Web-based Information Systems - Infrastructures and Co-operational Patterns in a Networked Organisation

This paper contains a theoretically and empirically based analysis of infrastructures and co-operational patterns in a Scandinavian Internet consulting company. The purpose of the analysis originated from the hypothesis that Web-based Information Systems could especially facilitate work in distributed organisations, this as a platform for supporting collaboration, communication and co-ordination within and among internal offices, partners as well as customers. One major challenge drawn from the case study regarding this expected facilitation was that two quite different communities of practice were identified. The findings from the case study suggested three aspects worth drawing attention to: Firstly, in Internet consulting companies the main part of the costs is directed towards investments in human resources causing the employees to frequently set the agenda, being the force that represents the organisation’s competitive capacity. Furthermore, since sharing of knowledge is based on human networks, it is quite volatile. Secondly, a dynamic and distributed work place, with highly qualified and creative employees, is not synonymous with having a work force with preference for fast and flexible attitudes towards internal changes. Thirdly, in an Internet consulting company the work practice is dependent on the co-workers ability to co-operate from various shifting locations. Utilising Web-based Information Systems could facilitate mobility for the individual employees. Together, these suggestions give convincingly ground to conclude that universal design solutions are losing their value and the need for context specific design methods, supporting design-in-action, is strongly emerging