Daniel Arias-Aranda

Adoption of e‐commerce applications in SMEs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors within the technology‐organization‐environment (TOE) framework that affect the decision to adopt electronic commerce (EC) and extent of EC adoption, as well as adoption and non‐adoption of different EC applications within small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire‐based survey was conducted to collect data from 235 managers or owners of manufacturing SMEs in Iran. The data were analyzed by employing factorial analysis and relevant hypotheses were derived and tested by multiple and logistic regression analysis.Findings – EC adoption within SMEs is affected by perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility, CEOs innovativeness, information intensity, buyer/supplier pressure, support from technology vendors, and competition. Similarly, description on determinants of adoption and non‐adoption of different EC applications has been provided.Research limitations/implications – Cross‐sectional data ...

Innovation and firm size: an empirical study for Spanish engineering consulting companies

This paper studies the influence of firm size over degree of innovation in a service sector, specifically in engineering consulting and technology services in Spain. A multiple regression analysis was used to test hypothesis about firm size positive influence over degree of innovation in services. To avoid distortions in this main relationship, three control variables were introduced (degree of standardisation, degree of customisation, and number of firm’s activities). Results seem to indicate that firm size, measured by turnover, is related positively with degree of innovation, independently of moderate influence of control variables.

Operations flexibility and outsourcing benefits: an empirical study in service firms

Outsourcing is a widely extended practice for many industries competing at the global level. Through outsourcing, firms are able to clearly define their core field of activities while transferring non-core activities to organizations enabled to perform them with higher degrees of efficiency. However, outsourcing is not exempted from some risks, especially those derived from process coordination, information sharing, or oportunistic behaviours. Operations flexibility can play a fundamental role in moderating these risks while increasing the benefits from outsourcing by decreasing the level of dependence on the outsourced activities. In this paper, a structural analysis is performed to analyse the relationship between operations flexibility and outsourcing benefits in service firms. Results show that higher levels of flexibility in the informations systems, markets, expansion, and personnel dimensions are directly related to higher outsourcing benefits.

Operations strategy and flexibility: modeling with Bayesian classifiers

Purpose – Information analysis tools enhance the possibilities of firm competition in terms of knowledge management. However, the generalization of decision support systems (DSS) is still far away from everyday use by managers and academicians. This paper aims to present a framework of analysis based on Bayesian networks (BN) whose accuracy is measured in order to assess scientific evidence.Design/methodology/approach – Different learning algorithms based on BN are applied to extract relevant information about the relationship between operations strategy and flexibility in a sample of engineering consulting firms. Feature selection algorithms automatically are able to improve the accuracy of these classifiers.Findings – Results show that the behaviors of the firms can be reduced to different rules that help in the decision‐making process about investments in technology and production resources.Originality/value – Contrasting with methods from the classic statistics, Bayesian classifiers are able to model ...

Simulating reality for teaching strategic management

This paper describes the development of a business simulation combining a computer application with real experts to provide university students with an immersive experience in business management. It introduces a methodology that involves students in a process of interaction with other participants as well as benefiting from valuable feedback from experts acting as economic agents. The approach has been tested, in the context of a Certificate of European Law and Economics course, at the University of Economics in Bratislava, Slovakia during the 2002/3 and 2003/4 academic years. Analysis of the experience that was gained has provided some guidelines that instructors can use to integrate simulation effectively into their teaching practices relating to strategic management.

A fuzzy expert system for business management

Nowadays firms are required to reach high levels of specialisation in order to increase their competitiveness in complex markets. Knowledge management plays a fundamental role in this process as the correct implementation of strategies is determined by the information transfer and dissemination within the organisation. In this paper, a fuzzy expert system focused on increasing accuracy and quality of the knowledge for decision making is designed. A model based on fuzzy rules to simulate the behavior of the firms, is presented under the assumption of determined input parameters previously detected and an algorithm is developed to achieve the minimal structure of the model. The result is a fuzzy expert system tool, called ESROM, which gives valuable information to help managers to improve the achievement of the strategic objectives of the company. A main contribution of this work it that the system is general and can be adapted to different scenarios.

Targeting university students in audience development strategies for opera and ballet

In this paper, an analysis of the attitudes of university students towards opera and ballet is made under the framework of audience development strategies for the performing arts. By studying the main motivations, interests, attendance, barriers and expectation, a basis for the development of an appropriate marketing strategy is provided. The most important motives of opera and ballet goers were identified as a desire to experience a live performance, particular interest in seeing a particular piece and general interest in a determined genre. Ex ante expectations related to performances are emotions, the atmosphere of the event and broadening personal scope in culture.

New product performance through multifunctional teamwork: An analysis of the development process towards quality excellence

In this paper the influence of autonomous multifunctional teamwork for new product development is analysed according to different approaches for process activities execution (sequential versus overlapped) on new product performance (development time, development cost and product quality). Such analysis is performed on a sample of engineering consulting firms in spain. Results indicate that both autonomous multifunctional teams and execution of activities under an overlapping approach is positively related with shorter development times and higher product quality. This study emphasises the importance of new product development teams for product success in terms of development time and cost and product quality. Process activities execution with an overlapped approach can be recommended when getting to the market in a fast way with a higher quality product as the main goal.

Entrepreneurial attitude and conflict management through business simulations

– The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the influence that participation in a simulation experience based on the automobile industry has on the entrepreneurial attitude (entrepreneurship attitude orientation) through conflict management learning., – The sample used in this paper consists of 427 advanced undergraduate students majoring in Business Management and Administration, Economics, Tourism and Research, and Marketing. The data are collected by means of a structured questionnaire., – Results show that the simulation experience increases positive results for personal control and self‐esteem indicating that the participants applied the knowledge learned in the simulation improving their perception of control and conflict management approaches., – The paper is focused on a business game based on the automobile industry in order to involve the participants into a realistic business management experience., – Results encourage the incorporation of these simulation tools into educational programs related to entrepreneurship. Business simulations improves conflict management within and between groups, especially in the complementary activities and negotiations with real agents, it also fosters motivation and cooperative attitudes., – This paper contributes to increase knowledge in conflict management for workgroups maintaining intensive and relentless relationships over a relatively long period of time in which the simulation develops. At a more practical level, experience on conflict management generates acceptance of the conflict as a part of the decisions making process, which improves the entrepreneurial attitude for all participants.

A CBR System for Knowing the Relationship between Flexibility and Operations Strategy

Changing environments are driving firms towards the development of new techniques for the decision making process in order to fit rapidly with alterations and adjustments of the market. In this context, the relationship between operations strategy and flexibility plays a fundamental role for increasing performance goals. For this reason, this paper presents a Fuzzy Probabilistic Case-based reasoning (FP-CBR) system which studies the relationship between flexibility and operations strategy in a real sample of engineering consulting firms in Spain. The objective is to develop a framework of analysis based on CBR and fuzzy logic whose accuracy is measured in order to assess scientific evidence to the conclusions. In order to help manager to make decisions about the firms.