Adding Value to Key Issues Research Through Q-Sorts and Interpretive Structured Modeling

摘要

A questionnaire requiring respondents to rate the importance of key issues is the traditional data collection tool for investigating the key issues of Information Technology (IT) managers. Such an instrument does not force managers to confront the relationships between issues. Q-sort and interpretive structured modeling (ISM) force managers to consider the linkages among key issues. This article discusses the use of these methodologies for investigating key issues and demonstrates their application with data collected from Brazilian banking IT managers. This study illustrates how these approaches provide additional insights into the key concerns facing IT managers.