Research on digitalization 2024 week 26
Gaps in SMBs' market strategies; summary of literature on leadership; women in software development + automated decisions, digital surveillance, ethical leadership.
Gaps i SMB market strategies
WHAT? Swiss study on the market strategy of small and medium-sized IT companies in the context of digital transformation.
It’s INTERESTING that:
The theoretical model suggests three forces influence these companies: the pressure to support digital transformation, remain competitive, and innovate.
The study shows that companies tend to neglect customer needs in their strategy formulation, especially in understanding the entire lifecycle.
Furthermore, there is a need to better utilize digitalization in business models, branding, etc.
WHAT NOW?
As Clayton Christensen said, companies should align with "jobs to be done," meaning the utility the services should have. It can be tempting to focus on the product as a good idea instead.
Most recommendations align well with other popular development practices, such as interdisciplinarity, collaboration, etc. This is perhaps not surprising, but it may be more challenging in a small business.
A thematic approach to leadership
WHAT? A critical review of the curriculum for leadership used in university and college education.
INTERESTING:
Although there is still no unifying conceptual model for what leadership really entails, much literature contributes to a sketch that is useful but also confusing.
Much of today's understanding of leadership is the opposite of what we typically associate with leaders, namely that they should have power that they use wisely and charismatically. Today's knowledge workers are least of all obedient, and leaders who think they know more than others do not get through.
A definition that promotes leadership as "an evolved solution to an adaptive problem of collective effort” (Kaiser and Overfield), meaning that leadership lies more in the solution than in the personality.
WHAT NOW?
This is one of the more readable articles on leadership I have come across, although it will probably be frustrating for those who want clear answers and approaches. But it places the various ideas about leadership in context with each other.
The authors propose new approaches to the study of leadership to ensure learning, and this can also be done in small groups, perhaps through professional colloquies.
And then they quote Stephen Hawking: "The greatest enemy of knowledge is... the illusion of knowledge." - and that is worth taking with us in these times. There is too much certainty in public discourse, I am quite sure of that..
Women’s software engineering careers
WHAT? Brazilian, Canadian, and Italian researchers conducted a comprehensive study on women's careers in software development in Brazil.
INTERESTING:
Women experienced challenges - because they were women - at all stages of their careers, including the academic phase (uncertainty, lack of role models, stereotypes and derogatory humor, harassment, etc.), early job experience (distrust, stress, discrimination in hiring, etc.), daily work life (imposter syndrome, feeling invisible, stereotypes and derogatory humor, being excluded from decisions, etc.)
Support and help came in the form of better role models, proactive programs, career networks, more women, better career support, better team dynamics, equal pay, etc.
Measures must ensure continuity throughout the career path, where the type of support is aligned with the challenges in that phase.
WHAT NOW?
This survey is limited to Brazil and does not include women in leadership roles. It also contains little comparison with men for elements not necessarily related to gender (imposter syndrome, fatigue, etc.). However, it indicates the pain points for women in an industry long dominated by men.
The study is documented in a way that would make it easy to replicate in Norway. Anyone stepping up?
Bonus
Review of automated decisions in the public sector.
Article about the growth of digital surveillance in Norway.
Meta-analysis of the research on leadership and fairness, highlighting the need for integrity and ethical conduct.
Next week: Digital channels and economic equality; creative case processing in Nav; politics and digitalization of Danish municipalities + digital building permits, "digital remote care" in Norway.