Information systems (IS) strategizing is particularly challenging for established organizations because of their historical conditions. The question of how established organizations can effectively manage their historical conditions in IS strategizing remains under-explored. To address this question, we conducted a case study tracing the history (1960–2020) of an established organization in the building and construction industry. Through the analysis, we found four systems: accounting management system, business communication system, knowledge management system, and community collaboration system, as the historical conditions that formed an IS imprint, which was later managed and reproduced during IS strategizing. Using the imprinting lens, we developed an understanding of: (1) the formation of the IS imprint at the organizational foundation; and (2) the reproduction of the IS imprint, considering imprint-as-resource and imprint-as-constraint during IS strategizing. We contribute to the literature by providing an understanding of how historical conditions inform IS strategizing in the long term and by applying the imprinting lens to uncover the process through which an IS imprint is strategically managed and reproduced beyond the founding phase. The insights developed from this study are transferable to similar organizational contexts for managing historical conditions in IS strategizing.

In the original theory of group performance in software development technical reviews there was no consideration given to the influence of the inspection process, inspection performance, or the inspected artifact, on the structure of the theoretical model. We present an extended theoretical model, along with discussion and justification for components of the new model. These extensions include consideration of the software product quality attributes, the prescriptive processes now developed for reviews, and a more detailed consideration of the technical and nontechnical characteristics of the inspectors. We present both the structure of the model and the nature of the interactions between elements in the model. Consideration is also given to the opportunity for increased formalism in the technical review process. We show that opportunity exists to both improve industrial practice and extend research-based knowledge of the technical review process and context.

Software engineers use a number of different types of software development technical review (SDTR) for the purpose of detecting defects in software products. This paper applies the behavioral theory of group performance to explain the outcomes of software reviews. A program of empirical research is developed, including propositions to both explain review performance and identify ways of improving review performance based on the specific strengths of individuals and groups. Its contributions are to clarify our understanding of what drives defect detection performance in SDTRs and to set an agenda for future research. In identifying individuals' task expertise as the primary driver of review performance, the research program suggests specific points of leverage for substantially improving review performance. It points to the importance of understanding software reading expertise and implies the need for a reconsideration of existing approaches to managing reviews.