Angel Salazar

Strategies for value creation in electronic markets: towards a framework for managing evolutionary change

This paper reviews the theoretical relevance of strategic analysis in eMarkets and advocates for a co-evolutionary approach to value creation and the management of change. A view of strategy is recognized which includes an evaluation of the stages and processes of evolution for these markets. A framework encompassing critical elements such as e-market ecosystems, e-alliances, e-knowledge and e-systems, is developed and advanced for further strategic analysis. The model is believed to be of value for conceptual assessment of virtual business communities where unique attention to continuous innovation and dynamic organizational adaptation are considered imperative for competitive success. This is increasingly characterized by paradoxical issues, such as competing in the present time and building long-term strategic competences for the future. The model is validated with relevant examples and a substantive case study.

The Strategic Impact of Internet Technology in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Firms: Insights from a Knowledge Management Perspective

This paper conceptualises the strategic impact of new Internet technology in biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. It argues that competitiveness of modern, agile pharmaceutical businesses depend on their ability to create and commercialise new knowledge as much as on their ability to produce new products. Hence, knowledge production and intellectual property management provide a strong foundation for emerging, successful e-commerce strategies. The authors suggest Knowledge Management (KM) plays a key role in determining organizational performance levels and value creation. KM refers to technologies for processing information and generating and distributing knowledge, but also to organizational structures (such as virtual enterprise designs) that increase strategic fit and effectiveness of KM implementations. The Internet is seen as core technology enabling the creation of organizational networks (virtual teams; virtual customer-supplier communities). More specifically, this paper devises a new classificatory framework that categorises the strategic impact of Internet technology in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, which is based on three key dimensions: converting information into knowledge, the redesign of the innovation process, and knowledge-oriented organisational structuring. The authors extend their framework beyond the boundaries of the firm to include relationship with customers, suppliers, intermediaries such as specialist biotech companies and healthcare professionals.

The Influence of Organisational Size, Internal IT Capabilities, and Competitive and Vendor Pressures on ERP Adoption in SMEs

This empirical study investigates the influence of organisational size, internal IT capabilities and external factors, such as competitive and vendor pressure, on ERP adoption within SMEs. Existing research on ERP adoption has indentified some of the potential factors affecting SMEs, such as organisation size as one of the most significant ones. Yet none of this previous research has looked at organisational size, internal IT capabilities and external pressures in a unified framework and in context to SMEs. More specifically, this study focuses on the direct and moderating relationships which may affect an SMEs decision to adopt an ERP system. An analysis of a sample of 229 SMEs shows clear direct and moderating relationships amongst the above factors. Concrete recommendations are provided to accelerate the rate and success level of ERP adoption within SMEs.

Handbook of Information Technology in Organizations And Electronic Markets

The rapid growth in the adoption and diffusion of information technologies has important implications for practitioners, academics and policy-makers. The widespread use of information technologies is challenging traditional business models and reshaping socio-economic paradigms, as well as promoting new social relations, jobs and working structures. By synthesizing prior research and providing a strong foundation for future research, the aim of this book is to contribute to our practical and conceptual understanding of the technological, behavioral, organizational, social and economic issues and their inter-relationship in organizations and electronic markets. The book covers five broad aspects: technological innovations and trends; organizational change and knowledge management; strategic transformation; and social and economic transformation. Contributions include works by scholars from recognized international communities of academics, practitioners and policy-makers.

The impact assessment of telematics applications in healthcare in Europe

This paper synthesises the empirical results and the methodological approach of the TAP-ASSESS study. This study was commissioned by the European Commissions Directorate General for Enterprise in 1999 in order to assess the short- and long-term socio-economic impact of the Telematics Applications Programme (TAP). The TAP-ASSESS study also employed scenarios to consider the long-term implications of the TAP programme. This required selection and application of a method of scenario analysis. The paper synthesises the views of expert respondents, engaged in TAP activities, concerning the dynamics of telematics application innovations - the drivers for and barriers to change, and the ways in which innovation policies and strategies might interact, and the role of SMEs, and local, national and regional institutions.

Knowledge-based competitive advantage in the internet age: discovering emerging business strategies

Rapid developments in information technology supporting the leveraging of knowledge inter- and intra-organisationally are resulting in a number of emergent business strategies. This paper explores, from a knowledge management perspective, how information technology is making a differential strategic contribution to selected organisations. Emergent strategies are categorised as Knowledge Replication, Knowledge Diffusion/Leveragability, Knowledge Innovation, Knowledge Giveaway, and Knowledge Commercialisation. The paper discusses the advantages and potential limitations of each one of the suggested business strategy types, and develops recommendations on how other organisations might seek to additionally capitalise on their corporate knowledge.

The value for innovation of inter-firm networks and forming alliances

In the past few decades, we have seen strong growth in the number of publications on the role of alliances and networking on innovative performance and, more generally, firm performance. The empirical results of these studies are, however, often debated, and there seems to be little consensus in the academic literature. We therefore focus our meta-analytical model test on the accumulated direction and magnitude of the indirect relationships reported in the literature between innovation, networking, alliances, and firm performance. Our meta-analysis is based on 517 correlations, 156 studies, and a total sample size of 93,048 firms. We compare the findings of our meta-analysis to the results of a bootstrapping analysis. Our results corroborate the bulk of studies, which suggests that networks and alliance experience play an important role in generating rents from innovation resources through both direct and indirect effects. The practical implication is that firms need to engage in networks and also develop strong alliance management capabilities to be able to increase the contribution innovation resources can make to their performance. Strong alliances management increase impact of innovation for firms.Firm engagement in networks increases the impact of innovation on performance.Type of innovation (patent, product innovation, service) demonstrate similar results.

The Value for Innovation of Inter-Firm Networks and Forming Alliances: A Meta-Analytic Model of Indirect Effects

In the past few decades, we have seen strong growth in the number of publications on the role of alliances and networking on innovative performance and, more generally, firm performance. The empirical results of these studies are, however, often debated, and there seems to be little consensus in the academic literature. We therefore focus our meta-analytical model test on the accumulated direction and magnitude of the indirect relationships reported in the literature between innovation, networking, alliances, and firm performance. Our meta-analysis is based on 517 correlations, 156 studies, and a total sample size of 93,048 firms. We compare the findings of our meta-analysis to the results of a bootstrapping analysis. Our results corroborate the bulk of studies, which suggests that networks and alliance experience play an important role in generating rents from innovation resources through both direct and indirect effects. The practical implication is that firms need to engage in networks and also develop strong alliance management capabilities to be able to increase the contribution innovation resources can make to their performance.

Platform Competition: A Research Framework and Synthesis of Game-Theoretic Studies

One of the more important forces shaping the Digital Economy is the emergence of platform-based ecosystems. The functioning of platform ecosystems is, however, still very poorly understood. More specifically, our received wisdom on rational competitive behaviour is proving to be counter-intuitive when trying to understand platform competition. This article reviews the most relevant issues that are being raised by scholars studying platforms. The proposed research framework addresses theoretical as well as practical managerial concerns found in industry platforms, namely: structural conditions, strategic orientation, platform design elements, value creation mechanisms, and strategic games. The review is supplemented with case studies to help illustrate some of the practical business issues.

Mapping the Complexity of Knowledge Management Thought in Technology Management: A Critical Review of Information Systems Studies

Knowledge management has increasingly been regarded as an important research theme in information systems studies, with a substantial accumulated stock of empirical research. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast theoretical and methodological approaches to knowledge management in extant information systems studies. In so doing, the author builds a new typology and discusses relevant research questions and fundamental ontological and epistemological assumptions about the nature and study of social sciences, and the nature and scope of organizational knowledge. Previous typologies have tangled together basic assumptions about the nature and study of social sciences and the “transformative” nature and scope of organizational knowledge. The present typology acknowledges that these two dimensions need to be untangled to be able to discriminate and analyze fundamental assumptions that researchers, explicitly or implicitly, adopt in the study of knowledge management and information systems in organizations. This distinction is necessary because the implementation and use of information systems has the potential to enhance, or hinder, the transformative attributes or characteristics of organizational processes. This new typology is used to conceptualize, categorize, and criticize a sample of selected research articles, and to suggest new directions for research.