. doi.org/10.5465/3069337
Spanjol, J., Xiao, Y., & Welzenbach, L. (2018). Successive innovation in digital and physical products: Synthesis, conceptual framework, and research directions. Innovation and Strategy, 15, 31–62. doi.org/10.1108/S1548-643520180000015004
Stewart, K. J., & Gosain, S. (2006). The impact of ideology on effectiveness in open source software development teams. MIS Quarterly, 291–314. doi.org/10.2307/25148732
Stock, G. N., & Tatikonda, M. V. (2008). The joint influence of technology uncertainty and interorganizational interaction on external technology integration success. Journal of Operations Management, 26(1), 65–80. doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2007.04.003
Townsend, A. M., DeMarie, S. M., & Hendrickson, A. R. (1998). Virtual teams: Technology and the workplace of the future. Academy of Management Perspectives, 12(3), 17–29. doi.org/10.5465/ame.1998.1109047
Webster, N. (1916). Webster's collegiate dictionary. G. & C. Merriam Company.
Ward, S., & Chapman, C. (2003). Transforming project risk management into project uncertainty management. International Journal of Project Management, 21(2), 97–105. doi.org/10.1016/S0263-7863(01)00080-1
Wiener, M., Mähring, M., Remus, U., & Saunders, C. (2016). Control configuration and control enactment in information systems projects. MIS Quarterly, 40(3), 741–774. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26629036
Wright, P. M., George, J. M., Farnsworth, S. R., & McMahan, G. C. (1993). Productivity and extra-role behavior: The effects of goals and incentives on spontaneous helping. Journal of Applied psychology, 78(3), 374. https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/1993-37472-001
Xu, Y., Tong, Y., & Liao, S. S. (2018, January). Self-Control Matters: Examining Indirect Use of Hospital Information Systems and its Control Mechanisms. In ACIS (p. 26).
Yu, S. H., & Chiu, W. T. (2013). Social networks and corporate performance: The moderating role of technical uncertainty. Journal of Managerial Issues, 26–45. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43488156
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Dr. Vijay V. Raghavan, Dr. Lakshman Mahadevan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
AJIS publishes open-access articles distributed under the terms of a Creative Commons Non-Commercial and Attribution License which permits non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and AJIS are credited. All other rights including granting permissions beyond those in the above license remain the property of the author(s).