Ray Hackney

Internet transactions and physical logistics: conflict or complementarity?

Every business can be described in terms of flows – both of materials and of information. Materials flow into the company, between activities within it, and in the form of finished goods and services from the company to its customers. Simultaneously, there are flows of information in the reverse direction that provide valuable data for the system: feedback from the marketplace in the form of customers’ orders, customer reaction, and information on needs and wants; flows of information within the company that provide data in the form of inventory schedules, production schedules, etc., and orders from the company to outside suppliers. In one sense the whole company and the market in which it operates can be regarded as a series of linkages and relationships, and the company’s operating efficiency can be seen to depend on how well these connections work. If the system can be made to flow smoothly, at minimum cost, then the chances are that the overall company performance, measured by any criteria, will be high. In practice, however, it is very common to find bottlenecks and poor integration between different parts of this system, with consequent unsatisfactory performance.

Information technology outsourcing: conceptualizing practice in the public and private sector

Employs four conceptual frameworks to assess IT outsourcing arrangements, viz. core competencies, agency theory, transaction cost economics and partnerships. The frameworks are related to an empirical comparison of the public and private sectors within the UK, utilizing data from 13 interviews conducted with IT managers from both sectors. The study suggest that each theoretical approach has its own relative merits in helping organizations to understand strategic practice, particularly in consideration of some aspects not usually addressed in outsourcing studies. Conclusions are drawn to determine the wider benefits of the frameworks towards more successful IT outsourcing decision making.

Customer-Centric Strategic Planning: Integrating CRM in Online Business Systems

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is increasingly found at the top of corporate agendas. Online companies in particular are embracing CRM as a major element of corporate strategy, because online technological applications permit a precise segmentation, profiling and targeting of customers, and the competitive pressures of the digital markets require a customer-centric corporate culture. The implementation of CRM systems in online organisation determines a complex restructuring of all organisational elements and processes. The strategic planning process will have to adapt to new customer-centric procedures. The present paper analyses the implementation process of a CRM system in online retail businesses and develops a model of the strategic planning function in a customer-centric context.

The efficacy of information systems in the public sector

In recent years local authorities and hospitals within the UK have been subjected to substantial change, which has resulted in an explosion in the use of information systems (IS). IS managers, personnel and executives within local authorities and hospitals were interviewed in order to determine the effect of context and culture on the take‐up of IS. Context was considered at an external and internal level. Cultural issues were particularly important in the take‐up of IS. In both local authorities and hospitals the IT culture clashed with the subcultures it was supporting. Highlights three issues: the cultural decentralization of IS, which resulted in an unplanned proliferation of disparate systems; the over‐emphasis on operational systems by the IS function to the detriment of management information systems; and the reinforcing of barriers between subcultures through incompatible IS. Suggests that IS departments within the public sector need to be proactive in their support of subcultures and to enrol the...

Strategies for value creation in electronic markets: towards a framework for managing evolutionary change

This paper reviews the theoretical relevance of strategic analysis in eMarkets and advocates for a co-evolutionary approach to value creation and the management of change. A view of strategy is recognized which includes an evaluation of the stages and processes of evolution for these markets. A framework encompassing critical elements such as e-market ecosystems, e-alliances, e-knowledge and e-systems, is developed and advanced for further strategic analysis. The model is believed to be of value for conceptual assessment of virtual business communities where unique attention to continuous innovation and dynamic organizational adaptation are considered imperative for competitive success. This is increasingly characterized by paradoxical issues, such as competing in the present time and building long-term strategic competences for the future. The model is validated with relevant examples and a substantive case study.

Web services innovation research: Towards a dual-core model

The paper is based on the rationale that existing enterprise process integration technologies are unlikely to be able to tackle problems with the growth and complexity of current e-business practices. In order to clarify our understanding of Web Services adoption we propose a dual-core model that treats such innovation at a strategic level according to its peculiar characteristics. We question the validity of using two prevailing innovation theories: Tornatzky and Fleischers contextual framework, and Swansons innovation typology respectively. We argue that simply applying either of these theories would miss important attributes of Web Services; if we use both then it would be too complex leading to poor generalizability. We therefore, compose a synthetic viewpoint, on the basis of Web Services primary characteristics, in order to obtain a thorough understanding of innovation research. We also suggest that adoption of IS innovation may reflect a pattern in terms of the scope of e-business enablement across organizations. The argument is exemplified through the diffusion of Web Service innovation.

The Strategic Impact of Internet Technology in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Firms: Insights from a Knowledge Management Perspective

This paper conceptualises the strategic impact of new Internet technology in biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms. It argues that competitiveness of modern, agile pharmaceutical businesses depend on their ability to create and commercialise new knowledge as much as on their ability to produce new products. Hence, knowledge production and intellectual property management provide a strong foundation for emerging, successful e-commerce strategies. The authors suggest Knowledge Management (KM) plays a key role in determining organizational performance levels and value creation. KM refers to technologies for processing information and generating and distributing knowledge, but also to organizational structures (such as virtual enterprise designs) that increase strategic fit and effectiveness of KM implementations. The Internet is seen as core technology enabling the creation of organizational networks (virtual teams; virtual customer-supplier communities). More specifically, this paper devises a new classificatory framework that categorises the strategic impact of Internet technology in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, which is based on three key dimensions: converting information into knowledge, the redesign of the innovation process, and knowledge-oriented organisational structuring. The authors extend their framework beyond the boundaries of the firm to include relationship with customers, suppliers, intermediaries such as specialist biotech companies and healthcare professionals.

The UK grocery business: towards a sustainable model for virtual markets

Purpose – With the emergence of enabling internet technologies and increased competition between UK supermarkets has led the “big four” – Tesco, J Sainsbury, ASDA and Safeway/Morrisons – to develop grocery operations online. The objective of this paper is to evaluate and present best practice strategies employed by major retail organisations concerning these deployments. The paper argues that Tescos superior performance can be identified through five critical factors. However, continued success using existing models and thinking is problematic and that future advantages will rely on taking a complex adaptive systems view of the deployment of E‐Grocery systems.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology employed is a conceptual synthesis of current knowledge, based on theoretical constructs and empirical observations.Findings – There is evidence of varying degrees of progress and lessons learnt, from adopting strategies and internet technologies, with new ways of conceptualizing and managing virtual ret...

Information Systems Project Failure: A Comparative Study of Two Countries

Many organizations, regardless of size, engage in at least one, and often many information system projects each year. Many of these projects consume massive amounts of resources, and may cost as little as a few thousand dollars to ten, and even hundreds of millions of dollars. Needless to say, the investment of time and resources into these ventures are of significant concern to chief information officers (CIOs), executives staff members, project managers, and others in leadership positions. This paper describes the results of a survey performed between Australia and the United States regarding factors leading to IS project failure. The findings suggest that, among other things, end user involvement and executive management leadership are key indicators influencing IS project failure.

Evaluating Web Services: Towards a framework for emergent contexts

The paper develops an evaluation framework with specific reference to Web Services. It is argued that the essential characteristics for such an approach, noted as qualitative, are captured in these constructs through an augmentation of theoretical considerations and empirical findings. A review of the innovation and diffusion literature indicates a considerable amount of research where attention is given to a range of features which may support Web Service adoption. It is argued that the framework proposed in this paper is of value in highlighting the specific situations for an effective evaluation in this respect. n nThe empirical analysis was undertaken within five UK firms. Each of these organizations represent different business sectors including, Telecommunication (two firms), Independent Software Package Vendor (ISV), Software Engineering and Food Services industries. The study involved a cross-section organizational case approach within each situation for factors affecting adoption. The evidence suggests that the empirical data complements traditional innovation and diffusion theories. However, emergent context is identified as a significant influence on potential web evaluation processes to ensure appropriate investment targeting. The findings are noted to guide analysts in determining critical aspects of the complex issues involved and present suggestions for further valid research.