Ana Rosa del Águila Obra

The economic and organizational aspects of telecentres: the Spanish case

In this paper we present the following concept: the economic and organizational characteristics and the main aspects of the development of telecentres or telework centres, in a wide-ranging context of the use of telecommunications as an instrument to aid social-economic development of deprived rural and urban areas. To be more specific, we analyse how these Telework Centres are set up in diverse information related service enterprises aimed at other businesses or individuals. These initiatives are being subsidized by different public organisms as pilot development aid projects on an international scale. We have made an empirical study on a national scale, using 27 sample centres, from which we have obtained, amongst other things, the characteristics, economic objectives and results achieved from the initiatives that are underway in Spain or that are expected to be achieved from the setting up of these centres. Finally, we present our conclusions on the subject and list the literature used.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Internet usage and competitive advantage: the impact of the Internet on an old economy industry in Spain

Since the beginnings of the computing era it has been suggested that firm performance could be enhanced by the use of information technology which would help firms to score better on such indicators as productivity, profitability and market share. TCP/IP or the Internet are examples of the technology that is now available to help firms pursue their strategic aims. So far, however, their effects remain uncertain. In this paper we attempt to provide some evidence regarding the impact of the Internet on competitive advantage in a non “dot.com” industry in Spain. We also offer some ideas that may help to explain the role of the Internet as a competitive tool in modern firms.

An analysis of teleworking centres in Spain

In this paper, we present the concept of telecentres as an aid to socio‐economic development in deprived rural and urban areas, and analyse the use of information technology in these workplaces. Numerous public and not‐for‐profit organisations are subsidising these initiatives as pilot development aid projects on a international scale. We have undertaken an empirical study on a Spanish scale with the following objectives: to know how many telecentres exist in Spain; to identify their state, category and organizational characteristics; to discover what services they offer; to determine the marketing strategies they employ; and to identify the principal factors that determine their success.

Electronic B2B Markets as an eBusiness Model. Empirical Study in the Spanish Construction Sector

In this work we analyze the development of electronic markets, or virtual vertical markets on Internet (VVMs), and whether these markets are becoming catalysts for networked inter-organizational relations. These VVMs allow for cooperation in e-commerce platforms, the virtual B2B platforms. We study the inter-organizational relations brought about by B2B VVMs, and to apply this study to a particular sector of activity in Spain: the construction sector. We intend to define, analyse, describe the characteristics, and explain, the VVM platforms, stressing the strategic and organizational role of each of the principal participating actors, with the aim of learning more about what are the sources of competitive advantage in on-line markets compared to off-line markets. We analyze the specific characteristics of the construction industry, by looking at the results obtained in the empirical study. Finally we discuss the results and conclude with their implications for theory and for this line of research.