Parag Kosalge

Using importance performance analysis to understand and guide e‐business decision making in SMEs

Purpose – E‐business adoption among small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) has been limited because of resource constraints and a failure to understand the strategic value of e‐business. To facilitate decision making concerning e‐business applications and their implementation, simple, low cost tools are needed to assist in analyzing and developing effective e‐business strategies. This paper aims to evaluate the use of e‐business applications among SMEs, to test the robustness of importance‐performance (IP) analysis models and to present IP mapping as a resource/tool for decision making.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 19 e‐business motivations were identified from the literature and incorporated into a self‐administered survey questionnaire. Data were collected from 439 SMEs located throughout the US.Findings – Most IP studies have assumed that importance and performance are independent; however, three recent studies have argued otherwise, identifying positive, negative and v‐shaped relationshi...

An empirical examination of Web 2.0 technologies and its readiness for business

Increasingly, businesses are considering Web 2.0 for strategic benefits and yet the adoption rate is quite low. As Web 2.0 adoption is increasingly a bottom-up phenomenon, this paper empirically verifies the extent to which the new generation of business users perceive Web 2.0 technologies important and compares with their perception of its ability to deliver or perform. The research examines more than 20 Web 2.0 technologies with over 4,000 responses over a five-year period. The research concludes that better adoption rates may be expected once the performance meets user expectations. Users find Web 2.0 important across all areas of business but especially for accounting, promotion and marketing, human resources, and sales. This research is important for academicians as it compares a wide representation of Web 2.0 technologies currently used in business. By understanding the end user perceptions, practitioners can shape their Web 2.0 initiatives for successful adoption.

Challenges in piloting a RFID implementation: a case study of an aerospace and defence supply chain

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an emerging technology increasingly considered by organisations world wide to coordinate their supply chain in real time. We examined a pilot implementation of RFID at one of the biggest aerospace and defence manufacturers. Case study methodology was followed to collect data from multiple sources. The result of the pilot study support the business case for RFID adoption and provides a better understanding of the challenges at the RFID implementation stage. The contextual details of the pilot study provide lessons learned that can help other firms to better plan their journey of RFID implementation.

Implementing service oriented architecture - a case study

The service oriented architecture SOA paradigm introduced a few years back has already become the driving force behind enterprise systems. It is also a force behind many cutting edge technologies today. Although much is written about SOA, empirical case studies on its implementation are next to none. This exploratory case study examines a pilot implementation at a company in oil and gas industry to understand the process and issues involved in SOA adoption. The study depicts the implementation methodology and the roadmap adopted by this organisation to help connect its disparate systems using enterprise SOA. This paper can help researchers better understand SOA implementation and help them further explore the managerial issues involved in implementing this new technology.

Understanding the subcultures key to ERP implementation: an empirical investigation

Firms often turn to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) as a solution to operational level problems leading to business excellence. But what can be done when process maps give you a clean bill of health instead? This paper examines two such companies with severe operational problems that were considering ERP implementation. Traditional process maps could not unearth any operational problems. This stymied ERP implementation as process analysis gave no hope for any major performance improvements. Further analysis of the operations revealed issues located in the organisational subcultures, leading to the root of the process performance failures. This study provides the impetus for reengineering process analysis methods to include the humanistic side of the business operations, leading to better ERP implementation. It can also help reengineer performance measures and metrics used to assess and benchmark business processes.

Finding the tipping point for a CEO to say yes to an ERP: a case study

Purpose – Most small- and medium-sized enterprises use some business management software to manage day-to-day operations. Eventually they consider transitioning to an enterprise resources planning (ERP) system. The purpose of this paper is to find what motivates the top management to consider a transition from an existing system to an ERP especially as such a transition can be painful, expensive, and involve considerable business risk. The research posits a decision model that top management may use to aid their decision. Design/methodology/approach – The research question is about examining the organizational phenomenon of transition to an ERP system and so a case study research methodology is followed to understand the phenomenon. Findings – The research concludes it is usually a change in scale of operations that drives the transition. The motivators are abstracted as: scalability – increased hierarchical controls and systems scalability driven by increasing number of employees; complexity – more busin...

Identifying the antecedents to ERP adoption

As small businesses grow in size, they eventually consider transitioning from their existing information system to an enterprise resources planning (ERP). This paper attempts to find the antecedent motivators for such a transition especially as it can be painful, expensive, and involve considerable business risk. This paper examines the business software involved along with an analysis of three case studies involving in ERP transition. The research concludes with a framework that can be used by small or medium businesses to evaluate if they should transition to an ERP system or just move to a more advanced version of the system they have been using. This research offers valuable guidelines to business executives as any ERP considerations are of strategic importance to any organisation. The research also provides new directions for academicians as there are few studies on the true motivators that drive ERP adoption.

Wikis and their adoption: factors influencing user behaviour

Wikis can provide unique business advantages at tactical as well as strategic levels, including harnessing collective intelligence, group collaboration, and improved business processes. The adoption rate is low but increasing. As wiki is believed to be a bottom-up phenomenon, this paper empirically examines the benefits of the wiki technology as perceived by the new generation. An exploratory factor analysis reveals four factors that may influence wiki adoption: business improvement, day-to-day collaboration, innovation, and personal use. Business benefits such as collective intelligence, collaboration, and cost reduction find strong recognition. This research is important for academicians as there are few studies that examine what motivates the modern workforce to adopt the wiki technology. A better understanding of the end user perceptions can help organisations shape their wiki-related initiatives and improve successful adoption. Wiki technology providers can focus their attention on improving performance on aspects important for business users.