Linnaeus Student Conference on Information Technology (LSCIT)

Editorial

Soumitra Chowdhury — 2021-02-04

Digitalization as a Game-Changer: A Study on Swedish Video Game Industry

Mosarrat Farhana — 2021-02-04

The purpose of this study is to extend the understanding of the business model of video game retailers using online and physical stores. It focuses on the impact of digitalization on the retailing industry considering different actors like retailers and consumers. This is a qualitative multiple-case study based on deductive reasoning. Two cases of click-and-mortar retailers operating in the Swedish video game industry have been considered along with feedback from customers. Online personal interviews and semi-structured interviews have been conducted with retailers and customers respectively. Both primary and secondary data have been used. Findings show that video game retailers need to encourage engagement through incentives and other activities to create value and change up their formats and sales strategies through pricing to reach new customers and focus on design of their online store fronts to convey trustworthiness. It offers some insightful practical suggestions to retailers who are struggling hard to adopt digital transformations in the industry. Authors’ proposed research model, based on Sorescu et al. (2011)’s retail business model and the empirical findings, contributes in the less explored domain of research on business models from retailer’s perspectives. Moreover, it adds values in industry specific study like the video game industry in Sweden considering all actors, which is argued as scarce.

Project managers’ Knowledge Sharing Supported by Technology: the Case of Microsoft Teams

Viktoria Eriksson — 2021-02-04

Contemporary organizations frequently employ projects to leverage work across organizational units, utilizing specialized knowledge from different areas of the organization to meet specific quality criteria in a defined time period, at a set cost. Project managers act as hubs of knowledge in directing projects and driving their success, often using technology for this purpose. To date, little is known in how far technology support this knowledge sharing in the project management.
The paper aims to explore project managers’ perceptions regarding their knowledge sharing and how this is supported by recent technology. The paper further explores benefits and challenges experienced by project managers when using the specific technology for their knowledge sharing. The research adopts the interpretive qualitative approach and collects data through semi-structured interviews with project managers using such a technology. 3 C’s analysis was used to analyze the collected empirical material to generate 6 concepts. The concepts are then reviewed in context of selected theoretical framework, including the informatics domain model by Beynon-Davies. The findings indicate that the technology largely supports knowledge sharing of project managers, both presenting opportunities for more efficiency as well as new challenges. The technology leads to change in the modus of knowledge sharing and also individuals’ approach: what, when and how knowledge is shared.
This enhanced understanding contributes to existing theory and the insights can aid practitioners in development or introduction of technology in the workplace. The work also contributes to theory about how project managers can leverage knowledge across projects with the aid of such a technology as well as to project managers’ and managers’ work, such as to make efficient use of a technology and avoid certain challenges.

‘It Has a Lot of Potential!’: Use of Blockchain Technology for Education Records

Justyna Kaletka — 2021-02-04

The paper explores the perceptions of university students and their desired features on the use of blockchain technology for the management of education records. A literature review forms the theoretical basis of the research allowing to explore how education records are managed nowadays and the potential for the use of blockchain technology in this area. The theoretical framework is then used to discuss the research findings.
The research adopts the interpretive qualitative approach and collects data through a focus group interview with university students. Computer assisted thematic data analysis yields five key themes: current usage of university education records, understanding how blockchain works, sustainability of blockchain, security of blockchain and implementation of blockchain for education records. Participants were generally positive towards the use of blockchain for the management of education records and saw it as one of the potential future solutions. Nevertheless, they voiced some reservations regarding the high energy consumption, costs and security towards a possible use of the blockchain technology. Therefore, careful implementation would be needed, with increased focus on usability, solving some security and sustainability issues and ensuring a fair and transparent access model.
This research contributes to the current body of knowledge within informatics by empowering students to share their perception of possible development of student record systems based on blockchain technology. It also provides insights which can be used in the future to achieve a more user focused design of education records management systems.

Self-Service Business Intelligence success factors that create value for business

Jonida Sinaj — 2021-02-04

Business Intelligence and Analytics have change the business needs, but the market requires a more data- driven decision-making environment. Self-service Business Intelligence initiatives are providing more competitive advantages currently. The role of the users and freedom of access is one of the essential advantages that SSBI holds. Despite this fact, there is still needed analysis on how business can gain more value from SSBI, based on the technological, operational and organizational aspects. The work in this paper serves to analysis on the SSBI requirements that bring value to business. The paper is organized starting from building knowledge by upon the existing literature and exploring the domain. Data will be collected by interviewing experts of the fields. The main findings will provide future suggestion related to the topic and the results will serve both the companies that have implemented it and the ones that want to see it as a perspective in the future.

Omnichannel Retail and Business Model Transformation

Ioannis Allagiannis — 2021-02-04

Due to new technological developments and the ongoing digitalization, the traditional retail sector is currently exposed to major challenges. Digital Retail started with the development of e-commerce, when online companies, such as Amazon, began selling products online. These major online global players are still growing much faster than their smaller European retail competitors. As the absorption of buying power through online retailers, is dominated by global players based in Asia (Alibaba, Rakuten) and the United States (Amazon, eBay), Europe is experiencing a loss in revenue.
In this highly competitive market, traditional European brick-and-mortar retailers face hard challenges. However, studies show that most customers currently do not prefer pure online retailers, but a hybrid model, since traditional stores provide them with the opportunity to experience products and to receive personal advice from experts. This paper is a contribution to on-going research on the business model transition to include digital channels in traditional retail companies and to integrate various channels that support and streamline personal customer requirements. Thus, the paper explores challenges and opportunities for omnichannel management in the digital retail industry.

Digital Technologies for Managing Innovation of Knowledge Work: The Case of a Chinese SME

Zihan Song — 2021-02-04

The paper examines the perceptions of knowledge workers of small-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Chinese context in regards to managing innovation in their knowledge work with the support of digital technologies. Main concepts such as knowledge, knowledge work, knowledge workers, innovation in knowledge work and digital technologies along with Socialization, Externalization, Combination and Internalization (SECI) model form the theoretical framework of this research which is used to discuss the research findings.
The research adopts the interpretive qualitative approach and collects data through semi-structured face-to-face individual and group interviews. The collected empirical material that is analyzed thematically, yields eight themes which show that knowledge workers’ active interaction with knowledge supports the conversion from tacit to explicit knowledge back and forth. This assists the creation of new knowledge and, therefore, innovation in knowledge work; digital technologies play a supportive role in managing innovation in SME knowledge workers’ daily work.
This research contributes to the current body of knowledge within informatics by empowering knowledge workers to share their viewpoints in regards to managing innovation in their knowledge work with the support of digital technologies. It also deepens the understanding of the formation mechanism of innovation in knowledge work. Finally, the research enriches and extends the existing body of knowledge and provides some valuable insights for the use of digital technologies in knowledge work to promote innovation.