Use of a priori categories

My use of a priori categories is supported by the following references from literature on qualitative research:

(1) The provisional (a priori) coding method is described by Miles et al. (2014) as a start list of researcher generated codes based upon prior research that is appropriate for qualitative studies that build on previous research .

(2) Goetz and LeCompte (1981) comment that a priori categories may be based upon an initial constructive phase of analysis where conceptual categories embedded in the social phenomena have been discovered . ) suggest that my literature review and the development of an explicit research question and underlying questions represent such an initial analysis phase.

(3) Glaser and Strauss refer to the literature review as a slice of data and which the authors say can be regarded as form of a priori coding.

(4) Nunes and Al-Mamari in a study titled )nductive approaches: Using a priori coding in information systems research comment this literature review process should therefore produce a priori theory that reflects the cumulative knowledge in the field on the phenomenon being studied, i.e. generic a priori categories that are strongly expected to be relevant in the discussion, explanation and understanding of that phenomenon .

(5) The use of a priori categories to scaffold the apprentice researcher during inductive data analysis Nunes and Al-Mamari, 2008) also aligns with the views of Orlikowski and Iacono (2001). The latter authors have argued there is insufficient hidden presence of the )T artefacts in qualitative research into information systems and too much emphasis upon the impact of information systems upon social

behaviour. My method of using a priori categories, based upon a review of IS literature and the explicit nature of my research question about the ERP phenomenon, has ensured the influence of this particular IT artefact.

(6) The use of a priori categories also has much in common with in vivo coding described by Miles et al. as using words or short phrases from the participants own language in the data as codes .

(7) The a priori categories used in this study formed the basis of the interview protocol and so would necessarily be present, together with correlated categories, in the participants responses. An in vivo code is described by Strauss as deriving from the natural language of people in the social context being studied Bryman, 2008).

The a priori categories, together with their origin within information technology and enterprise systems literature, are shown below in Table 4–1.

A priori category Literature

reference(s) which is origin of category

The context of reference which was cited

1 ERP systems

Literature generally cites particular case studies or surveys and in many cases relates the dimensions of the ERP project (for example, size and scope of business applications and implementation strategy) to the issue under study.

Paper discusses multiple reasons for adopting enterprise systems in terms of business objectives.

Ability to state clear objectives and measure IT system benefits in a business case is viewed as a key capability of a business organisation.

3 Contents of business cases

Ward et al. (2008) Paper titled Building better business cases for )T investments . This study includes definition of different categories of business benefit for inclusion in business case and concludes that businesses with more robust business cases are more successful in delivering value from IT investments.

4 Planned system benefits

As above The above paper also provides typology for classification of planned system benefits; financial, quantifiable, measurable and observable benefits.

This paper discusses use of benefits metrics for project approval rather than to measure business success of project.

Paper entitled The Enterprise System Experience - From Adoption to Success discusses measures of success that are independent of business case metrics.

6 Reasons for not measuring benefits

Nelson (2005) Nelson discusses a variety of reasons why a retrospective view of project benefits is not completed, based on 357 responses from large IT project participants.

7 Delivery of benefits

Peppard et al. (2007) Paper argues that use of a benefits dependency network (BDN) improves successful delivery of planned benefits and cites case studies to support findings.

8 Project

Papers discussed in this section research the groupings of independent variables (CSFs that impact the dependent variable of project implementation success.

There is explicit assumption that this success concept determines business success.

A comprehensive framework for assessing and managing the benefits enterprise system classifies benefits from ERP systems as operational, managerial, strategic, IT infrastructure and organisational.

10 Subjective

Nelson agrees with Markus that success is in the eye of the beholder. At any point in time, a project may receive a different opinion on success and it s unlikely to be a binary one .

Table 4–1: Derivation of a priori codes from literature

4.1.1.1 Benefits of using a priori categories In summary the benefits of using a priori categories are:

(1) extant theory is introduced at an early stage in the inductive process of coding interview data

(2) a priori categories are used to structure the interview protocol discussed with the informed participants and there is therefore an increased convergence of interview responses with extant theory

(3) from a practical standpoint of completing research and writing a PhD thesis the use of a priori categories avoids the compulsion to code everything that emerges from the data as relevant to the study Nunes and Al-Mamari, 2008).

Consequently, the a priori categories and extant theory of how the business success of enterprise systems can be measured have largely determined the approach to the processes used for coding and analysis of data from the interviews of the 20 informed participants