Claudio Huyskens

What drives netsourcing decisions? An empirical analysis

Netsourcing, a rather innovative form of web-enabled value creation, describes outsourcing of selected software applications to external service providers via the Internet. It promises flexibility and cost advantages over operating software applications in-house. However, it also raises the question which software applications corporate users should netsource and which they should keep in-house. To answer these questions, we develop a research framework with seven independent variables derived from the literature on full information technology outsourcing. On data collected in a 2004 survey among the 500 largest German companies, we apply a logistic regression analysis. As a result, we find significant statistical support for strategic management variables and no support for transaction cost economics variables as being relevant to the netsourcing decision. We conclude the paper with some lessons learned and suggestions for further research.

A Competitive Perspective on Standard-Making: Kaufhof's RFID Project in Fashion Retailing

Many companies are considering implementing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to enhance supply chain management through better coordination and collaboration. However, until recently, the incompatibility of RFID systems hindered RFID adoption and impeded coordination and collaboration among adopters. Hence, companies demanded RFID standards. In light of joint RFID standard-making under the umbrella of the industry association EPCglobal, this paper investigates Kaufhofs RFID project from the Kaufhof-Gerry Weber pilot via unit-level to item-level roll-out. Guided by the literature on standard-making, we find that Kaufhof-facing the trade-off between actively participating in joint standard-making and pursuing its competitive interests by the means of stand-alone efforts-decided for joint standard-making. The paper interprets that finding on the basis of two arguments: A commonly accepted standard is necessary for both individual benefits and overall increased supply chain efficiency; and typically occurring collective action risks are mitigated by collective governance mechanisms.

Development of a model-based netsourcing decision support system using a five-stage methodology

Managers increasingly face netsourcing decisions of whether and how to outsource selected software applications over the Internet. This paper illustrates the development of a netsourcing decision support system (DSS) that provides support for the first netsourcing decision of whether to netsource or not to do so. The development follows a five-stage methodology focusing on empirical modeling with internal validation during the development. It begins with identifying potential decision criteria from the literature followed by the collection of empirical data. Logistic regression is then used as a statistical method for selecting relevant decision criteria. Applying the logistic regression analysis to the dataset delivers competitive relevance and strategic vulnerability as relevant decision criteria. The development concludes with designing a core and a complementary DSS module. The paper critiques the developed DSS and its underlying development methodology. Recommendations for further research are offered.

Adoption of Mobile TV Services Among Early Users: Convergence of Familiar Technologies and Emergence of Technology Induced Paradoxes

With the convergence of telecommunication infrastructures, computer technology, and media content services, mobile TV offerings have become feasible. Mobile TV offerings are defined as real-time broadcast transmissions of content to mobile devices. Research on early adopters suggests that 3Italias mobile tv offerings, the worlds first nationwide DVBH mobile TV offerings, are experiencing increasing use, user preferences for time sensitive content, and user satisfaction with content. Our analysis suggests that from a user perspective, mobile TV offerings represent a convergence of familiar technologies. The familiar nature of offerings may lead to emergence of fewer technology induced paradoxes than what has been found with other mobile services. We find that only two paradoxes appear relevant to mobile TV use: empowerment / enslavement and engagement /disengagement. Future research must wait for a richer set of paradoxes emerging from a stronger consideration of broadcast technology and services. This paper contributes to innovation research on mobile services.

Item-Level RFID in the Japanese Publishing Industry: A Case Study

Over the past decade, several industries have considered RFID technology for improving supply chain efficiency. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) initiated and sponsored a number of RFID trials between 2003 and 2006. METI selected the Japanese publishing industry, one of the largest publishing industries in the world, for an early item-level RFID trial geared to increasing industry profitability. This paper uses case study methodology to examine the 2006 METI RFID trial in the Japanese publishing industry. It reports on the trial results and on their implications. The study derives some insights concerning trial composition and the feasibility and efficiency of item-level RFID from the sub-trials. Setting the 2006 METI RFID trial into a broader perspective, the paper concludes with a summary, some lessons learned, and an outlook on future research.

Emerging Technologies in the Service Sector: An Early Exploration of Item-Level RFID on the Fashion Sales Floor

This paper describes the early weeks of a live pilot of item-level RFID by METRO Group’s German department store, Kaufhof. The RFID-Enabled Sales Floor utilizes UHF Gen2 RFID tags on fashion items, combined with RFID-enabled dressing rooms, intelligent displays, and smart mirrors. The pilot represents a pioneering attempt to conduct end-to-end UHF item-level tracking of items through the point-of-sale. Based on an exploratory case study, we reflect on the implications of ubiquitous item-level RFID technology and offer suggestions for further research on the socio-technical implications of this important product and process innovation.