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All Outputs (56)

IT consultants, salesmanship and the challenges of packaged software selection in SMEs (2008)
Journal Article
Howcroft, D., & Light, B. (2008). IT consultants, salesmanship and the challenges of packaged software selection in SMEs. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 21(6), 597-615. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410390810911203

Purpose – This paper seeks to analyse the process of packaged software selection in a small organization, focussing particularly on the role of IT consultants as intermediaries in the process. Design/methodology/approach – This is based upon a longi... Read More about IT consultants, salesmanship and the challenges of packaged software selection in SMEs.

Introducing masculinity studies to information systems research: the case of gaydar (2007)
Journal Article
Light, B. (2007). Introducing masculinity studies to information systems research: the case of gaydar. European Journal of Information Systems, 16(5), 658-665. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.ejis.3000709

I believe that studies of men's gendered experiences of information systems are needed. In order to support this claim, I introduce the area of Masculinity Studies to Information Systems research and, using this, present an exploratory analysis of an... Read More about Introducing masculinity studies to information systems research: the case of gaydar.

Risky business: when a CRM vendor masqueraded as an ERP specialist (2007)
Presentation / Conference
Griffiths, M., & Light, B. (2007, June). Risky business: when a CRM vendor masqueraded as an ERP specialist. Presented at European Conference on Information Systems, St Gallen, Switzerland

Taking a social shaping perspective we unpack the development trajectory of a packaged software product to show, that contrary to mainstream accounts, design is not completely specified a-priori and that the process continues throughout implementat... Read More about Risky business: when a CRM vendor masqueraded as an ERP specialist.

Going offline: an exploratory cultural artifact analysis of an internet dating site's developing trajectories (2007)
Journal Article
Fletcher, G., & Light, B. (2007). Going offline: an exploratory cultural artifact analysis of an internet dating site's developing trajectories. International Journal of Information Management, 27(6), 422-431. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2007.08.001

In this study, we develop a theorisation of an internet dating site as a cultural artifact. The site, Gaydar, is targeted at gay men. We argue that contemporary received representations of their sexuality figure heavily in the site's focus by providi... Read More about Going offline: an exploratory cultural artifact analysis of an internet dating site's developing trajectories.

Users as developers: a field study of call centre knowledge work (2007)
Journal Article
Burns, B., & Light, B. (2007). Users as developers: a field study of call centre knowledge work. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing, 19(4), 42-56. https://doi.org/10.4018/joeuc.2007100103

We report the findings of a field study of the enactment of ICT supported knowledge work in a Human Resources contact centre, illustrating the negotiable boundary between what constitutes the developer and user. Drawing upon ideas from the social sha... Read More about Users as developers: a field study of call centre knowledge work.

Integration in ERP environments: rhetoric, realities and organisational possibilities (2006)
Journal Article
Light, B., & Wagner, E. (2006). Integration in ERP environments: rhetoric, realities and organisational possibilities. New Technology, Work and Employment, 21(3), 215-228. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-005X.2006.00176.x

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packages are said to enable integration when the standard inscription is adhered to through software configuration. A social shaping perspective expands conceptualisations of ERP packages, enabling a view of them as... Read More about Integration in ERP environments: rhetoric, realities and organisational possibilities.

Reflections on issues of power in packaged software selection (2006)
Journal Article
Light, B., & Howcroft, D. (2006). Reflections on issues of power in packaged software selection. Information Systems Journal, 16(3), 215-235. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2575.2006.00216.x

The adoption of packaged software is becoming increasingly common in a variety of organizations and much of the packaged software literature presents this as a straightforward, linear process based on rationalistic evaluation. This paper applies the... Read More about Reflections on issues of power in packaged software selection.

User resistance strategies and the problems of blanket prescriptions: a case study of resistance success (2006)
Presentation / Conference
Griffiths, M., & Light, B. (2006, June). User resistance strategies and the problems of blanket prescriptions: a case study of resistance success. Presented at 14th European Conference on Information Systems, Gotenberg, Sweden

There is a growing body of research on resistance in IS projects, a good deal of which focuses on strategies for overcoming resistance. However, within this strand of research, it appears that there is a ‘blanket prescription’ approach that does not... Read More about User resistance strategies and the problems of blanket prescriptions: a case study of resistance success.

Theorizing masculinity in information systems research (2006)
Book Chapter
Light, B. (2006). Theorizing masculinity in information systems research. In E. Trauth (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology (1160-1165). Pennsylvania: Idea Group Inc. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59140-815-4

I want to argue that understanding masculinity is an important part of understanding gender and sexuality as it relates to information and communications technologies (ICTs), specifically those under the lens of the information-systems community. In... Read More about Theorizing masculinity in information systems research.

Going beyond 'misfit' as a reason for ERP package customisation (2005)
Journal Article
Light, B. (2005). Going beyond 'misfit' as a reason for ERP package customisation. Computers in Industry, 56(6), 606-619. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2005.02.008

In an attempt to deal with the potential problems presented by existing information systems, a shift towards the implementation of ERP packages has been witnessed. The common view, particularly the one espoused by vendors, is that ERP packages are mo... Read More about Going beyond 'misfit' as a reason for ERP package customisation.

Selling packaged software: an ethical analysis (2004)
Presentation / Conference
Adam, A., & Light, B. (2004, June). Selling packaged software: an ethical analysis. Presented at 12th European Conference on Information Systems, Turku, Finland

Within the IS literature there is little discussion on selling software products in general and especially from the ethical point of view. Similarly, within computer ethics, although there is much interest in professionalism and professional codes,... Read More about Selling packaged software: an ethical analysis.

Reasons behind ERP package adoption: a diffusion of innovations perspective (2004)
Presentation / Conference
Light, B., & Papazafeiropoulou, A. (2004, June). Reasons behind ERP package adoption: a diffusion of innovations perspective. Presented at 12th European Conference on Information Systems, Turku, Finland

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packages have been widely adopted and it is becoming clear that this is driven by multiple rationales that may be simultaneously at odds and complimentary. In this paper, we aim to develop a greater understanding... Read More about Reasons behind ERP package adoption: a diffusion of innovations perspective.

CRM packaged software: a study of organisational experiences (2003)
Journal Article
Light, B. (2003). CRM packaged software: a study of organisational experiences. Business Process Management Journal, 9(5), 603-616. https://doi.org/10.1108/14637150310496712

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) packaged software has become a key contributor to attempts at aligning business and IT strategies in recent years. Throughout the 1990s there was, in many organisations strategies, a shift from the need to mana... Read More about CRM packaged software: a study of organisational experiences.

The maintenance implications of the customization of ERP software (2001)
Journal Article
Light, B. (2001). The maintenance implications of the customization of ERP software. https://doi.org/10.1002/smr.240

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is a dominant approach for dealing with legacy information system problems. In order to avoid invalidating maintenance and development support from the ERP vendor, most organizations reengineer their busine... Read More about The maintenance implications of the customization of ERP software.

ERP and best of breed: a comparative analysis (2001)
Journal Article
Light, B., Holland, C., & Willis, K. (2001). ERP and best of breed: a comparative analysis. Business Process Management Journal, 7(3), 216-224. https://doi.org/10.1108/14637150110392683

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is the dominant strategic platform for supporting enterprise-wide business processes. However, it has been criticised for being inflexible and not meeting specific organisation and industry requirements. An... Read More about ERP and best of breed: a comparative analysis.