Mário Caldeira

Defining value-based objectives for ERP systems planning

The planning and subsequent implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems still present a significant challenge for most organizations. Although consulting firms and customer enterprises have been aquiring more experience and expertise in the field, the level of sophistication of these systems and their wide organizational and social impact frequently leads to failed ERP implementations. In an attempt to minimize these failure rates, this paper defines a set of value-based objectives that could be used to enrich the ERP systems planning process. ERP systems planning objectives grounded by stakeholder values can be used as a conceptual guide for enhancing the decision making processes involved in ERP projects. Using Keeneys value-focused thinking approach, a set of means and fundamental objectives was identified using data collected via in-depth interviews in three large European firms. The relationships and interdependancies among these objectives are also presented and provide a starting point for further research.

Information and communication technology adoption for business benefits: A case analysis of an integrated paperless system

Abstract This case study analyses the benefits of implementing a paperless software solution (Alert ® pfh–Alert Paperfree Hospital, developed by Alert Life Sciences Computing) in a Portuguese Hospital, the Espirito Santo Hospital, in the city of Evora. Alert ® pfh is a complete hospital clinical information system with real time clinical information input. It was implemented in emergency medical services, inpatient and outpatient services, and operating room services. Data were collected between 2006 and 2011 prior to, during and after the systems implementation. The case analysis demonstrates that paperless software systems have a significant potential when applied in healthcare organization services. Besides financial benefits, other important organizational features were identified, namely higher levels of patient and professional satisfaction; an increase in efficiency in hospital operations; improvement in the quality of information for management decision-making; and a reduction in medical errors. Lessons learned are noted and conclusions drawn for both theoretical and practical ICT benefits analysis.

Are we really competent? Assessing organizational ability in delivering IT benefits

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present organizational competencies for gaining information technology (IT) benefits within organizations. Following the analysis of 16 in‐depth case studies, a set of six high level, fundamental competencies and 17 facilitating competencies are identified. A framework for orchestrating the organizational competencies is also presented. The results of this research would be useful to academics in developing measures for assessing the level of organizational competence and for practitioners in identifying and nurturing competencies for organizational benefits realization.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology involved two phases. Phase 1 entailed conducting 16 extensive case studies. Case study methodology employed follows guidelines provided by Yin and Benbasat et al. Case studies are a suitable means to collect the data since the notion of competencies in delivering IT benefits has not been well understood in the literature. By analyzing and understanding ...

Applying EA Perspective to CRM: Developing a Competency Framework

Customer relationship management (CRM) is getting attention as a business approach for new way of dealing with customer relationships. Although information technology is an important component of CRM, technology itself is not complete as a technology. Literature reports empirical evidences that a very high percentage of CRM projects fail to meet expectations from the business perspective despite the advance of tecnology. In this study, we explore possible causes of failures in CRM projects and use the concept of enterprise architecture (EA) in explaining failures. Applying the EA concept, it is argued here that organizational competencies in unstructured decision making are very critical for CRM success. Subsequent case analysis supports the theoretical underpinnings of the argument.

Intentionality and power interplay in IS implementation: The case of an asset management firm

This paper evaluates the interplay between intentionality of stakeholders, organizational power and information systems (IS) implementation in the context of an European firm implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning system. We found that the implementation coincided with significant restructuring of power relations within the firm. We also found that the intentions of various stakeholders came to bear in terms of how organizational power got manifested. Our findings suggest a complex interplay between individual intentions and organizational power. Specifically, our study contributes to the literature by providing insights into the systemic nature of organizational power regarding IS implementations and how it relates to individual intentions.

The Benefits Management and Balanced Scorecard Strategy Map: How They Match

We are living in a period of enormous technological transformations and the organizations face new opportunities that the systems and information technology IS/IT implementations provide with the hope that these investments will help to increase productivity and business prosperity, meanwhile, several studies performed in public and private sectors have proven that the investments done in IS/IT have not brought the expected benefits. Some authors argue that the result of the studies that related investments in IS/IT and the increasing performance of the organizations in the last thirty years were far from true. In this paper the authors propose a link between the Benefits Dependency Network, from a Benefits Management approach, and a Strategy Map, from Balanced Scorecard, to improve the management of business benefits and to ensure that actions taken along the investment life-cycle lead to foreseen benefits realization. The goal of this integration is to build a framework that combines useful features of both methods. The authors sustain that they can be complementary. As a Strategy Map is committed with strategic alignment, communication and monitoring of strategy execution at all levels of an organization, a Benefits Dependency Network is aimed at explaining how benefits are going to be obtained through organizational change. Using the results of a case-study research, the authors explain how a Strategy Map can cross with the Benefits Dependency Network. The integrated contribution is meant to increase the investments effectiveness, giving to stakeholders the confidence on a clearer delivery path for their expected benefits.

Deciding between information security and usability

Deciding between security and usability of systems remains an important topic among managers and academics. One of the fundamental problems is to balance the conflicting requirements of security and usability. We argue that definition of objectives for security and usability allows for deciding about the right balance between security and usability. To this effect we propose two instruments for assessing security and usability of systems, and develop them in three phases. In Phase 1 we identified 16 clusters of means and 8 clusters of fundamental objectives using the value-focused thinking approach and interviews with 35 experts. Based on phase 1, in the second phase we collected a sample of 201 users to purify, and ensure reliability and unidimensionality of the two instruments. In the third phase, based on a sample of 418 users we confirmed and validated the two instruments found in Phase 2. This resulted in 14 means objectives organized into four categories (minimize system interruptions and licensing restrictions, maximize information retrieval, maximize system aesthetics, and maximize data quality), and 10 fundamental objectives grouped into four categories (maximize standardization and integration, maximize ease of use, enhance system related communication, and maximize system capability). The objectives offer a useful basis for assessing the extent to which security and usability has been achieved in systems. The objectives also provide a decision basis for balancing security and usability. Definition of security and usability objectives based on the values of individuals.The objectives provide a framework for appropriate planning and resource allocation.Aligning security and usability of systems within organizations.Requirement objectives that developers should use to design security and usability.

Value-focused objectives for CRM system adoption

– The purpose of this paper is to define objectives for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system adoption. The objectives provide a theoretical basis for strategizing about CRM system adoption. The objectives also provide managers to clearly direct CRM system adoption, thus ensuring a highly successful outcome. , – The authors conducted a sequential multi-method research in Europe. The initial qualitative phase constituted 62 in-depth interviews. Using Keeney’s (1992) value-focused thinking approach, the authors defined 102 CRM system adoption objectives. Quantitative purification techniques, using a sample of 210 organisations, a more parsimonious set of objectives were developed. The complete set of objectives were classified into fundamental and means objectives. , – Results present three fundamental and three means objectives. These objectives allow for successful CRM system adoption. The three fundamental objectives are: maximise CRM organisational culture; ensure an effective relationship with CRM providers; and minimise CRM project risks. The three means objectives are: maximise CRM usage, maximise relational marketing capabilities, maximise CRM orientation. , – This study provides strategic objectives that can be used by companies to plan adoption of a CRM system. Hence the fundamental and means objectives take the form a strategic planning template. , – Although technology adoption has been well researched and has also been extended to address CRM systems, the focus has largely been behavioural. The strategic objectives for CRM system adoption, presented in this paper, are novel. Objectives enable decision making and resource planning. The combination of fundamental and means objectives provide a theoretical basis for ensuring successful CRM system adoption.

Customer relationship management adoption: using a dynamic capabilities approach

Customer relationship management (CRM) adoption is both a relevant research topic in academia and a challenge for practitioners. We understand CRM as a complex concept that includes technology, strategy and philosophy. In this research, we propose an analysis of CRM organisational dynamic capabilities. The main goal is to apply a dynamic capabilities perspective to analyse how companies can improve their CRM initiatives. In order to achieve this purpose, a qualitative, interpretative, case-based research strategy was implemented. We conducted a case study in a Portuguese telecommunication enterprise for one year. The case study was based on semi-structured interviews and document analysis. We used qualitative techniques to analyse the collected data and ground our interpretation in a dynamic capabilities theoretical approach. We propose a theoretical framework related to CRM dynamic capability that is corroborated with empirical evidence. We believe that because organisations which adopt a CRM strategy are in a competitive environment, a dynamic model needs to be used to analyse and explain how they can improve their CRM strategy in order to achieve success.

CRM Adoption in a Higher Education Institution

More and more organisations, from private to public sectors, are pursuing higher levels of customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention. With this intent, higher education institutions (HEI) have adopted CRM – Customer Relationship Management. In order to analyse some of the interesting aspects of this phenomenon n, we conducted an action research in a European Institute. The main research question we answered is “how to adopt a CRM strategy in a Higher Education Institution?” Some of the main findings of this study are (1) even though HEI’s main customer is the student, there are others stakeholders that a CRM project must consider; (2) universities can use their internal resources to implement a CRM project successfully; and (3) using Agile software methodology is an effective way to define clearer, more objective and more assertive technical requirements which result in a CRM software that meet send user’s expectations and organizational strategic goals. These findings can help other HEIs planning to adopt CRM as a strategic tool to improve their relationship with the stakeholders´ community and expand their student body.