11.3 Culture in Information Systems and Global Information Systems Teams

The Impact of Culture on Organizations and Information Systems

Culture influences the values, norms, beliefs, and behaviors of individuals and organizations and plays an important role in shaping the way technology is developed, implemented, and utilized in a company. Imagine an organization with leaders who foster a culture of innovation and risk-taking. Employees are encouraged to experiment with new ideas and embrace failure as a learning opportunity. What type of employee do you think this company is looking to hire? Someone who values stability and prefers well-defined processes? Or someone who is willing to take risks and experiment?

A broad and intricate concept, culture encompasses the beliefs, behaviors, customs, values, norms, symbols, and practices shared by a group or organization. Culture defines that group’s way of life, shaping their perceptions, interactions, and understanding of the world, including their approach to technology and innovation. Culture is not static, but dynamic and ever-evolving, influenced by historical, social, economic, and environmental factors.

An organizational culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, and norms that influence how people interact, work together, and make decisions within an organization. It develops through shared experiences, leadership styles, policies, and workplace practices (Figure 11.6). Organizational culture is critical in how new technologies are perceived, adopted, and integrated into workflows. A culture that values innovation and adaptability is more likely to embrace technological changes, while a more risk-averse culture may resist them.

Figure 11.6 Organizational culture can impact how an organization does business, especially when that culture is different from other global businesses or varies across a single organization’s locations. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)

A personal culture encompasses a person’s unique experiences, beliefs, and personality traits that affect how they perceive and engage with their environment. An individual’s history, social influences, education, religion, and reflections shape personal culture, which in turn can influence a person’s interactions with technology, openness to new tools, and readiness to adapt to technological changes. Personal attitudes toward technology can affect enthusiasm and proficiency in using new systems. Some of the significant ways that culture typically impacts organizations include the company’s and individuals’ values and beliefs, norms and practices, power dynamics, and approaches to decision-making and planning.

At the personal level, values and beliefs impact attitudes toward digital privacy, data security, and innovation. For example, an individual’s belief in the importance of privacy may influence their preferences for secure communication channels within information systems. Similarly, an organization’s values regarding transparency, efficiency, and customer centricity inform their technological strategies and approaches to IS implementation. These values shape organizational culture, driving technological initiatives and shaping the digital environment in which individuals operate.

Norms and practices establish the rules and expectations regarding appropriate behavior. These norms may include personal conduct in the workplace, such as punctuality or communication etiquette, and within a global information system, these norms may include guidelines for online communication, data privacy practices, and technology usage. For organizations, norms may encompass policies and procedures governing employee behavior, teamwork, and decision-making processes. Norms may also govern IT security protocols, data management procedures, and collaboration practices within global information system platforms.

Power structures and dynamics can influence access and control within information systems. While some colleagues might prefer flat or shifting structures, others may appreciate a more hierarchal approach. Some employees prefer working as a team, while others prefer working alone. In organizational cultures with hierarchical power structures, access to IT might be restricted to certain groups, while more egalitarian organizational cultures might strive for wider access. For instance, in some organizations with clear hierarchies and those in power having more control and decision-making authority than others, only senior management might have access to certain data systems. In an organizational culture that values creative input from people at all levels, access might be more broadly distributed. The benefit of limited access to data systems for senior management is greater control and security, but the drawback is that it may slow decision-making and reduce employee empowerment. In more egalitarian cultures, broader access allows for faster decision-making and increased collaboration, but it may pose challenges in maintaining data security and control.

Decision-making and planning approaches will also vary. More often than not, different perspectives lead to creative solutions and collaboration enhances communication skills within the team. Keep in mind that misunderstandings can happen when people don’t appreciate or respond thoughtfully to these differences.

Understanding organizational cultural dimensions is key to fostering inclusive design, promoting effective collaboration, and ensuring that information systems serve the diverse needs of the global business community. The cultural iceberg model, shown in Figure 11.7, explains how both visible and hidden cultural elements impact the use of information systems within an organization. Visible aspects (above the surface) include language, user interface preferences, and basic norms that can be easily adjusted, such as adapting interfaces to local languages. Hidden aspects (below the surface) involve deeper cultural values like privacy concerns, trust in technology, and decision-making processes, which can affect how technology and information systems are perceived and used.

Figure 11.7 The cultural iceberg model demonstrates how some cultural elements are visible, while others remain more hidden. Both impact the use of the global information system within an organization. (credit: modification of work from Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)

Culture and Technology Adoption

Organizations often encounter challenges when implementing new technologies, and these challenges can expand when technology is implemented across diverse cultural contexts. Communication barriers pose significant challenges and stem from differences in communication styles, languages, and norms across cultural boundaries. These barriers can impede effective collaboration and understanding among team members, hindering adoption.

Cultural resistance to change presents another obstacle, as individuals and groups may be hesitant to embrace new technologies that challenge established practices or norms. Cultural misunderstandings further complicate matters, as different interpretations of communication or behavior can lead to conflicts and breakdowns in cooperation. Addressing these challenges requires organizations to proactively foster cultural sensitivity, promote open dialogue, and develop strategies accommodating diverse cultural perspectives to foster successful adoption of technology.

Identifying Cultural Barriers in Technology

Identifying cultural barriers in technology ensures successful implementation and user acceptance. There are various ways to identify cultural differences to understand how these factors influence attitudes, behaviors, and practices toward technology within an organization, including these methods:

• Conduct cultural assessments: Utilize surveys and questionnaires to gather information on attitudes and beliefs regarding technology. Focus groups and interviews with employees can be used to gather information about the perceptions of and concerns about technology.
• Analyze communication styles: Observe employees and use feedback mechanisms to identify differences in communication patterns and barriers.
• Skill assessment: Use assessments to evaluate current technological skills and literacy levels and to identify gaps and cultural factors that affect training.
• Evaluate the organizational culture: Use culture audits and surveys. Look at past technology implementations and analyze the lessons learned to identify recurring issues. Consider engaging experts to gain insights into cross-cultural communication and organizational behavior.
• Use pilot tests: Prior to adoption, technology can be pilot tested on a small scale to identify cultural barriers as well as gather detailed feedback from pilot participants to refine the adoption, implementation, and use of the technology.
• Use frameworks: Frameworks can be used by companies to identify and understand differences. For example, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension examines six factors—power, individualism, gender, uncertainty, time, and control—to understand culture in the workplace (Figure 11.8).^{16, 17}

Figure 11.8 Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions can help analyze cultural differences within an organization. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)

Global Information System Teams

Global information system teams play a critical role in organizations, especially in the context of cross-functional collaboration. These teams are responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining information systems that support the organization’s global operations. Global information system teams must collaborate closely to understand their requirements, align the system’s strategies with business objectives, and ensure that the system’s solutions meet the needs of all stakeholders.

An organization’s global information system team is the group of professionals responsible for designing, implementing, managing, and securing the complex systems that enable the flow of information across international borders. Figure 11.9 shows the key roles in these teams.

Figure 11.9 Global information system teams typically consist of members from different functional areas within the company—such as IT, finance, marketing, and operations—working together to achieve common goals. (attribution: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY 4.0 license)

In terms of the technical management of global information systems and coordination with IT services, the global information system team should ensure it has roles for these functions:

• IT leadership: Sets the direction, allocates resources, and ensures IT aligns with business goals, including policies, standards, budgets, projects, and compliance.
• Regional IT: Manages IT operations and support in specific regions (infrastructure, user support, regional projects, local regulations, culture).
• Infrastructure: Designs, deploys, and maintains the organization’s global IT infrastructure (networks, servers, data centers) for effective availability, performance, and security (cloud, resource optimization).
• Applications: Develops, deploys, and supports enterprise applications used globally (development, customization, life-cycle management, user support, integration, data integrity/security).
• Data governance and compliance: Ensures data management practices follow regulations and internal policies (data governance policies, data quality and integrity, privacy and protection, compliance audits).
• Security: Protects IT assets and data from cyber threats (security policies, audits, monitoring, incident response, security awareness training).

Since geographic information system teams are typically spread across various locations around the world, managing such diverse teams requires key strategies such as the following

• cultural awareness, where team members respect and navigate cultural differences
• use of videoconferencing, chat platforms, and project management software to keep everyone informed and aligned, considering time zone variations
• open communication, idea sharing, and feedback through collaborative tools
• defined team goals and roles that align with the organization’s vision statement
• acknowledgment of accomplishments and rewards for outstanding performance
• addressing of conflicts promptly and constructively, fostering open dialogue and seeking mutually agreeable solutions

Cross-Functional Enterprises

Global enterprises need to navigate complex markets and diverse customer needs, and this is where a cross-functional enterprise comes in. A cross-functional enterprise is an organization that breaks down departmental silos and fosters collaboration between different functions (such as marketing, finance, and IT) to achieve common goals. The most successful organizations abandon a siloed structure, where departments operate independently, and create a collaborative network where departments work together as a cohesive unit. This approach unlocks a range of benefits:

• Diverse teams often generate innovative ideas and solutions.
• Streamlined communication and collaboration eliminate redundancies.
• Teams quickly mobilize resources to address new challenges.
• Diverse perspectives can lead to well-rounded decisions.
• Opportunities for cross-functional work can boost morale.
• Enhanced efficiency, innovation, and agility fuel global expansion.

Cross-functional enterprises come in various forms, each with distinct characteristics and roles. Table 11.3 describes these structural approaches.

Managing cross-functional organizations requires a focus on building strong teams with diverse skill sets and clearly defined roles. Fostering open communication and shared goals is crucial, alongside effective leadership that navigates cultural sensitivities and resolves conflicts constructively. Investing in training, recognizing achievements, and implementing performance management empowers teams and unlocks their potential for driving global success.