Diane Poulin

The Impact of Contextual Factors on ERP Assimilation: Exploratory Findings from a Developed and a Developing Country

Abstract ERP systems have long been known for their significant impact on the adopting companies, irrespective of size and industry. To better understand and maximize the positive impacts, ERP research has mostly focused on the selection, evaluation and implementation stages. Failure rates, however, indicate that post—implementation is another essential stage for the success of ERP projects. Based on a qualitative research design using case-study methodology, this study investigates the determinants of ERP assimilation success during the post-implementation stage. This paper compares three Tunisian manufacturing companies with three Canadian manufacturing companies and presents the lessons learned from this analysis.

Investigating the determinants of effective enterprise resource planning assimilation: a cross-case analysis

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have long been known for their significant impact on adopting companies, irrespective of size and industry. To better understand and maximise the positive impacts, ERP research has mostly focused on the selection, evaluation and implementation stages. However, the failure rates indicate that post-implementation is another essential stage for the success of ERP projects (Markus et al., 2000). Based on a qualitative research design using a case-study methodology, this study investigates the determinants of ERP assimilation success during the post-implementation stage. This paper compares three Canadian manufacturing companies and presents the lessons learned from this analysis.

An Exploratory Study of ERP Assimilation in Developing Countries: The Case of Three Tunisian Companies

ERP systems could be considered as the most difficult systems to be assimilated. Very little research, however, has been realised to investigate the determinants of success of the ERP assimilation process. There has been also a dearth in research about ERP projects in general and ERP post-implementation and assimilation in particular in developing countries. Using a case study methodology grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, this study tries to understand the factors that could improve or challenge the ERP systems assimilation process in three Tunisian companies. Our findings highlighted the importance of several factors such as top management support, strategic alignment, IT expertise, training, communication, organizational culture, and coercive pressures.

Factors influencing e-government use in non-urban areas

Evidence suggests that citizens outside larger urban centers are less prone to use the various functionalities of e-government, while they are the most likely to benefit from these services. Few studies have been performed to understand rural citizens’ attitudes. Our purpose was to identify factors that influence the use of e-government services in outlying regions in the Province of Quebec (Canada). Our study was based on a subset of attitude-related variables that were shown to be strong predictors in prior research. We performed a survey involving 1587 citizens living in four selected outlying regions of Quebec, and held two focus groups with users and non-users of e-government. Our results confirm that attitude is influenced by perceived usefulness; perceived ease of use, perceived risk and trust and that attitude is strongly related to the intention to use e-government services. These results may help to plan more effective strategies to increase use in non-urban areas.

Introduction to the special issue on electronic government: investment in communities, firms, technologies and infrastructure

Reference EPFL-ARTICLE-212014doi:10.1007/s10660-015-9195-2View record in Web of Science Record created on 2015-09-28, modified on 2017-05-12

Measuring value in the innovation processes of university-industry research centres

There is increasing interest in new research relationships in the form of university-industry partnerships, by governments, universities, intermediary organisations and industry. These collaborations create value, however the value perceived, created and captured by the different actors in the innovation value network are different. However, based on the literature we can say that these values have to be present for all actors, at each phase, for the innovation process to continue. This paper presents a framework that illustrates a multi-actor view of the innovation process and associated values. It is hoped that this matrix can lead to new insight for researchers, practitioners and policy makers to manage better the innovation value network by facilitating the five phases of the innovation value network: policy making and grant process, idea generation and basic research, knowledge and technology development, knowledge and technology transfer and application of knowledge and technologies created by these research centres.

Nespresso’s strategic and operational excellence: a review and logistical implications

ABSTRACT Nespresso is one of the most successful and innovative ventures in the consumer product industry in recent decades. Yet, it remains relatively understudied. The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative insight into the ‘Nespresso model’. We focus on a firm-centric research strategy that is anchored in a systematic review of the academic literature. We find that Nespresso’s model is highly integrated and is configured towards delivering superior value at every step, including logistics. Implications for academics are that firm-centric research may bring unique industrially relevant insights. Managers will find novel ways of leveraging their firm’s strategic advantages.

Comment trois organisations ont géré l’innovation de leur modèle d’affaires autour de la mobilité et du e-commerce

RÉSUMÉ Un consensus existe dans la littérature : la clé du succès dans l’exploitation d’une technologie de la communication et de l’information (TIC) est l’innovation systémique du modèle d’affaires de l’entreprise. L’objectif de cet article est d’étudier pourquoi et comment les entreprises procèdent à une innovation de leur modèle d’affaires en exploitant les TIC. La comparaison de trois cas d’entreprises a permis de formuler neuf propositions mettant en évidence des dynamiques d’innovation par rupture, les liens entre types de motivations stratégiques à innover, et configurations de l’organisation du processus d’innovation, ainsi que l’importance de l’apprentissage organisationnel et du leadership.

Towards Organisational Control of Network Enterprise

Abstract We are interested here in the « network of firms », i.e. in industrial structures linked with horizontal agreements (unlike the « firm network » managed by a mainspring firm). According to our studies, co-ordination is an accurate problem for SME’S networks, where each partner preserves its independence and runs its own decision-making processes among the network. For that reason, SME’S networks needs co-ordination tools to unable organizational control of relations. We understand here “organizational control” as any form of influence (direct or indirect) that direct actors’ behaviour inside the network.