Akemi Takeoka Chatfield

A contingency model for creating value from RFID supply chain network projects in logistics and manufacturing environments

In the growing literature on RFID and other network technologies, the importance of organizational transformation at the supply chain level has been recognized. However, the literature lacks conceptual model development and salient mechanisms for achieving the level of organizational transformation required for stakeholders to realize the full business benefits from RFID projects. Furthermore, the RFID adoption, use, and impact studies to date largely focus on a single firm setting and on the retail sector. Therefore, this study intends to fill this knowledge gap in the literature, and develops a contingency model for creating value from RFID supply chain projects in logistics and manufacturing environments. For our model development, we draw upon extant diverse literatures, particularly the framework for IT-enabled business transformation, and leadership and organizational learning. The framework postulates a positive relationship between the level of organizational transformation effected by the use of information technology (IT) and the level of business benefits realized from IT. The contingency model draws on the framework, and explicates five contingency factors influencing value creation from RFID supply chain projects: environmental upheaval; leadership; second-order organizational learning; resources commitment; and organizational transformation. Using the contingency model as a conceptual guide, we also perform an analysis of longitudinal real-world case data from a Canadian third-party logistics service firms seven-layer supply chain RFID projects. The case study analysis provides evidence for the imperative of the contingency factors identified in the model for creating value from the RFID projects. Furthermore, it also reveals the differential costs for the focal firm and the up-stream manufacturing as a key barrier to realizing the full RFID benefits at the supply chain level.

The imperative of influencing citizen attitude toward e-government adoption and use

We investigate factors that impact e-government adoption.Government officials need to pay attention to the dominant culture.Attitude is the most significant determinant of citizen intention.Citizen attitude is jointly determined by public value and ease of use.Positive relationships between trust and public value and ease of use. With the imperative of e-government for better transparency, accountability and public services, the problem of low-level citizen adoption of e-government services has been recognized in developed and developing countries. This pressing problem needs socio-technological, political, and cultural perspectives. In this study we develop an integrative research model by extending extant Technology Acceptance Model through the incorporation of a set of social, political, and cultural constructs: trust, perceived public value, and national culture. The model is then tested using a large-scale, multi-site survey research of 413 Jordanian citizens. Our results find strong evidence that citizen attitude toward using e-government services is the most significant determinant of citizen intention to adopt and use e-government services. Citizen attitude, in turn, is jointly determined by perceived public value and perceived ease of use. These results have managerial implications that the government needs to pay closer attention to influencing citizen attitude toward using e-government services.

The impact of IOS-enabled business process change on business outcomes: transformation of the value chain of Japan airlines

This paper explores the relationship between IOS-enabled business process change and business outcomes. A generic framework for analyzing IT-enabled business process change is applied to a case study analysis of Japan Airlines (JAL). Drawing on a resource-based view of the firm, we investigate the ways in which IOS not only contributed to JALs improved competitiveness but also enabled it more fully to leverage its strategic value chain as an engine of growth and a new source of competitive advantage. Our focus is on JALs strategic use of the AXESS Computer Reservation System and Electronic Data Interchange, developed with a clear strategic intention to support JALs emerging strategies on customer service, sales, value chain logistics coordination, and cost reduction. JALs collaboration with the IOS-transformed virtual value chain firms significantly contributed to JALs business growth and competitiveness. JALs time-based competitiveness has been improved through its IOS-enabled interfirm joint product innovation cycle time reduction.

Crowdsourcing Hazardous Weather Reports from Citizens via Twittersphere under the Short Warning Lead Times of EF5 Intensity Tornado Conditions

The May 20 2013 tornado in Oklahoma has demonstrated the short warning lead times of EF5 intensity tornadoes, even with the integrated Next Generation Weather Surveillance Doppler Radar network, remain a challenge both for governments responsible for early warnings and citizens who need to respond appropriately. Although research on government use of social media for adaptable disaster response is emerging, little is known about social media-mediated early tornado warnings and crowd sourcing in the e-government literature. This research, therefore, aims to reduce this gap in the literature through a case study of the National Weather Services experimental use of Twitter for crowd sourcing hazardous weather reports from citizens during and in the immediate aftermath of the May 20 tornado. Our social network analysis and content analysis results found evidence for value of the #okwx Twitter sphere to tie closely the government and volunteer citizen tornado watchers and enable multi-directional interactive conversations and crowdsourcing.

Twitter Early Tsunami Warning System: A Case Study in Indonesia's Natural Disaster Management

Twitter demonstrated its value as a viable substitute to traditional communication channels during the recent disasters. However, little is written about Twitter in government for an early disaster warning system. In this exploratory empirical research, we aim to address the question: How does the government use Twitter to inform the public about disaster hazards and vulnerability? Case study and tweets content analysis are conducted on Indonesias Twitter early tsunami warning system to answer the question in the context of the three earthquakes occurred off the west coast of Sumatra during the period of 2010-2012. Data are collected from egovernment websites of agencies involved in disaster preparedness and response. This research concludes that the Twitter-based warning system demonstrated its value as a viable complement to Indonesias InaTEWS - a comprehensive disaster information management system for governments - by informing the public and creating public value through its communication speed, reach and information quality.

E-Government Challenge in Disaster Evacuation Response: The Role of RFID Technology in Building Safe and Secure Local Communities

While geographic information systems (GIS) can provide information on the static locations of critical infrastructure and evacuation routes, they do not provide the dynamically changing locations of things and people on the move. In contrast, radio frequency identification (RFID) wireless network technology can automatically identify and track the movement of assets (i.e., fire engines, ambulances, and rescue workers) and vulnerable citizens on the move (i.e., the elderly and the disabled), and hence providing local governments and communities with real-time information and enhanced decision-making capabilities, during chaotic disaster response operations (i.e., evacuation). Although the potential high impact and strategic value of integrating RFID into e-government development and governments comprehensive natural disaster management policy for improved preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, very little has been written in the e-government literature regarding the adoption, use, and impact of RFID in building safe and secure local communities for citizens and businesses. This position paper, which is based on a review of the literature and a field case study, intends to contribute to the definition of the e-government research priorities needed to build regional disaster preparedness, as an integral part of e-government development policy.

The impact of RFID technology on warehouse process innovation: A pilot project in the TPL industry

Using the value chain model which provides a process view, this longitudinal case study and simulation modeling analysis of a Canadian third-party logistics (TPL) supply chain provides some empirical support for the enabling role of RFID technology in effecting warehouse process innovation and optimization for the focal TPL firm. However, the findings of our study also reveal the RFID technology implementation costs as the key inhibitor of RFID widespread adoption and usage among suppliers. This, in turn, precluded the focal TPL firm from implementing the best optimum RFID solution to create better business value from the RFID project.Using the value chain model which provides a process view, this longitudinal case study and simulation modeling analysis of a Canadian third-party logistics (TPL) supply chain provides some empirical support for the enabling role of RFID technology in effecting warehouse process innovation and optimization for the focal TPL firm. However, the findings of our study also reveal the RFID technology implementation costs as the key inhibitor of RFID widespread adoption and usage among suppliers. This, in turn, precluded the focal TPL firm from implementing the best optimum RFID solution to create better business value from the RFID project.

Smart City Implementation Through Shared Vision of Social Innovation for Environmental Sustainability

Environmental sustainability is a critical global issue that requires comprehensive intervention policies. Viewed as localized intervention policy implementations, smart cities leverage information infrastructures and distributed renewable energy smart micro-grids, smart meters, and home/building energy management systems to reduce city-wide carbon emissions. However, theory-driven smart city implementation research is critically lacking. This theory-building case study identifies antecedent conditions necessary for implementing smart cities. We integrated resource dependence, social embeddedness, and citizen-centric e-governance theories to develop a citizen-centric social governance framework. We apply the framework to a field-based case study of Japan’s Kitakyushu smart community project to examine the validity and utility of the framework’s antecedent conditions: resource-dependent leadership network, cross-sector collaboration based on social ties, and citizen-centric e-governance. We conclude that complex smart community implementation processes require shared vision of social innovation owned by diverse stakeholders with conflicting values and adaptive use of informal social governance mechanisms for effective smart city implementation.Environmental sustainability is a critical global issue that requires comprehensive intervention policies. Viewed as localized intervention policy implementations, smart cities leverage information...

Reengineering with EDI

This chapter describes a case study of a multitude of BPR activities, undertaken by the Australian Government using EDI as the core technology, to simplify the export documentation process for issuing health certificates on meat, fish, and horticulture. Health certificates are required by the 297 countries engaging in international trade. Interestingly, the initial EDI-enabled reengineering initiative progressed, incrementally, over the past six years, to impact a multitude of players in meat export, including meat industry and overseas governments. Analysis of the case clearly shows that key EDI benefits includes circumvention of technical trade barriers, risk reduction, and facilitation of global electronic commerce, as well as reduction of transaction costs in export. This research suggests that EDI is a powerful catalyst for change, driving BPR activities in an incremental manner in the inter-organizational value-chain. This is contrary to the rational top-down approach, which is typically prescribed in the BPR literature.

Understanding risk communication gaps through e-government website and Twitter hashtag content analyses: the case of Indonesia's Mt. Sinabung eruption

Abstract Despite operational volcano surveillance using meteorological satellite, thermal remote sensing and infrared camera technologies, predicting a volcano’s hazardous activity and explosive eruption, with any accuracy, remains nearly impossible. Volcanic hazards and risk literature identifies risk communication as critical but insufficiently understood. This paper, therefore, investigates disaster risk communications during Indonesia’s Mt. Sinabung eruptions in February 2014, causing 16 deaths and continuous evacuations of 30,000 residents. We critically examined one-way government-to-citizens communications via e-government websites and Twitter and citizens’ multi-directional communications via #sinabung hashtag for sharing volcano risk perceptions about affected villagers. Our Twitter analysis of #sinabung found evidence for the absence of government engagement in risk perception communications and leadership in responding to the Indonesian public’s expressed concerns for the Mt. Sinabung disaster. For governments that would implement citizen-centric e-governance, Twitter can be used effectively as a multi-directional risk communication tool to quickly and effectively share risk perceptions and disaster information with the public.