Colin G. Ash

A strategic framework for the management of ERP enabled e-business change

Abstract This paper reviews the results of a three year study into Internet enabled ERP implementations around the world. The study identified different stages of growth with differing sets of problems at each stage. A framework for e-business change was used to evaluate the mature stage of e-ERP in six international organisations. The emergent model proposes various antecedents to successful e-business change management in ERP environments. A case study of the first B2B e-business integration with Dell Computer Corporation and its largest corporate customer is examined in the context of this model. The case demonstrates the integration of ERP and non-ERP systems, using Web-based technologies, to optimise an overall B2B value chain. Finally the paper emphasises the role of change management and cultural readiness when adopting e-business solutions and identifies critical areas for future research.

Assessing the benefits from e-business transformation through effective enterprise management

This paper reports on research carried out in 1999–2001 on the use of e-business applications in enterprise resource planning (ERP)-based organisations. Multiple structured interviews were used to collect data on 11 established organisations from a diverse range of industries. The findings are analysed according to the level of sophistication of e-business models and their transformational impact on the organisation. Early adopters of e-business show a trend towards cost reductions and administrative efficiencies from e-procurement and self-service applications used by customers and employees. More mature users focus on strategic advantage and generate this through an evolutionary model of organisational change. Two complex case studies of e-business integration with global suppliers and their corporate customers are analysed to identify specific stages of benefits accrual through the e-business transformation process. Collectively, the set of case studies is used to demonstrate the increased benefits derived from an e-business architecture based on a network of ERP-enabled organisations.

A dynamic model of e‐business strategies for ERP enabled organisations

Purpose – This paper presents a dynamic model for e‐business strategy derived from the results of a longitudinal analysis of enterprise resource planning (ERP) enabled organisations.Design/methodology/approach – This involved a study of 11 international ERP‐enabled organisations over a four‐year period using multiple interviews and extensive secondary data collection. Three separate research models were used to analyse different stages of e‐business growth and the results of this multi‐stage analysis consolidated into a staged model of e‐business transformation (eBT).Findings – The model focuses on realising the benefits of B2B interaction through the alignment of ERP with different e‐business strategies, increasing emphasis on employee empowerment and successful management of value alliances.Research limitations/implications – The findings provide practical guidance to managers implementing e‐business systems through integrated ERP implementations.Originality/value – The study demonstrates the applicatio...

Knowledge Management Strategies for Virtual Organisations

Much has been written about the virtual organisation and the impact this will have on organisational forms, processes and tasks for the 21st Century. There has been little written about the practicalities of managing this virtual organisation and managing virtual change. The ability of the organisation to change or to extend itself as a virtual entity will reflect the extent to which an understanding of virtual concepts has been embedded into the knowledge management of the virtual organisation as a Virtual Organisational Change Model VOCM. Managing these change factors is essential to gain and maintain strategic advantage and to derive virtual value. The authors expand these concepts by using the example of organisations using Information and Communications Technology ICT and illustrate the three levels of development mode-virtual work, virtual sourcing, and virtual encounters and their relationship to knowledge management, individually, organisationally and community wide through the exploitation of ICT.

ICT‐enabled organisations: a model for change management

Presents a preliminary framework for making sense of and managing change in organisations that have adopted information systems and e‐commerce as a core element of their business strategy. Argues that the relatively low level of organisational benefits realised by typical strategic information technology interventions over the past decade is often a product of poor adoption and implementation practices on the part of senior managers and IT practitioners, who have failed to understand the non‐linear and emergent nature of change in complex organisations. Argues that a clear understanding of the dynamics of change at the people/technology interface, and the symbiotic relationship between information systems and strategy, is a prerequisite for the successful business benefits realisation for major IT and e‐business projects. Distils lessons learned from reflections on theories‐in‐use and practice into a basic model for senior managers and IT practitioners.

m-powering personnel for e-business change

The paper examines a model that proposes various antecedents to successful e-business change management in ERP environments. A case study of an m-commerce project for a personnel management system within a large traditional engineering company is described in the context of this model. The specific goal of the research is to determine facilitators that lead to e-business project success of these change efforts. The results show that performance gains from the Intranet-ERP project were accompanied by the presences of facilitators in all dimensions of the framework. Of particular importance were those components related to employee empowerment — knowledge management, relationship building, and learning capacity. This has implications for both IT and user personnel and the future governance of the organisation.

An e-commerce model for extending ERP systems onto the internet: An Australian perspective

Commercial and research potential, associated with Internet enabled enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) in delivering e-commerce initiatives is of great interest to the IS community. However, recent reports of the expected benefits from adopting e-commerce technologies and the actual benefits achieved have proved disappointing for Australian organisations. Significantly company executives see e-commerce being useful in improving efficiency, but few see the technology as an opportunity to reach new markets and customers. A series of models is presented to clarify the issues for ERP enabled organisations when adopting e-commerce solutions. An Internet extended ERP model is offered for moving towards the integration of business, customer, and employee activities. This is an e-commerce strategy model, supported by extending the business processes of ERP systems onto the Internet. It focuses on information technology developments that support; customer interactions, business partnerships, and employee expertise. The author expands these concepts by presenting preliminary findings from a study of Western Australian organisations that have implemented SAP R/3 enterprise software.

E-Business Governance: A Co-Evolutionary Approach to E-Business Strategy Formulation

e-Business evolution is generally presented as a highly dynamic process where organisations focus on business transformation and the creation of the agile extended enterprise. What is not well understood however is how organisations can plan for this process and whether standard business strategy formulation approaches can apply in such a dynamic environment. The research presented in this paper resulted from a longitudinal analysis of e-business governance and implementation involving eleven international organisations over a four-year period using multiple interviews and extensive secondary data collection. Three separate research models were used to analyse different stages of e-business growth and the results of this multi-stage analysis consolidated into a staged model of e-business governance. This model identifies three different orientations of the business during the transformation process as Integration, Differentiation and Virtualisation and associated with these three different strategic formulation approaches which will align with e-business governance. These together provide for a co-evolutionary approach to e-governance

e-Engineering Through e-Business Change Management

This paper reports on a longitudinal study of e-business change management in ERP enabled organisations. Twenty organisations agreed to participate in the study and data was collected through ongoing e-dialogue and face to face interviews over a two year period. An analysis of the findings led to the adoption of a model proposing various antecedents to successful e-business change management in ERP environments. Multiple case studies with varying dimensions of e-business scope are described in context of this model and a detailed case study of an organisation with a highly innovative project is used to illustrate the facilitators that lead to e-business project success.