Ganesh Vaidyanathan

A framework for evaluating third-party logistics

3PL providers with advanced IT are expected to lower logistics costs and integrate the supply chain with increased productivity and growth. Here, a set of criteria for choosing the most suitable provider.

A five-factor framework for analyzing online risks in e-businesses

Why is it that e-businesses have not performed in line with expectations in the past years? Despite very optimistic projections for business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce not long ago, businesses have been very cautious in embracing this technology. One of the critical factors playing a major role is the risk associated with online commerce. Thus, a framework for evaluating online risks is needed to analyze the impact of e-business in the B2B world. The traditional process of buying and selling can be viewed as a model with conventional risk mitigation instruments including escrow, insurance, and contracts. As global B2B trade progresses using the e-business as its medium of choice, an array of new business models, new processes, new fulfillment needs, new services, and new technologies have emerged, resulting in a new set of online risks. These new online risks have created an imbalance in the traditional buying and selling process. Against this backdrop, we present a new framework for examining the various risks in the online B2B buying and selling process. Are there fundamental flaws in the e-business models? E-business has paved a path for new growth potential for many businesses around the globe. E-business is emerging as the medium of choice in trade and is replacing traditional commerce. The quantum rise and then the fall of B2B vertical and horizontal exchanges within the electronic marketplace (E-marketplace) have been well documented. Current B2B models have three fundamental flaws: economics, not quality, is being pursued by the current models; sellers are being pressured by price wars, profitability, and customers; and customer priorities have not been considered [11]. Some of the brick-and-mortar companies have made e-business the solution of the future. Corporations can now trade goods and services, ranging from plastics to medical equipment, with potential unknown buyers and sellers using online technology. These trading hubs might be further enhanced in the future to deliver substantial value to their members, including greater liquidity, better pricing, good quality, better delivery time, faster transactions, and better quality assurance.

Does Security Impact E‐procurement Performance? Testing a Model of Direct and Moderated Effects

Despite the widespread adoption of e-procurement and the critical role of information security in these situations, academic research examining the relationship between information security and e-procurement performance has been surprisingly minimal. This study represents an interdisciplinary approach to present and test a theoretical model that links security in e-procurement processes to e-procurement performance. E-procurement performance is measured as a combination of cost savings, order quality, and satisfaction of fulfillment as perceived by buyers. The model also posits that two aspects of the procurement process will enhance the value of security in e-procurement, namely, process complexity and process interdependence. We empirically examine these relationships using data collected from procurement managers. Our results have important implications for managing the e-procurement process.

Networked Knowledge Management Dimensions in Distributed Projects

Can knowledge capture and dissemination be managed efficiently? Is there a framework that addresses distributed knowledge management from creation to facilitation? The generation and dissipation of knowledge needs to be embedded in corporate processes. These processes need to have an underlying principle that eliminates the obstacles of collecting multiple knowledge perspectives within complex organizations. Furthermore, extrinsic motivators, social-psychological forces and organizational climate factors are believed to influence knowledge sharing. This paper discusses a framework that provides a synergized view to collect, share, and manage the distributed corporate knowledge using organizational knowledge models and technology knowledge models. Structural, cognitive, relational, and technological factors are derived from a synthesized literature review to formulate this framework. The role of peer-to-peer networks and grid computing on distributed knowledge management is also examined.

Critical Success Factors in Managing Virtual Teams

The corporate world is changing from the boardroom meetings and group gatherings to a virtual team world. Mobile employees who work from home or a remote office are becoming more common. More and more companies are adopting virtual teams because they bring many advantages to organizations and their employees. However, virtual teams carry additional complexity and increase risk of unsuccessful projects in terms of reaching their goals. This paper defines virtual teams, discusses their advantages and challenges, and identifies several success factors to manage virtual teams. These factors are aggregated using a four-dimensional framework. This paper discusses factors from the structural, cognitive, relational, and technological dimensions and the relationships between them. Finally, the relationships between some factors of the previous dimensions and the performance of the virtual team are analyzed.