A hermeneutic analysis of the Denver International Airport Baggage Handling System - Information Systems Foundations: Constructing and Criticising - page 73

Table 6.4. Flexibility factors (extract)

Ref
#

Intention of
communicative
action

Shareholder Opinion Phenomena Reseacher's

interpretation/findings

M1 Background United

Airlines
1992

'integrated system would
improve time efficiency, reduce
close-out time for hub operations
and decrease time-consuming
manual baggae sorting and
handling.'

Objectives Operational efficiency is an

important objective. However,
efficiency alone cannot be
driving large projects.

M2 Setting

expectations

Author's
hindsight

'There were, however, a number
of risks inherent in the
endeavour; the scale of the large
project's size; the enormous
complexity of the expanded
system; the newness of the
technology; the large number of
resident entities to be served by
the same system; the high
degree of technical and project
definition uncertainty; and the
short time span for completion.'

Risks,
scale,
complexity,
newness,
granularity

Projects of huge size and
complexity need well-tested
methods. Novelty is usually
incompatible with scale.

M3 Fact

Setting
expectations

Author's
hindsight

'In August 1994, Mayor Webb
approved the construction of a
backup system. At the same
time, he notified BAE of a
$12 000-a-day penalty for not
finishing the baggage system by
DIA's original October 29 1993
completion date.'

Non-delivery,
breakdown
of
communication,
start of
hostilities

Legal means such as penalties
are not advisable in situations
which require cooperation.
Whenever there is still some
chance of problem resolution,
communication and
negotiation should be used
instead.

M4 Novelisation

Setting
expectations

Gene Di
Fonso,
President
of BAE
1994

'He wondered whether he should
just cancel the contract and cut
his losses, or attempt to
negotiate with the City the
support required to finish the
system as specified, despite the
severe deterioration in
communication and rising
hostility.'

Rigidity,
lack of
communication,
hostilities

Legal means such as penalties
are not advisable in situations
which require cooperation.
Whenever there is still some
chance of problem resolution,
communication and
negotiation should be used
instead.

M5 Setting

expectations
Leading
Appeal to
technical
prowess

Author's
hindsight

'Could the problem with the
automated system be overcome
with the dedication of additional
resources? Given that the
system represented a significant
departure from conventional
technology, would reducing its
size and complexity facilitate
resolution of the problems that
plagued it?'

Hypothesis:
smaller size
and
complexity,
additional
resources

By offering a hypothetical
reason for the project collapse
early in the teaching case, the
authors are likely to lead the
reader towards these as a
conclusion.

M6 Motivation

Setting
expectations

Denver
1980s

'An aging and saturated
Stapleton Airport was
increasingly seen as a liability
that limited the attractiveness of
the region to the many
businesses that were flocking to
it. Delays had become chronic.'

Perceptions
and
expectations
of
stakeholders.
Strong
motivation
for the
project.

External pressures could
provide positive project
motivation. It may however
also lead to unduly strong
stakeholder expectations,
while haste could cause major
project problems.

M7 Colourising

Politics

Frederico
Peňa

'The airport was to become a
grandiose project to revive the
Colorado economy and a master
showcase for the Public Works
Department.'

Perceptions
and
expectations

Project overselling can elevate
stakeholder expectations
beyond common sense.

The revelations from the fifth cycle show that collaborative hermeneutics can yield sub-
stantial benefits. In this case, the two researchers developed independent derivative
texts with completely individual approaches to their interpretations. The curious result