Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

All Outputs (41)

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.

Going offline: An exploratory cultural artifact analysis of an internet dating site’s development trajectories (2007)
Journal Article
Fletcher, G., & Light, B. (2007). Going offline: An exploratory cultural artifact analysis of an internet dating site’s development trajectories. International Journal of Information Management, 27(6), 422-431

In this study we develop a theorization 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 development trajectories.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A stage maturity model for enterprise resource planning systems use (2001)
Journal Article
Light, B., & Holland, C. (2001). A stage maturity model for enterprise resource planning systems use. https://doi.org/10.1145/506732.506737

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems dominate the information technology landscape of many companies. Organizations are at different stages in the implementation process ranging from the initial analysis of implementation options, through comp... Read More about A stage maturity model for enterprise resource planning systems use.

Focus issue on legacy information systems and business process change: a business perspective of legacy information systems (1999)
Journal Article
Kelly, S., Gibson, N., Holland, C., & Light, B. (1999). Focus issue on legacy information systems and business process change: a business perspective of legacy information systems. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2(7), 1-27

Legacy information systems evolved incrementally in response to changes in business strategy and information technology. Organizations are now being forced to change much more radically and quickly than previously and this change places new demands... Read More about Focus issue on legacy information systems and business process change: a business perspective of legacy information systems.

A critical success factors model for ERP implementation (1999)
Journal Article
Holland, C., & Light, B. (1999). A critical success factors model for ERP implementation. IEEE Software, 16(3), 30-36. https://doi.org/10.1109/52.765784

An effective IT infrastructure can support a business vision and strategy; a poor, decentralized one can break a company. More and more companies are turning to off-the-shelf ERP solutions for IT planning and legacy systems management. The authors ha... Read More about A critical success factors model for ERP implementation.

Focus Issue on Legacy Information Systems and Business Process Change (1999)
Journal Article
Holland, C., Light, B., & Kawalek, P. (1999). Focus Issue on Legacy Information Systems and Business Process Change. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 2(1),

This editorial is an introduction to a focus issue on legacy information systems research that has been conducted under the aegis of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) research programme into systems engineering and bus... Read More about Focus Issue on Legacy Information Systems and Business Process Change.

The social shaping of packaged software selection
Journal Article
Howcroft, D., & Light, B. The social shaping of packaged software selection. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 11(3),

As organisations increasingly engage in the selection, purchase, and adoption of packaged software products, how these activities are carried out in practice becomes increasingly relevant for researchers and practitioners. Our focus in this paper i... Read More about The social shaping of packaged software selection.

Gay men, Gaydar and the commodification of difference
Journal Article
Light, B., Fletcher, G., & Adam, A. Gay men, Gaydar and the commodification of difference. Information Technology and People, 21(3), 300-314. https://doi.org/10.1108/09593840810896046

Purpose To investigate ICT mediated inclusion and exclusion in terms of sexuality through a study of a commercial social networking website for gay men Design/methodology/approach The paper uses an approach based on technological inscription and t... Read More about Gay men, Gaydar and the commodification of difference.