Ra'ed Masa'deh

A Jordanian empirical study of the associations among transformational leadership, transactional leadership, knowledge sharing, job performance, and firm performance: A structural equation modelling approach

Purpose – Knowledge sharing adoption has been considered as a significant practice for organizations. However, there is a modest empirical confirmation to indicate how these organizations value the richness of their knowledge capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate both transformational and transactional leadership styles that influence employees’ knowledge sharing practices, and the impact of the latter on job performance, and then on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – Data collected from 179 employees at the higher council of youth in Jordan were empirically tested using structural equation modelling. Findings – The findings revealed that both transformational and transactional leadership styles have significant impact on job performance, and the latter on firm performance. Also, it was found that transactional leadership impacted knowledge sharing, whereas transformational leadership did not. Originality/value – This research proposes a new approach to understand knowledg...

Antecedents of ERP systems implementation success: a study on Jordanian healthcare sector

Purpose – Most small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use some business management software to manage their daily operations. Ultimately they consider transitioning to an enterprise resources planning (ERP) system. However, implementing ERP system successfully is costly and complex, and often shows high disappointment rates or even abandonment due to need of fit with the business or social culture. In Jordan, large businesses have been using the ERP system for a long time, but SMEs usage of the system is relatively new. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of ERP implementation success antecedents which consists of training, supportive leadership and ease of use on ERP implementation success itself through a mediating effect of user satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data were collected using a survey questionnaire which was distributed to ERP users in Jordanian healthcare organizations. A total of 175 responses were collected and analyzed using structure equation modeli...

THE IMPACT OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING ENABLERS ON KNOWLEDGE SHARING CAPABILITY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON JORDANIAN TELECOMMUNICATION FIRMS

In our research we were searching for a correlation between childhood obesity and the mother’s body shape and lifestyle. Using the Cramer’s V co-efficient, we have examined the relationship between the body shape according to BMI and the one judged by the respondent mothers. The results do not reflect the actuality in Hungary. The Cramer’s V coefficient, which measures the correlation between body shape according to BMI and the judged data of mothers were moderate: 0.519 which means that the respondents were not able to pinpoint their own exact BMI and body shape. Body shape of children supposed by mothers was also not accurate. The same tendency applies in the care of children’s supposed body shape judged by their mothers. According to our research, we can state that body type of mothers exercises influence on body shape of children. Level of influence depends on the age of children (3.6 – 8.5%).

Knowledge Sharing Capability: A Literature Review

This paper is concerned with providing a deep theoretical analysis for the fields of knowledge sharing enablers and knowledge sharing capability. A historical overview of knowledge management is addressed at the beginning to provide the reader with an initial understanding of the concept. Then, knowledge sharing enablers as well as knowledge sharing capability concepts are reviewed. Also, the links among knowledge sharing enablers, knowledge sharing capability, and firm performance are discussed through theoretical and empirical studies. This study will be useful for both academia and practitioners as to fill the gap of the incomplete causal chains between knowledge sharing and knowledge sharing capability.

STRATEGIC IT-BUSINESS ALIGNMENT AS MANAGERS’ EXPLORATIVE AND EXPLOITATIVE STRATEGIES

Electronic arbitration (E-arbitration) is usually defined as a method to settle disputes through online platforms providing arbitration services. It constitutes a recent process dispute resolution mechanism between economic agents through the use of information and communication technology. Earbitration is inseparable from the growth of e-commerce and cross-border trade transactions. Contracting parties in such transactions expect a swift, cost-effective and efficient dispute resolution mechanism. It is no coincidence therefore that an increasing number of domestic legislations and international regulations adhere to the rules governing E-arbitration. The fact remains that, surprisingly, the Lebanese regulatory framework puts several obstacles to the successful implementation of E-arbitration in Lebanon. In this respect, this contribution endeavors to identify the scope of such obstacles, and discusses the solutions adopted in other legal frameworks.

The impact of intellectual capital on innovation via the mediating role of knowledge management: A structural equation modelling approach

This study aims to investigate the impact of intellectual capital on innovation in telecommunication companies in Jordan, through the presence of knowledge management as a mediator. Data were collected using a self-administrated questionnaire from 498 employees working in three telecommunication companies in Jordan. Structural equation modelling approach based on AMOS 22.0 was used to examine the causal relationships and to test the hypotheses between the observed and latent constructs in the proposed research model. The results led to the confirmation of a mediation model as intellectual capital did not have a direct impact on innovation. The results revealed that intellectual capital did have a significant impact on knowledge management and the latter on innovation. In light of these findings, implications to both theory and practice are discussed.

Antecedents and Outcomes of IT-Business Strategic Alignment: An Empirical Study of Jordanian Public Shareholding Firms

While researchers have encouraged more research on the causal chains between IT investments and firm performance, the results of empirical studies have been inconclusive. This is partly due to the exclusion of IT-business strategic alignment (known as strategic alignment). In particular, scholars have continuously called for research that addresses the antecedent factors that lead to the alignment. Moreover, the elusive link between strategic alignment and firm performance calls for further research into intermediate variables, which would in turn affect company performance. Furthermore, although there is significant literature on strategic alignment and its consequences, little progress has been made in developing a comprehensive theoretical understanding of how organizations can leverage strategic alignment types to positively influence firm performance.Therefore, this study has succeeded in developing a causal model illustrating the relationships between strategic alignment antecedents, strategic alignment, and firm performance through vital intermediary variables, namely explicit and tacit knowledge management (KM) strategies. Specifically, this study has examined the impact of IT-business strategic alignment antecedents in terms of interaction between business and IT managers, association between business and IT plans in terms of IS plans-reflect-business plans (ISP-BP) and business plans-reflect-IS plans (BP-ISP), shared knowledge between business and IT managers, and environmental uncertainty in terms of dynamism and heterogeneity; on ITbusiness strategic alignment in terms of managers’ exploitation and exploration activities; and finally the impact of IT-business strategic alignment on explicit and tacit KM strategies; and in turn on firm performance in terms of growth (i.e. accounting-based) and innovation (i.e. market-based) performances. Furthermore, in order to explore the above research relationships, the study utilizes the positivism paradigm while applying mixed-method techniques that acquired quantitative and qualitative data, in which such triangulation would help provided more insight into the issues studied in this research. Particularly, this study has tested the research model by conducting 152 survey questionnaires with public shareholding firms in Jordan. It examines the model by using dynamic panel data for the period 2000-2006 for the 152 Jordanian firms. This is by employing the generalised method of moment (GMM) technique, which supplies a set of results that is robust to the endogeneity of all explanatory variables, and to the presence of unobservable heterogeneity. After that, the study conducted several follow-up interviews in Jordan to further validate the research results. Therefore, the results obtained from the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique, generalised method of moment system, and supplementary interviews offer a valuable insight into the research questions. However, even though this study is the first research of its kind to incorporate different aspects of alignment antecedents, strategic alignment, explicit and tacit knowledge management strategies, and firm performance into an assessment instrument based on a model using structural equation modelling (SEM) and dynamic panel generalised method of moment (GMM) techniques, and several accompanying interviews to support interpreting the quantitative results, some limitations and directions for further research are discussed. Furthermore, since some of the research propositions were supported and some were not, and although this study has provided a detailed roadmap which researchers and practitioners can use to understand the resources required, realizing the potential values of their IT investments, future research is clearly needed to reveal better insights into the nature of these associations.