Most Cited EJIS Articles

To promote some of the finest research and scholarship published in EJIS, we have compiled a list of the 5 most cited articles that the Journal has published. These articles are now freely available to download – links are below.

1. Title: INTERPRETIVE CASE-STUDIES IN IS RESEARCH - NATURE AND METHODS
   http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ejis/journal/v4/n2/pdf/ejis19959a.pdf
   Author(s): G WALSHAM
   Source: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS 4 (2): 74-81 1995

2. Title: DIVERSITY IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS ACTION RESEARCH METHODS
   http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ejis/journal/v7/n2/pdf/3000298a.pdf
   Author(s): R BASKERVILLE AND AT WOOD-HARPER
   Source: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS 7 (2): 90-107 1998

3. Title: ANALYSING INFORMATION SYSTEMS EVALUATION: ANOTHER LOOK AT AN OLD PROBLEM
   http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ejis/journal/v7/n3/pdf/3000304a.pdf
   Author(s): S SMITHSON AND R HIRSCHHEIM
   Source: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS 7 (3): 158-174 1998

4. Title: EVALUATION AND REALISATION OF IS/IT BENEFITS: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF CURRENT PRACTICE
   http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ejis/journal/v4/n4/pdf/ejis19963a.pdf
   Author(s): J. WARD, P. TAYLOR AND P. BOND
   Source: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS 4 (4): 214-225 1996

5. Title: VICIOUS AND VIRTUOUS CYCLES IN ERP IMPLEMENTATION: A CASE STUDY OF INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
   http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ejis/journal/v11/n1/pdf/3000418a.pdf
   Author(s): H AKKERMANS AND K VAN HELDEN
   Source: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS 11 (1): 35-46 2002

Commentary from Richard Baskerville, EJIS Editor-in-Chief

The two most cited EJIS articles deal with two of the most important information systems research methods in Europe: the interpretive case study and action research.

In “Interpretive case-studies in IS research - nature and method,” (EJIS 4:2, 1995) Geoff Walsham provides fundamental practical advice for interpretive IS researchers. This straightforward guidance registered strongly with EJIS readers because of the prevalence of this particular research method among its community of scholars.

In “Diversity in information systems action research methods”, (EJIS 7:2, 1998) Richard Baskerville and Trevor Wood-Harper detail the richly varied forms of action research found in information systems research. This work proved valuable in clearly establishing that an orthodoxy in action research methodology was little more than a context for other forms. The article proved popular for its useful analysis of the many ways action research could adapt to different purposes and settings.

The next two most cited articles deal with information systems evaluation. This is also important in European styles of research because of the broad viewpoint that values social impacts highly (perhaps more highly) in relation to technical and functional impacts.

In “Analysing information systems evaluation: another look at an old problem ,” (EJIS 7:3, 1998) Steve Smithson and Rudy Hirschheim provide an analysis of existing literature on evaluation using a framework that includes subjective/ political understanding as well as effectiveness and efficiency. Their application of these ideas to outsourcing has made this analysis particularly relevant.

In “Evaluation and realisation of IS/IT benefits: An empirical study of current practice,” (EJIS 4:4, 1996) John Ward, Phil Taylor and Paul Bond provide an innovative benefits management perspective on system evaluation. Their empirical investigation found that company obsessions with technical or time/cost performance are likely to lead to overstatement of system benefits.

The fifth highly cited paper deals with success and failure of ERP systems. European ERP systems and their adoption have been closely watched as models worldwide. In “Vicious and virtuous cycles in ERP implementation: a case study of interrelations between critical success factors,” (EJIS 11:1, 2002) Henk Akkermans and Kees van Helden report a theory-building case study /action research study. It offers an analysis of critical success factors that explained a vicious cycle of poor collaboration and communication in the case. This understanding enabled the organization to use the analysis to develop counter-measures that turned the vicious cycle around into a successful virtuous cycle.