A mechanism-based theory of legacy enterprise information system reconfiguration in incumbent firms
基于对五家德国制造企业的案例研究，提出四种机制解释在位企业如何重构遗留企业信息系统，在保持运营稳定的同时为数字创新开辟空间，对面临系统升级难题的管理者和研究者有参考价值。
How can incumbent firms reconfigure their legacy Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) for enterprise renewal? We address this question by developing an empirically grounded, mechanism-based theory of legacy EIS reconfiguration in incumbent firms that reconciles two opposing perspectives in IS research: legacy EIS as sources of technical debt that constrain agility, and legacy EIS as installed bases that can be leveraged for digital reinvention. Specifically, we draw on findings from a multiple-case study of five German incumbent manufacturing firms to identify four generative mechanisms through which incumbent firms leverage operational stability of their legacy EIS for digital pilots, activate historically accumulated data through analytics, augment legacy EIS with middleware interfaces, and retrofit legacy EIS for recurring revenue models. When enacted, these mechanisms reconfigure legacy EIS into ambidextrous EIS landscapes that preserve operational stability through contained and selectively reduced technical debt, while expanding potential options for future digital initiatives. We conclude by outlining actionable guidance for practitioners and a research agenda on how legacy EIS reconfiguration, rather than replacement, can serve as a foundation for enterprise renewal.