Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> Understanding sources of sustained competitive advantage has become a major area of research in strategic management. Building on the assumptions that strategic resources are heterogeneously distributed across firms and that these differences are stable over time, this article examines the link between firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Four empirical indicators of the potential of firm resources to generate sustained competitive advantage-value, rareness, imitability, and substitutability are discussed. The model is applied by analyzing the potential of several firm resources for generating sustained competitive advantages. The article concludes by examining implications of this firm resource model of sustained competitive advantage for other business disciplines. <s> BIB001 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> Seeks to present a better understanding of dynamic capabilities and the resource-based view of the firm. Dynamic capabilities are considered to be the "organizational and strategic routines by which firms achieve new resource configurations." Dynamic capabilities are identifiable and specific routines that can serve different purposes, including integrating resources, reconfiguring resources within firms, and guiding the gain and release of resources. Various examples such as the product development process and alliancing, are discussed. Commonalities related to effective dynamic capabilities can be seen across firms though this does not mean that these capabilities are exactly alike. The dynamism of the market can impact the sustainability of the dynamic capabilities and the causal ambiguity of these capabilities. Moderately dynamic markets see robust, grooved routine, while high velocity markets experience simple rules and real-knowledge creation. The evolution of these dynamic capabilities within a firm are unique but the firm's individual path is shaped by well-known learning mechanisms. Competitive advantage does not lie in the dynamic capabilities themselves but rather in the resource configurations that managers build using these dynamic capabilities. (SRD) <s> BIB002 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> At present, the resource-based view of the firm is perhaps the most influential framework for understanding strategic management. In this editor’s introduction, we briefly describe the contributions to knowledge provided by the commentaries and articles contained in this issue. In addition, we outline some additional areas of research wherein the resource-based view can be gainfully deployed. <s> BIB003 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> Information systems researchers have a long tradition of drawing on theories from disciplines such as economics, computer science, psychology, and general management and using them in their own research. Because of this, the information systems field has become a rich tapestry of theoretical and conceptual foundations. As new theories are brought into the field, particularly theories that have become dominant in other areas, there may be a benefit in pausing to assess their use and contribution in an IS context. The purpose of this paper is to explore and critically evaluate use of the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) by IS researchers. ::: ::: The paper provides a brief review of resource-based theory and then suggests extensions to make the RBV more useful for empirical IS research. First, a typology of key IS resources is presented, and these are then described using six traditional resource attributes. Second, we emphasize the particular importance of looking at both resource complementarity and moderating factors when studying IS resource effects on firm performance. Finally, we discuss three considerations that IS researchers need to address when using the RBV empirically. Eight sets of propositions are advanced to help guide future research. <s> BIB004 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> With its vivid illustrations of the governance systems used by top performers in public and nonprofit sectors, this important book provides the framework and tools necessary to customize an IT governance system. <s> BIB005 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> The aim of this research essay is to examine the structural nature of theory in Information Systems. Despite the importance of theory, questions relating to its form and structure are neglected in comparison with questions relating to epistemology. The essay addresses issues of causality, explanation, prediction, and generalization that underlie an understanding of theory. A taxonomy is proposed that classifies information systems theories with respect to the manner in which four central goals are addressed: analysis, explanation, prediction, and prescription. Five interrelated types of theory are distinguished: (1) theory for analyzing, (2) theory for explaining, (3) theory for predicting, (4) theory for explaining and predicting, and (5) theory for design and action. Examples illustrate the nature of each theory type. The applicability of the taxonomy is demonstrated by classifying a sample of journal articles. The paper contributes by showing that multiple views of theory exist and by exposing the assumptions underlying different viewpoints. In addition, it is suggested that the type of theory under development can influence the choice of an epistemological approach. Support is given for the legitimacy and value of each theory type. The building of integrated bodies of theory that encompass all theory types is advocated. <s> BIB006 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> Purpose – Driven by cost reduction and improved quality of service, some firms have adopted shared services as a governance model to manage their staff functions. This paper seeks to explore this behavior using the resource‐based view.Design/methodology/approach – The case of an information technology (IT) unit of a multinational manufacturing firm is presented to provide insight into the issues involved when adopting and migrating an IT resource system to a shared services model. The analysis is extended using conceptual models of the relevant sub‐systems developed through the soft systems methodology (SSM), using a set of root level definitions that are intended to express the transformation to a shared services model.Findings – The results suggest that the major changes involved when transitioning to shared services are process and communication related. Aligning the team members and gaining their commitment are necessary for success.Practical implications – The case analysis and SSM models provide som... <s> BIB007 </s> Exploring Shared Services from an IS Perspective: A Literature Review and Research Agenda <s> An overview of theory <s> As businesses reconfigure their value chains and scale up their global expansions, they have to cope with a myriad of complex IT management challenges. This research examines how enterprises realign their global IT strategies for scale, speed, and innovation. Anchored in the IT governance literature, we seek to unravel the required governance structures and processes in balancing the inherent global-local tensions. Through field interviews with CIOs of global enterprises with established Asian presence, we derived a research framework for global IT management. Our findings suggest evolving global-regional-local structural elements in global IT organization supplemented by the institution of horizontal/linking mechanisms. Specifically, the key tension points appear to be in the flexible design of IT service delivery, the facilitation of IT innovation flow, and the nurturing of a global IT management mindset. <s> BIB008
Theorizing helps to describe, explain, and enhance understanding of phenomena and, sometimes, to provide predictions of what may happen in the future and to give a basis for intervention and action BIB006 . The development and application of theory is important to improve a field's current status and future prospects, both as an intellectual and a professional discipline. A discipline is essentially based on an underlying body of theoretical knowledge as well as practical knowledge. Thus, in an attempt to describe the current status of a field (in this case shared services within the IS discipline), it is important to try to reveal its theoretical perspectives. Such analysis can also assist and guide the expansion of a field's knowledge base. A search for theories in the papers that focus on shared services (the primary set of 29 papers) resulted in the identification of 6 papers applying theory and 6 theories being applied with 5 papers applying 1 theory and 1 paper applying 3 theories. Additionally, all the secondary papers were also searched for the application of theory in relation to shared services. No additional papers or theories were identified. Table 4 depicts an overview of the results. Overall one can state that the low number of papers applying a theoretical approach (6 out of 29 primary papers) is not surprising considering the dearth of literature on shared services in the IS discipline and its current state of maturity. As discussed earlier, most IS literature on shared services is seemingly very 'young', evidenced by specific papers on the topic only appearing since 2006 and most papers only reaching conferences and practitioner outlets to date. Shared services as a relatively new phenomenon may require more explorative and descriptive approaches at this stage. Consequently, it is too early to provide any rich insights into the development and application of theory in the domain. Instead we will provide a descriptive overview of the different theories applied so far and how they were applied to provide an impression of this early theoretical work on shared services. To understand, plan, source, organize, and deliver the IT shared services optimally in a shared services model BIB007 2 As a determinant for the type of IT governance necessary to share services in public administration  Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT) As a determinant for the type of IT governance necessary to share services in public  1 Volume 22 administration IT Governance Theory (ITG) To understand the governance structure and mechanisms to share services and accomplish the objectives in public administration  2 To position shared services as a structural element in global IT organizations, which needs to work with other structural elements The Resource-Based View (RBV) has been applied to shared services by BIB007 and  . RBV has been widely used to analyze firm level attributes in the strategic management literature BIB003 . RBV describes how organizations can gain competitive advantage by differentiating themselves in their collection of resources and how they can sustain competitive advantage by virtue of the inability of other firms to obtain comparable resources BIB001 . RBV is useful for the IS discipline as it can help to understand how information systems relate to firm strategy and performance, in particular to evaluate the strategic value of information systems resources and to differentiate among various types of information systems BIB004 . BIB007 apply RBV to describe a shared services model for the IT function in terms of IT services, IT capabilities and IT resources. They claim that "the RBV approach had helped the IT unit to understand, plan, source, organize, and deliver the IT shared services optimally in a shared services model."  applied RBV (in combination with DCT, discussed below) to better understand the IT governance necessary to share services in public administration, They argue that "RBV explores shared services as a strategic decision often having a long-term impact. The RBV attracts the attention to achieving efficiency and customer-orientation objectives through managing an organization's internal resources"  . In their analysis, they particularly focus on resources that are valuable, rare or hard to create BIB001 , requiring organizations to look at the sharing of services.  conclude that the resource attributes account for differences between providing commodity services to large number of users with centralized governance and providing customized services to a limited number of users with decentralized governance.  applied Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT) (in combination with the RBV) to better understand the IT governance necessary to share services in public administration. Dynamic capability is defined as a "firm's ability to integrate, build and reconfigure internal and external competences to address rapidly changing environments"  . According to BIB002 , DCT is an extension of RBV theory, explaining how organizations can achieve new resource configurations in rapidly changing environments.  argue that establishing shared services can be viewed as a reaction to the changing environment, such as new legislation or new technology. Moreover, shared services needs to develop the ability to identify new opportunities and respond to them instead of just matching current resources to opportunities in the marketplace. In their DCT analysis,  particularly focus on the organizational and managerial processes, the asset position and path dependency. They conclude that there is a need for users to have organizational and managerial capabilities to integrate shared services in their processes. The asset position impacts the urgency to adopt shared services and the way shared services are governed. Moreover, different paths result in different governance structures; a top-down approach results in centralized governance while a bottom-up approach results in decentralized governance. IT Governance Theory (ITG) is used both by  and by BIB008 . IT Governance specifies the decision rights and accountabilities conducive to encouraging desirable behaviors in the use of IT  . Desirable behaviors are viewed as those consistent with the organization's mission, strategy, values, norms, and culture. Weill argues that IT governance matters because the benefits received from IT investments depend on it. IT governance requires an understanding of what IT decisions must be made and determining who should make these decisions and who should be involved. BIB005 distinguish a number of IT governance decision areas, which can be related to different IT governance archetypes.  discuss the multiple organizational contingencies related to corporate governance, economies of scope, and absorptive capacity, which act together in influencing the mode of IT governance.  argue that "governance is necessary for creating, assembling and exploiting shared services in a network of public agencies, all having various resources and capabilities." The sharing of resources via centralized or decentralized structures requires the coordination of dependencies among public agencies and the service centre. Three kinds of