The integration of digital ecosystems into information systems planning: Development of a framework for the integration of Digital Ecosystems
Abstract
Digitalization and emerging technologies influence organization’s environment by making them more dynamic and unpredictable. These changes not only provide capabilities for companies to leverage their operational performance, but also bring challenges to organizations that need to assess new strategies in order to survive and sustain their competitiveness. Therefore, the benefits of Digital Ecosystem (DE) become more prominent and promise industry insights and networks that are able to complement an organization’s specific value chain. Organizations have realized that they are not able to survive on a competitive and dynamic market on their own and discovered the opportunities that partnerships can bring. Instead of developing own solutions, organizations reach out to market leaders and adopt their solutions instead. By doing this, innovative solutions and valuable industry insights can be assessed with little effort. In order to integrate the benefits of DE, the organization’s strategic Information Systems Planning needs to be re-evaluated and modified upon new artifacts based on existing research on DE capabilities. Further, considerations upon establishing agility through DE opportunities are arising as well. Nevertheless, studies reveal that only few companies are able to succeed with their digital transformation which is leading to a high quote for failures in the adoption of digital business ecosystems. Hence, the reason for the failure remains unidentified and requires research. As digital ecosystems harbor the potential of providing valuable capabilities and resources to a company, the need for an DE integration framework is emerging.
Full text
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THE INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS
INTO INFORMATION SYSTEMS PLANNING
Thi Ngoc Van Hoang
De elopmen o a F amewo k o he In eg a ion o
Digi al Ecosys ems
Disse a ion p esen ed as pa ial equi emen o ob aining
he Mas e ’s deg ee in In o ma ion Managemen wi h
specializa ion in In o ma ion Sys ems and Technologies
Managemen
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NOVA In o ma ion Managemen School
Ins i u o Supe io de Es a ís ica e Ges ão de In o mação
Uni e sidade No a de Lisboa
INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS INTO INFORMATION
SYSTEMS PLANNING
by
Thi Ngoc Van Hoang
Disse a ion p esen ed as pa ial equi emen o ob aining he Mas e ’s deg ee in In o ma ion
Managemen , wi h a specializa ion in In o ma ion Sys ems and Technologies Managemen
Ad iso : P o esso Ví o San os
Augus 2021
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ABSTRACT
Digi aliza ion and eme ging echnologies in luence o ganiza ion’s en i onmen by making hem mo e
dynamic and unp edic able. These changes no only p o ide capabili ies o companies o le e age
hei ope a ional pe o mance, bu also b ing challenges o o ganiza ions ha need o assess new
s a egies in o de o su i e and sus ain hei compe i i eness. The e o e, he bene i s o Digi al
Ecosys em (DE) become mo e p ominen and p omise indus y insigh s and ne wo ks ha a e able o
complemen an o ganiza ion’s speci ic alue chain. O ganiza ions ha e ealized ha hey a e no able
o su i e on a compe i i e and dynamic ma ke on hei own and disco e ed he oppo uni ies ha
pa ne ships can b ing. Ins ead o de eloping own solu ions, o ganiza ions each ou o ma ke leade s
and adop hei solu ions ins ead. By doing his, inno a i e solu ions and aluable indus y insigh s can
be assessed wi h li le e o . In o de o in eg a e he bene i s o DE, he o ganiza ion’s s a egic
In o ma ion Sys ems Planning needs o be e-e alua ed and modi ied upon new a i ac s based on
exis ing esea ch on DE capabili ies. Fu he , conside a ions upon es ablishing agili y h ough DE
oppo uni ies a e a ising as well. Ne e heless, s udies e eal ha only ew companies a e able o
succeed wi h hei digi al ans o ma ion which is leading o a high quo e o ailu es in he adop ion
o digi al business ecosys ems. Hence, he eason o he ailu e emains uniden i ied and equi es
esea ch. As digi al ecosys ems ha bo he po en ial o p o iding aluable capabili ies and esou ces
o a company, he need o an DE in eg a ion amewo k is eme ging.
KEYWORDS
Digi al Ecosys ems; IS s a egy; IS alignmen ; Collabo a i e ne wo ks; In o ma ion Sys ems Planning
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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. In oduc ion .................................................................................................................. 1
1.1. Mo i a ion and Objec i es .................................................................................... 2
1.2. S udy Rele ance .................................................................................................... 3
2. Li e a u e e iew .......................................................................................................... 5
2.1. Digi al Ecosys ems ................................................................................................. 5
2.1.1. Concep ual Backg ound o Digi al Ecosys ems .............................................. 5
2.1.2. Digi al Ecosys em A chi ec u e .................................................................... 11
2.1.3. Bene i s and D awbacks ............................................................................... 14
2.1.4. De eloping a DE in eg a ion s a egy .......................................................... 18
2.2. In o ma ion Sys ems Planning............................................................................. 25
2.2.1. Concep s o S a egic In o ma ion Sys ems Planning .................................. 25
2.2.2. C ea ion o an In o ma ion Sys ems Plan .................................................... 26
3. Me hodology .............................................................................................................. 31
3.1. Design Science Resea ch Me hodology .............................................................. 31
3.2. Resea ch S a egy ................................................................................................ 35
4. P oposal o a amewo k o he In eg a ion o Digi al Ecosys ems in o ISP ............. 37
4.1. Assump ions ........................................................................................................ 37
4.2. In o ma ion Sys ems Planning F amewo k Design ............................................. 40
4.3. Valida ion............................................................................................................. 54
4.4. Discussion ............................................................................................................ 64
5. Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 66
5.1. Syn hesis o he de eloped wo k ........................................................................ 66
5.2. Limi a ions ........................................................................................................... 66
5.3. Fu u e wo k ......................................................................................................... 67
Bibliog aphy..................................................................................................................... 68
Annexes ........................................................................................................................... 74
LIST OF FIGURES
Figu e 2.1: Digi al pla o m ecosys em .................................................................................... 12
Figu e 2.2: Digi al Pla o m Laye s ........................................................................................... 14
Figu e 2.3: Th ee S age model o MIS planning ....................................................................... 27
Figu e 3.1: DSR Knowledge Con ibu ion F amewo k ............................................................. 32
Figu e 3.2: Modi ied DSR Cycle o DE esea ch ...................................................................... 33
Figu e 3.3: DSR P ocess Model ................................................................................................ 34
Figu e 4.1: DE In eg a ion F amewo k o SISP ....................................................................... 41
Figu e 4.2: S a egic Planning & Awa eness ............................................................................ 42
Figu e 4.3: Visualiza ion o i s s age o S a egic Planning ................................................... 44
Figu e 4.4 - DE Risk Py amid .................................................................................................... 46
Figu e 4.5: DE S a egy Awa eness Model ............................................................................... 47
Figu e 4.6: DE S a egy Concep ion ......................................................................................... 49
Figu e 4.7: DE Oppo uni ies om Digi al Pla o ms ............................................................... 50
Figu e 4.8: IS/IM/IT Dependency iangle ................................................................................ 51
Figu e 4.9: DE S a egy Fo mula ion ........................................................................................ 53
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1: Digi al pla o m cha ac e is ics ................................................................................. 8
Table 2.2: DE S a egy Concep ion .......................................................................................... 20
Table 2.3: Main indings o DE li e a u e ................................................................................. 24
Table 4.1: Assump ions based on DE and SISP esea ch ......................................................... 40
Table 4.2: DE Ques ion Ca alogue ........................................................................................... 45
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
API Applica ion P og amming In e ace
B2B Business- o-Business
DE Digi al Ecosys em
DEA Digi al Ecosys em A chi ec u e
DSR Design Science Resea ch
ICT In o ma ion and Communica ion Technologies
IM In o ma ion Managemen
IOT In e ne -o -Things
IS In o ma ion Sys em
IT In o ma ion echnology
KPI Key Pe o mance Indica o
SISP S a egic In o ma ion Sys ems Planning
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1. INTRODUCTION
New busines models and ools ha empowe business collabo a ion ha e es ablished as a popula
end among companies in o de o s eng hen hei pe o mance by p o iding esilience and agili y
on he ma ke (G aça & Cama inha-Ma os, 2017). Collabo a i e ne wo ks in ac , include di e en
o ganiza ions, ha aim o each hei s a egic objec i es, long- o sho - e m, by a collabo a i e wo k
cul u e (Appio e al., 2017). Tha wo k cul u e helps o ganiza ions o expand hei p oduc and se ice
o e ings by wo king oge he wi h o he companies in o de o s ay compe i i e. Wi h eme ging
challenges and echnologies howe e , digi al companies need o become mo e co-adap i e and
lexible o changes o he in e nal and ex e nal en i onmen besides o collabo a ion ac i i ies
(Ko honen & Halen, 2017). Thus, digi al echnologies play an inc easingly impo an ole in
s eng hening a collabo a i e wo k cul u e by ans o ming ela ionships wi hin he business ne wo ks
and c ea e inno a i e ways o co-c ea ing alue (Pagani & Pa do, 2017) o ackle challenges a ising
om a dynamic en i onmen . Due o he limi ed capabili ies o an o ganiza ion, he ocus o business
s a egies is shi ing o he in eg a ion o Digi al Ecosys ems (DE) ha enable inno a i e ac i i ies in
pa ne ship wi h eme ging digi al echnologies in o de o suppo an o ganiza ion’s ac i i ies.
(Koh amäki e al., 2019). These ype o ecosys ems s a play an impo an ole ega ding he Business-
To-Business (B2B) ela ionship be ween o ganiza ions ha a e ma ked by collabo a i e ne wo ks ha
ein o ce in eg a ion and coo dina ion o business p ocesses (Senyo e al., 2019; Va gas e al., 2016).
Execu i es also ealized ha po en ial and he oppo uni ies ha come wi h he bene i s o new digi al
echnologies which a e able o ans o m supply chains and se e as inno a i e ways o deli e alue
o cus ome s (Sub amaniam e al., 2019). Thus, he s a egic ocus inc easingly mo es o he
impo ance o complemen o s and in e dependencies be ween hem (Kapoo , 2018). Despi e he
desi e o in eg a ing ecosys ems in o he o ganiza ion’s business s a egy, execu i es s ill do no know
how he di e en componen s such as pla o ms, echnology and he supply chain a e in e connec ed
o each o he and how DE ac ually c ea e alue (Adne , 2017). This is highligh ing he eme gence o
o ganiza ional guidance in o de o manage in e dependen ela ionships o ecosys em pa icipan s
and he way hey link complemen a y o e ings o hei alue c ea ion p ocesses (Kapoo , 2018).
Reasons o his may be ound in he app oach o digi al ans o ma ion by ea ing i as a sepa a e
componen which is no ully in eg a ed in o c i ical p ocesses o he o ganiza ion (Ko honen & Halen,
2017).
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1.1. MOTIVATION AND OBJECTIVES
Exis ing pape s and epo s highligh he a ious bene i s o DEs, bu a clea and p ecise ins uc ion on
main aining a collabo a ion ne wo k and applying ha app oach o an o ganiza ion’s business s a egy
is no gi en (Zhang & Wang, 2018). Mo eo e , exis ing esea ch limi hei esul s o ce ain indus ies
and a eas which migh lea e execu i es unclea on ecommenda ions o ac ions (D echsle &
Weißschädel, 2018). Un il oday, s udies ha e iew DE emain limi ed and many aspec s a e s ill le
unclea (Senyo e al., 2019). The need o conside ing DE in eg a ion in o SISP al eady is an impo an
pa o de eloping a compe i i e business s a egy and he e o e equi es awa eness in esea ch
(Jacobides e al., 2018). Mo eo e , exis ing esea ch on DE emains limi ed and only ew app oaches
on p ecise de ini ions on DE a e gi en, u he esea ch needs o be conduc ed (Ba ykin e al., 2020;
De Reu e e al., 2018). In addi ion, he subjec o collabo a ion equi es ex ended esea ch al hough
i has been p esen in indus y o some ime as he e is s ill a lack o models and concep s on co-
c ea ing alue h ough collabo a ion pa ne ships (De Reu e e al., 2018). Due o he inc easing
compe i i eness, o ganiza ion nowadays a e equi ed o gain he abili y o iden i ying ecosys ems ha
can suppo he o ganiza ion’s business s a egy (Wol & Floyd, 2017) in o de o su i e in an
en i onmen whe e collabo a ion becomes c i ical. Insecu i ies among execu i es leads o sole
main enance o hei IT in as uc u e ins ead o e hinking exis ing s uc u es which leads o
ine iciencies and in lexibili y (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). Fu he mo e, he la ge numbe o
exis ing op ions make i mo e di icul o execu i es o ind he op imal solu ion o hei IT s a egy
(Pa k & Mi has, 2020). Exis ing amewo ks and models on DE may be unsui able o illus a e oday’s
dynamic digi al business ecosys ems which leads o he eme gence o de eloping a con empo a y
amewo k (Zhang & Wang, 2018). While exis ing en e p ise a chi ec u e amewo ks such as
A chiMa e and TOGAF a e no su icien o suppo he in eg a ion o DEs, new app oaches a e
equi ed o e lec hei dynamic na u e (Anwa & Gill, 2019). Consequen ly, exis ing li e a u e needs
o be e alua ed o aise awa eness and ex end exis ing s udies on DE while closing knowledge gaps o
ackle p esen challenges o digi al ans o ma ion (Senyo e al., 2019; Sub amaniam e al., 2019). As
his esea ch is ocusing on he in eg a ion o DE in o he SISP, exis ing IT s a egy amewo ks will be
e iewed. Hence, his s udy a ge s a SISP amewo k which is easy o apply o suppo execu i es on
bene i ing om DE oppo uni ies o hei SISP s a egy (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018) as ou da ed
models can lead o misleading conclusions ha may endange u u e esea ch (Peppa d, 2018). Fo
his pu pose, iden i ied challenges and gaps a e add essed by modeling a i ac s o simpli ying ways
o in eg a ing DEs in o he s a egic conside a ions o o ganiza ions.
In o de o achie e his objec i e, he a ge o his s udy is he concep ion o a amewo k o
in eg a ing DEs in o he o ganiza ion’s SISP based on a well- ounded analysis o cu en concep s o DE
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o sha ing hese and he ole o he speci ic pla o m’s owne (Ka hu e al., 2018). As wi h he g ow h
o he pla o m, a DE is g owing as well (Kopalle e al., 2020) which makes he DE size dependen on
he use base ha can gene a e la ge amoun s o da a h ough in e ac ions (Hein e al., 2019). By using
digi al pla o ms, o ganiza ions can p o ide hei complemen a y o e ing o a b oad ne wo k (Kapoo ,
2018). The pla o m’s alue o use, being gene a ed by an ex ended o e ing o complemen s, enla ges
he DE’s scope and he likelihood o people ge ing in e es ed in o he pla o m (Cennamo & San aló,
2019). Acco dingly, he DE’s pla o m needs o be as a ac i e o possible ecosys em pa ne s in o de
o d i e he g ow h which is coming along wi h aluable oppo uni ies ha a e induced by ne wo k
e ec s. A DE is cha ac e ized by a ce ain le el o openness which is dis inguished be ween access
openness and esou ce openness while he access openness desc ibes he access o he pla o m
which allows complemen o s o pa icipa e in he DE h ough Applica ion P og amming In e aces
(API) o ins ance whe eas he esou ce openness is e e ing o he dis ibu ion o p ope y h ough
open-sou ce licensing and makes esou ces o complemen o s accessible o o he pa icipan s o he
DE (Ka hu e al., 2018). Hence, openness ela ed o DEs is e e ing o he possibili y o pa icipan s
being able o add and sha e alue (Ba ns, 2019). A his poin , APIs play a signi ican ole as well since
mos digi al pla o ms a e based on hese o enable da a access and applica ion de elopmen
oppo uni ies o ex e nal de elope s (Zu shi & G ilo, 2019). In conclusion, openness p omo es a
coupling and decoupling o oppo uni ies o he ecosys em and he accessibili y o echnological
capabili ies o an o ganiza ion o o he s (De Reu e e al., 2018).
The owne s o he digi al pla o m manage he way ecosys em pa icipan s a e o ganized wi hin he
DE by ocusing on hei in e dependency and oppo uni ies o connec ing au onomous ocal i ms o
he DE and enabling sha ing digi al esou ces and making echnologies accessible o o he ecosys em
pa icipan s o c ea e he alue g ow h o he pla o m (Isckia e al., 2018; Jacobides e al., 2018).
Fu he , he owne is also esponsible o he go e nance o he pla o m ha p omo es alue c ea ion
be ween ac o s (Hein e al., 2019) and de e mines he a chi ec u al design wi h i s in e aces (Kapoo ,
2018). Tha alue c ea ion is suppo ed by he a ious oppo uni ies o explo ing esou ces and
capabili ies be ween he a ious ac o s ha a e gi en h ough he pla o m which concen a es on
alue c ea ion oppo uni ies (Wan e al., 2017). In o de o make he eposi o y o esou ces and
capabili ies accessible o he pa icipan s o he DE, he ecosys em’s pla o m a chi ec u e is coming
wi h di e en componen s and in e aces ha a e p o ided by he owne o he pla o m (Anwa &
Gill, 2019; Isckia e al., 2018). These in e aces a e he co e componen o a DE as well as o digi al
pla o ms as hey enable openness, modula i y and he coo dina ion o he DE by de ining he
in e ac ion and connec ion be ween complemen a y o e ings and con ibu o s wi hin an ecosys em
(Isckia e al., 2018). Opening up esou ces o complemen a y o o he ypes o ecosys em pa ne s,
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p o ides he DE wi h echnological modula i y ha enables he p oduc ion o connec ed componen s
by o he pa ne s (Jacobides e al., 2018).
Modula i y
DE eme ge om modula i y and oppo uni ies h ough inno a i e complemen a i ies (Jacobides e al.,
2018). S anda d in e aces ha e been bene icial o p o iding access o he sou ce code o applica ions
ha acili a e collabo a ions and inno a ions wi h hi d pa y de elope s who can modi y p oduc s and
unc ionali ies o hei own needs while os e ing a low o in o ma ion and inno a ion as i could be
seen in he a ea o mobile applica ions (Boehmke & Hazen, 2017; Kopalle e al., 2020). Openness is no
only allowing o ganiza ions o make use o o he ecosys ems digi al capabili ies bu may also p o ide
access o own capabili ies o collabo a ion pu poses (Ci iello e al., 2018). The e o e, modula i y is
p omo ed by componen s ha a e enabled h ough in e aces which suppo inpu and ou pu and
enable ac o s o an ecosys em o make con ibu ions o he DE while also p o iding lowe en y
oppo uni ies o smalle o ganiza ions who s uggled o b ing up in es men s in o de o in e ac on
he ma ke (S u geon, 2021). By he engagemen o di e en pa icipan s on digi al pla o ms and APIs,
alue can be c ea ed and sha ed (Ba ns, 2019; Zu shi & G ilo, 2019). Ne e heless, le els o inno a ion
on a digi al pla o m a e dependen on he pla o m’s echnical a chi ec u e le el (De Reu e e al.,
2018), so he alue o each DE pla o m di e s o each ac o and he e o e needs o be assessed
indi idually. The gi en exis ence o modula i y enables he dis ibu ion o in e dependen componen s
and lowe s he deg ee in making decisions on p icing, p oduc ion and ope a ions unde he condi ion
o p ede ined ag eemen s (Jacobides e al., 2018). Those ag eemen s include s anda ds ega ding he
in e ope abili y, esponsibili ies and he de ini ion o alue c ea ion (Kapoo , 2018). The concep o
modula i y, enables o ganiza ions o in eg a e in e changeabili y in o hei s a egy wi hou changing
he whole ecosys em as modula i y allows an easy subs i u ion o complemen a y componen s while
emaining s able (Hein e al., 2019; S u geon, 2021). Mo eo e , he modula i y o componen s no only
makes he ecosys em appea mo e a ac i e, bu is also p o iding alue o he componen i sel as
di e en p oduc s and se ice o e ings can be easily edeployed (Jacobides e al., 2018). As modula i y
b ing mo e lexibili y h ough complemen a y o e ings, o ganiza ions aim o inno a i e s a egic
ela ionships, especially when he o e ed complemen a y componen s a e unique and p o ide an
exclusi e alue p oposi ion, make modula i y a co e c i e ium o ensu e an o ganiza ion’s
compe i i eness in a dynamic and unp edic able ma ke (Jacobides e al., 2018). The c ucial di e ence
ha di e en ia es he DE economy om a digi al pla o m economy is he ocus on a b oade base o
in eg a ion and business in e ac ions by ac i ely encou aging sha ing esou ces, capabili ies and
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esou ces be ween he DE pa icipan s and he e o e unco e oppo uni ies in in e ac ions, da a and
a es uc u a ion o IT in es men s (Godin & Te ekho a, 2020). Ye , digi al pla o ms a e a na u al pa
o DE and he e o e should no be iewed as a sepa a e componen . Thus, he success o in eg a ing
DE in o he digi al s a egy depends on he o e all explo a ion and exploi a ion o capabili ies and
esou ces (Ba ns, 2019; Wan e al., 2017). In o de o su i e on a long- e m base, DEs and hei
pla o ms need o be gene a i e and g ow dynamically wi h he digi alized en i onmen (De Reu e e
al., 2018). A lexible digi al en e p ise a chi ec u e hus becomes indispensable and makes he
in eg a ion o DE essen ial.
2.1.2. Digi al Ecosys em A chi ec u e
In o de o ully exploi he po en ials o DE, he Digi al Ecosys em A chi ec u e (DEA) needs o be as
lexible and adop i e as possible (Ko honen & Halen, 2017). The e o e, i is impo an o a manage ial
audience o unde s and wha componen s a DE and he unde laying digi al pla o m a e composed o
as digi al pla o m and DE can g ow complex e y quickly (Yablonsky, 2018). Tha complexi y esul s
om he eplacemen o old echnologies by inno a i e ones which leads o an inc eased size o hei
sub-ecosys ems (Gao e al., 2019). Th ee elemen s o an ecosys em a e iden i ied o be desc ibing o
he way ac o s in e ac wi h he c ea ion and p oposi ion o alues which a e ac i i ies, ac o s, and
a chi ec u es (Kapoo , 2018). Ac i i ies in his con ex a e ac ions ha se e he pu pose o alue
c ea ion (Adne , 2017). Mo eo e , he connec ions o he pa ne s and complemen o s should be
conside ed as well. Tha connec ion is conside ed o be a link ha cha ac e izes he ans e wi hin
ha DE (Adne , 2017).
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Sou ce: Hein e al. (2019)
Figu e 2.1: Digi al pla o m ecosys em
A i s app oach on he DEA is gi en by Hein e al. (2019) who illus a e a digi al pla o m ecosys em as
a model which is clus e ed in o h ee di e en a eas (Figu e 2.1) which a e he digi al pla o m, he
bounda y, and he ecosys em. The pla o m includes inno a i e digi al echnologies ha bene i om
he in e ac ions o he pla o m pa icipan s and he e o e s eng hen he ne wo k e ec (Godin &
Te ekho a, 2020). The digi al ecosys em pla o m is cha ac e ized by a cen al posi ion, he pla o m
owne , who owns he decision igh s and is esponsible o he pla o m con ol as well as he access
o he pla o m while aiming o e enue g ow h h ough he ne wo k communi y (Adne , 2017). The
owne enables access o he pla o m by a anging a modula ized pla o m ha including he
ecosys em’s asse s and ensu es he esou ce and se ice con o mi y o he pla o ms s anda ds (Hein
e al., 2019). Fu he ac o s a DE a e complemen o s as well as cus ome s whe eas complemen o s
di e om egula supplie s as hose decide au onomously o join he ecosys em (Kapoo , 2018). The
inclusion o ex e nal ac o s like he complemen o and he s a egic pa ne s as well as he pee - o-
pee communi y, he in e dependencies be ween hese ac o s can be e alua ed in a b oade manne
and makes he a chi ec u e i sel mo e dynamic (Tsujimo o e al., 2018). The digi al pla o m’s
a chi ec u e a ious componen s a e connec ed by s anda d in e aces while modula i y secu es
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inno a ion (Isckia e al., 2018). By c ea ing an in as uc u e including APIs o ins ance,
complemen o s can easily in eg a e hei se ices and p oduc s o and os e e ical solu ions,
pla o m owne s hope o gene a e a use base on hei pla o ms (Hein e al., 2019). The second a ea
consis s o ope a ions ha con ain alue c ea ing ac i i ies such as inno a i e ansac ions whe eas
he hi d sec ion o he ecosys em is illus a ed by he au onomy o complemen o s which is e e ing
o he abili y o complemen o s being able o join and qui he DE whene e hey like (Hein e al.,
2019). Pla o m pa icipan s can be g ouped in o pla o m owne s, p o ide , manu ac u e s and
consume s o ins ance and a e lexible in hei coupling o he pla o m enabled by mo ing om
adi ional buye -supplie con ac s o open and lexible con ac s (Godin & Te ekho a, 2020; Wan e
al., 2017). The oppo uni y o loosely-coupling o an ecosys em a chi ec u e, s eng hens pa icipan s
desi e o pla o m eadiness in o de make use o ha unc ionali y in o s ay lexible ega ding hei
a achmen (Hein e al., 2019). P oposing a DEA ha is comple e is di icul as many ac o s con ibu e
o he a chi ec u e and he esul ing a chi ec u e can e lec di e en echnology inco po a ed in o
he DE ha may a y depending on he indus y (Gao e al., 2019). The DE pla o m a chi ec u e is
classi ied in o wo g oup o ac o s, p oduce s and consume s, ha a e connec ed by a mone a y
exchange and a eedback and e iew cul u e (Zu shi & G ilo, 2019). I includes di e en componen s
ha con ains applica ions such as a epu a ion managemen sys em and da a managemen
applica ions as well as a de elopmen en i onmen (Hein e al., 2019; Zu shi & G ilo, 2019). The
epu a ion managemen sys em o example is equi ed o manage ela ions be ween ac o s ha ha e
no in e ac ed be o e and is supposed o es ablish us (Sänge & Pe nul, 2018). Hence, ecosys ems
ocus on enabling a pa icipa ing ecosys em a chi ec u e h ough componen such as anspa ency
and egula ions in o de o ensu e us (Hein e al., 2019). Mo eo e , he applica ion de elopmen
en i onmen is an essen ial pa o he DE pla o m a chi ec u e as he API p o ides a linking poin o
hi d-pa y de elope s, ad e ise s and o he hi d-pa y se ice p o ide s and allows hei
con ibu ion in o de o elabo a e he DE po en ial and alue (Ba ns, 2019). Consequen ly, he DEA is
buil ou o many componen s ha suppo s he collabo a ion be ween many po en ial pa ne s ha
do no know and us each o he .
14
Sou ce: Zu shi & G ilo (2019)
Figu e 2.2: Digi al Pla o m Laye s
Based on Figu e 2.2 he digi al pla o ms is build ou o six di e en laye s which is he (1) business
laye whe e o ganiza ions ha e hei business model de ined in o de o os e he alignmen be ween
he DE pa icipan s and o ensu e aligned alue p oposi ions; he use in e ac ion laye (2) ha ensu es
a use - iendly in e ace, he de elopmen laye (3) ha p o ides an en i onmen o hi d pa y
de elope s; he in eg a ion laye (4) ha is co e ing he in eg a ion o APIs o p ope y exchange; he
da a laye (5) ha manages da a and in o ma ion by designing s o age and da a analy ics oppo uni ies
ha can enhance quali y con ol and p ocesses and he IT laye (6) ha includes he IT in as uc u e
a chi ec u e ega ding da a and s o age designs o ins ance (Zu shi & G ilo, 2019).
2.1.3. Bene i s and D awbacks
In eg a ing DEs in o he o ganiza ion’s business s a egy is impo an o execu i es in o de o bene i
om ad an ages such as exploi ing exis ing oppo uni ies and inno a ions om he digi al ma ke place
as well as p o iding mo e e icien ways o managing esou ces and he collec ion o da a and
in o ma ion (K aus e al., 2019). Mo eo e , in eg a ing DEs also comes along wi h a b oade ne wo k
and eposi o y o esou ces and capabili ies such as ha dwa e and so wa e ha can le e age many
15
ope a ions o he o ganiza ion (Ansong & Boa eng, 2019). Especially esou ces ha can p o ide
o ganiza ions wi h new digi al oppo uni ies a e an essen ial bene i o DE as his is able o p o ide he
o ganiza ion wi h a highe le el o ne wo k impac h ough app op ia e ne wo k e ec s (Ba ns, 2019;
Luz Ma ín-Peña e al., 2018). The e o e, i becomes ine i able o be awa e o s eng hs and o
downsides o he o ganiza ion’s capabili ies in o de o ealize and os e inno a i e alue p oposi ions
h ough DEs (Senyo e al., 2019).
Being able o explo e new and inno a i e digi al echnologies and bene i om insigh s and expe ise
o bigge ma ke playe s, an ecosys em can o e compe i i e esou ces and capabili ies o su i e in
an uns able and unp edic able en i onmen (Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018). Back hen, o ganiza ions
s uggled wi h inding pa ne s and many pa ne ships we e enabled by paying middlemen made he
app oach on pa ne ship es ablishmen di icul and expensi e (Zu shi & G ilo, 2019). Nowadays, DE
p o ide a cheape and mo e e icien al e na i e o inding sui able pa ne ne wo ks ha p o ide
capabili ies which would no ha e been accessible wi hou a pa ne ship. This is especially in e es ing
o smalle o ganiza ions which aim o a as ma ke en y and bene i om DEs as i is p o iding hem
wi h a ce ain le el o us wo hiness as hey a e pa o a epu able ne wo k o pa ne s o which
o ganiza ions a e also willing o accep lowe deg ee o independence (Nambisan & Ba on, 2021).
Hence, DE o e a ac i e business oppo uni ies due o access o da a, enabling disco e y wi hin he
ma ke , ex ension o se ice o e ings and inno a ion h ough en i onmen s o hi d pa y de elope s
(Zu shi & G ilo, 2019). Th ough he openness o he ecosys em’s eposi o y, DE pa icipan s can access
a pool o di e en esou ces and capabili ies which will bene i he whole ecosys em wi h gene a i i y
h ough he de elopmen o unique alue p oposi ions ou o his eposi o y (Hein e al., 2019).
The e o e, DE o e an easie access o esou ces, bes p ac ices, insigh s and capabili ies ha may
o e come ba ie s ha an indi idual company would no be able o ace on hei own which leads o
an o e all imp o emen o he company (Cygle e al., 2018).
Mo eo e , he modula i y o DE enables modi ica ions in hei quan i ies and as esponses o ma ke
changes which bene i s o ganiza ion’s wi h an e icien pe o mance in a as -changing en i onmen
(Ta a da & Q un leh, 2017). While DE can p o ide IS capabili ies in a mo e lexible way and on di e en
le els o capabili ies, bene i s in logis ics lead o sinking anspo a ion cos s and o highe le els o
eliabili y (Ansong & Boa eng, 2019). The es uc u a ion o an o ganiza ion’s esou ces is enabling
capaci ies o o he eme ging o ganiza ional issues and may ein o ce o ganiza ional pe o mance by
e-e alua ion o o ganiza ional challenges (Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018). Tha esul ing b oade pool o
esou ces and capabili ies can le e age an o ganiza ion’s le el o compe i i eness (G aça & Cama inha-
Ma os, 2017) ha is achie ed by a ge ing b oade cus ome needs (Sebas ian e al., 2020).
Pa ne ships wi h DE pa icipan s can also esul in c ea i i y ha ansla es in o dis up ing inno a ions
16
as well as he encou agemen o o ganiza ional lexibili y caused by in e ac i e and inno a i e supplie
and pa ne ela ions (Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018). Mo eo e , an e icien managemen o he
esou ces is p omo ing he g ow h o p oduc i i y as well as less ope a ional expenses (Kopalle e al.,
2020).
D awbacks
While mos ly he bene i s o DE a e highligh ed, only a ew ecognize and he e o e, neglec he
d awbacks ha DE ha bo (Nambisan & Ba on, 2021). One o he i s majo con lic s is based on he
ac ha DE owne s au onomously make decisions on o ganiza ional ac i i ies which o ces DE
pa icipan s o adap hose ac i i ies based on p e-de ined ag eemen s upon en e ing he ecosys em
(Jacobides e al., 2018).
As modula i y allows pa icipan s o he DE o en e and lea e he pla o m whene e hey like, i is
ha d o a e a company in e ms o us since companies may only en e o he bene i s and will lea e
as soon as hey eached hei goals, especially in he case o gene ic complemen s and compa ible
s anda ds which make an exi e en easie (Cygle e al., 2018; Jacobides e al., 2018). Pa icipan s o
he DE a e cha ac e ized by hei indi idual a ionali y as well as hei sel -se ing decision-making
which is ha bo ing he isk o di e ences in p io i ies which may a ec he e iciency o he DE
(Tsujimo o e al., 2018) as o ganiza ions usually do no ha e he abili y o con olling mos o he
ecosys ems hey a e joining (Jacobides e al., 2018). In addi ion, modula i y is b inging lexibili y o
collabo a ion ela ionships and os e s he collabo a ion be ween independen o ganiza ions which is
adding mo e complexi y o o ganiza ional s uc u es a he same ime (Aulkemeie e al., 2019;
Jacobides e al., 2018). Unlike la ge o ganiza ions, many SMEs a e likely o success ully adop o o he
ecosys ems due o hei lexible IT in as uc u e and he acco ding legacy s uc u e (Romanelli, 2018).
The e o e, DE s a egy can pose a bigge challenge o la ge companies wi h a less lexible IT
in as uc u e. Wi h modula i y howe e , us issues a ise due o he depe sonaliza ion o he digi al
indus y as o ganiza ions a e no able o immedia ely igu e ou whe he he DE pa icipan s migh
only join o hei own bene i and makes he in eg a ion o sys em collabo a ion o assessing
ecosys em pa icipan s’ eliabili y essen ial (Cio oaica e al., 2019). In o de o p e en one-sided
exploi a ion o a DE, he ecosys em leade needs o pu ocus on es ablishing us and loyal y among
all DE pa icipan s which can be achie ed h ough he in e nal g ow h o he DE ha mos ly co ela es
wi h g owing alue, no only being able o sus ain bu also a ac new ecosys em pa icipan s (Isckia
e al., 2018).
17
Be o e joining a DE and i s pla o m, up on in es men s need o be made be o e e en ealizing he
e enue due o he adop ion o he o ganiza ion’s p oduc s and se ices o he pla o m-speci ic
in e aces (Kapoo , 2018). Due o he disc epancies in he pe spec i es o he DE’s pa icipan s he
desi ed alue c ea ion migh u n ou less aluable han expec ed which migh lead o disappoin men s
and ailu e (Adne , 2017). This phenomenon, also known as he p incipal-agen heo y, desc ibes he
oppo unism ha a ises om he limi ed a ionali y o ano he ac o in ega d o con lic s caused by
in o ma ion asymme y and lead o he need o sma solu ions on managing hese isks in o de o
ace challenges ela ed o unce ain y (Lee e al., 2019). Mo eo e , u he d awbacks can a ise o
complemen a i ies wi h a lowe compa ibili y which can lead o a lock-in o he DE (Jacobides e al.,
2018).
Among he pa icipa ing en i ies, he alue ha is being c ea ed wi hin ha DE, is going o be sha ed
(Sussan & Acs, 2017). This is esul ing om he ac ha when p o iding a la ge o e ing o he
cus ome s, compe i o s o e ings a e p esen ed o he cus ome as well (Sebas ian e al., 2020). Hence,
hose wi h a high ma ke po en ial a e mo e likely o gain a signi ican inancial success as hey’ e
bene i ing om a la ge sha e o he o al p o i . Mo eo e , a u he d awback is he ac ha a digi al
pla o m can g ow apidly, in case o success, which migh lead o a g ow h ha canno be handled by
he company (Ba ns, 2019). A s udy e ealed ha he scalabili y o a pla o m based on cloud
echnology is cos ly and ou weighs cos sa ings o he cloud o ins ance (Chen e al., 2016). The e o e,
le e aging he DE s a egy can g ow he cus ome base o an o ganiza ion, bu comes wi h new
challenges ha may lea e he o ganiza ion in con usion on wha o do nex as well. This is also b inging
up he ques ion on who is being held esponsible o managing ha alignmen wi hin he o ganiza ion
(Adne , 2017).
As DE a e open o hi d pa y se ice p o ide s, digi al sha ing o p ope y such as in ellec ual p ope y
and complemen a y o e ings can enable audulen and exploi ing ac i i ies by o he companies such
as e e se enginee ing (Ka hu e al., 2018). A he same ime, o ganiza ions can also be pu in o isk
when esou ces belong o o he ecosys em pa icipan s and he e o e c ea e a dependency
ela ionship (Lee e al., 2019). Bo h, he access openness as well as he esou ce openness which a e
essen ial componen s o a digi al pla o m can he e o e h ea en o ganiza ions as hey endange and
exploi o ganiza ions o hei esou ces.
Planning a DE in o he business planning o en neglec s he ac ha he o ganiza ion’s alue
p oposi ions, objec i es and planning o ecosys ems esou ces and capabili ies a e dependen on he
DEs s a egy o which he ecosys em pa icipan s migh no be awa e o (Adne , 2017). Acco dingly,
e en when he DE ma ches wi h he objec i es and s a egy o he o ganiza ion, he e is no assu ance
18
ha he ecosys em pa icipan s will ac he way, ha he o ganiza ion p edic s hem o do om hei
ini ial obse a ions o he DE. Hence, he e is always he isk o bene i s and oppo uni ies ha canno
be ealized in he way i was planned. Mo eo e , in mos cases, i migh be impossible o ully
unde s and all echnologies o he DE and co esponding applica ions (S u geon, 2021).
Consequen ly, he exis ing li e a u e is poin ing ou many bene i s ha an in eg a ion o a DE b ings.
Howe e , wha is no conside ed, is he ac ha he adop ion o DE akes a lo o ime, esou ces and
app oaches ha suppo he alignmen s a egy. The e o e, DE indeed b ing many bene icial
capabili ies o a company. Bu i akes commi men o he whole o ganiza ion in o de o exploi DE o
he maximum.
2.1.4. De eloping a DE in eg a ion s a egy
The compe i i e s eng hs ha a adi ional company de eloped h oughou he ime can only be
sus ained, i hey a e willing o adop new echnologies in o de o su i e in an en i onmen
cha ac e ized by he inc easing adop ion o DE (Kopalle e al., 2020). Pa ne ships wi hin DEs a e mo e
likely o wo k ou in dynamic en i onmen s, when he complemen a y companies a e able o co-e ol e
and as only he inno a ion o he en i e ecosys em needs o be inno a ed when aiming o he
maximum exploi a ion o a DE’s bene i s (Gao e al., 2019). Inno a ion h ough DE changes no only
include he p oduc s and se ices c ea ed, bu also he way ha di e en complemen s and endo s ,
which a e linked o each o he , o e cus ome s inno a i e ways o p oposing alue (Jacobides e al.,
2018). DE pa ne ships a e cha ac e ized by au onomous o ganiza ions ha own and con ol pa icula
componen s and by a decen alized decision-making (Jacobides e al., 2018). Wha makes DE s a egy
popula , is he cha ac e is ic o being co-e olu iona y and being able o ans o m o ganiza ions om
g owing alone o being awa e o he g ow h po en ial ha comes wi h DE (Senyo e al., 2019).
Consequen ly, companies need o in es in o he eme ging app oach o in eg a ing DE in o hei
business planning o s ay compe i i e in he cu en ma ke as DE a e he undamen als o a success ul
long- e m compe i i e ad an age (Gao e al., 2019).
The alignmen o business and IT is no only an e icien way o suppo ing exis ing ope a ional
ac i i ies, bu also o e s lexibili y wi hin he planning o an o ganiza ion in o de o handle
unexpec ed ex e nal occu ences (Zhou e al., 2018). Du ing imes o digi aliza ion, he ini ial goal o
being compe i i e ans o med in o being collabo a i e in o de o su i e in he ma ke and
emphasize he impo ance o coope a ion and mu ual alue c ea ion (Ba ykin e al., 2020).
25
2.2. INFORMATION SYSTEMS PLANNING
2.2.1. Concep s o S a egic In o ma ion Sys ems Planning
Value can be p o ided by p oduc s ha can gene a e and sha e da a wi hin a ne wo k (Sub amaniam,
2020). Th ough he agg ega ion mul iple da a s eams wi hin a DE, he se o exis ing da a is enla ged,
and aluable in o ma ion and ac ions can be d awn om pa ne s ha ha e a lo o expe ise in a
ce ain indus y (Ko hanen & Halén, 2019). This abili y o analyzing compe i o ’s da a is a c i ical abili y
as an o ganiza ion’s inancial pe o mance is s ongly ela ed o he o ganiza ion’s capabili ies on
in o ma ion analy ics among o he s such as cus ome -o ien a ion and p ocess managemen (Pa k &
Mi has, 2020). The e o e, he oppo uni y o ha ing access o compe i o ’s and indus y gian s’
da abases and insigh s can bene i o ganiza ions wi h highe e enues and inc easing cus ome
sa is ac ion. As he IS po olio is a c i ical componen o an o ganiza ion o collec and p ocess hese
s eams o da a and in o ma ion, DE s a egy equi es alignmen o an o ganiza ion’s SISP s a egy. A
hough ul IS s a egy is impo an o o ganiza ions a e hea ily dependen on hei IS and he e o e
need o aligning hei business s a egy o hei IS s a egy (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). The e o e,
SISP is a majo o ganiza ional ac i i y ha needs o be coo dina ed wi h he DE s a egy (Aydine e
al., 2019). Essen ial opics o SISP co e : ela ionships o pa ne s and cus ome , use expe ience,
en e p ise da a managemen and da a secu i y, IT a chi ec u e oppo uni ies, suppo o gene al
business p ocesses and change managemen (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019a).
SISP enables o ganiza ions o become awa e o hei s a egy by analyzing he in e nal and ex e nal
en i onmen while de eloping and implemen ing a s a egy ha makes he o ganiza ion mo e
compe i i e and lexible h ough econ igu a ion and ex ension o exis ing esou ces and capabili ies
on ac ing upon a ising oppo uni ies (Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018). A ce ain le el o lexibili y is also
gi en h ough he educ ion o ac o s ela ed o ime as IS can speed up and imp o e decision-making,
which makes i no only mo e e icien bu agile a he same ime (Aydine e al., 2019). Flexibili y is
c ucial in o de o emain compe i i e and espond o sho e m demands ha igge long- e m
objec i es and ha e he po en ial o gaining ma ke dominance and main ain highe en y ba ie s
(Allen e al., 2017; Ko honen & Halen, 2017). IS suppo he communica ion o he o ganiza ion’s goals
in an e icien manne and helps o d i e inno a ion and make he o ganiza ion mo e lexible
(Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018). S a egic IS in his case a e de ined by a po olio o IS applica ions, ha
a e able o execu e ac i i ies such as collec ing, p ocessing, o analyzing da a in o de o suppo
decision-making in o de o le e age he o ganiza ional pe o mance and p o ide a high-le el iew on
he o ganiza ion o ein o ce hei ad an ages (Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018). They enable o ganiza ions
o sha e in o ma ion wi h each o he and os e dis ibu ed knowledge on ma ke insigh s and analyze
26
hese in o ma ion o p edic u u e ends and ma ke oppo uni ies (Ta a da & Q un leh, 2017).
Hence, he g owing complexi y o DEs (Yablonsky, 2018) na u ally esul s om en i onmen s ha
in ol e digi al s a egies and echnologies (Pa k & Mi has, 2020). IS s a egy enables companies o
le e age hei o ganiza ional pe o mance h ough he iden i ica ion o demand o business
applica ions and planning, de eloping and p o iding hese IS applica ions o mee hese demands
(D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). Fu he , i is cha ac e ized by he explo a ion o inno a i e solu ions
and new ope a ions while exploi a ion is looking o esou ces and capabili ies h ough collabo a ion
and communica ion ha can be bene icial o eaching he o ganiza ion’s business objec i es
(Ma abelli & Gallie s, 2017). Mo eo e , o ganiza ional pe o mance is also le e aged by aking IT in o
conside a ion since IS applica ions a e based on an e icien IT in as uc u e in combina ion wi h IS
capabili ies which p o ides a s ong and inno a i e backbone o he success o an o ganiza ion
(Aydine e al., 2019). SISP ocuses on he ole o applica ions in con ex o a b oade IS and IT s a egy
in o de o p o ide a guided app oach on o e coming challenges such as con lic s ela ed o
complexi ies o IS and o imp o e he o ganiza ion’s pe o mance and compe i i e ad an ages h ough
a s ong IS s a egy on a long- e m base (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). Fu he , SISP can enhance
s a egical planning by an icipa ing and o e coming en i onmen al changes h ough agili y (Ma abelli
& Gallie s, 2017) as he en i onmen becomes mo e unp edic able and compe i i e ad an ages a e
achie ed ha de o achie e (Al-Amma y e al., 2019). The e o e, in eg a ing DE s a egy in o SISP,
suppo s s aying compe i i e (Adne , 2017) by s eng hening he pu pose and usage o IS in he
o ganiza ion’s s a egic planning h ough oppo uni ies ha DE can p o ide (D echsle & Weißschädel,
2018).
Due o he ac ha many execu i es lack in hei knowledge on IT solu ions, he phase o assessing
he o ganiza ional en i onmen needs o be e-assessed in a new SISP app oach while p o ide
guidelines on explo ing and exploi ing gi en oppo uni ies ha DE ha bo (Kama io ou & Ki sios,
2019a). Mo eo e , o ganiza ion need o be awa e o he ac ha in eg a ing a DE s a egy will no
always be able o enhance o ganiza ional pe o mance since a dynamic and unp edic able
en i onmen ha bo as many isks as oppo uni ies gi en (Liang e al., 2017). Thus, IS s a egy o he
business s a egy is no always showing immedia e ou comes (Hoch & B ad, 2021).
2.2.2. C ea ion o an In o ma ion Sys ems Plan
As he ex e nal en i onmen o an o ganiza ion has changed h oughou he yea s, exis ing
me hodologies need o be modi ied in o de o e lec he eali y (Al-Amma y e al., 2019). When
building an SIS plan, he equi emen o a high-le el pe spec i e needs o be aken in o conside a ion
27
as he plan is going o be execu ed om he managemen and needs o be unde s andable o all
s akeholde (Cho eh & Goni, 2017). The in eg a ion o DEs in o he SISP can only be success ul when
he mo i a ion and he ac i i ies ela ed o he DE a e aligned o he expec a ions o all pa icipan s
wi hin he ecosys em (Adne , 2017). This again is connec ed o he ac ha s akeholde is mo e likely
o esis since hey a e a aid o he changes ha new app oaches migh b ing. Especially ega ding
he oppo uni ies o DE, i migh seem as i he pe sonnel will need o deal wi h unknown pa ne s ha
b ing in new solu ions and hus, migh equi e new o e en ex ended knowledge and capabili ies. A
his poin , i is especially impo an o he op managemen o encou age he owne s o he s a egy
implemen a ion (Ma abelli & Gallie s, 2017). In o de o ensu e ha managemen commi men and
in ol emen , necessa y s eps need o be moni o ed and ollowed on all le els while a he same ime,
es ablish an o e all unde s anding o he DE alue ac oss he o ganiza ion (Hoch & B ad, 2021).
Collabo a ion ac oss he company may o e come he limi a ions o a single pe son’s c ea i i y and
he e o e p o ides space o a b oade scope o solu ions and inno a i e hinking (Allen e al., 2017).
A his poin , os e ing a sha ed knowledge among indus y insigh s is c i ical o achie ing compe i i e
ad an ages among all s akeholde s and ensu e he a ailabili y o IT compe ence in a o o success ully
implemen he business s a egy (Hoch & B ad, 2021; Zhou e al., 2018). The esul ing ac ion plan shall
help he managemen o easily unde s and how in e media e and long- e m objec i es e ol e om
s a egic planning and how hey can be success ully implemen ed (Jääskeläinen & Luukkanen, 2017).
Sou ce: Adap ed om Bowman e al. (1983)
Figu e 2.3: Th ee S age model o MIS planning
28
Bowman e al. (1983) de eloped he Th ee S age Model which app oaches he planning o IS o
s a egic pu poses. His amewo k (Fig. 2.3) consis s o h ee s ages and includes he s a egic planning
which includes he alignmen o he o ganiza ion’s business and s a egy wi h he IS objec i es, he
analysis o he in o ma ion equi emen s o de elop he in o ma ion a chi ec u e and he s age o
esou ce alloca ion whe e a plan o he coo dina ion o IS and ope a ional esou ces such as pe sonnel
and inancials is de eloped (Bowman e al., 1983). By he ime, his model has de eloped in o di e en
app oaches o which some con ain mo e han h ee s ages. The SISP planning by (Kama io ou & Ki sios,
2019b) o ins ance, con ains he phases o awa eness, analysis o he si ua ion, he concep ion,
o mula ion and ends wi h he implemen a ion o i . O he app oaches emphasize he impo ance o
exploi a ion and conside hem a sepa a e s age (Peppa d & Wa d, 2004). Despi e he di e en
numbe s o s ages o he di e en app oaches on he SISP, all o hem con ain he same high-le el
s uc u e which is he planning based on he o ganiza ion’s mission and objec i es, he de elopmen
o an IS s a egy and he inal s age o s a egy concep ion whe e esou ce alloca ion, inancial planning
and a gene al ac ion plan will be de ined. A i s co e, e e y SISP app oach is mind ul o es ablishing an
o e all unde s anding o he mission and i s objec i es by unde s anding how alue can be c ea ed
h ough IS and IT (Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018).
In mos SISP amewo ks, he i s s age s a s wi h he planning o he o e all business s a egy and
i s objec i es. In ega d o he model o Wa d and Peppa d (2004) ha s age also includes ini ial
assump ions on he IS s a egy by assessing di e en echnologies, in o ma ion managemen concep s
as well as c i e ia de ini ion. Howe e , o ganiza ions need o conside ha i is no enough o solely
apply a amewo k o he o ganiza ion, bu also o ind ou which exis ing s a egy elemen s o he
o ganiza ion can be applied in o he amewo k (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). In addi ion, i is
impo an o es ablish awa eness on he IS s a egy ac oss he o ganiza ion and encou age he
o ganiza ion o explo e oppo uni ies a his s age (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). Tha awa eness
can be suppo ed by ensu ing managemen commi men and (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019b). Thus, one
o he majo ac i i ies in his s age is o unde s and wha gaps exis and how o ensu e alignmen wi h
pa ne s, ac i i ies such as alloca ing esou ces and s a egies o mi iga e isks ha come wi h co-
inno a ing and in eg a ion o ex e nal solu ions (Adne , 2017). In o de o iden i y gaps, o ganiza ions
need o assess hei ex e nal and in e nal en i onmen by app oaching exis ing business and
in o ma ion sys ems among o he a eas (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019b). The e o e, esul ing ou pu s
o his s age a e s a egic objec i es and i s assump ions on he IS s a egy ha is going o be
conduc ed wi hin a p e-de ined ame o policies (Bowman e al., 1983).
29
Based on he Th ee S age Model, he second s age p oposes he assessmen o he o ganiza ion’s
in o ma ion needs. Mo eo e , an in o ma ion a chi ec u e shall be de eloped in o de o suppo
decision-making and u he o ganiza ional ac i i ies (Bowman e al., 1983). As analyzing in o ma ion
equi emen s includes aspec s o in o ma ion managemen (IM), IS and IT, his s age includes a
ho ough analysis o : In o ma ion managemen s a egy ha de e mines he esou ces such as
pe sonnel, ools and p ocesses, he IT s a egy ha co e s he o ganiza ion’s echnological
in as uc u e and he co esponding ope a ions and he IS s a egy which ocuses on he in eg a ion,
change, ope a ion and main enance o IS applica ions o suppo he achie emen o he o ganiza ion’s
business objec i es (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). The app oach on a ailable IS can suppo he
o ganiza ion in achie ing de ined business objec i es by assessing in o ma ion equi emen s and
oppo uni ies o c ea ing aluable p oduc s and se ices (Peppa d & Wa d, 2004) whe eas app oaching
he In o ma ion Managemen s a egy is ocusing on in o ma ion ha may be o use o he
o ganiza ion o an ini ial planning o he da a a chi ec u e and managemen . Due o he ma u i y o
he o ganiza ion’s echnologies, equen in o ma ion e ie al on he cu en IT in as uc u e and IS
p ocesses is c i ical o suppo he alignmen be ween he IS and IT s a egy (D echsle & Weißschädel,
2018). Fu he mo e, he assessmen o he IT s a egy suppo s he es ablishmen o an IT a chi ec u e
and p omo es he unde s anding o di e en echnologies in o de o app oach an ini ial sou cing
s a egy (Peppa d & Wa d, 2004). This s age is o pa icula impo ance as an incompa ibili y be ween
he o ganiza ion’s exis ing IS applica ions and he complemen o ’s IS applica ions as well as di e ences
in in e ace s anda ds can cause he IS s a egy o ail (Ta a da & Q un leh, 2017). By an ex ended
analysis o he IT, clea ly de ined objec i es a e es ablished ha ake iden i ied oppo uni ies in o
conside a ion ha esul in he de ini ion o a a ge IT a chi ec u es as well as he de ini ion o he
p ojec scope ha include a ge business p ocesses (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019b). As de ined
objec i es and s a egies mus be moni o ed and acked, KPIs need o be de ined. This s ep suppo s
he ealiza ion o he aspi ed bene i s and helps he o ganiza ion in inancial assessmen s when
e alua ing he IS in es men s a la e s ages o he s a egy app oach (Peppa d & Wa d, 2004). When
he IS s a egy has been es ablished, i s s eps o he implemen a ion o he s a egy need o be
de ined. These s eps include eco e y and con ingency planning in case o ailu e as well as moni o ing
p ocesses o s a egy implemen a ion and compliance o he de ined policies (Peppa d & Wa d,
2004).
The las s age o SISP is he s age o esou ce alloca ion ha is gi ing guidance on he de elopmen o
an ac ion plan which includes he p ocu emen o equipmen such as ha d- and so wa e, da a, physical
equi emen s, inancial planning and he alloca ion o human esou ces (Bowman e al., 1983).
Resou ces in his case a e capabili ies ela ed o he IS in as uc u e and adminis a i e capabili ies in
30
o de o exploi gi en IS oppo uni ies (Aydine e al., 2019). The planning o pe sonnel is one o he
majo ac i i ies in his s age as he size o he pe sonnel pool in luences he o ganiza ion’s abili y o
being able o pe o m managemen asks and app oaching mo e elabo a e business p ocesses
(D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). In addi ion, hi ing human esou ces equi es ho ough e alua ion o
skills and p o essional unde s anding o IS o ensu e su icien compe encies o p oblem-sol ing and
o encou age an independen wo king a i ude and sel -con iden ac ions in eac ion o sudden
changes o he en i onmen (Aydine e al., 2019). Summa ized and conc e e ac ions a e going o be
de ined in an ac ion plan which con ains ac i i ies o be conduc ed in o de o implemen he SISP
(Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019b). The ac ion plan comp ises i ems in ega d o con ac ing o pa ne s
and endo s, bill o ma e ials o ha dwa e p ocu emen , inancial models and documen a ions on
aining o pe sonnel de elopmen (Peppa d & Wa d, 2004).
The assessmen o SISP always needs o conside he ac ha di e en companies will no use IS in
he same way and he e o e he o e all pe o mance is dependen on mul iple ac o s such as da a
inpu o da a analy ics ou pu (Yoshikuni & Albe in, 2018). In o e all, he IS plan is aiming o he
ans o ma ion o he company owa ds a mo e e ec i e and aligned business by app oaching an IS
pe spec i e and equi es he es ablishmen o a be e p io i iza ion while ocusing on communica ion
and p ojec managemen asks in o de o ensu e ull commi men and sha ed esponsibili y o he
op managemen decision make s (Rod íguez e al., 2019). Fu he esea ch and ex ension o SISP
esea ch equi e he awa eness o new ela ionships and eme ging a e ac s in he a ea o IS (Moeini
e al., 2020). The e o e, he in eg a ion o DE in o he SISP wi hin he scope o he esea ch ques ion
is an impo an app oach o de elop inno a i e a i ac s by e alua ing he ela ionship be ween
ecosys ems and SISP. Ex e nal unce ain ies and isks ha a ise om he dynamic en i onmen
nowadays can be educed h ough he use o IS s a egy ha ake ad an age o he po en ials o
p edic ion and he inc easing willingness o sha ing and communica ing in o ma ion (Kama io ou &
Ki sios, 2019a). Despi e he di e ences o s a egic planning and DE s a egy, hei combina ion can
unleash hidden po en ial o le e aging he o ganiza ional pe o mance (Adne , 2017).
In conclusion, he li e a u e e iew has shown ha o success ully in eg a e he DE s a egy in o he
o ganiza ion’s SISP, i is impo an o unde s and which p ocesses a e co e ed by which s age o he
SISP. SISP can suppo o ganiza ions in he in eg a ion o IT- ela ed capabili ies and esou ces om DE
in a s uc u ed way while enabling a anspa en digi al ans o ma ion o he o ganiza ion, guided by
an IS s a egy plan (D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018).
31
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1. DESIGN SCIENCE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
As exis ing amewo ks canno ully ep esen and be applied o any kind o DE a chi ec u e (Anwa &
Gill, 2019), he need o ex ending hese amewo ks by inno a i e design a i ac s is eme ging. The
objec i e o his esea ch is he p oposal o a DE model o he in eg a ion in o an ISP which is ex ended
by newly c ea ed a i ac s ha esul om a deep s udy o he e olu ion o DEs and p ocedu es o he
de elopmen o an ISP h ough he u iliza ion o he DSR me hodology. Fo ha , exis ing esea ch om
a eas whe e u he esea ch is equi ed in o de o deal wi h unique aspec s o DE and he e o e,
p omo e knowledge ex ension in ha ield (Senyo e al., 2019). O he esea che s also app oached he
e alua ion o ques ions dealing wi h he ansla ion o insigh s on digi al pla o ms in o ecommended
ac ions wi h he me hod o DSR (De Reu e e al., 2018). Design Science aims o de elop cons uc s,
models, me hods and implemen a ions ha a e es ed on alue and u ili y c i e ia speci ic o i s
en i onmen in o de o e alua e i s unc ionali y and abili y on imp o ing p ocesses o sol ing a
ce ain p oblem (He ne e al., 2004). The di e ence o o he esea ch pa adigms is he design and
de elopmen o design a i ac s ha a e going o be e alua ed on aluable con ibu ions as well as
possible d awbacks (Venable e al., 2016). IS a i ac s can be any hing om decision modeling ools,
ways o e alua ing IS o change in e en ions o IS o ins ance (G ego & He ne , 2013). Impo an ly
o he p esen ed esea ch is he e alua ion o he digi al a i ac s h ough eedback om he use s in
o de o assu e he easibili y o he a i ac o be inno a ed (Isckia e al., 2018). The esul ing a i ac s
will enable knowledge o become mo e abs ac , so i can be applied o o he con ex s which is
p omo ing he alidi y o u he esea ch (G ego & He ne , 2013). Hence, he objec i e o his s udy
is he ex ension o exis ing knowledge by designing a i ac s and o he gene aliza ion o a ising
knowledge om he li e a u e e iew ha was conduc ed in he con ex o he DSR (Baske ille e al.,
2018).
32
Sou ce: Adap ed om G ego & He ne (2013)
Figu e 3.1: DSR Knowledge Con ibu ion F amewo k
The esea ch o be conduc ed can be classi ied as an imp o emen because he esea ch aims o he
c ea ion o an e icien business planning ega ding he in eg a ion o he DEA o an o ganiza ion’s IS.
By unde s anding wha elemen s mus be conside ed o he in eg a ion o DEs, a i ac s a e buil o
suppo he in eg a ion o DEs. The DSR Cycle includes h ee esea ch cycles ha need o be
con empo a y o a DSR and es a i ac ha se e as p o o ype solu ions (He ne , 2007).
33
Sou ce: Adap ed om He ne (2007)
Figu e 3.2: Modi ied DSR Cycle o DE esea ch
The ele ance cycle pu s he conduc ed esea ch in alignmen wi h he con ex ual en i onmen . The
con ex ual en i onmen ega ding he ield o DE can be o ganiza ions, he indi iduals o he
o ganiza ions such as execu i es and manage s as well as cus ome s o ins ance. The en i onmen
also includes o ganiza ional and echnical sys ems which can be managemen sys ems and in o ma ion
sys ems o ins ance. The iew on he en i onmen also conside s h ea s and isks ha i may ha bo
o o ganiza ions bu oppo uni ies as well. Oppo uni ies will be iden i ied by se ing objec i es o
he esea ch. (He ne , 2007)
The igo cycle deals wi h he knowledge base and ocuses on he a eas o ounda ions and me a-
a i ac s. Fo he ounda ion a solid knowledge base is o c i ical impo ance ha can be e ie ed om
a li e a u e e iew o ins ance while me a-a i ac s a e encou aging designing p oduc s and p ocesses
(He ne , 2007). Fo his pa , exis ing li e a u e on he concep s o ecosys ems and DE p o ide pa ial
insigh s (De Reu e e al., 2018) and p o ide an ini ial s a ing poin o he de elopmen o design
a i ac s. Unde he assump ion ha a pa ial unde s anding on he ounda ions o he esea ch
ques ions is gi en, i is c i ical ha his in o ma ion need o be pu in o an app op ia e con ex .
34
The design cycle desc ibes he p ocess o con inuous i e a ion by app oaching he de elopmen o
ini ial design a i ac s. These a i ac s a e based on he p eceding li e a u e e iew and shall p o ide
u ili y. The esul ing le el o u ili y is measu ed by an e alua ion o he a i ac by he conduc ing expe
in e iews. The e alua ion and cons uc ion o new p o o ypes based on he eedback will be epea ed
un il he a i ac will p o ide u ili y and alue. Rega ding he gi en esea ch, he DE in eg a ion
amewo k needs o p o e i s u ili y and alue.
Sou ce: Adap ed om Pe e s e al. (2007)
Figu e 3.3: DSR P ocess Model
The o e all s eps o app oaching he DSR me hod can be illus a ed as gi en by Figu e 3.3. The DSR
P ocess model (Pe e s e al., 2007) consis s six s ages. In he i s s age, he o ganiza ion needs o
iden i y a p oblem and jus i y i s impo ance while app oaching an ini ial solu ion. In o de o ealize
he solu ion, objec i es ha e o be es ablished o de ine he a ge and make he goal mo e conc e e.
The design o he a i ac equi es he de ini ion o he a i ac ’s unc ionali y which needs o be p o ed
in he s age o demons a ion. I he u ili y and alue o he design a i ac ha e been discussed, he
esul s a e e alua ed and measu ed on he a i ac ’s abili y alue and u ili y o he de ined p oblem
s a emen . The DSR p ocess model is inalized when he p oblem has been communica ed along wi h
i s impo ance and was add essed wi h a espec i e design a i ac .
P oblem Iden i ica ion
Objec i es
Design & De elopmen
Demons a ion
E alua ion
Communica ion
De ini ion o p oblem & Jus i ica ion o i s
alue
De ine objec i es esul ing om he p oblem
De ine unc ionali y & a chi ec u e o a i ac
P o e he e icacy o he a i ac
Compa e objec i es o ac ual esul s
Communica e he p oblem & i s impo ance
C ea ion o a i ac ual
solu ion
Measu e suppo o p oblem h ough
a i ac
41
Sou ce: Own illus a ion adop ed om Bowman e al. (1983)
Figu e 4.1: DE In eg a ion F amewo k o SISP
The SISP amewo k o DE in eg a ion is gi ing a high-le el o e iew on he mac o ac i i ies ha a e
conduc ed when planning a s a egy o he in eg a ion o DE in o SISP. These mac o ac i i ies a e
complemen ed by majo mic o ac i i ies on he igh pa o he amewo k. In his case, he Th ee
S age MIS model (Bowman e al., 1983) was adap ed and modi ied as i is cha ac e ized by a simple
and uni e sally alid model. Kama io ou and Ki sios (2018) classi y he SISP p ocess in o i e s ages o
pu a s onge ocus on he awa eness, analysis, and de ini ion o he IT en i onmen o p omo e
co ec assessmen o he en i onmen and ensu e ealis ic and app oachable goals and de ine he
s ages o : s a egic planning, s a egic awa eness, si ua ion analysis, s a egy concep ion and s a egy
o mula ion. Compa ing he i e s ages (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019a) o he Th ee S age model
42
(Bowman e al., 1983), i can be seen ha he i e s ages do no signi ican ly di e om he h ee
s ages model. In o de o he h ee-s age model we e adop ed oge he wi h app oaches o
Kama io ou and Ki sios (2018) as well as Wa d and Peppa d (2004) in o de o e lec p og ess in
esea ch ha has been made he ollowing yea s a e he i s app oaches on IT s a egy. As he i e
s ages model highligh s he impo ance o aising awa eness, i will be conside ed o he amewo k
o be designed in o de o add ess he lack o awa eness on he managemen le el (Ko honen & Halen,
2017). Conside a ions o he amewo k need o mee he equi emen s o uni e sali y in o de o be
applied o di e en indus ies as well as eusabili y o enable he euse o de eloped componen s o
u u e esea ch and e-modelling and a ce ain deg ee o abs ac ion o suppo ex ensibili y o
enabling he in eg a ion o componen s ha migh e ol e in he u u e in o de o ex end he
amewo k and e iciency o p omo e a easible implemen a ion o he o e all amewo k in o he
o ganiza ion (Cio oaica e al., 2019).
1. S a egic Planning & Awa eness
Figu e 4.2: S a egic Planning & Awa eness
The amewo k o he in eg a ion o DE in o he SISP o an o ganiza ion begins wi h he i s s age o
s a egic planning and awa eness. In his s age, he commi men o he o ganiza ion’s execu i es
needs o be e ie ed i s (Rod íguez e al., 2019). In o de o do ha , a RACI ma ix (Appendix 1) can
suppo he es ablishmen o commi men among he s akeholde s o he p ojec by ensu ing acking
43
and moni o ing o he ac i i ies o be conduc ed (Hoch & B ad, 2021). As he op managemen ends
o pu a s onge ocus on he phase o s a egic planning, i is impo an o main ain a balanced
commi men o all ac o s as o e commi men and unde commi men can c ea e p oblems ela ed o
delays, ine iciency as well as complexi y (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019b). Mo eo e , awa eness on he
impo ance o a hough ul s a egy needs o be aised ac oss he o ganiza ion o help s akeholde s
unde s and he alue o DE and he IS s a egy and o a oid missing ou on aluable DE oppo uni ies.
Raising awa eness no only leads o success (Luz Ma ín-Peña e al., 2018), bu also helps s akeholde s
o unde s and wha he o ganiza ion is aiming o and hence, os e s alignmen be ween he ac i i ies
wi hin he o ganiza ion. Pas esea ch has c i icized un e lec i e applica ion o amewo ks and
encou ages app oaches on iden i ying a i ac s o he s a egy o apply on he amewo k ins ead
(D echsle & Weißschädel, 2018). A e iden i ying he ac o s o be in ol ed in he s a egic planning,
he de ini ion o he o ganiza ion’s objec i es is equi ed o align he pu pose o he IS and he o e all
IT o hese objec i es and s a egies. Fo his, he o ganiza ion needs o analyze wha objec i es a e
a ge ed and de ine quan i a i e me ics o e alua e he success o hem. A empla e (Appendix 2)
helps o isualize he o e all mission wi h i s esul ing business objec i e, how IS can help achie ing
hese goals and he policy ame including i s assump ions on he IS s a egy. The esul ing
deli e able is no only impo an o he o ganiza ion o cla i y and eco d he o ganiza ion’s mission,
bu also o ensu e a anspa en communica ion o s akeholde s. Once he mission and objec i es ha e
been se , he IS pu pose can be de ined. This empla e p o ides suppo by guiding execu i es on hei
ini ial app oach on de i ing he IS and DE pu pose om de ined objec i es wi hin a de ined ame o
o ganiza ional policies. Based on he ini ial IS app oach om he i s s ep, he IS pu pose can be
de ined. The in e nal and ex e nal en i onmen will be assessed as he hi d s ep, whe e ecosys ems
will be disco e ed o explo a ion and exploi a ion oppo uni ies. This includes IS sys ems,
o ganiza ional sys ems as well as business sys ems (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019b). The e alua ion o
exis ing ecosys ems can help he o ganiza ion o unde s and and be awa e o gaps ha can be
add essed in addi ion o he de ined objec i es and p o ides insigh s abou whe e he company is
s anding igh now ega ding hei capabili ies, esou ces and bo lenecks, so ini ial assump ions can
be d awn o igu e ou complemen a i ies ha can close exis ing gaps and suppo he o ganiza ion in
eaching hei business objec i es (Koh amäki e al., 2019). A empla e on he e alua ion on companies
wi hin an ecosys em (Appendix 3) can suppo his ac i i y by lis ing companies wi h hei ma ke sha e
and hei key compe i i e ad an ages along wi h he IS oppo uni ies. To e alua e he o ganiza ion’s
compe i i eness, a SWOT amewo k (Appendix 4) can assess s eng hs, weaknesses, oppo uni ies,
and h ea s while a Business Model Can as (Appendix 5) highligh s key ac i i ies o ecosys em
pa icipan s.
44
Figu e 4.3: Visualiza ion o i s s age o S a egic Planning
The DE oppo uni ies can be assessed wi h he suppo o Figu e 4.3 ha is also gi en as a empla e
(Appendix 6). This igu e is a esul o he a i ac de elopmen h ough he li e a u e esea ch and
connec s di e en DE a i ac s wi h espec i e SISP s ages. Acco ding o he modi ied SISP model, he
ec angles wi h he e m alue e e o he se objec i es a he beginning o he s a egic planning.
Since an o ganiza ion has mul iple objec i es, illus a ed as alues in his amewo k, di e en DEs
need o be joined ha se e he pu pose o each one o he many objec i es o an o ganiza ion. As
DEs a e no limi ed o a single pla o m and hence, can ha e se e al pla o ms (Senyo e al., 2019), he
o ganiza ion needs o e alua e he a ge ed DEs wi h hei espec i e digi al pla o ms o assess he
po en ial o he ecosys ems o suppo ing he o ganiza ion’s s a egy. Fu he mo e, he o ganiza ion
needs o ind ou , which ole i wan s o ake wi hin hese ecosys ems. In o de o do his, a ques ion
ca alogue can suppo execu i es o app oach hei DE s a egy.
45
Sou ce: Adap ed om Jacobides (2019)
Table 4.2: DE Ques ion Ca alogue
The analysis o DE oppo uni ies is suppo ed by a ques ion ca alogue (Table 3.4) whe e guiding
ques ions can suppo he managemen in unde s anding c i ical componen s o a DE s a egy. These
ques ions a e helping o ganiza ions o unde s and, i he DE’s equi emen s ma ch he o ganiza ion’s
s anda ds o ensu e ull compliance be ween bo h pa ies (Jacobides e al., 2018). Mo eo e , he
ques ion ca alogue p o ides eal guidance by making he concep ual amewo k (Figu e 4.1) mo e
conc e e by ques ions o be answe ed and hink abou .
46
Figu e 4.4 - DE Risk Py amid
In addi ion o he DE ques ion ca alogue, a isk py amid (Figu e 4.4) ela ed o d awbacks o DE is gi en.
Such isks could be he deg ee o pa ne ’s willingness o conduc ce ain ac i i ies ha a e expec ed
wi hin he a ge ed s a egic pa ne ship (Adne , 2017). This py amid is a c i ical componen o he
amewo k since i p o ides anspa ency abou he in eg a ion o ecosys ems and no solely highligh s
he bene i s. In o de o aise awa eness on possible d awbacks when in eg a ing DEs, he
managemen will be p o ided wi h isks ha a e ela ed o ecosys ems and can he e o e p epa e
espec i e eco e y and con ingency plans ha may educe damages. Mo eo e , his con ibu es o
he educ ion o unexpec ed ailu e o DE s a egies since he managemen we e no awa e o nega i e
impac s. An addi ional empla e (Appendix 7) on he isk assessmen will isualize wha h ea s
o ganiza ions a e acing and wha oppo uni ies DE can p o ide o ackle hem. Consequen ly, he isks
can be weighed agains po en ial bene i s o e alua e i i is wo h o an o ganiza ion o app oach he
DE in eg a ion. Thus, his amewo k p omo es a neu al a i ude owa ds he DE in eg a ion app oach
as i highligh s bo h, bene i s as well as d awbacks in he same manne .
No con ol o e
ex e nal esou ces
Ac i i ies limi ed o
p e-de ined
ag eemen s
Exploi a ion o sha ed
in o ma ion/ esou ces
Up on
in es men s
Lock-in due o
low compa ibili y
o complemen s
W ong
expec a ions o
alue
C ea ed alue is
sha ed
Suppo o pa ne s
no gua an eed
Uncon olled
g ow h
Access / esou ce
openness
47
Figu e 4.5: DE S a egy Awa eness Model
Besides o he ques ion ca alogue on DE (Jacobides, 2019), Figu e 4.5 isualizes u he poin s ha
need o be aken in o conside a ion o he DE s a egy planning. S a ing wi h he pu pose o he DE,
he o ganiza ion needs o unde s and, ha hey assess DEs consis o a p oduc i e DE which a ge s
he expansion o he o ganiza ion’s exis ing alue chain and a consump i e DE ha is looking o
inno a i e echnological solu ions o c ea e inno a i e alue. To aise awa eness on his pa icula
cha ac e is ic, he o ganiza ion is p o ided wi h a empla e (Appendix 8) whe e execu i es can ill-in
hei expec a ions owa ds he ecosys em and assess he expec ed ecosys em ne wo k size. The las
pa o he empla e shall suppo he managemen in hei decision o joining a DE due o he bene i s
o ha ing access o s a egic pa ne ships whe e a la ge use base can p o ide he o ganiza ion wi h a
wide- eaching knowledge base o i he o ganiza ion is looking o collabo a ion a angemen s o he
pu pose o alue c ea ion. The second pa o he DE S a egy Awa eness Model is he assessmen on
48
he le el o eedom and he le el o modula i y o an ecosys em. A empla e o he DE Openness
Le el is p o ided (Appendix 9) guide he managemen in hei decision-making on he ype o
ecosys em o be joined. Ecosys ems can be classi ied in o open, managed and closed (Jacobides, 2019)
which di e in he le el o eedom. While es ic ions o en e ing a closed ecosys em a e mo e
complex due o compliance con ol and app o al p ocesses, an open ecosys em is easie o join due
o i s equi emen s o mee ing p e-de ined s anda ds only. The e o e, o ganiza ions mus obey he
policies o he ecosys em, bu can decide on he le el o eedom o an ecosys em ha may limi
o ganiza ional ope a ions. The hi d componen o he DE S a egy Awa eness model includes he
assessmen o he o ganiza ion’s capabili ies and esou ces. As he s a egic pu pose o ecosys em is
he es ablishmen o collabo a ion pa ne ships, o ganiza ions need o be a ac i e o ecosys em
pa ne s as well. This could be suppo ed by a unique se ice o p oduc o e ings. The e o e, a
empla e on complemen a i y assessmen (Appendix 10) is gi en which helps he managemen o
e alua e hei exis ing IS capabili ies and esou ces. The e alua ion o complemen a i ies o o e o
he ecosys em is a c i ical p ocess since he classi ica ion o IS esou ces and IS capabili ies in o
supe modula and unique is c ucial o he DE s a egy. As supe modula complemen a i ies o
ins ance can adap o many o he componen s wi hou signi ican modi ica ion, hey p o ide a lowe
deg ee o alue p oposi ion as hey a e easy o eplace (Kapoo , 2018). On he con a y, unique
complemen a i ies o e a highe deg ee o alue p oposi ion as hey canno be adap ed easily as
speci ic modi ica ions a e equi ed. Hence, based on he classi ica ion o esou ces and capabili ies,
ega dless o whe he hey a e owned o no , o ganiza ions can de i e majo implica ions o hei
s a egy. This is due o he ac ha when assessing an ecosys em, he con o mi y o he o ganiza ion’s
alues and he u ili y be ween esou ces and capabili ies mus be gi en (Jacobides e al., 2018).
The e o e, his assessmen is impo an o all pa ies in a DE. The S a egic Planning concludes he
p eceding ac i i ies by se ing policies as a amewo k o o ganiza ional ac i i ies, de ining objec i es
while de i ing IS and DE pu pose om i o an ini ial IS s a egy app oach. Howe e , i mus be no ed
ha his s age does no end wi h he comple ion o his ac i i y since he iden i ica ion o
o ganiza ional objec i es and he assessmen o he in o ma ion equi emen s a e dependen on each
o he due o in o ma ion equi emen s changing wi h di e en alues and goals. Mo eo e , a gap
analysis cycle isualizes he impo ance o a equen assessmen o he en i onmen ha will lead o
equen changes in he IS s a egy and enhances he alue o DE in eg a ion since ecosys em change
equen ly as well and de elop wi h he o ganiza ion’s en i onmen . Consequen ly, he gap analysis
cycle adds a lexible and agile componen o he amewo k.
49
2. IS S a egy Concep ion
The second s age o SISP is he IS S a egy Concep ion which includes he c i ical ac i i ies o assessing
he in o ma ion equi emen s and needs as well as he c ea ion o an IS de elopmen plan. These
ac i i ies a e suppo ed by a majo ocus on app oaching c i ical componen s ela ed o IT, IM and IS.
Figu e 4.6: DE S a egy Concep ion
Fo his s ep, he o ganiza ion needs o assess he in o ma ion needs in o de o suppo o ganiza ional
ope a ions wi h hese in o ma ion (Bowman e al., 1983) and de elop an in o ma ion a chi ec u e. In
o de o app oach he o ganiza ion’s in o ma ion equi emen s ha can help execu i es o make well-
conside ed and well- ounded decisions, he second s age o he Th ee S age Model (Bowman e al.,
1983) highligh s he impo ance o e alua ing he o ganiza ion’s in o ma ion demands. The
assessmen o hese in o ma ion on a high-le el is su icien o his pu pose. Based on he iden i ied
gaps wi hin he o ganiza ion ha needs o be ackled by hei SISP, ce ain in o ma ion gaps become
appa en . I is c i ical o iden i y hese in o ma ion and app oach DE oppo uni ies ha can help
o ganiza ions o e ie e he equi ed da a and in o ma ion. The e o e, a empla e (Appendix 11)
p o ides suppo in isualizing he in o ma ion needs and he espec i e DE ha may p o ide he
equi ed in o ma ion.
50
Sou ce: Adap ed om Zu shi & G ilo (2019)
Figu e 4.7: DE Oppo uni ies om Digi al Pla o ms
Mo eo e , as a esul om he li e a u e e iew, a empla e was de eloped ha illus a es he
di e en laye s o a digi al pla o m. This isualiza ion may suppo execu i es in hei s a egic
exploi a ion o DE oppo uni ies ela ed o in o ma ion e ie al. Fo he de elopmen o Figu e 4.7,
he digi al pla o m laye s (Zu shi & G ilo, 2019) we e adap ed and complemen ed by guiding ques ions
ela ed o oppo uni ies o in o ma ion e ie al while conside ing DEs. As execu i es o en lack
echnical unde s anding, his model no only p o ides a high-le el unde s anding on he a chi ec u e
o digi al pla o ms bu also p o ide he managemen a isual suppo in easily unde s anding which
laye s need o be ackled o assess speci ic in o ma ion.
57
o ganiza ion’s pu pose. The amewo k is conside ed o be use ul since he e is a need o u he
esea ch on he in o ma ion planning side wi h ega d o he esea ch opic o ecosys ems ha is
acknowledged by Expe 1 and Expe 3 who sees alue in he amewo k due o he ac , ha o en
imes, execu i es end o simply in eg a e echnical solu ions and hus, was e esou ces and money.
Also, his migh be a eason o inc easing us a ion among employees since exis ing IS capabili ies
a e no su icien in o de o unde s and and manage hese IS applica ions. This esul s in he
impo ance o he amewo k ha ac i ely highligh s he ac i i y o a gap analysis in o de o elimina e
obs acles ha p e en he achie emen o he o ganiza ion’s objec i es. Fu he mo e, Expe 1
highligh s he impo ance o conside ing he IS li ecycle as i is essen ial o illus a e he dynamics
wi hin he o ganiza ions. As digi al echnologies will “phase ou ” a some poin o hei li ecycle, he
gene al IS a chi ec u e needs o be agile which is p o ided by equen e iew cycles ha a e
in eg a ed in o he amewo k. This emphasizes he ac ha he op managemen now ha e o deal
mo e wi h he opic o modula i y ha comes wi h ecosys ems as hese consciously deal wi h lexible
and in e changeable business pa ne ships. Mo eo e , Expe 1 poin s ou he impo ance o no only
in eg a ing he DE in o he s a egy planning bu make di e en applica ions wo k oge he which is
one o he majo challenges in building a DE s a egy as o ganiza ions usually in eg a e mul iple
solu ions and he e o e ac in mul iple ecosys ems and hei co esponding pla o ms. This assump ion
ad oca es he es ablished empla es ha a e ocusing on he compa ison o di e en IS applica ions
and hei align wi h ega d o ma ching in e aces. As Expe 2 also poin s ou ha e e y business is
di e en , he amewo k’s assump ion on he ac , ha o ganiza ions need o e alua e di e en
ecosys em in o de o iden i y hese ha ma ch wi h hei mission and objec i es he bes , is alida ed.
I can be assumed ha execu i es migh e en deal wi h hei o ganiza ion’s alues e en mo e in ensely
since he iden i ica ion o ma ching DE equi es ho ough analysis.
Ques ion 2: Do you ha e any ques ion c i icism owa ds he p oposed amewo k and i yes, why?
E1: I would say ha i jus as I old you, i 's e y ha d o li e in he single ecosys em. In ac , you can
say all my s u will be on Amazon cloud, bu you will ha e some depa men s. I don' know how, bu
hey will ha e hei hings in ano he di e en cloud. And i 's no a op-down hing. I 's jus he way
hings e ol e. And some imes people ha e o sea ch o solu ions. And ime is always a cons ain , i
you ha e some hing ha wo ks, you will use ha . And I ha e been e y connec ed o he educa ion
sec o and o he heal h sec o . And hese a e places whe e hings ha a e e y op down, you know,
in he in he hospi al, i 's e y op down. Bu hen you ind many excep ions, om doc o s, om
uni e si y p o esso s, o esea che s, because hey a e e y dependen on hei p o ession so ha hey
58
don' always ollow he company ules. And om an in o ma ion and om a sys em, In o ma ion
Sys ems planning. Usually, hose a en' hings ha a e aken in o accoun in he shadow. I I ha e any
c i icism owa ds you amewo k, i 's no a g ea c i icism. I 's jus i 's e y ocused on one ecosys em,
which is good, I hink you should esea ch ha . Bu on a b oade pe spec i e, you will no ha e only
one.
E2: I would say a ew hings ha can be added o can be conside ed in his esea ch. Fi s o all, I would
say, o ganiza ional capabili y o adop new echnology o new ecosys em. Fo example, I am a XYZ
company, I ha e 500 esou ces, only 50 sou ces a e e y well equipped o manage. Bu o he business
expansion, I need o adap some ecosys em o some echnology inside he company o in eg a e o
implemen some hing. So, i I don' unde s and my capabili ies on how much I can achie e wi h ha ,
o how o manage all hese hings, i is impo an because b inging new echnology o in oducing new
ecosys em doesn' mean ha you will ge he bene i o e nigh , you will ge he bene i . I you a e
capable o manage o i you ha e a se o a numbe o s a s, who can manage ha hing pe ec ly and
o achie e he undamen al and s a egical ou come om ha p oduc o ha sys em. So, i is
impo an , I guess, you can conside his pa he capabili y o he companies, his is he poin ac ually.
And second hing is ha capabili y will inc ease by some ways, like hi ing people, aining, o
in oducing a new amewo k o new me hodologies. So, ul illing he compliance o main aining a
p ope s uc u e o wo k. So, all o hese hings ac ually gi e he abili y o he company o be
compe i i e and ge mo e compe i i e han o he companies. So in ha way, i ha pa s also include
including he s a egy planning, especially he esou ce hi ing and esou ce alloca ion, i could be mo e
o I can say, e ec i e o implemen o con ol he whole ecosys em, o example, you d i e a
mo o cycle o you ecen ly bough a Fe a i, you can' ge he alue, maybe you can' d i e ha ca ,
maybe you jus o d i e i once o wice o only ha e he manual gea . So, ha would be he poin I
wan ed o ac ually desc ibe. So, he hi d poin is e y impo an . I ha en' seen ha hing, he secu i y
pa . Because when you in oduce any, any ecosys em o some hing o b inging new echnology o
wha e e i is, you ha e o ha e unde s and abou he secu i y i s . Fo example, i you jus b ing he
s a e o ou echnology o you open he doo o he hacke s o someone i will c ea e addi ional hassle
o you, i will g een i can uin you company, he company can be a a inancial loss, and many mo e.
So, I hink ha can be aken a p io i y in a planning. Because i you in oduce an ecosys em, wha could
be he h ea s, maybe hei in en ions a e di e en , maybe hey' e exposing some new doo s o he
hacke s o someone maybe on isk ha p e iously was no exposed o i . So, ha can be ano he poin .
And ou h, I would say he isk assessmen . And wha would be he isks a e he implemen a ion o
he ecosys em, wha would be he new isks, so, de ailed isk assessmen can be done be o e
implemen a ion, because i you a e no awa e o he isk, so, all o a sudden wha would happen?
59
E e y hing will be abolished. So, o any kind o s a egic planning, and e e y hing. Risk ac o
assessmen would be he key, I guess. So a , I hink, in my mind, i comes o me o sha e wi h you wo
ha would be he imp o ing elemen o imp o e ha , ha nice ame o i 's almos pe ec , bu i you
can add some hing, I guess i would be supe cool. When you de ine he business, hings a e business
isk and wha would be he gains and o he hings, bu i 'd be he key esou ces, how hei ac i i ies
and in all he o he pa ame e s one when you wan o see in a single page, i is a pe ec hing,
acco ding o he business aspec . Bu when you jus alk abou he is isk, i 's a di e en hing. You
unde s and, o example, you' e jus assessing he business model. Using he Business Model Can as
o analyzing SWOT is a di e en hing. Bu i you alk abou he pe spec i e, i will be di e en because
i ela es o echnology and he adap abili y, he agili y, and e e y hing associa ed wi h he echnology
o speci ic so wa e. Wha e e i is, I guess hese hings would be nice o add o you amewo k.
E3: No a he momen . I hink i 's simple. I 's simple and ac ually anyone is likely o unde s and i as
you men ion he i s s ep o assessing he objec i es and s a egies and he In o ma ion Sys em
s a egy plan and he esou ce alloca ion ha we eally need. So, i de ini ely can be unde s ood by
anyone, I hink he s uc u e is eally good and would be accep ed by e e yone.
Discussion
On he ques ion o any weaknesses o he p oposed amewo k we e asked by explaining he c i icism
ha a ose owa ds he amewo k. Expe 1 is aising awa eness on o ganiza ion’s pa icipa ion in
mul iple ecosys ems as i is “ha d o li e in a single ecosys em”. Due o mul iple alue p oposi ions and
objec i es, an o ganiza ion canno join a single ecosys em while a ge ing mul iple s a egies
(Jacobides e al., 2018). Acco ding o Expe 1’s indus y expe ise, o ganiza ions usually app oach a
op-down me hodology which indica es ha he managemen indeed ends o pu a s ong ocus on
he s a egic planning. Consequen ly, he ac ha o ganiza ions ocus oo much on planning and could
he e o e neglec he s age o IS analysis and IS implemen a ion (Kama io ou & Ki sios, 2019b).
Howe e , as ime is a c i ical ac o o many o ganiza ions acco ding o Expe 1, ull and ho ough
e alua ions canno always be gua an eed and solu ions ha seem o wo k a e mo e likely o be
adop ed. The e o e, i canno be expec ed o ha e a comple e IS s a egy ha will no unde go
changes. Consequen ly, he e iew cycles be ween he s age o S a egic Fo mula ion and S a egy
Concep ion migh ind consen a his poin . Ano he impo an inding is he ac ha he amewo k
needs o ake he ac in o conside a ion ha no e e y managemen is ond o using a op-down
app oach, which esul s in he need o assessing he di e en s ages in a non-ch onological o de .
Misconcep ions among execu i es a e add essed by Expe 2 who is ag eeing on he ac ha mos
60
manage s expec he bene i s o come wi h he implemen a ion o he IS and IT. Thus, his p oblem
does no seem o be a e in IT s a egy consul ing and indica es ha he dependency be ween IT,
people and business p ocesses is neglec ed a some poin s. A majo poin ha is add essed, is he
missing aspec o secu i y and isk assessmen . This con i ms he indings o he li e a u e esea ch
ha add ess he isk o sha ing in ellec ual p ope y and insigh s wi h o he ecosys em pa icipan s as
o ganiza ions a e no able o con ol he way ha ecosys em pa icipan s will use an o ganiza ion’s
esou ces and capabili ies (Lee e al., 2019). While he aspec o isk assessmen is conside ed wi hin
he i s empla es like in he SWOT analysis as well as in he Business Model Can as, his poin migh
need o be iden i ied mo e clea ly as his is a opic ha is o pa icula impo ance in he con ex o
da a p ocessing which a majo componen o IS applica ions. Fu he , isks need o be assessed in deep
de ail and hus, he assessmen h ough he SWOT and Business Model Can as may no be su icien .
Acco ding o Expe 2, isk assessmen is an impo an s ep o be conduc ed be o e implemen ing he
DE s a egy and he e o e should be included in he s age o S a egic Planning o S a egic Concep ion.
Ne e heless, i mus be aken in o conside a ion ha he addi ion o oo many componen s in o he
amewo k migh cause he loss o easy unde s anding ha was alued by Expe 3. Expe 2 app o es
he las s age o S a egic Fo mula ion which includes he esou ce alloca ion since he ag ees wi h he
ac ha IS capabili ies a e one o he majo componen s ha a e able o exploi esou ces o he ulles
and highligh s he dependency be ween people, business p ocesses and IT.
Ques ion 3: Can he p oposed amewo k help companies o in eg a e digi al ecosys ems? And
please cla i y why o why no ?
E1: Well, I hink mos companies al eady ha e an in eg a ed ecosys em, bu hey migh no be awa e
o ha . And I hink ha ha amewo k, can b ing awa eness o he consequences o hose
in eg a ions. Mos imes. I emembe , hings some imes a e simple han we hink hey a e. And
some imes companies, hey don' ha e o in eg a e he digi al ecosys em, hey jus in eg a e a couple
o solu ions. And mos imes, hey a e no awa e ha he e's a whole ecosys em. They know ha
hey' e no eally awa e o ha . And hey don' e alua e he whole ecosys em. They don' ake all o
ha in o accoun . So, I hink you wo k, i 's, i 's good because he s a ing poin is he ecosys em. And
no only o ha e solu ions ha a e aligned wi h he company's goals and he objec i es. So, I hink
when you do ha you should ake in o accoun whole ecosys em and no jus he solu ions by
hemsel es, igh .
E2: Yes, de ini ely his p oposed amewo k can de ini ely help companies. Why? Because in my
expe ience, I ha e seen a numbe o companies a ound he wo ld. Also, many big mul ina ionals, I
61
ha e wo ked wi h maybe in elco e en big banks, in a egional gian bank ha e seen hey ha e lacking
s a egy. I ’s because o many easons, I can' ell you igh now wi hin a sho ime, bu I know because
hey he main p oblem, hey ace hey’ e w ong s a egy o he ecosys em o wha e e business
s a egy, so, hei s a egy is no good. So, ha 's why hey ace many p oblems. So, i hey could ollow
a amewo k like his, o unde s and hemsel es and unde s and e alua e he ecosys em in compa e
wi h hei business objec i e, so i would be e y, e y good ini ia i e o hem. So ha he op
managemen can ge a clea pic u e because some imes he op managemen hinks on a op-le el
pe spec i e ha I need o do ha , I need o do ha , bu wha mos manage s o he di ec o s ac ually
need o do, is o mula ing hei s a egy in o de o p esen o he boa d, igh ? So, hey need o assess
in a e y s uc u ed way, so hey ge he compe i i e ad an age, and hey can imp o e hei
o ganiza ion. Because when you a e going o adop an ecosys em, ha means you a e mo ing o wa d,
no going o backwa d, bu mo ing o wa d will ake will c ea e some isk is like a ocke when you
send ocke o he space, you a e pu ing a lo o ene gy he e, i any hing goes down, i can be
happening like SpaceX, igh . So, i can blas se e al imes, bu when i will go, you ge a lo mo e
ad an ages. So ha 's why his is a e y nice amewo k, I belie e, small company o a la ge company,
hey can ollow ha so o amewo k o inco po a e all o hese hings ha you men ioned.
E3: Yes, as I s a ed in he i s ques ion, some imes he CEOs and he op o o ganiza ions ha maybe
ha e a ce ain s eng h on he ma ke o ce ain applica ions ha people a e using. Bu i you eally
wan o ha e like 100% o he use 100% o e e y in o ma ion sys em ha we in eg a e o he
componen , we ha e o do his ype o analysis, be o e we we e going o p o ide any in o ma ion
sys em o o a piece o o ge any in o ma ion sys em inside o o ganiza ion. Yes, because he
en i onmen is always changing he equi emen s and he gaps. P obably he gap ha you ha e oday
is no he gap ha you' e going o ha e omo ow. So, hen hese cycles ha you used, eally show
ha you ha e o always e ise hese gaps and see i hese gaps s ill exis on you en i onmen , you
know. I hink his is he way you pu i .
Discussion
Wha di e en ia es his ques ion om he i s ques ion is whe he his amewo k is no only use ul
in gene al bu also o he speci ic issue o ac i ely dealing wi h ecosys em concep s and applying his
amewo k in he eal wo ld. The e ec i eness o his ques ion was p o ed by he ac , ha e en
hough i was spoken on he use ulness, new aspec s came up his ime. All expe s ag ee on he ac
ha s a egic app oaches on ecosys em exis al eady, bu o ganiza ions jus migh no be awa e o
hem acco ding o Expe 1. This lack o awa eness has been poin ed ou by many esea ch and inds
app o al in he conduc ed expe in e iews as well. As he li e a u e e iew shows, ecosys ems a e
62
no a new phenomenon, bu many o ganiza ions indeed a e no awa e o he ac ha hey a e
su ounded by di e en ecosys ems o which some sha e hei objec i es, and some don’ . Thus, his
amewo k can help execu i es becoming mo e awa e on oppo uni ies o in eg a ing DE, e en i hey
may assume ha in eg a ing indi idual solu ions migh be enough. Mo eo e , i suppo s o ganiza ions
in s a ing o align wi h o he pa ne s in o de o s eng hen hei ma ke si ua ion and es ablish new
and aluable pa ne ships mo e easily. Expe 2 poin s ou ha many o ganiza ions, ega dless o hei
size, s ill lack a p ope IT s a egy. The e o e, be o e e en app oaching he DE in eg a ion, i is
impo an o unde s and whe e hey a e s anding and e-e alua e hei esou ces and capabili ies.
Mo eo e , i suppo s execu i es in assessing deli e ables o s akeholde s and o pu poses o
documen a ion. This is a s ep ha is suppo ed by his amewo k acco dingly o Expe 2 due o he
guided assessmen o he in e nal and ex e nal en i onmen wi h he help o he de eloped empla es.
Wha di e s his amewo k o o he s such as Bowman (1983) o Wa d and Peppa d (2004), is he
inclusion o o he ma ke pa icipan s. This componen he e o e p o ides a mo e ex ended iew on
he o ganiza ional en i onmen combined wi h clea e ins uc ions on wha o look a while s ill
s aying gene al in o de o be applicable o di e en kind o indus ies. Fu he u ili y is con i med by
Expe 3 who sees po en ials o educing IT in es men s on IS ha do no bene i he o ganiza ion due
o a lack o alignmen wi h he o ganiza ion’s eal needs h ough he emphasis o he gap analysis and
p o ided agili y h ough e iew cycles and he modula i y by he in eg a ion o DE oppo uni ies.
Ques ion 4: Do you ha e any ecommenda ion o sugges ions o u he imp o emen s, besides o
hose ha you jus men ioned?
E1: Yeah, I hink an impo an issue is - suppose ha I ha e a co po a ion and I p obably ha e se e al
ecosys ems in his co po a ion ha I wan o access, how hose ecosys ems a e aligned wi h a
co po a ion, because ha 's when you alk abou an ecosys em, i 's a long- e m hing. I 's no jus
simple solu ions ha you a e e alua ing. I 's a whole ecosys em. And ha is impo an on a long e m,
no on a sho e m. On a sho e m, he e a e p oblems solu ions in indi idual solu ions on o he
ecosys ems ha migh sui you be e . Bu on he long e m, you know, you ha e an ecosys em ha
has a s a egy. I has an owne , and i has a de eloping plan, hey hough abou secu i y. I know how
hey hink abou be ayal assis ance, o ins ance, how will hey de elop in he nex yea s? So, i 's a
whole s a egy ha will be ansla ed in he indi idual solu ions. So, in his amewo k, I hink o be
able o access an ecosys em and how i is aligned wi h he wi h he company o wi h he co po a ion.
I 's a mo e impo an . Then due o o he issues a e now ega ding adop ion o ega ding he
63
de elopmen plans. The i s s ep is assessmen . Because as a long- e m commi men , you
assessmen , i 's e y impo an because i will ha e a huge li e span o consequences.
E2: I hink I ha e al eady alked a li le bi abou my opinion, how o imp o e and wha elemen s can
be added in his amewo k. So, apa om ha , I would say ha o unde s and abou his amewo k,
you al eady made a clea a isible p esen a ion wi hin a one slide which is a e y, e y good hing. I
looks e y good. So, I belie e ha will be e y good enough o ca ch e e y hing by he end. I will be
e y easygoing. Like i looks like o be hones , e y good. Bu i you can make i mo e simple, simplis ic
way, i would be mo e use ul. And maybe he goal would be mo e simpli ied way o p esen mo e
simpli ied way. So, I guess you' e in igh ack I guess he will do he same.
E3: I hink yes. I hink you should y o look a he policies close . Rega ding he policies, as we know,
o ganiza ion own con iden ial in o ma ion. And i can be some hing ha , when we join he ecosys em,
hey can ge he con iden ial in o ma ion ha we as companies, we know he e will be in o ma ion in
he cou o business. And i we don’ analyze hese policies and ines ha come wi h he ecosys em
whe e people could join ha you don’ us , hey can ge all in o ma ion ha hey need. And you
canno do any hing abou i , you know? Tha 's why joining his ype o ecosys em some imes migh be
icky, and you ha e o igu e ou how o con ol how people a e going o use ha con iden ial
in o ma ion. Ecosys ems ha e pay a en ion on wha is going o happen when o he companies o he
ecosys em a e lea ing and ake he in o ma ion wi h hem. Tha is he only ecommenda ion I can
p o ide. Yeah. I hink you' e doing a e y good job.
Discussion
The las ques ion o be asked, was he e ie al o inal ecommenda ions o u he imp o emen s.
A his poin , he issue o secu i y was men ioned om all expe s. As he da a and in o ma ion
ga he ing h ough he IS o o ganiza ions om o he ecosys em pa icipan s is one o he c i ical
ac i i ies in SISP, se e al conce ns on da a secu i y a ise. Fu he , i becomes appa en ha secu i y
aspec s pose he mos c i ical challenges and hus, a e he main conce ns o o ganiza ions. Rega dless
o he ac ha he amewo k co e s secu i y aspec s and also p o ides a empla e ha add esses he
conside a ion o po en ial h ea s and isks ela ed o he openness o DE, i may be use ul o include
secu i y-speci ic i ems in o he SISP amewo k as well. Ne e heless, he high-le el design o he gi en
SISP model is based on p eceding li e a u e esea ch on SISP whe e amewo k indeed did no include
speci ic i ems ela ed o i ems in he high-le el design. This, howe e , does no mean ha secu i y
aspec s a e no co e ed. Ano he aspec is he iew on a long- e m base. Expe 1 emphasizes he ac
64
ha he ini ial assessmen is o impo ance since he sho -, mid- and long- e m s a egic planning
ela ed o he alignmen o o he ecosys ems will be buil on he assump ions and analysis ha we e
conduc ed du ing he di e en s ages o s a egic planning. The e o e, insu icien , o e en aul y
analysis can lead o hea y consequences and may lead o ailu e. Ne e heless, equen e iew cycles
shall p o ide an ins ance ha e-e alua e changing equi emen s and ci cums ances in o de o
p o ide lexibili y and agili y ha will suppo o ganiza ions in e-e alua ing hei capabili ies and gaps
in a c i ical way. Expe 3 also men ions he need o a close look a he policies o an ecosys em. This
poin again highligh s he desi e o o ganiza ions o ackle isks and h ea s as ea ly as possible. By
assessing he ag eemen s and policies o a DE, o ganiza ions can al eady an icipa e he le el o isk as
well as weigh up in de ail, i joining ce ain ecosys ems make sense in ega d o he a io be ween
bene i eco e y and he cos s o joining he DE. None heless, he de eloped amewo k was mean
o p o ide guidance in he in eg a ion o DE ecosys ems in o he SISP and migh be limi ed in speci ic
and de ailed ins uc ions on he opics o secu i y and policies. While aiming o a de ailed look on
popula opics such as secu i y, Expe 3 is ecommending making he amewo k leane . This poin
seems o con lic wi h he ac , ha o some pa s o he s a egy u he de ails a e eques ed and
o o he pa s, less migh be desi able.
4.4. DISCUSSION
The e alua ion o he expe in e iews on he de eloped amewo k on DE in eg a ion shows ha he
amewo k is use ul o guide execu i es on app oaching he in eg a ion o DE in o he SISP. The
objec i e o he s udy was he de elopmen o a amewo k o guide execu i es on hei DE s a egy
app oach in addi ion o hei SISP s a egy. Fo he achie emen o he objec i e, in e media e goals
we e de ined. Oppo uni ies and isks o DEs, pa icula i ies o DE such as he le el o openness and
modula i y as well as DE oppo uni ies o becoming mo e compe i i e we e included, he
in e media e objec i es we e achie ed along he jou ney o de eloping he design a i ac . The
ques ion o u ili y is a i med while ema king ha he amewo k is pa icula ly help ul o aise
awa eness on he opic o DEs. Thus, he o e all goal o he p esen ed s udy was achie ed. As expe s
poin ou , ecosys em a e no necessa ily a new phenomenon and mos companies unknowingly
pa icipa e in ecosys em. Thus, ew o ganiza ions a e awa e o DEs which migh lead o he neglec ion
o ac i ely a ge ing DE oppo uni ies. As o ganiza ions o en wan o in eg a e solu ions o hei
po olio wi hou a speci ic eason, some expe ience signi ican inancial loss as hey a e no exploi ing
hei in es men s o he ulles po en ial. Thus, he in e iewed expe s app o ed on he gap analysis
cycle o ac i ely a ge he closu e o in o ma ion gaps, so only IS will be conside ed ha can close
65
hese gaps while clea ly di e en ia ing be ween IS ha a e inno a i e and IS ha can suppo he
o ganiza ion’s ope a ions. Mo eo e , one o he majo challenges eside in making IS applica ions wo k
oge he on a long- e m base. Since his amewo k is supposed o p o ide an ini ial app oach on DE
in eg a ion, his aspec would be in e es ing o mo e ad anced amewo k o DE in eg a ion which
leads o he conclusion ha he p esen ed amewo k is add essed o o ganiza ions ha need guidance
on unde s anding DE be o e hey a e able o mo e on o a mo e ad anced s a egy planning.
Ne e heless, he e iew cycles could be a good s a o assessing he di e en li ecycles as hey
desc ibe a cons an assessmen o he en i onmen and in e nal IS capabili ies and esou ces. A majo
con ibu ion o he expe in e iews was p o ided by he aspec o secu i y ha is a c i ical conce n
among he indus ies. Thus, he eason o he upb inging o secu i y conce ns shows ha companies
s uggle wi h secu ing hei da a he mos and ea he lack o con iden ial in o ma ion. Ne e heless,
he demand o he le el o de ail on secu i y aspec s may exceed he ame o he gi en s udy. Ye ,
an ini ial isk assessmen was included in he empla es o he high-le el amewo k. The e o e, he
assump ion is close ha he p esen a ion o he high-le el amewo k migh ha e aken o ocus away
on he addi ional empla es ha a e a majo pa o he design a i ac . A mo e de ailed amewo k,
howe e , would ha e led o ailu e ega ding he objec i e o a high-le el amewo k ha is easy o
unde s and. Consequen ly, i can be assumed ha an o e all unde s anding on app oaching DE
in eg a ion can only be achie ed when all he empla es a e aken in o conside a ion. A majo
modi ica ion on he SISP amewo k is he inclusion o lexible elemen s. As he amewo k is including
a gap analysis cycle, an IS, IT, IM cycle as well as he e iew cycles, i isualized he ac ha all ac i i ies
a e ne e concluded which e lec s a dynamic and lexible en i onmen .
The de eloped s udy and he e alua ion o he expe ’s insigh s shows ha he amewo k can suppo
he managemen in a ge ing he in eg a ion o DEs in o hei SISP. As i was highligh ed ha he
amewo k aises awa eness on he impo ance o DE in pa icula , o ganiza ions a e p o ided wi h a
new pe spec i e on app oaching SISP. Thus, he design a i ac p o ides u ili y and alue. Due o he
DE design a i ac s, mo e o ien a ion is p o ided ega ding he assessmen o DE oppo uni ies ha
comes wi h bene i s and isks. This amewo k has he po en ial o mo i a ing o ganiza ions o ac i ely
deal wi h ecosys em while unde s anding ha hey a e ac ually ac ing wi h and wi hin many
ecosys ems. Consequen ly, his design a i ac encou ages o ganiza ion o explo e di e en
ecosys ems o new oppo uni ies and inno a i e pa ne s along hei jou ney.
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5. CONCLUSION
5.1. SYNTHESIS OF THE DEVELOPED WORK
The p esen ed s udy deals wi h exis ing concep s on SISP and ecosys ems o he pu pose o
de eloping a design a i ac based on he DSR me hod. As o ganiza ion’s ace challenges in s aying
compe i i e and in he in eg a ion o new echnologies, new s a egic app oaches a e equi ed. A lack
on exis ing esea ch on ecosys em is ackled by his esea ch ha comes along wi h a amewo k o
guide he managemen in in eg a ion a DE s a egy in o hei SISP. SISP a e a c i ical ac i i y as an IS
s a egy suppo s he achie emen o business objec i es. The e o e, he ac i i y wi hin he SISP need
o be s eng hened by u he componen s. Since DE o e many bene i s such as cos sa ings, access
o aluable da abases and IS capabili ies, hey also ha bo d awbacks as o ganiza ion’s a e aced wi h
unce ain y ha a ise wi h he in eg a ion o ecosys ems. As ew s udies ake hese d awbacks in o
accoun and lea e execu i es in o belie ing ha DE only p o ide bene i s, a amewo k was es ablished
ha p o ides execu i es a neu al iew on DE s a egy app oaches by highligh ing bo h, bene i s and
d awbacks wi h insigh s based on scien i ic esea ch. Fu he mo e, he SISP model was upda ed on
con empo a y elemen s o e lec he impo ance o p o iding agile and lexible amewo ks o guide
he managemen h ough a dynamic en i onmen . The es ablished amewo k is suppo ed by se e al
empla es and igu es ha we e c ea ed o he speci ic pu pose o in eg a ion DEs in o SISP. Thus, he
p esen ed s udy o e s a di e en app oach which b eaks away om he simple applica ion o exis ing
models o a p oblem.
5.2. LIMITATIONS
Du ing he p ocess o app oaching he challenge o de eloping an app oach on in eg a ion DE in o
SISP, a amewo k has been es ablished h ough modi ica ion o he Th ee S age model (Bowman e
al., 1983) while upda ing ha model by con empo a y insigh s om ecen SISP publica ions. Due o
his app oach, he gi en amewo k design is limi ed o he e alua ed SISP models. The e o e, di e en
esul s migh occu when o he SISP amewo ks a e used. Howe e , as he li e a u e e iew on SISP
has shown simila i ies be ween all SISP amewo ks, de ia ions should no be oo signi ican .
Ne e heless, i should be said ha he SISP amewo k design was limi ed since he addi ion o u he
ac i i ies and componen s would ha e made i mo e c owded which ha bo s he isk o making i less
easy o apply which would esul in ailing he achie emen o he de ined objec i e. In iew o he
scope o ime, he conduc ed in e iews only p o ided a limi ed ime ame o he explana ion and
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Zu shi, A., & G ilo, A. (2019). De eloping a Digi al Pla o m A chi ec u e and analysing i s impac on
Indus ial Enginee ing. Compu e s & Indus ial Enginee ing.
74
ANNEXES
Appendix 1 – RACI Ma ix
Appendix 2 – S a egic planning o IS & DE
75
Appendix 3 – Vendo / pa ne e alua ion
Appendix 4 – SWOT Analysis
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Appendix 5 – Business Model Can as
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Appendix 6 – DE S a egy Fo mula ion F amewo k
Appendix 7 – Risk & Oppo uni ies Assessmen Templa e
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Appendix 8 – DE Pu pose Guiding F amewo k
79
Appendix 9 – DE Openness Le el Assessmen
80
Appendix 10 – Complemen a y Assessmen
Appendix 11 – DE Oppo uni ies o In o ma ion Re ie al
81
Appendix 12 – DE Resou ce/Ac ion Planning
82
Appendix – Expe In e iew 1
1. Ques ion:
In e iewe : So, he i s ques ion is o you is, i you conside he p oposed amewo k as use ul and
why, and i no , why do you belie e ha is no use ul?
E1: Well, cong a ula ions on you wo k. I 's qui e in e es ing. Yeah, I hink i 's use ul and in he hing is
ha you don' adop single solu ions anymo e. You a e always adop ing a ull ecosys em, whene e
you wan i o no , i 's some hing ha 's he way i is now. So, I hink a amewo k o deal wi h ha , is
e y use ul. On he so wa e enginee ing side, he e a e lo s o esea ch abou he so wa e
ecosys ems, how o de elop a new so wa e ecosys em, and all o ha , he e's a lo o wo k, lo s o
wo k abou ha . Bu on he in o ma ion planning side, I don' hink he e’s a lo . So, i hasn' been e y
s udied. And i eminds me o he imes when each endo ied o be he only endo wi hin he
company. And i was like a wo ld domina ion game, i hey could sell hei solu ion, hei solu ion will
be ully closed, and hey will hen p o ide all he applica ions o he company. And wi h ecosys ems
i 's no as adical as ha . The e a e many ways o in eg a e solu ions o in e ope a e wi h change da a.
Bu o a ce ain poin , i 's kind o a simila s o y. I you’ e on he consume side, i you adop , like an
Apple ecosys em, hen you ha e a ull se o applica ions and sys ems ha hey can be in eg a ed wi h
o he s, bu i 's much simple o use hem as a s andalone. So, I hink you app oach, i 's an in e es ing
wo k, and I hink i 's posi i e and i will be e y, e y use ul. Then he e's ano he ques ion. No his
one's you a e asking, bu he nex ques ion o you o esea ch is ha in some cases, companies canno
li e wi h only one ecosys em, hey will ha e o deal wi h se e al ones. And I hink ha i will be he
ue esea ch ield in he ue ques ion, which is how do you build you ecosys em, in eg a ing pa s
om o he ecosys ems? I mean, I can ha e a g ea inancial solu ion om one company, I can ha e
ano he g ea logis ics solu ion om o he endo and o he company. And in ac , hey a e jus no
solu ions. They ha e hei own ecosys ems wi h o he componen s and o he pa s. Bu he ac is ha
I jus wan hese solu ions and I wan hem oge he because i 's wha gi es me mo e alue. And so,
you ha e o in eg a e hese hings and you ha e o c ea e like you own ecosys em whe e you ha e
se e al di e en solu ions o se e al di e en sou ces ha hey ha e hei own ecosys ems, bu hey
will ha e o li e oge he . And you ha e o deal wi h se e al issues. Like hei li e cycle, hey will no
li e o e e , e e y hing has a li e cycle. I will s a , i will be use ul o a ime and hen i will phase ou
hei li ecycle he way hey li e oge he . I can be icky, bu i is echnically an in eg a ion sys em. Bu
i 's no only in eg a ion, i 's mo e p o ound han ha , because hey ha e hei own pla o ms, and you
wan hem o wo k oge he o a long ime o hei whole li espan. I hink you wo k is g ea and o
a mas e ’s deg ee, I hink i 's e y in e es ing.
89
ha e like 100% o he use 100% o e e y in o ma ion sys em ha we in eg a e o he componen , we
ha e o do his ype o analysis, be o e we we e going o p o ide any in o ma ion sys em o o a piece
o o ge any in o ma ion sys em inside o o ganiza ion. Yes, because he en i onmen is always
changing he equi emen s and he gaps. P obably he gap ha you ha e oday is no he gap ha
you' e going o ha e omo ow. So, hen hese cycles ha you used, eally show ha you ha e o
always e ise hese gaps and see i hese gaps s ill exis on you en i onmen , you know. I hink his is
he way you pu i .
4. And do you ha e any ecommenda ions o sugges ions o u he imp o emen s?
I hink yes. I hink you should y o look a he policies close . Rega ding he policies, as we know,
o ganiza ion own con iden ial in o ma ion. And i can be some hing ha , when we join he
ecosys em, hey can ge he con iden ial in o ma ion ha we as companies, we know he e will be
in o ma ion in he cou o business. And i we don’ analyze hese policies and ines ha come wi h
he ecosys em whe e people could join ha you don’ us , hey can ge all in o ma ion ha hey
need. And you canno do any hing abou i , you know? Tha 's why joining his ype o ecosys em
some imes migh be icky, and you ha e o igu e ou how o con ol how people a e going o use
ha con iden ial in o ma ion. Ecosys ems ha e pay a en ion on wha is going o happen when o he
companies o he ecosys em a e lea ing and ake he in o ma ion wi h hem. Tha is he only
ecommenda ion I can p o ide. Yeah. I hink you' e doing a e y good job.
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