Dr Pamela Abbott

BSc (University of the West Indies), MMath (Waterloo, Canada), MPhil (Cambridge), PhD (Cambridge)

Information School

Senior Lecturer in Information Systems

Pamela Abbott
Profile picture of Pamela Abbott
p.y.abbott@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2669

Full contact details

Dr Pamela Abbott
Information School
Room C242
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH
Profile

I started in academia as a computer scientist and mathematician, however, my academic career in Information Systems spans over some 11 years during which I have held various lecturing positions both in the UK (Brunel University London) and abroad (University College Dublin, Ireland).

I obtained my PhD in Management Studies from Cambridge University in 2004, having pioneered research in an area of global sourcing called “Nearshore Software Outsourcing”. This research interest stemmed from my former career as a Software Quality Analyst at a Barbados-based software outsourcing company specialising in providing services to US-based clients.

My more recent work in global sourcing looks at sources of collaboration and innovation through knowledge processes in software and services outsourcing. I carried out most of this research for this latter interest in China in collaboration with Chinese scholars.

I have attracted funding of up to £69,931 to pursue this research and won a prestigious AIS Senior Scholars best paper award for one of the ensuing publications.

My early work in nearshoring also spawned an interest in ICTs and their effects on developing countries since I, myself, am from the Caribbean islands and witnessed the transformation to work practices that took place during the “boom” years of digitization. Most scholars agree that the relationship between ICTs and development is contested; my work helps to uncover some of these contradictions and seek reasons for their continued existence.

I recently participated in two Horizon 2020 EU projects based in Africa which are trying to promote sustainable research and education networks (TANDEM) and science gateways (SciGaIA) to support African scientific communities of practice.

Research interests

My current research interests can be summarised in the following areas:

Global sourcing

  • location of outsourced work (as influenced by geography, culture, economic and non-economic factors related to location)
  • knowledge processes, collaboration and innovation in global sourcing arrangements
  • distributed collaborative work and the relationship with time, space and knowledge/cultural boundaries
  • sustainable sourcing

ICTs and development

  • sustainability of ICT interventions in developing countries
  • sustainable e-infrastructure development in the African subcontinent

Others

  • the transformative potential of ICTs in various work situations e.g. hospital discharge processes
  • e-health interventions and personalisation of healthcare as it relates to wellbeing enhancement
  • passing interest in cybersocial issues such as privacy and security in online and integrated ICT-enabled interactions.
Publications

Books

Journal articles

Chapters

Book reviews

  • Abbott PY (2014) [Book Review] Connecting ICTs to Development: The IDRC Experience. Information Technologies and International Development, 10(3), 83-85. RIS download Bibtex download

Conference proceedings papers

  • Abbott P & Wagg S (2023) Reflections on Post Hoc Theorization of ICT4D Action Research Projects: Research-In-Progress. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 696 AICT (pp 338-349) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Chirwa E, Abbott P & Foster J (2021) Understanding the Interplay between Boundary Resources and Governance Practices in influencing Ecosystem Value Co-Creation for Digital Platforms: A Case from the Global South. IFIP Working Group 9.4: Implications of Information and Digital Technologies for Development RIS download Bibtex download
  • Abbott P, Checco A & Polese D (2021) Smart Farming in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and Opportunities. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Sensor Networks, 9 February 2021 - 10 February 2021. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Counsell S, Modi S & Abbott P (2020) Themes and Difficulties in Distributed Agile Email Activity. Proceedings of the Evaluation and Assessment in Software Engineering RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kashefi A, Abbott P, Nuhu KA, Ayoung DA & Alwzinani F (2018) Investigating users' IT adaptation behaviors: A case of a computerized work system. International Conference on Information Systems 2018, ICIS 2018 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Maikore FS, Selenge G, Olayinka A, Abbott P & Soldatova L (2017) An ontology for clinical laboratory standard operating procedures. CEUR Workshop Proceedings, Vol. 2050 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Modi S, Abbott P & Counsell S (2017) Exploring the emergence of collaborative practices in globally distributed agile software development. AMCIS 2017 - America's Conference on Information Systems: A Tradition of Innovation, Vol. 2017-August RIS download Bibtex download
  • Shat FJF & Abbott P (2016) The main factors affecting E-voting service implementation: The case of palestine. 25th International Conference on Information Systems Development, ISD 2016 (pp 495-507) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kashefi A, Abbott P & Ayoung AD (2015) User IT adaptation behaviors: What have we learned and why does IT matter?. 2015 Americas Conference on Information Systems, AMCIS 2015 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Taylor SJE, Abbott P, Young T & Grocott-Mason R (2015) Student modeling & simulation projects in healthcare: Experiences with Hillingdon Hospital. IEEE Press, Vol. 2015-January (pp 3650-3661) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ayoung AD, Sigweni B & Abbott P (2015) Case-based reasoning system for predicting the sustainability of a telecentre. 2015 10th International Conference for Internet Technology and Secured Transactions (ICITST), 14 December 2015 - 16 December 2015. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Lewis R, Louvieris P, Abbott P, Clewley N & Jones K (2014) Cybersecurity information sharing: A framework for information security management in UK SME supply chains. ECIS 2014 Proceedings - 22nd European Conference on Information Systems RIS download Bibtex download
  • Zheng Y & Abbott P (2013) Moving up the value chain or reconfiguring the value network? An organizational learning perspective on born global outsourcing vendors. ECIS 2013 - Proceedings of the 21st European Conference on Information Systems RIS download Bibtex download
  • Modi S & Abbott P (2013) Understanding Collaborative Practices in Distributed Agile Development: Research Proposal. 2013 IEEE 8th International Conference on Global Software Engineering Workshops, 26 August 2013 - 26 August 2013. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Modi S, Abbott P & Counsell S (2013) Negotiating Common Ground in Distributed Agile Development: A Case Study Perspective. 2013 IEEE 8th International Conference on Global Software Engineering, 26 August 2013 - 29 August 2013. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Abbott P, Zheng Y, Modi S & Du R (2012) Moving up the value chain: Exploring the issues for Chinese software & services outsourcers. PACIS 2012 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Kashefi A & Abbott P (2012) The Influences of Employees' Emotions and Cognition on IT Adoption: Some Perspectives from Iran. 2012 45th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 4 January 2012 - 7 January 2012. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Ibrahim-Dasuki S & Abbott P (2011) ICT and empowerment to participate: A capability approach. 17th Americas Conference on Information Systems 2011, AMCIS 2011, Vol. 1 (pp 148-158) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dasuki SI & Abbott PY (2011) The impact of ICT investments on development: Lessons from the Nigeria pre-paid electricity billing system. 11th IFIP 9.4, 22 May 2011 - 25 May 2011. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Feng J, Du R, Ai S, Zheng Y & Abbott P (2011) An empirical research of relation norms on IT outsourcing performance. Procedia Engineering, Vol. 24 (pp 214-218) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Dasuki SI & Abbott PY (2010) Evaluating the effects of ICTs on development using the capability approach: The case of the Nigeria pre-paid electricity billing meter. International Conference on Information Systems RIS download Bibtex download
  • Abbott P, Zheng Y, Du R & Willcocks L (2010) From boundary spanning to creolization: Cross-cultural strategies from the offshore provider's perspective. 16th Americas Conference on Information Systems 2010, AMCIS 2010, Vol. 1 (pp 1-10) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Singh GS & Abbott PY (2009) Cultural enclaves: the interplay between Indian cultural values and Western ways of working in an Indian IT organisation. International Conference on Information Systems, 14 December 2009 - 18 December 2009. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Du R, Ai S, Abbott PY & Zheng Y (2009) Knowledge processes in offshore outsourcing in Xi’an China. Hong Kong, 3 December 2009 - 4 December 2009. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Abbott PY & Jones MR (2007) Everywhere and nowhere: nearshore software development in the context of globalisation. Bangalore. GDW Foundation (pp 339-350) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Abbott PY (2007) What do we know about distance in offshore outsourcing?. . RIS download Bibtex download
  • Carmel E & Abbott P (2006) Configurations of global software development. Proceedings of the 2006 international workshop on Global software development for the practitioner - GSD '06, 23 May 2006 - 23 May 2006. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Abbott PY (2006) The influence of location and proximity in offshore/nearshore outsourcing arrangements: a survey of industry practitioners. Supply Chain Management RIS download Bibtex download
  • Abbott PY (2003) Implementing global strategies in a local context: software outsourcing in the Caribbean. Working Conference on Information Systems Perspectives and Challenges in the Context of Globalization RIS download Bibtex download
  • (2003) Global and Organizational Discourse about Information Technology RIS download Bibtex download
  • Al-Wahshi J, Foster J & Abbott P () An Investigation into the Role of Data Governance in Improving Data Quality: A Case Study of the Omani Banking Sector. ECIS 2022 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Nikolychuk L & Abbott P () In Defense of Content Analysis Methodology. SSRN Electronic Journal RIS download Bibtex download

Reports

  • Nikolychuk L, Kerrigan F & Abbott PY (2009) UK independent television & film production sectors: Exploring new collaborative (business) models RIS download Bibtex download

Posters

  • Foster J, Al Wahshi J & Abbott P (2021) An investigation into the role of information governance in mitigating the risks of money laundering: A case study of the Omani banking sector. iConference 2021. RIS download Bibtex download
Research group

Current PhD Students

Jihad Al Wahshi: Data Analysis for Business Intelligence: A Critical Evaluation of the role of Business Intelligence and Data Analysis in Money Laundering and Fraud Detections in Oman Banking Industry

Lily Sepulveda Garcia: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Informal Caregivers use of Assistive Technologies to care for people with dementia at home

Elijah Chirwa: An Examination on the impact of digital disruptive innovations on central banks and formulating a strategy for the digital age

David Pinto: Self-Discipline System

Teaching interests

I have teaching experience in subject areas such as business analysis and business/enterprise modelling, global sourcing, research methods, e-business and IS strategy. I have also coordinated industry certification in enterprise software and business analytics applications.

I believe in active learning approaches to module delivery, practical skills development, engagement with industry and peer learning.

Teaching activities

I am currently module coordinator of INF6021 Information Systems Change Management and programme coordinator of the MSc in Information Systems.

Professional activities and memberships
  • Senior Editor, Journal of Information Technology
  • External Examiner, BSc Accounting and Information Management, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Business School, Oxford Brookes University
  • External Examiner, Business Information Systems, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, National University of Ireland, Galway
  • Member of the Association for Information Systems (AIS)
  • Member of the AIS Special Interest Group on Global Development (SIG GlobDev)
  • Friend, IFIP Working Group 8.2 Information Systems and Organizations