Boumediene Ramdani

The efficacy of high performance work practices in the Middle East: evidence from Algerian firms

Although there is developing evidence on the effectiveness of global HRM best practices in emerging and developing economies, little is known about the efficacy of those practices in the Middle East. This study examines the impact of high performance work practices (HPWP) on both employee and organisational outcomes in Algerian firms. The results of a firm-level survey show that while HPWP are positively associated with employee work attitudes and motivations, this effect is not converted into organisational-level outcomes. The results are discussed and implications for future research are offered.

SME Adoption of Enterprise Systems in the Northwest of England

The attention of software vendors has moved recently to SMEs (small- to medium-sized enterprises), offering them a vast range of enterprise systems (ES), which were formerly adopted by large firms only. From reviewing information technology innovation adoption literature, it can be argued that IT innovations are highly differentiated technologies for which there is not necessarily a single adoption model. Additionally, the question of why one SME adopts an ES while another does not is still understudied. This study intends to fill this gap by investigating the factors impacting SME adoption of ES. A qualitative approach was adopted in this study involving key decision makers in nine SMEs in the Northwest of England. The contribution of this study is twofold: it provides a framework that can be used as a theoretical basis for studying SME adoption of ES, and it empirically examines the impact of the factors within this framework on SME adoption of ES. The findings of this study confirm that factors impacting the adoption of ES are different from factors impacting SME adoption of other previously studied IT innovations. Contrary to large companies that are mainly affected by organizational factors, this study shows that SMEs are not only affected by environmental factors as previously established, but also affected by technological and organizational factors.

Information Systems Innovations Adoption and Diffusion Among SMEs: Current Status and Future Prospects

The attention of software vendors has moved recently to Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) offering them a vast range of Information Systems’ (IS) innovations including enterprise systems (ES), which were formerly adopted by large firms only. Although the number of SMEs adopting new IS innovations has increased over time, strong empirical evidence is still lacking. This paper aims to fill this gap by reporting the findings of a survey on SMEs located in the Northwest of England. The survey results reveal that even more complex IS innovations are increasingly adopted by SMEs. Also, nearly half of the surveyed SMEs are willing to adopt ES in the next three years. These findings suggest that there is a considerable opportunity and a need for further research in the adoption and diffusion of new IS innovations among SMEs.

Factors contributing to successful ERP implementation in locally-owned and multinational firms in India

This paper aims to explore the factors contributing to the successful implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in Indian firms. It also aims to explore the similarities and differences in ERP implementation between locally-owned and multinational companies in India. An in-depth literature review led to identifying 14 factors that contribute to the successful implementation of ERP systems. Using these factors as a basis, a survey was carried out. Data were collected from 56 project managers and business analysts who were involved in ERP implementation in both locally-owned and multinational companies. Findings suggest that business plan and vision, project management and top management support were perceived as three key factors contributing to the successful implementation of ERP systems. Surprisingly, the result revealed no significant differences between locally-owned and multinational companies. Compared to project managers, business analysts seem to give more importance to vendor selection and the appropriateness of information technology legacy systems.

Exploring the Characteristics of Prosperous SMEs in the Caribbean

ABSTRACT Despite the extensive literature on small business growth and performance, relatively little is known on the features of firms that have been prosperous for a long period of time. Adopting Storey’s determinants of growth framework, this study explores the characteristics of the entrepreneur, the firm, and the firm’s strategy contributing to the prosperity of small firms in the Caribbean. Using multiple case studies from across the region, this study reveals that SME prosperity in the Caribbean seems to depend on combining certain characteristics namely, the entrepreneur’s strategic leadership, networks, and intimate knowledge of products and business operations, and the firm’s strategy of branding and market diversification. The findings show that unlike the results from previous studies in large and developed countries, it is a mix of these characteristics that determines SME prosperity. Research and policy implications of these findings are discussed.

The next technology wave

“I’m not good with technology,” says someone, as she opens the refrigerator. She then pours water in the kettle and returns it to the hob.

Building organizational capabilities for the Long Conversation

We have argued that the implementation of enterprise systems (ES) in an organization should follow a progressive approach based on the gradual adoption of systems throughout the enterprise. Once a technological baseline is established, the primary goal should be to develop organizational capabilities through which the implementation and subsequent diffusion is guided.

Biological evolution: Osmosis, growth and adaptation

The “Long Conversation” comprises three vital points of learning and development. Each point tends to create emergent complexity that can set the implementation back and reorient it away from its original focus and motivate more group-learning. They are as follows: osmosis, growth and adaptation (see Figure 3.1). Placing these three vital points together is what makes for information technology mastery, something that relies on the formal and informal sharing of knowledge about technology and the affected processes and structures.1

Mastery is a long conversation

The analysis of osmosis, growth and adaptation shows that the whole process is more complex, more variable and longer than originally anticipated. Ultimately, it constitutes a challenge to the prior culture of the organization. This begins to change in some surprising ways. Knowledge-sharing, support and expertise become key to progress. Teams from different parts of the organization come together to solve difficult problems. In some cases, new structures emerge or specialist teams develop. The organization keeps talking; it keeps on having to talk. This ongoing, developing conversation can be understood as the pursuit of “mastery.” Much of this is captured by Engestrom’s notion of “knotworking,” wherein teams form around particular cross-organizational issues and concerns.1 Through these, linkages are made with prior evolutions of business in history, when earlier generations of technology challenged an organizational orthodoxy. When this happened, the need to build specialist knowledge of that new technology became a focus of organizational development.

Final practical guidelines

Over the last decade, we have conducted extensive research on the implementation of enterprise systems (ES). These lessons are valuable in helping organizations, not only to manage expectations and build a more realistic implementation plan, but also to build organizational capabilities that enable firms to maximize business value generated from their information technology (IT) investments.