Importance of improved communication between stakeholders in information systems implementation projects

  • Nancy Michail

Western Sydney University thesis: Master's thesis

Abstract

Oral communication processes in organisations are complex. Verbal interactions, social contexts including cross-functional organisational culture, and emerging information systems projects, present staff with bewildering issues to deal with through communication processes. To explore communication in this rich setting, the research reported in this thesis applied a social perspective to the functions of oral communication processes, drawing on ideas from two appropriate systems for model development, to construct a generic interpretive methodological model for participatory soft systems methodology in action research. The model aims to examine organisational social contexts through the eyes of front line staff, and attempts to construct new perspectives through actively participating and communicating with stakeholders on various levels. The situated inquiry is concerned with communication practices and behaviours in the context of implementing information systems modules in public sector, higher education institutions.The research closely examines the established communication processes and behaviours between stakeholders of the information systems enveloped within the organisation's culture to ascertain certain issues, reasons and solutions to overcome current problems suffered by the 'human element' as a whole when attempting to implement a quality information systems module to meet both direct, and indirect stakeholders expectations. Using Grounded Theory, an innovative methodological framework emerged as a result of conducting the research within the selected situated inquiry. The Progressive Learning Process model was implemented to further enhance stakeholder's communicative behaviours and practices. This multifaceted model is comprised of interlinked, and overlapping phases; those are: (a) co-operative inquiry methods, to determine social context and culture, which included purposeful recruitment of participants, and used an assortment of methods; (b) reflections and discourse analysis, which included various processes, and counselling approach to constructing new realities and jump starting change through collaboration and open dialogue; (c) purposeful action, which included putting ideas and theory into practice to create further ideas and theory. Applying the selected methodology to the situated inquiry appears to preserve complexities of communication in organisational setting, and enhance individuals capabilities that are required when managing expectations of Senior Management.
Date of Award2006
Original languageEnglish

Keywords

  • communication in organizations
  • information storage and retrieval systems
  • oral communication
  • project management

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