Aidan Duane

Managing empowerment and control in an intranet environment

Abstract. An intranet increases in sophistication and complexity as it evolves. This evolution leads to an increasing need for control over the intranet. However, this is a contentious issue, as an intranet is deemed to be an empowering technology. Consequently, intranet control systems must balance empowerment and control so as not to negate each other. This paper investigates intranet control activities and their effect on users’ perceptions of empowerment throughout the evolution of an intranet in Hewlett Packard (Ireland). The growth of the intranet is charted as a six‐stage model that illustrates an evolution of purpose, control and empowerment. The control strategies for managing the intranet implemented at each stage are investigated, and their resultant effects on empowerment are evaluated. The study reveals the importance of balancing control strategies with empowerment initiatives in managing intranet environments. Based on the evidence available, the study recommends the implementation of specific controls at particular stages in the evolution of an intranet in order to achieve control systems that balance empowerment and control.

To M-Pay or not to M-Pay—Realising the potential of smart phones: conceptual modeling and empirical validation

The variety of products and services available through Smart Phones is predicted to increase significantly over the coming years as the commercial potential of Smart Phones for M-Commerce is widely acknowledged. In fact, it is predicted that M-Commerce will achieve in the next three to four years, what E-Commerce has achieved in the last fifteen years. However, while Smart Phones present significant opportunities for organisations, the M-Commerce channel is entirely contingent on consumers’ willingness to not only use these devices to engage in transactional tasks such as bookings, ticketing, and accessing information on products and services, but rather to actually make an M-Payment using the Smart Phone, and as such complete the M-Commerce transactional loop. Hence, M-Payments are a critical enabler of the true commercial value of the Smart Phone. Thus, gaining an understanding of consumers’ perceptions of using Smart Phones to make M-Payments is essential for theoretical explorations of the M-Payment phenomena, and in the practical implementation of M-Commerce services. This paper makes a number of contributions which are relevant to both academics and practitioners. The paper develops and empirically validates a conceptual model for exploring the impact of Vendor and Mechanism Trust on consumers’ willingness to use Smart Phones to make M-Payments for both Push and Pull based products. The empirical findings of the developed Partial Least Squares model illustrate that a pull-based model (where consumers have high levels of control over the transaction process) is the model consumers are most likely to adopt, and most likely to use to make M-Payments. To realise the M-Payments vision, vendors need to clearly communicate to consumers how their data is secured and privacy protected. Furthermore, the findings illustrate the critical importance of ensuring that adequate legislation is in place pertaining to the protection of consumers, and that such legislation is communicated to consumers to maximise their willingness to make M-Payments.

Managing email usage: a cross case analysis of experiences with electronic monitoring and control

An email system is a critical business tool. However, as electronic business activity increases, ad-hoc email implementation, prolonged management neglect and user abuse of email systems have generated negative effects. Anticipating, managing and preventing these negative effects has become increasingly important as organisations struggle to derive benefits from these systems. Many organisations try to control the negative effects of email through a combination of policies and electronic monitoring. However, monitoring can be contentious and policies are often inadequate. This paper presents the results of a multiple case study investigation of email system monitoring and control in four organisations. The study highlights the need to formulate a coordinated and comprehensive response consisting of technical, formal and informal controls. The study reveals the effectiveness of email management committees, training, policies, and sustained awareness when combined with email monitoring. The paper concludes by identifying key factors for effectively monitoring and controlling email usage.

Managing an organisation’s social media presence: An empirical stages of growth model

Abstract The adoption of social media by organisations has proven to be very beneficial; however, few studies have examined how to manage an organisation’s social media adoption and usage. Mismanagement of social media could have significant and unintended consequences for the organisation and its stakeholders. This paper addresses the lack of research in organisational social media management by empirically validating a previously developed conceptual social media stages-of-growth model. Hence, the research objectives are to (1) test empirically that the conceptual stages-of-growth model suits the evolution of social media adoption in organisations, and based on the lessons learned to (2) provide recommendations to revise the empirical model. Furthermore, we propose a three-tier typology for classifying organisations based on the potential of their adopted social media. We argue that the empirical model will foster a better understanding of how social media can be adopted and managed within organisations.

Conceptualizing Consumer Perceptions of Making M-Payments Using Smart Phones in Ireland

Consumer adoption of smart phones is growing globally at an exponential rate presenting significant commercial opportunities for all organizations. The percentage of the population using mobile phones in Ireland is the largest in Europe, with market revenue of €2 billion in 2009, and 117.3 percent penetration. However, the commercial growth potential of smart phones is being hindered by an industry failure to adopt an accepted m-payment model to facilitate the widespread adoption of m-payments. Furthermore, previous research has shown there is a lack of a willingness among consumers to make m-payments. However, little is known about consumer’s perceptions of m-payments using a smart phone or what factors impact upon these perceptions. In response, this paper develops a theoretical smart phone m-payment model, and applies it using an online survey, to explore Irish consumer’s perceptions of making an m-payments for products/ services using their smart phones. The empirical findings of the developed PLS model, illustrate that respondents display a strong willingness to transact using m-commerce but trust is the key factor in explaining consumer’s willingness to make an m-payment for products/ services using their smart phones. Another significant finding for m-payment com panies is that respondents considered using a secure and trusted third-party payment company as the preferred method of making an m-payment for products/ services. Significant levels of concern regarding perceived privacy control, together with the authority and inde pendence of regulatory bodies and the robustness of the legislative frameworks governing m-commerce, were also very evident from the empirical findings.

Dissent, Protest and Transformative Action: An Exploratory Study of Staff Reactions to Electronic Monitoring and Control of E-mail Systems in One Company Based in Ireland

An e-mail system is a critical business tool and an essential part of organisational communication. Many organisations have experienced negative impacts from e-mail and have responded by electronically monitoring and restricting e-mail system use. However, electronic monitoring of e mail can be contentious. Staff can react to these controls by dissent, protest and potentially transformative action. This article presents the results of a single case study investigation of staff reactions to electronic monitoring and control of an e-mail system in a company based in Ireland. The findings highlight the variations in staff reactions through multiple time frames of electronic monitoring and control, and identifies the key concerns of staff which need to be addressed by management and consultants advocating the implementation of e-mail system monitoring and control.

Monitoring and Controlling E-Mail Systems: A Cross Case Analysis

As the criticality of e-mail for electronic business activity increases, ad hoc e-mail implementation, prolonged management neglect, and user abuse of e-mail systems have generated negative effects. However, management’s ability to rectify problems with e-mail systems is hindered by our understanding of its organizational use. Research on e-mail systems is often dated and based on quantitative methodologies that cannot explain the interaction between various controls in organizational settings. Updating our understanding of the organizational aspects of e-mail systems utilizing qualitative methods is necessary. This paper presents a multiple case study investigation of e-mail system monitoring and control. The study examines the interaction between key elements of e-mail control identified by previous researchers and considers the role of such controls at various implementation phases. The findings reveal the effectiveness of e-mail committees, training, policies, and sustained awareness when combined with e-mail monitoring, and concludes by identifying key formal, informal, and technical controls.

Where the shoe pinches: Realizing dominant problems as an organizational social media business profile evolves

Abstract When managed properly, social media has been shown to provide clear benefits to organizations. However, social media mismanagement can lead to undesirable situations. This study aims to identify and examine problems associated with social media as its use by an organization evolves. We identify such problems by surveying Canadian organizations. Survey participants were asked to rate the severity of the problems faced by their organization as their social media business profile (SMBP) evolves. Our findings reveal two waves of problems occurring where severity levels increase through the evolution of the SMBP. The most prominent problems are failure to develop metrics for measuring returns on investment and failure to translate data into actionable insights, both of which are related to analytics. We also show that larger organizations tend to experience more strategic problems, while organizations of the service sector experience more severe problems. In identifying the types of problems that emerge and when to expect them during SMBP evolution, this study enables practitioners to anticipate and develop plans that mitigate such problems and to harness the full potential of social media.

Using enterprise social networks as a knowledge management tool in higher education

Purpose The management of organisational knowledge and the promotion of staff knowledge sharing are largely neglected in higher education institutions. The purpose of this study is to examine how enterprise social networks can enable staff knowledge sharing in communities of practice in that context. Design/methodology/approach The study is framed as an Action Research project, covering three cycles over a 12-month period. During the Diagnosing phase, a conceptual model was developed for empirical testing. Data were collected through 30 semi-structured interviews and a number of focus groups. This was supplemented by content analysis and reflective journaling. Findings The findings support the conceptual model and provide insight into the antecedents necessary for the creation of an enterprise social network-enabled knowledge-sharing environment, the motivators for and barriers to participation, and the perceived organisational and individual benefits of increased staff knowledge-sharing activity. Research limitations/implications As the study has a higher education focus, all of the findings may not be generalizable to other types of organisation. Further development of the conceptual model and testing in other contextual settings will yield greater generalizability. Practical implications A number of findings have practical implications for the management of higher education institutions, such as the evidence of a divide between faculty and other staff. In general, the study findings provide an opportunity for educationalists to better understand the scope and impact of employing social media platforms for knowledge sharing. Originality/value This paper adds to the growing body of work on organisational implementations of social media, and should be of interest to practitioners and researchers undertaking similar projects.

A conceptual stages-of-growth model for managing a social media business profile

Abstract There is little understanding of how organisations manage social media. Stage-of-growth (SoG) models represent a picture of evolution, where the current stage can be understood in terms of history and future, providing an opportunity to identify the stages, paths of evolution, benchmark variables, and dominant problems experienced by organisations at each stage. Following a review of 4 decades of SoG model research, as well as a review of existing social media research and practitioner insight across multiple domains, the authors adopt Gottschalk and Solli-Sæther’s (2010) five-step stage modelling process as a research methodology to develop a SoG model for managing a social media business profile (SMBP). The paper develops and validates Step 1 (suggested stage model) and Step 2 (conceptual stage model) of the stage modelling process. A number of key contributions to theory and practice are identified, and ongoing research to further refine the model is outlined.