Rolande Marciniak

Does ERP integration foster Cross-Functional Awareness? Challenging conventional wisdom for SMEs and large French firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of Cross-Functional Awareness (CFA) and to question how firm size influences the impact of ERP implementation strategies on CFA. Specifically, the paper questions whether size moderates the capability of the firm to achieve CFA. Design/methodology/approach – The authors developed and empirically tested a conceptual framework using the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach. This study gathered data from a sample of 45 French SMEs and 55 French large firms. Findings – The results show that ERP implementation strategies (flexibility, organizational vision, Business Process Re-Engineering, speed of implementation, and focus on core modules) have a direct positive relationship and, in large firms, an indirect relationship (via data quality improvement) with the emergence of CFA. The study also suggests that firm size moderates the resulting emergence of ERP-enabled CFA. The findings will help researchers understand the factors ...

From Organization Design to Meta Organization Design

Organization design can be a fruitful inspirational source when doing research on contemporary organizations. The star model’s first version was adapted so it matches the evolution of firm strategy. These adaptations far from signaling the star model’s weakness show the real strength of a systemic framework where some of the firm’s essential components and design evolutivity are built-in. Since the 1980s the increase in close collaboration between formally independent firms and legally autonomous actors poses challenges for our thinking about organizational design. If Meta-organizations involve multiple firms as well as communities of non-contractually linked individuals, an emphasis on intrafirm design may be incomplete. Because firms have partially moved from stand-alone organizations to meta-organizations, we propose to include meta-organization design enabling firms to collaborate.