Limitation of research method

The nature of qualitative data is tied to the individual participant picturing a phenomenon from their own eyes and is thus shaped by their worldview. This provides answers that are in-depth and contains insights regarding the case companies. The implication of this is that it can be difficult to create general theories that would fit a multitude of companies. As mentioned earlier, the data was gathered using a semi-structured interview method, which made the study vulnerable to several common method biases. The behaviour of the participants could be influenced through a bias, which impacts the research result. For instance, an important bias was the examination of data, that was heavily reliant on personal statements and opinions, is the social desirability bias. Participants possessing this bias have a tendency to respond to certain questions with an ulterior motive of what is culturally and socially appropriate. The implications for this study may be that some of the participants could find it more culturally appropriate to express a positive answer of the transition to WFH and their IT capabilities. The reason to express a positive response is that the participants want to appear loyal to their respective company. Another form of bias is the positive and negative affectivity bias, which is defined as some people experience and view themselves, and their surroundings as generally positive or negative (Mackenzie 2003). If some of the participants expressed positive affectivity towards their work or company, the transition to WFH would be viewed as a generally positive phenomenon. The implications of positive and negative affective bias for this thesis can be that the research and findings are incomplete, hence the one-sided opinions regarding WFH and the companies’ IT capabilities. Thus, one of the most vital factors of the analysis is to rely on the participants to provide a critical and relatively accurate assessment of the challenges, changes, and issues WFH have generated in the companies. The positive perceptions of participants towards transition to WFH could raise concerns about whether more timely data can reveal other insights of adaptations to WFH. Furthermore, all our participants were CIO’s or CFO, which may raise concerns about how objective their statements were regarding the overall view, including employees’ transition to WFH. The participants might express an overly optimistic bias, the perceptions of the participants should be treated carefully and not as the objective truth. As

Page 123 of 132 both biases can have an influence on the research result, we ensured that all questions were phrased as naturally as possible. As an example of this take the following question: “How concerned are you with reducing IT costs?” The question itself does not give an indication of any correct answer, but the answer was used to access their digital maturity. The subjects' own perception of what is correct would likely reflect their company's true opinion and strategy, thus not falling victim to any bias.

By operating under the interpretive paradigm and using qualitative methods for sampling information, another vulnerability is the researcher bias that originates from this method.

Therefore, it was crucial for us to be aware of this when working with a qualitative study since the risk of research biases could arise. Meaning we could personally influence the finished result of the project when examining the sampled data. The reason for this is that the majority of work is focused towards preparing, retrieving and processing the qualitative data, where the interpretive element plays a major factor. Due to these complications, it is important to stay self-critical and frequently ask questions concerning alternative explanations and interpretations of our findings to avoid the bias in the study (Andersen 2014).

The implications of this study on future research

After having delved deep into the world of WFH with an IT perspective, many questions and topics for future research become apparent. As already touched upon in the previous sections, there is an opening for future studies examining the experiences of the employees affected by lockdowns and WFH. To establish whether these experiences and insights are VRIN. As noted in the previous sections, it is unknown how large a role the lockdowns play in the increased performance seen in the majority of the companies. It can be argued that the surrounding situation and the burning platform for the adoption of WFH has played a large role in the success seen. Therefore, it would be prudent to make a follow up study to clarify these factors. Such a study can either examine companies that have implemented a large-scale use of WFH before 2020 or be undertaken in the years after the end of the global lockdowns.

Based on the results of this thesis, it should be possible to make a follow up study to see if the resulting improvements in IT capabilities are indeed, a general response to large-scale use of WFH.

Page 124 of 132 This can be conducted by using a questionnaire based upon this thesis’ interview guide, or a similar study with an increased number of participants. All around the world, companies have been forced to send their employees home to some degree. Furthermore, this study has only examined the impacts of WFH in Denmark, and it could therefore be interesting to see the results in other countries. An example of this was seen in Chr. Hansen, where their local office in Columbia greatly benefited from WFH due to the employees saving their daily commute, around 4-5 hours (Jens Rasmussen, 42:36). This is a case where there may be many differences depending on the country due to local concerns and factors.

This thesis focuses on the general trends in the different companies seen through the lens and perspective of the executive managers. The results from our findings are based upon people that are concerned with the bigger picture, and not the minor details. This provides a general idea about how the overall organisation has been impacted, but not the lived experiences of the everyday worker. Does the average person in the IT department have the same view of the changes experienced in the organisation as the upper management or do they view things differently? On a similar set of thought, the average employee might feel that their IT has moved more than what the executive has pictured. This study can be used as a general baseline regarding the nature of changes from WFH and then compare the employees’ experiences to it. Does it differ and if so, how much?

A subject that often came up in the interviews is that of social isolation and the need for human interactions. The implications of this subject were that many of the lingering challenges and issues seen in the different organisations were not directly IT related, but more related to the social aspects of working. This underlines the importance of research into this field of study.

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