K. Nadia Papamichail

The effect of prior knowledge and decision-making style on the online purchase decision-making process

This paper provides an empirical typology of online decision-making purchasing behaviour. The study explores how the online purchase process is affected by individual decision-making style and knowledge of product. Drawing from the decision analysis and consumer behaviour literatures, we present a typology of online purchase decision-making behaviour and introduce four archetypes of online consumers. A number of experiments have been conducted in two online settings: retail banking and mobile networks. Based on an extensive video analysis, we have captured four process-related dimensions (number of cycles, duration, number of alternatives and number of criteria) using a business process modelling approach. Significant differences in all process-related dimensions were found across the four archetypes. The study improves understanding of the different types of online consumers and their process outcomes. The findings are useful for online retailers seeking to improve the way they support the four archetypes of online shoppers throughout the decision-making purchasing process. A new typology of online purchase decision-making behaviour based on decision-making style and knowledge of productA process modelling method for analysing and codifying online consumer behaviour using video dataMaximisers?with a low level of knowledge of product and satisficers with a high level of knowledge have disparate behaviourMaximisers?and consumers with a low level of knowledge of product engage in more intensive decision making processes

The impact of integrating enterprise resource planning systems with business intelligence systems on decision-making performance: an empirical study of the semiconductor industry

There is currently a trend for companies to invest in business intelligence (BI) systems and integrate them with their original enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in order to enhance their management decision-making capability. Even though, much attention has been paid to decision-making benefits of integrated systems in practice, limited academic research has investigated the issue of decision-making improvement. Therefore, the motivation for this paper is to examine the impact of integrated ERP and BI (abbreviated as ERPBI) systems on decision making performance (DMP) and introduce a comprehensive measurement instrument for assessing that impact. A survey was conducted involving 108 companies in the semiconductor industry in Taiwan. The results of the survey indicate firstly, that ERPBI system usage in organisations is positively related to DMP. Secondly, organisations using ERPBI systems achieve higher levels of decision-making performance compared to organisations which only use ERP systems.

Exploring the Potential of Virtual Worlds for Enquiry-Based Learning

Nowadays academic institutions seek to equip students with interpersonal and project management skills by enhancing their learning experience through the use of new collaborative technologies. This paper presents an enquiry based learning initiative at Manchester Business School. A virtual world environment was introduced to facilitate group project work. The setting was the B.Sc. Information Technology Management for Business (ITMB) programme, a new degree designed to meet the needs of major employers in the business-led IT sector. This paper discusses how the project acted as a vehicle for increasing the involvement of employers in the programme and achieving the objectives of greater student creativity, productivity, engagement, participation and productivity in team work.

Overcoming Inadequacies in Process Modelling: The Need for Decisioning Be a First-Class Citizen

Process modelling is a way of analysing, describing and enacting the behaviour of processes. A behaviour that process modelling fails to address is that of decision making. Despite the importance of organisational decisions, process modelling languages do not provide any semantics for expressing decision-making aspects such as the identification of alternatives and the handling of uncertainty. This paper proposes an approach, drawing on ideas from decision analysis, to enhance process modelling in the support of decision making. A decision-analysis process model is used to demonstrate the applicability of the approach.

Design of a Decision Support System for use in the Event of a Nuclear Emergency

Nuclear accidents such as that at Chernobyl in 1986 have emphasised the need for improving the emergency management of any accidental release of radio-activity. RODOS is a real-time on-line decision support system intended to be used throughout all phases of a nuclear accident. It follows a consistent Bayesian methodology for handling uncertainty and the effective communication of this to the decision makers. Evaluation is based upon multi-attribute value and utility methods with extensive provision of sensitivity analysis and automated explanations to the decision maker.

Should retail trade companies avoid recruiting maximisers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate differences in characteristics, job outcome experiences and attitudes of maximiser and satisficer decision-making style groups working in the retail trade. Design/methodology/approach – A survey of 140 participants who have accepted a job offer in the retail trade in the past six months in the USA was conducted on Amazon Mechanical Turk. The survey examined participants’ opinions and attitudes towards their present job and established which job information source(s) they had used to search for retail trade job-related information. Findings – The results show that compared to satisficers, maximisers exert more effort when searching job information, have higher uncertainty avoidance and need for cognition, and experience more post-decisional regret. In this sample, any significant differences between maximisers and satisficers in relation to job satisfaction, company commitment, and intention to quit their present job are restricted to certain groups. Fo...

Enquiry-based learning: exploring the potential of virtual worlds (SecondLife)

Nowadays academic institutions seek to equip students with interpersonal and project management skills by enhancing their learning experience through the use of new collaborative technologies. This paper presents an enquiry based learning initiative. A virtual world environment was introduced to facilitate group project work. A collaborative learning framework applied to assess the team work project. This paper discusses how the project acted as a vehicle for increasing the involvement of employers in the university programme and achieving the objectives of greater student creativity, productivity, engagement, and participation in team work.

A decision-analytic tool for assessing decision making: a life-cycle management approach

Nowadays, managers have to take increasingly complex decisions. This is due to several factors, including aggressive market competition, information overload and a trend of moving operations abroad. In their effort to overcome ill-defined problems, managers often use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) such as decision support systems (DSSs) and intelligent systems to identify patterns and make predictions. Such technologies can potentially improve the quality of the decisions taken. This paper presents a decision-analytic tool that assesses decision-making processes within decision life cycles. The setting is the telecom industry, but the tool can be applied to a variety of sectors such as banking and consultancy. The results of comparative and subjective evaluations are presented to highlight the benefits and limitations of the system.

A Decision Analytic Tool for Assessing Decision Making Performance

Nowadays managers have to take increasingly complex decisions. This is due to several factors including aggressive market competition, information overload and a trend to move operations abroad. In their effort to overcome ill-defined problems, managers often use ICTs such as decision support systems and intelligent systems to identify patterns and make predictions. Such technologies can potentially improve the quality of the decisions taken. This paper presents a decision-analytic tool that assesses decision making processes within decision lifecycles. The setting is the telecom industry but the tool can be applied in a variety of sectors such as banking and consultancy. Results of comparative and subjective evaluations are presented to highlight the benefits and limitations of the system.

A Process Support System to Coordinate Societal Decision Processes

Emergent technologies have the potential to broaden democracy by facilitating conventional interactions between electors and authority, but this aim can also be achieved through facilitation of public participation in decision making. This work proposes the use of a framework for engaging local government agencies, stakeholders and citizens in societal decision processes through technology.