Understanding transnational information systems with supranational governance: A multi-level conflict management perspective

Management of transnational information systems (TIS) faces major challenges, as the diversity of both organizational and national contexts provides increased potential for conflict. This is even more so, especially in the case of supranational TIS, where an additional source and layer of potential conflicts is added by a supranational body, such as the EU, which can impose TIS by law. This paper seeks to explore “how to understand conflicts that occur when developing and implementing supranational TIS.” Understanding conflicts can help TIS managers to take proactive, rather than reactive, measures to handling conflict situations that they encounter. We propose a multi-level conflict management framework and utilize an interpretive case study methodology to demonstrate how it can be applied in the context of one supranational TIS (a transit system that was introduced in the EU), taking the management perspective of one national government (here the Netherlands). Our findings indicate that the national government simultaneously faces multiple conflicts as it is positioned between the supranational body, its own IT department, and national businesses. Unlike TIS studies reporting avoidance as a viable strategy in the early stages of TIS development, our study implies that when the deadline approaches, there is little room for avoiding conflicts; rather, they are faced and addressed promptly. This study provides a novel theoretical perspective to analyzing TIS management, and contributes to the efforts of developing methods and tools to aid TIS managers in their practices.