Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Trust and Control in Complex Information Systems Development

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Book cover Information Systems: Development, Applications, Education (SIGSAND/PLAIS 2015)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing ((LNBIP,volume 232))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

Much research has been devoted to the study of methods that help managing ISD projects. So far, this resulted in a large amount of literature on a variety of often normative ISD methods, generally categorized into plan-based and agile approaches. ISD method research has been driven by the common understanding that a high level of complexity calls for methodologically sound management and rule-based interaction in the development team. In this paper, we propose that high levels of inter-organizational and inter-personal trust can reduce the need for method-based interaction. We present the case of a successful ISD project set in a complex organizational setting with high success pressure. Our findings reveal that when method influence is low and only very lose control mechanisms are established, the trusting relationships within both the organizations and the developers highly affect the success of the project.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 60.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Avison, D., & Fitzgerald, G. (2006). Methodologies for Developing Information Systems : A Historical Perspective. The Past and Future of Information Systems: 1976–2006 and Beyond, 1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Benbasat, I., Goldstein, D.K., Mead, M.: The case research strategy in studies of information systems. MIS Q. 11, 369–386 (1987). doi:10.2307/248684

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benbya, H., McKelvey, B.: Toward a complexity theory of information systems development. Inf. Technol. People 19(1), 12–34 (2006). doi:10.1108/09593840610649952

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boehm, B.W.: A Spiral Model of Software Development and Enhancement. IEEE Comput. 21, 61–72 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa, A.C., Bijlsma-Frankema, K.: Trust and control interrelations: new perspectives on the trust control nexus. Group Organ. Manag. 32(4), 392–406 (2007). doi:10.1177/1059601106293871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Vries, J.R., Beunen, R., Aarts, N., Lokhorst, A.M., van Ark, R.: The pivot points in planning: how the use of contracts influences trust dynamics and vice versa. Plann. Theory 13(3), 304–323 (2013). doi:10.1177/1473095213501506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eisenhardt, K.M.: Control: organizational and economic approaches. Manag. Sci. (1985). doi:10.1287/mnsc.31.2.134

    Google Scholar 

  • Ewusi-Mensah, K.: Critical issues in abandoned information systems development projects. Commun. ACM (1997). doi:10.1145/260750.260775

    Google Scholar 

  • Gioia, D.A., Corley, K.G., Hamilton, A.L.: Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research: notes on the gioia methodology. Organ. Res. Methods (2012). doi:10.1177/1094428112452151

    Google Scholar 

  • Goh, J.C.-L., Pan, S.L., Zuo, M.: Developing the agile IS development practices in large-scale it projects: the trust-mediated organizational controls and it project team capabilities perspectives. J. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 14(12), 722–756 (2013). 35, p. 6 Diagrams

    Google Scholar 

  • Hung, Y.-T.C., Dennis, A.R., Robert, L.: Trust in Virtual Teams: Towards an Integrative Model of Trust Formation. In: Proceedings of the 37th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS 2004) (2004). doi:10.1109/HICSS.2004.1265156

  • K.Beck, C.A.: Extreme Programming Explained. Writing (2005). Accessed http://www.laliluna.de/assets/tutorials/junit-testing-en.pdf

  • Kirsch, L.J.: The management of complex tasks in organizations: controlling the systems development process. Organ. Sci. 7(1), 1–21 (1996). doi:10.1287/orsc.7.1.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirsch, L.J.: Portfolios of control modes and IS project management. Inf. Syst. Res. 8(3), 215–239 (1997). doi:10.1287/isre.8.3.215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kramer, R.M.: Trust and distrust in organizations: emerging perspectives, enduring questions. Ann. Rev Psychol. 50, 569–598 (1999). doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.50.1.569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Long, C., Sitkin, S.: Trust in the balance: how managers integrate trust-building and task control. Handbook of Trust Research (2006). doi:10.4337/9781847202819.00012

  • Louis, M.R., Bartunek, J.M.: Insider/outsider research teams: collaboration across diverse perspectives. J. Manag. Inq. (1992). doi:10.1177/105649269212002

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, R.C., Davis, J.H., Schoorman, F.D.: An integrative model of organizational trust. Acad. Manag. Rev. 20(3), 709–734 (1995). doi:10.5465/AMR.1995.9508080335

    Google Scholar 

  • Naumann, J.D., Jenkins, A.M.: Prototyping : the new paradigm for systems development. MIS Q. 6(3), 29–44 (1982)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nooteboom, B.: Trust: Forms, Foundations, Functions, Failures And Figures. Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham (2002)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ouchi, W.G.: The relationship between organizational structure and organizational control. Adm. Sci. Q. 22(1), 95–113 (1977). doi:10.2307/2391748

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ralyté, J.: Towards situational methods for information systems development: engineering reusable method chunks. In: Proceedings of 13th International Conference on Information Systems Development. Advances in Theory, Practice and Education, pp. 271–282 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rational Unified Process: Best Practices for Software Development. White Paper (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, D.M., Sitkin, S.B., Burt, R.S., Camerer, C.: Not so different after all: a cross-discipline view of trust. Acad. Manag. Rev. 23, 393–404 (1998). doi:10.5465/AMR.1998.926617

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Royce, W.: Managing the development of large software systems Dr. Winston W. Rovce Introduction. In: IEEE WESCON, pp. 328–338, August 1970

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwaber, K., Beedle, M.: Agile Software Development with Scrum. Development, vol. 34 (2001). doi:10.1109/2.947100

  • Vlaar, P.W.L., Van den Bosch, F.A.J., Volberda, H.W.: On the evolution of trust, distrust, and formal coordination and control in interorganizational relationships: toward an integrative framework. Group Organ. Manag. 32(4), 407–428 (2007). doi:10.1177/1059601106294215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, W., Benbasat, I.: Trust in and adoption of online recommendation agents. J. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 6(3), 72–101 (2005). doi:10.1016/j.jsis.2007.12.002

    Google Scholar 

  • Woolthuis, R.K.: Trust, contract and relationship development. Organ. Stud. 26, 813–840 (2005). doi:10.1177/0170840605054594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Woolthuis, R.K., Hillebrand, B., Nooteboom, B.: Trust, contract and relationship development. Organ. Stud. 26(6), 813–840 (2005). doi:10.1177/0170840605054594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xia, W., Lee, G.: Grasping the complexity of is development projects. Commun. ACM 47(5), 68–74 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R.K.: Case study research: design and methods. Social Research, 5 (2003). Accessed http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0658/2002152696-d.html

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business and Social Sciences, Department of Management, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 10, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Preben Jensen, Christian Ladefoged, Michael Søgård & Nikolaus Obwegeser

Authors
  1. Preben Jensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christian Ladefoged
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michael Søgård
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nikolaus Obwegeser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nikolaus Obwegeser .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Gdansk, Sopot, Poland

    Stanislaw Wrycza

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this paper

Cite this paper

Jensen, P., Ladefoged, C., Søgård, M., Obwegeser, N. (2015). Trust and Control in Complex Information Systems Development. In: Wrycza, S. (eds) Information Systems: Development, Applications, Education. SIGSAND/PLAIS 2015. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 232. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24366-5_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24366-5_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-24365-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-24366-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation