Ronald E. McGaughey

Information technology and systems justification : a review for research and applications

Information technology (IT) such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID), wireless, the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW), and Information Systems (IS) such as Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) systems and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have had tremendous impact in education, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, retailing, pure services, and even war. Many organizations turned to IT/IS to help them achieve their goals; however, many failed to achieve the full potential of IT/IS. These failures can be attributed at least in part to a weak link in the planning process. That weak link is the IT/IS justification process. The decision-making process has only grown more difficult in recent years with the increased complexity of business brought about by the rapid growth of supply chain management, the virtual enterprise and E-business. These are but three of the many changes in the business environment over the past 10–12 years. The complexities of this dynamic new business environment should be taken into account in IT/IS justification. We conducted a review of the current literature on IT/IS justification. The purpose of the literature review was to assemble meaningful information for the development of a framework for IT/IS evaluation that better reflects the new business environment. A suitable classification scheme has been proposed for organizing the literature reviewed. Directions for future research are indicated.

E-commerce and its impact on operations management

Electronic commerce (EC) is possibly the most promising application of information technology witnessed in recent years. It is revolutionizing supply-chain management and has enormous potential for manufacturing, retail and service operations. The tremendous importance of EC has prompted us to write this paper. We have attempted to define e-commerce and examine major EC elements that link organizational systems. The application of EC in manufacturing, retailing and service operations is examined, and a framework for describing EC components and their role in different areas of an organization is proposed. Finally, we summarize our findings and conclusions. r 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Benchmarking business‐to‐business electronic commerce

The last decade of the twentieth century brought with it exponential growth of electronic commerce (EC). The growth of business‐to‐business (B2B) EC outpaced that of all other forms of EC. During roughly the same time period, benchmarking became an important approach for accessing organizational performance. Benchmarking is a methodology suitable for evaluating virtually any aspect of organizational performance in public or private organizations. In this manuscript B2B and benchmarking are discussed with the objective of developing directions for research and the application of B2B benchmarking. A framework for benchmarking B2B EC is proposed that describes five levels of benchmarking: independent B2B EC benchmarking, buyer‐seller (1:1) collaborative benchmarking, 1:M consortium benchmarking, 1:M:N collaborative benchmarking, and buyer‐intermediary benchmarking.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Past, Present and Future

Business needs have driven the design, development, and use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Intra-enterprise integration was a driving force in the design, development, and use of early ERP systems, but increased globalization, intense competition, and technological change have shifted to focus to inter-enterprise integration. Current and evolving ERP systems thus reflect the expanded scope of integration, with greater emphasis on things like supply chain management and customer relationship management. This manuscript explores the evolution of ERP, the current status of ERP, and the future of ERP, with the objective of promoting relevant future research in this important area. If researchers hope to play a significant role in the design, development, and use of suitable ERP systems to meet evolving business needs, then their research should focus, at least in part, on the changing business environment, its impact on business needs, and the requirements for enterprise systems that meet those needs.

TQM is suppy chain management

Outlines the principles of total quality management (TQM) and theorizes whether they apply in supply chain management (SCM). Associates SCM with materials management, but observes that SCM, in assocation with other initiatives such as enterprise resource planning and electronic commerce, has been driving towards fully integrated supply chain management across organizational value chains, with cross‐boundary focus on transaction cost reduction. Sees the TQM challenge as getting culturally diverse workforces to collaborate in related continuous improvement. Believes appropriate performance measurements and metrics might assist this, but states firms need to adopt a balanced approach to goals, quality and management methods to maximize relationship capital. Asserts research is needed here, as in the SCM dimensions (partnership, information technology, operational flexibility, performance measurement, management commitment, and demand characterization) in relation to TQM application, and in other TQM/SCM areas (management role, influence of organizational structure, education and training, and cultural and behavioural issues).

Experiences of a small to medium size enterprise in the design and implementation of manufacturing cells

Small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) have gained competitive advantage by using Just-in-Time, Total Quality Management, and Information Technology. Cellular Manufacturing (CM) has received less attention from SMEs. This paper reports the findings of a case study of the application of Group Technology in an SME. A framework for the design and implementation of Cellular Manufacturing Systems (CMSs) is proposed. The framework is examined and explained in the context of the case study. The first part of the paper examines the nature of CM as well as its strategic value to manufacturing firms. The second part focuses on the design and implementation of CMSs. The third part presents a framework for the design and implementation of CMSs. Finally, a case study conducted at a small company in England is used in demonstrating the application of the framework.

Implications of organization and human behaviour on the implementation of CIM in SMEs: An empirical analysis

Computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) requires cross-functional co-operation, and involvement of employees in product and process development. A successful CIM initiative in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) must have top management involvement and commitment and a CIM compatible organizational infrastructure which includes requisite skills, appropriate training and education, and adequate incentives and rewards. Top management must commit the resources necessary to acquire needed technology and bring about any necessary changes in the organizational infrastructure. Top management must likewise be willing to accept the long-term consequences of their decisions. SMEs play an increasingly important role in the competitiveness of many industries in the areas of product and process innovation, flexibility, and in the development of innovative management methods, organizational conventions, and human resource practices. One of the ways that SMEs can achieve a competitive advantage in manufacturing is through the implementation of CIM. To promote a better understanding of organizational issues pertaining to the implementation of CIM in SMEs, a framework is proposed for use in examining and explaining the organizational ramifications of CIM. A literature review and an empirical study provide the foundation for the proposed framework.

Global e-business: firm size, credibility and desirable modes of payment

This paper explores the impact of company size on an important financial consideration affecting the decision to adopt e-business in international trade. We assert that firm size will influence the choice of payment method in global e-commerce. When a Letter of Credit (L/C) is used among global supply chain partners in the e-business setting, payment flows will move faster than the physical flow of products. This asymmetric speed is not preferable for importers, particularly small importers. In this case, the diffusion of e-business adoption will likely be upstream rather than down. We predict that the usance Letter of Credit and usance L/C payable at sight will become more popular as payment modes in global e-business, particularly for Small- to Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs). New ICC regulations for e-business, if actually implemented, will likely popularise a payment mode similar to the current usance Letter of Credit.

Obstacles to computer integrated manufacturing success: A study of practitioner perceptions

This study investigated practitioner perceptions of obstacles to computer integrated manufacturing success. One hundred and one survey participants rated the importance of obstacles believed to influence CIM success. A comparison of obstacle importance, as measured in this study, with the importance of various obstacles as measured in other studies, suggests that the importance of obstacles may be temporal in nature. The survey responses were used to develop an empirically-based taxonomy of CIM obstacles. The importance ratings were factor analysed, and the result was four obstacle groups: Commitment of resources, strategic concerns, organizational receptivity, and human resistance to change. The relationships between CIM obstacles and perceived CIM success were also explored using regression analysis. Although the regression model was only marginally significant, the pattern of results suggests that the perceived importance of commitment of resources is positively related to perceived CIM success, while ...

SELECTING A BUSINESS MAJOR WITHIN THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

This study employed a survey in examining the important influences that shape a student’s selection of a major in the Col-lege of Business (COB). In particular, it compared these influences, by major, to assess which items were most (and least) important to the students majoring in accounting, general business, finance, management, marketing, and MIS. The in-fluences, totaling 37, included internal influences (e.g., interest in the field), external influences (e.g., projected salary), and interpersonal influences (influence of significant others). Some of the findings were consistent with those of prior studies. For example, interesting work was highly important for all business majors, and specific interpersonal influences such as parents, high school teachers, and peers were relatively unimportant. The findings presented herein suggest that the over -all impact of interpersonal influence may have been underestimated in previous studies. Unlike many previous studies, this study showed that job availability and job security were more important to students than interest in the field. This study augments the extant literature in that the survey was conducted right after the 2009 recession, which allowed an analysis of student decision making during a period of high unemployment and lingering economic uncertainty. Implications and suggestions for further research are discussed. Keywords: business, college major, careers, survey