Inter-organizational middleware systems: A framework for managing change

Abstract

Inter-Organizational Information Systems (IOIS) are automated Information Systems spanning across partnering organizations and aiming at synergizing their forces to increase competitiveness and cost efficiency [1], [2]. An Inter-Organizational Middleware System (IOMS) is the component inside IOIS that is responsible for bridging various partners' systems while holding some business intelligence [3]. Processes, roadmaps, and frameworks managing change in Information Systems are in abundance. However there is a paucity of literature on frameworks for managing change in IOIS and the situation is even direr in the context of IOMS. In this paper we first explore the concept of frameworks and in particular IS and IOIS frameworks. Using these as a foundation, we go on to propose a framework to manage IOMS changes, and we discuss their bases and merits. We then validate it through application in the context of a real-world project in an international firm. The authors of this article have over a decade of experience in IOIS and IOMS systems, and use an interpretative lens to study the implementation.