Ahmad Ghoneim

Evaluating cost taxonomies for information systems management

The consideration of costs, benefits and risks underpin many Information System (IS) evaluation decisions. Yet, vendors and project-champions alike tend to identify and focus much of their effort on the benefits achievable from the adoption of new technology, as it is often not in the interest of key stakeholders to spend too much time considering the wider cost and risk implications of enterprise-wide technology adoptions. In identifying a void in the literature, the authors of the paper present a critical analysis of IS-cost taxonomies. In doing so, the authors establish that such cost taxonomies tend to be esoteric and difficult to operationalize, as they lack specifics in detail. Therefore, in developing a deeper understanding of IS-related costs, the authors position the need to identify, control and reduce IS-related costs within the information systems evaluation domain, through culminating and then synthesizing the literature into a frame of reference that supports the evaluation of information systems through a deeper understanding of IS-cost taxonomies. The paper then concludes by emphasizing that the total costs associated with IS-adoption can only be determined after having considered the multi-faceted dimensions of information system investments. � 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

E-government implementation strategies in developed and transition economies: A comparative study

a b s t r a c t In the last decade, electronic government in Europe has emerged and established itself as a viable alter- native channel for public service delivery. While e-government has now matured in most developed European countries, transition economies in Europe, have only recently begun to recognise its poten- tial benefits and incorporated e-government as part of their national strategy. Although time may result in the amplification of e-government experience for transition economy countries, lessons drawn from developed countries indicate that political, fiscal, social, strategic and organisational issues need to be addressed when formulating plans for deploying e-government. Using case study research, this paper examines strategies adopted by the UK and Slovakia in the context of e-government implementation. Par- ticularly, the paper examines how the perspectives on e-government vision, strategy, focus and related organisational change influence the implementation and diffusion of e-government in developed and transition economies in Europe.

Information technology evaluation: classifying indirect costs using the structured case method

Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information technology and information systems (IT/IS) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons of this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio‐technical (human, organisational and technical) dimensions associated with the adoption of IT/IS. The inability of managers to determine the true costs of deploying IT/IS is considered attributable to a lack of knowledge and understanding of IT/IS related costs. In developing a broader picture of such cost dimensions and their respective taxonomies, the research presented in this paper uses a structured case method to gain an understanding of how a construction firm embraced the IT evaluation process. A review of the IT cost literature is presented and a conceptual IT evaluation framework that focuses on indirect costs is proposed.

An exploratory study of indirect ICT costs using the structured case method

Many companies are increasing their expenditure on information and communication technologies (ICTs) to obtain or even sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. Many managers, however, are often left with the quandary of how to evaluate their investments in technologies. Reasons for this difficulty have been suggested in the normative literature as centring on the socio-technical (human, organisational and technical) dimensions associated with the adoption of ICTs. The inability of managers to determine the true costs of deploying ICT are considered attributable to a lack of knowledge and understanding of ICT-related costs. In developing a broader picture of such cost dimensions and their respective taxonomies, the research presented in this case uses a structured method to gain an understanding of how a construction firm embraced the information technology (IT) evaluation process. A review of the IT cost literature is presented, and a conceptual IT evaluation framework (CF) that focuses on indirect costs is proposed. Findings from the case study are presented and discussed in the context of the CF.

The antecedents of travellers’ e-satisfaction and intention to buy airline tickets online: A conceptual model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to utilise the existing theories on consumer behaviour and scales within web quality to develop a framework for measuring travellers’ web satisfaction and willingness to purchase tickets through airlines’ web sites. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is discursive, based on the analysis and synthesis of literature pertaining to e-consumer behaviour, web quality and travel and tourism streams. Gaps in the previous research have been identified and a conceptual framework is consequently proposed. In addition, further research and methodology is suggested. Findings – The paper proposes a conceptual framework that can measure consumers’ electronic satisfaction and intention to purchase tickets from airlines’ web sites. The framework includes nine constructs: information quality, system quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, e-trust, airline reputation, price perception, e-satisfaction and intention to purchase. Research limitations/implications – As a...

The mediating effect of individual readiness for change in the relationship between organisational culture and TQM implementation

Despite the substantial body of existing literature examining the influence of organisational culture (OC) on total quality management (TQM) implementation, the mechanism through which an organisations culture comes to have an impact on TQM implementation has not been adequately addressed. The purpose of this article is to empirically examine the mediating role of individual readiness for change (IRFC) as one possible mechanism through which an organisations culture results in having an impact on TQM implementation. To achieve this, a questionnaire-based survey was developed and self-administered to 350 middle managers in Syrian manufacturing organisations. The analysis of the collected data revealed that the adhocracy and group culture types are the most supportive cultures for TQM implementation. Furthermore, the results of this study show support for the mediating role of IRFC in the relationship between OC and TQM implementation. Therefore, this article makes a novel contribution by providing a refined and deeper comprehension of the relationships between OC types and TQM implementation. The article highlights the managerial implications of the findings and suggests future research directions.

An analysis of the influence of organisational culture on TQM implementation in an era of global marketing: the case of Syrian manufacturing organisations

Many recent research studies have examined the influence of organisational culture (OC) on the implementation of total quality management (TQM). However, research investigating the impact of OC on TQM implementation in developing countries has been relatively scarce, specifically in Syria. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by empirically examining the influence of OC on TQM implementation in Syrian manufacturing organisations (SMOs). To achieve this, a questionnaire-based survey was developed and distributed to 350 middle managers in SMOs. The analysis of the collected data revealed that the adhocracy and group culture types are the most supportive cultures for the implementation of TQM practices. This paper presents new data and empirical insights into the relationship between OC types and TQM implementation in SMOs. The paper concludes with a discussion of the managerial implications of our findings, research shortcomings and suggestions for future research.

Electronic word of mouth in social media: The common characteristics of retweeted and favourited marketer-generated content posted on Twitter

Marketers desire to utilise electronic word of mouth (eWOM) marketing on social media sites. However, not all online content generated by marketers has the same effect on consumers; some of them are effective while others are not. This paper aims to examine different characteristics of marketer-generated content (MGC) that of which one lead users to eWOM. Twitter was chosen as one of the leading social media sites and a content analysis approach was employed to identify the common characteristics of retweeted and favourited tweets. 2,780 tweets from six companies (Booking, Hostelworld, Hotels, Lastminute, Laterooms and Priceline) operating in the tourism sector are analysed. Results indicate that the posts which contain pictures, hyperlinks, product or service information, direct answers to customers and brand centrality are more likely to be retweeted and favourited by users. The findings present the main eWOM drivers for MGC in social media.

An empirical investigation of the influence of organizational culture on individual readiness for change in Syrian manufacturing organizations

Purpose – While few recent studies have paid attention to the relationship between organizational culture (OC) and individual readiness for change (IRFC), there is still a lack of systematic and empirical studies regarding the influence of all OC types on the IRFC components within the change management literature. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by empirically examining the influence of all four organizational culture types of the competing values framework (CVF) on the components of IRFC regarding TQM implementation, within the context of manufacturing organizations operating in Syria. Design/methodology/approach – A total of four hypotheses were proposed for testing. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to 350 Syrian manufacturing organizations (SMOs) in order to measure the level of IRFC and to identify the cultural profiles and characteristics of these organizations. Findings – The analysis of the data collected shows that certain types of organizational culture are conduc...

A brand preference and repurchase intention model: the role of consumer experience

ABSTRACT Consumer brand preference is an essential step towards understanding consumer choice behaviour, and has therefore always received great attention from marketers. However, the study of brand preference has been limited to traditional marketing focusing on functional attributes to maximise utility. But now the shift to experiential marketing broadens the role of the brand from a bundle of attributes to experiences. Technological advancements have helped to increase the similarities between brand attributes and product commoditisation. Consequently, consumers cannot shape their preferences among brands using rational attributes only. They seek out brands that create experiences; that intrigue them in a sensorial, emotional and creative way. This study seeks to develop a model that provides an understanding of how brand knowledge and brand experience determine brand preference and to investigate its impact on brand repurchase intention. Accordingly, exploratory focus group discussions are employed followed by a survey of mobile phone users in Egypt. The findings provide insights into the relative importance of consumer perceptions on different brand knowledge factors in shaping brand preferences. It also demonstrates the significance of consumers’ experiential responses towards brands in developing their brand preferences that in turn influence brand repurchase intention. The model therefore offers managers a new perspective for building strong brands able to gain consumer preferences.