Information systems and information technologies as enablers of innovation and knowledge creation and sharing in professional service firms

ABSTRACT

This paper aims at exploring what are the factors enabling or threatening IT and IS innovation choices and how these factors interact to shape organisational change in accounting firms. Data have been collected through questionnaires concerning strategies related to IT and IS, to understand whether these strategies may enable innovation and knowledge creation and sharing. Insights are provided from the Italian setting, since its particular features of an ever-changing regulation and high competition. Findings show some additional insights to what stated by the literature, contending that some differences do exist relatively to firms’ size and localisation. In doing so, the paper provides interesting implications concerning IS and IT as enablers of innovation and knowledge sharing in PSFs.

KEYWORDS:

• Information systems
• information technology
• innovation
• professional service firms

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Andrea Tomo is Assistant Professor of Organization Studies at the Department of Economics, Management, Institutions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy, where he also teaches Negotiation in Complex Organisations. He holds a PhD in Management at the University of Naples Federico II. He has been visiting researcher at Cass Business School, Copenhagen Business School, Stockholm Centre for Organizational Research (SCORE) – Stockholm Business School, and Leuphana University of Luneburg.

Gianluigi Mangia is Full Professor of Organization Studies at the University of Napoli Federico II, Italy, where he currently teaches Organisation theory and information systems, and human resources topics. He holds a Ph.D. in Organization and Business Administration from University of Molise. He was visiting scholar at Cardiff Business School, visiting researcher at London School of Economics, and visiting doctoral student at Warwick Business School.

Stefano Consiglio is Full Professor of Organization Studies at the University of Napoli Federico II, Italy, where he currently teaches Organisation theory and information systems, and human resources topics. His research interests mainly focus on contingent labour and flexibility, human resource management and innovation. He is author of several publications on the change and the increase of the Temporary Work Agency sector in Italy and Europe. Since 2012, he is a scientific coordinator for the project Smart Cities Orchestra – Smart Cities and Communities and Social innovation.