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Abstract
Information Quality (IQ) Management plays a vital role in the process of Accounting
Information Systems (AIS) adoption. IQ is emerging as a well-known business problem in
modern organisations. Specifically, the level of information quality is critical for all accounting
processes, and has a significant impact on business decision-making. It must be noted that
modern organisations rely heavily on the use of accounting information systems for their
accounting processes. There is a growing need for research to provide insights into issues and
solutions related to IQ in AIS adoption. This research aims to explore ways of managing
information quality and AIS adoption to investigate the relationship between the IQ issues and
AIS adoption process. This study has led to the development of a framework to guide the
organisations on implementing an adequate IQ management approach during the system
adoption process. This research was done on 44 respondents at ten organisations within
manufacturing firms in Thailand. The findings of the research’s empirical evidence suggest that
IQ dimensions in AIS adoption provide assistance in all processes of decision making. This
research provides empirical evidence that information quality of AIS adoption affect decision
making and suggests that these variables should be considered in adopting AIS in order to
improve the effectiveness of AIS.
Keywords: Information Quality, Information Quality Dimensions, Accounting Information
Systems, Accounting Information System Adoption.
__________________________________________________________________________
Copyright © 2011 Manirath Wongsim and Jing Gao. This is an open access article distributed under the
Creative Commons Attribution License unported 3.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided that original work is properly cited. Contact author: Manirath
Wongsim e-maill: Manirath.Wongsim@postgrads.unisa.edu.au.
Communications of the IBIMA 2
Strong et al (2002), the growth of data Likewise, Ismail and King (2005) find that
warehouses has increased the need for organisations may lack knowledge and the
quality data in order for organisations to vision to incorporate accounting
perform well, obtain competitive information systems; additionally, there
advantage, and survive in today’s global are still problems in the process of
economy. Thus, data management is accounting implementation. However,
important in organisations, in order to business needs to be seen as a system using
support and develop different departments accounting information well, requiring
in corporations by enabling work quality data in organisations to perform
processes of all sorts, as well as decision- well, obtain competitive advantage, and
making. survive in today’s global economy. These
are all critical to a company in order to
organise, manage and operate processes in
In particular, accounting is essential in
all sections. Furthermore, organisational
making economic decisions. Furthermore,
structure is important to improving or
accounting and management decision-
adopting AIS systems. A well-managed,
making is dependent on the fit of the
well-designed accounting system can
Accounting Information Systems (AIS) with
improve work performance and increase
the organisation’s requirements.
the efficiency of activities in accounting
Therefore, organisations must pay
responsibility.
attention to the efficiency of their
accounting information systems. In order
Findings from the literature indicate that
to implement AIS successfully, it is
an AIS is a specific software application and
important to address the quality of
management process. Kaplan (1998)
information adoption, to manage all the
indicates that enterprises should operate
processes of accounting systems. Thus, this
management accounting outside the ERP
research intends to study this perspective
system because the same system cannot
of IQ management in AIS adoption.
provide information for financial
Background accounting. What’s more, Malmi (2001)
and Scapens and Jazayeri (2003) Find that
Information quality problems can impact the relationship between ERP systems and
on operations, increase costs and lower management accounting techniques have
worker job-satisfaction, while increasing not changed significantly. However, while
customer dissatisfaction (Redman 1998). ERP systems are considered to be
In a modern world, information quality is important data sources for most new
potent in that it directs the business’s accounting practises, they are not an
future. This is because good information incentive for accounting techniques and
quality can lead to success while poor system adoption. The characteristics of
information quality can lead to failure of accounting techniques are different in a
the business (Bovee 2004; Redman 1998; number of elements. Moreover, Rom and
Redman 2008). Consequently, information Rohde (2007) indicate that data integration
quality criteria have become important in accounting should be studied more
considerations for any organisation that narrowly (Rom and Rohde 2007). Other
wants to carry out a variety of processes authors (e.g. Davila, Foster et al, 2004;
well. Naomi and Kevin, 2007; Ismail, 2009;
Romney and Steinbart, 2009) state that
In particular, accounting and management within organisations there must be
decision-making are concerned with the attention given to the accounting standards
appropriateness of the AIS for the and laws of each country.
organisation’s requirements for
information communication and control Recently, when adopting AIS, some
(Gordon and Miller 1976; McLaney and organisations used AIS vendors for
Atrill 2005). The argument behind this adopting accounting systems developed by
finding is that accounting information the software vendors for the organisations
systems often lack high-quality data. who want to adopt their solutions. Other
3 Communications of the IBIMA
The research framework for this study is system and the quality of information used
presented in Fig 1. The framework posits throughout the adoption process (Delone
that accounting information systems and McLean 2003; Nelson and Todd 2005).
adoption is affected by internal and Likewise, information quality dimensions
external organisations and also requires influence the advantage of AIS adoption.
quality information in order to function This is because information quality
effectively. Moreover, accounting and dimensions utilised in AIS adoption can
management decision making are help organisations to understand the
concerned with the appropriateness of the requirements for delivering high quality
AIS for the organisation’s requirements for information. Furthermore, accounting
information communication and control. In systems adoption requires quality
order to adopt AIS successfully, it is information in order to function effectively,
important to consider the quality of the where the level of information quality is
Communications of the IBIMA 4
critical for all accounting system processes. • Data producers who create, collect and
Information quality dimensions are monitor information for AIS.
relevant to all data management processes
adopted by an organisation. Thus, • Data auditors who record, classify, report
organisations need to apply information and interpret financial information.
criteria to organize and control all stages of
AIS and AIS adoption. This framework links • Data analysts who analyse, design,
IQ management efforts to AIS adoption develop and operate AIS adoption.
performance. The framework is developed
based upon the existing literature and the • Data users who access and operate AIS in
exploratory multiple case study, discussed their work activities.
in detail in the next sections.
• Data managers who are responsible for
Research Methodology
managing and controlling information
This research used qualitative, interpretive and information quality in AIS adoption.
evidence. Interpretive research often
involves using qualitative methods from Moreover, data collection sources also
which to develop awareness gained from included relevant documents, such as
the data collection, and analyses the position descriptions, policy manuals,
research process (Avison and Myers 2002; organisational charts, service records, and
Orlikowski and Baroudi 1991). In this annual reports. The purpose of the case
study, collecting relevant information was studies was to investigate what was an
done by conducting interviews following appropriate IQ issue associated with AIS
initial exploratory work. Literature reviews adoption and how best to choose and use
were used together with a conceptual an AIS adoption in organisations,
study research method in order to develop considering factors before and during the
interview questions. adoption of an AIS. Moreover, the
qualitative data analysis methods used
Furthermore, this study used case studies included pattern-matching, content
in ten organisations as confirmatory analysis, and cross-case synthesis.
evidence. The selection of cases in this
study was purposefully carried out in order Research Finding
to achieve theoretical and literal
replication. Cases were selected on the IQ Dimensions in AIS Adoption
basis of three dimensions: industry type,
and the size and type of organisation. In this research, IQ dimensions are
Regarding the first dimension, there are identified as relevance, reliability,
different types of business - agricultural, comparability, understandability,
financial, industrial, education and availability, effectiveness, efficiency,
government. The second dimension relates confidentiality, accessibility, integrity,
to organisation sectors, consisting of public compliance, accuracy, objectivity, security,
and private groups. The third dimension completeness, and timeliness, as identified
focuses on the size of various from the literature and business
organisations, especially large corporations requirements from information in the
and SMEs. The selected organisations are multiple case studies. These information
from Thailand but enable the dimensions quality dimensions are relevant to all data
to be addressed. management processes adopted by
organisations, as show in Fig 2. The results
Case studies were used to provide useful of IQ dimensions in AIS adoption, all
insights into the nature of IQ issues when variables in this study, were measured by
adopting AIS. This study used in-depth in-depth interviews. Furthermore, the
interviews to collect information as well as research summarises the scores given by
involving semi-structured interviews and different stakeholders in Case A to Case J
unstructured interviews with stakeholders (the ten organisations).
such as:
5 Communications of the IBIMA
Fig 2 presents the results of IQ dimensions and people to drive business goals. In ours
in AIS adoption from sixteen dimensions organisation identifies to satisfy business
among the 44 respondents. Respondents goals by used information quality dimension
were asked to indicate on a scale of five to control accounting information systems
choices consisting of never agree, rarely and AIS adoption. We have been described
agree, sometime agree, often agree, and by information dimension including
always agree. Thai listed organisations Accessibility, Accuracy, Availability,
have score of 5.00 for IQ dimensions such Completeness, Compliance, Confidentiality,
as Accuracy, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Integrity,
Relevance, Reliability and Timeline; the Objectivity, Relevance, Reliability, Security,
firms have a score of 4.00 for all IQ Timeline and Understandability in all
dimensions; a score of 3.00 for IQ adoption process”.
dimensions including Accessibility, CEO (Company A)
Availability, Comparability, Completeness,
Relevance, Reliability, Security, and Company A used information quality
Understandability; a score of 2.00 for IQ criteria to successfully adopt AIS. They
dimensions of Comparability and used information criteria to control all
Understandability; a score of less than 2.00 stages of the AIS adoption process for
for any IQ dimension was not revealed by checking the system. Organisation A aimed
the results. to define requirements for IQ criteria, and
then applied requirements management
One of the interviewees illustrated the and requirements analysis to control and
significance of positive relationships improve all processes within AIS adoption.
between the performance of an AIS Moreover, they are concerned about the
adoption and IQ dimensions in the AIS root causes of IQ problems and aim to
system. The CEO noted that: determine the impact of poor IQ. Most
importantly, the project manager is
“I think organisations need to satisfy the responsible for all IQ management efforts
quality, reliability and security requirements to improve quality of information in
for our information, as for all assets. We decision making for the acquired AIS
need for available IT resources, including system. This company needs to be seen as
applications, information, infrastructure effectively adopting AIS, meeting the
required quality of accounting information.
Communications of the IBIMA 6
In addition, the IT manager in company B “We’re using IQ criteria to control all work
believes that the AIS are important in process in our organisation. So our systems
helping organisations to make profits. have been some problem but overall [we’re]
Company B was also concerned to identify satisfied. We have been using IQ criteria
that IQ dimensions help to ensure including Availability, Compliance,
alignment to business requirements. As Confidentiality, Effectiveness, Efficiency,
one of the interviewees indicated: Integrity, Reliability as business policy and
objective. Do you think they are
“In our organisation, we have been appropriate? I think they are appropriate
information quality dimensions to control but should improve to high work
work processes refer to as business process performance.”
and AIS process for information quality such
as Reliability, Confidentiality, Accuracy, Accounting Manager and director of IT
Availability, Integrity, Compliance, (CompanyE)
Accessibility, Security, Comprehensiveness,
Relevance, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Company E has controls embedded in
Timeline, Comparability, Understandability. business processes, IT processes and
IQ dimensions can help organisation to services, by adopting IQ criteria. In
managing and controlling information to implementing AIS successfully, all stages
satisfy business objective. What is more, the have been concerned with information
company would like to conduct the IQ quality issues to improve the AIS adoption
dimension checks before moving accounting in the organisation. This approach covers
data into the new system. We have been strategy and tactics, and concerns the
satisfying AIS system and can help ours a lot identification of the ways IT can best
to operate work performances”. contribute to the achievement of the
business objectives. In addition, the
IT Manager (Company B) organisation has been using continuous IQ
management such as Developing IQ
Company B believes that IQ dimensions implementation, Implementing IQ Project,
help to ensure configuration to business and IQ management governance. Moreover,
requirements. Especially, they have to this company uses IQ criteria to support IT
check the IQ dimensions during the objectives and to measure them within the
change-over process to make sure data is process employed to achieve the required
moved into the new system with a high performance.
level of information quality. Furthermore, AIS Adoption Processes
the organisation uses continuous IQ
management such as IQ threats Fig 3 shows a summary of case studies’ AIS
management, business process for IQ Adoption process findings from multiple
improvement, develop IQ management and case studies by different types of business -
IQ management improvement. The agricultural, financial, industrial, education
organisation has strict governance of IQ and government. The selection of cases in
policies, IQ benchmarks, IQ planning, IQ this study was purposefully carried out in
Audit and provides accountability and order to achieve theoretical and literal
rewards. In addition, organisation B replication. The number of cases may
considered IQ dimensions, such as AIS depend on the purpose of research,
adoption processes, by using the IQ available resources and constraints; in
dimensions to check all processes to addition, the decision about the number of
ensure AIS performance and providing IT cases may be left to the individual
governance in the organisation. researcher (Patton 1990). For the
remaining factors, although to some extent
Another case study organisation also had a conflicts still existed across cases,
group of personnel who indicate that: agreement seems greater than the
differences.
7 Communications of the IBIMA
The Factors in Red Denote the New Factors that are Finding from Case Studies
Fig 3 shows that adopting AIS involves aims and direction, Manage Quality, Manage
using technology-adoption to support team work to support project, System
operations, strategic management, and Design, Acquire and maintain application
decision-making in the firm. A well- software, Acquire and maintain application
managed and designed AIS adoption maintain infrastructure, Develop IQ
process can improve AIS performance and Implementation, IQ management
increase the efficiency of activities as well Improvement, Implementing, Install and
as help organisations to make profits by accredit solution and manage changes,
improving the quality and reducing the Procure IT resources, Manage data profiling
cost of products or services, sharing and data cleansing, Integration and Test, IQ
knowledge and improved decision-making management governance, Define and
(Romney, Marshall B 2009). The model manage service levels, data quality
reference framework deFines 41 high-level improvement, Educate and train users,
control objectives for AIS adoption Ensure continuous service, Ensure system
processes. security, Manage operations, Manage
performance and capacity, Manage
One of the interviewees identified the problems, Manage service desk and
performance of an AIS adoption as most incidents, Manage the configurations,
important in accounting activities. The Manage the physical environment, Manage
director of the IT department noted that: third-party services, Support and
Maintenance, Manage data, Monitor and
“We often are using 40 steps to manage and evaluate internal control, Monitor and
guidelines on how to develop new system evaluate IT performance, Provide IT
depend on project and each system as governance, IQ insurance and control, IQ
development. Developing AIS includes 40 monitors and evaluates. We have [to] check
steps that include Define a requirement, all processes before used accounting
Identifies root cause of IQ problem and software upon IQ polices and also approval
determine impact of poor IQ, determine the from board of organisation. We have been
technology direction, Identify data quality satisfy system this AIS system can help
requirement, Requirement analysis, Manage employee activity and work performance”
Project and mange investment, Find vendor
or IT Support, Communicate management Director of IT department (Company B)
Communications of the IBIMA 8
control and to improve all processes of AIS continuous IQ management such as IQ risks
adoption (shown in table1). They are also management, IQ management cost
concerned about the root causes of IQ advantage, accounts process for IQ
problems and determine the impact of improvement, IQ metrics management.
poor IQ. Most importantly, the project Moreover, organisations must have strict
manager is responsible for all IQ governance of IQ roles, IQ benchmarks, IQ
management efforts to improve quality of strategies, and the IQ Audit.
information in decision making for the
acquired AIS system. AIS System Use
IQ dimensions
Understandabilit
Confidentiality
Comparability
Completeness
Effectiveness
Accessibility
Compliance
Availability
Objectivity
Reliability
Relevance
Efficiency
Accuracy
Timeline
Integrity
Security
y
AIS process
1. DeFine requirement √ √ √
2. IdentiFies root cause of IQ problem and
determine impact √ √ √ √ √
3. Determine the technological direction. √ √
4. Identify data quality requirement √ √
5. Requirement analysis √ √ √ √ √ √ √
6. Manage projects and manage Investment √ √ √
7. Find vendor and IT resources. √ √ √ √ √
8.Communicate management aims and
direction. √ √
9. Manage quality. √ √ √ √ √ √ √
10. Manage team work to support project √ √
11. Design System √ √ √ √ √ √
12.Acquire and maintain application
software. √ √ √ √ √ √ √
13.Acquire and maintain infrastructure √ √ √ √ √ √ √
14.Develop IQ Implement √ √ √ √ √ √ √
15. IQ management improvement √ √ √ √ √ √ √
16. Implementing √ √ √ √ √ √ √
17.Install and accredit solutions and
changes. √ √ √ √ √ √ √
18. Procure IT resources. √ √ √
19. Manage data proFiling and data cleansing √ √ √ √ √ √ √
20.System integration and Testing √ √ √ √ √ √ √
21. Implement IQ Project √ √ √ √ √ √ √
22. IQ management governance √ √ √ √ √ √ √
23. DeFine and manage service levels. √ √ √ √ √ √ √
24. Data quality improvement √ √ √ √ √
25. Educate and train users. √ √ √
26. Ensure continuous service. √ √ √
27. Ensure systems security. √ √ √ √ √ √ √
28. Manage operations. √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
29. Manage performance and capacity. √ √ √ √ √
30. Manage problems. √ √ √ √ √ √ √
31. Manage service desk and incidents. √ √ √ √
32. Manage the conFigurations. √ √ √ √
33. Manage the physical environment. √ √ √
34. Manage third-party services. √ √ √ √ √ √ √
35. Support and Maintenance √ √ √ √ √
36. Manage data. √ √ √ √ √
37. Monitor and evaluate internal control. √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
38. Monitor and evaluate IT performance. √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
39. Provide IT governance √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
40. IQ insurance and control √ √ √
41. IQ monitors and evaluates √ √ √ √ √ √ √