Sanjay Mathrani

Using enterprise systems to realize digital business strategies

– Organizations invest in enterprise systems (ESs) with an expectation to share digital information from disparate sources to improve organizational effectiveness. This study aims to examine how organizations realize digital business strategies using an ES. It does so by evaluating the ES data support activities for knowledge creation, particularly how ES data are transformed into corporate knowledge in relevance to business strategies sought. Further, how this knowledge leads to realization of the business benefits. The linkage between establishing digital business strategy, utilization of ES data in decision‐making processes, and realized or unrealized benefits provides the reason for this study., – This study develops and utilizes a transformational model of how ES data are transformed into knowledge and results to evaluate the role of digital business strategies in achieving benefits using an ES. Semi‐structured interviews are first conducted with ES vendors, consultants and IT research firms to understand the process of ES data transformation for realizing business strategies from their perspective. This is followed by three in‐depth cases (two large and one medium‐sized organization) who have implemented ESs. The empirical data are analyzed using the condensation approach. This method condenses the data into multiple groups according to pre‐defined categories, which follow the scope of the research questions., – The key findings emphasize that strategic benefit realization from an ES implementation is a holistic process that not only includes the essential data and technology factors, but also includes factors such as digital business strategy deployment, people and process management, and skills and competency development. Although many companies are mature with their ES implementation, these firms have only recently started aligning their ES capabilities with digital business strategies correlating data, decisions, and actions to maximize business value from their ES investment., – The findings reflect the views of two large and one medium‐sized organization in the manufacturing sector. Although the evidence of the benefit realization process success and its results is more prominent in larger organizations than medium‐sized, it may not be generalized that smaller firms cannot achieve these results. Exploration of these aspects in smaller firms or a different industry sector such as retail/service would be of value., – The paper highlights the importance of tools and practices for accessing relevant information through an integrated ES so that competent decisions can be established towards achieving digital business strategies, and optimizing organizational performance. Knowledge is a key factor in this process., – The paper evaluates a holistic framework for utilization of ES data in realizing digital business strategies. Thus, it develops an enhanced transformational cycle model for ES data transformation into knowledge and results, which maintains to build up the transformational process success in the long term.

Enablers of supply chain integration: Interpersonal and interorganizational relationship perspectives

– Previous research on supply chain integration (SCI) enablers has primarily focussed on interorganizational relationships, the purpose of this paper is to broaden the discussion to include interpersonal relationships (IPRs). , – Based on a comprehensive literature review, a series of propositions are postulated and synthesized into a conceptual model of how IPRs maintain and enable SCI, which is decomposed into strategic alliance, information sharing, and process coordination. , – The authors find that IPRs including personal affection, communication, and credibility, have a positive influence on SCI, and these links are mediated by interorganizational relationships including trust, commitment, and power. , – The framework developed in this study provides new insights into the role of interpersonal networks in interorganizational relationships, which lead to SCI.

Utilizing enterprise systems for managing enterprise risks

Enterprise risk management is a critical concept in the current business environment that supports use of tools and processes directed toward monitoring and mitigating organizational risks. Many organizations have embraced enterprise systems (ESs) technology for improving organizational efficiency and effectiveness. ESs provide value by identifying opportunities in operations and assist in managing risks through context sensitive analyses by eliciting relevant information. This research investigates how ES data were transformed into knowledge by a hi-tech manufacturing firm from an ES implementation, and how this knowledge was used to manage risks by utilizing an ES data transformation model from existing literature. Findings indicate that the ES data transformation process resulted from knowledge-leveraging actions at both executive and operational levels. At the executive level, the use of business intelligence module in conjunction with cascades of balanced scorecards helped in assessing progress for achieving goals, and translated decisions into risk-eliminating actions at the operational level. An initial technology-push approach assisted in creating semantically rich representative process models by simulating risk scenarios, leading to a strategy-pull approach for deploying business strategies and decisions. A value assessment strategic model articulates the knowledge-leveraging processes combining human skills with ES tools to optimize enterprise risks.

Leveraging Business Intelligence to Build Meta-knowledge

Over the years, many organizations have implemented business intelligence (BI) systems as an initiative towards dynamically creating and managing information that enables real-time responses to business and process variations using focused analytical assessments. This study captures the essence of BI practices that are most responsible for optimizing organizational performance by applying analytic processes and transforming enterprise-wide system data into knowledge for decision making. Findings reveal that although organizations have been able to improve processes and rationalize the business value chain using BI, these firms often lack clarity in evaluating needs and identifying the context of information critical to their success. Companies are now extending capabilities via knowledge-based processes to simulate business scenarios and align key performance metrics with critical functions, to build meta-knowledge from data extracts using BI tools.

Work Practices to Curb Attrition in the Indian Hi-Tech Software Development Industry: A Structurational Analysis

Whilst collaborative knowledge work is gaining momentum across national borders, there are a number of issues associated with management of human resources creating this knowledge. This is especially relevant where IT professionals learn to apply present and prior work contexts together over ICT tools. But the tenure of IT professionals is often limited, leading to loss of specialist skills and continuity of knowledge flow. Indian firms have recognised the importance of human capital as a vital knowledge resource and are making efforts to reduce attrition. This paper sheds light on how hi-tech software firms overcome the challenges associated with the high attrition of IT professionals, and provides new insights on emerging practices for retaining and motivating the agents. Findings reveal that agents have the power to bring about transformation in organisational practices. New organisational routines for retaining professionals have been implemented to motivate professionals and capture contextual knowledge into project repositories. This reduces dependency of IT firms on individuals. The study illustrates empirically the dualism between IT professionals and organisational work structures for enabling each other in knowledge industries.

A Six Sigma Approach Towards Improving Quality Management in Manufacturing of Nutritional Products

Achieving the desired quality standard is crucial in manufacturing of nutritional premixes such as infant formulae. Issues of out-of-specifications and presence of foreign matter and/or bacteria are unacceptable in the industry. Six Sigma is a renowned approach for improving quality management through eliminating variation. The main objective of Six Sigma model is to highlight the critical processes that need controlling to attain the required quality for both, internal and external customer. This paper aims to showcase the development and application of Six Sigma framework in improving quality management through the use of appropriate tools in a medium-sized premix manufacturing facility in Auckland. The company is experiencing quality issues in terms of meeting standard specifications of ingredient contamination within end products, leading to late deliveries and impacting business reputation. The proposed framework standardizes the Six Sigma methods Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control for food manufacturing business. Using this framework, the study optimizes the manufacturing process around the blenders: loading, mixing blenders leading towards packaging. The results describe the improvement in meeting specification standards, on-time deliveries and reduction of rework. The research outcome provides a guidance for small- and medium- sized food manufacturing enterprises to effectively adopt a Six Sigma framework to enhance quality management through eliminating variation in the production processes.

THE IMPACT OF ICT USAGE ON COLLABORATIVE PRODUCT INNOVATION PERFORMANCE

Manufacturers are increasingly adopting collaborative product development (CPD) to achieve competitive advantage through joint synergies in introducing new products. Partners involved in CPD may be external such as suppliers and customers or internal cross-functional teams. As the number of dispersed partners increases, substantial rises in the use of information and communication technology (ICT) are evidenced in firms. Since most ICT implementations cost significantly to firms, uncovering a detailed picture of the effect of ICT usage on CPD performance would be immensely useful. Drawing on the relational resource-based view (RRBV), this study explores ICT impact on CPD performance comprising project performance and collaboration performance. Data collected from 244 collaborative product innovation projects were used. The study reveals positive direct and indirect impact of overall ICT usage on new product quality, commercial success, and time performance, through collaboration performance. The observed impact of three ICT usage aspects (frequency, proficiency, and intensity) and individual ICT types significantly contribute to extant literature while providing useful implications to product development practitioners.

Relational governance in outsourcing partnerships: A potpourri of transactional, knowledge and social elements

Purpose The paper aims to capture the nuances of two client–supplier relationships to offer new insights on the influences of transactional, knowledge and social elements in outsourcing partnerships. Design/methodology/approach The study has used descriptive case studies with narrative storylines. Interviews were conducted with three relationship managers (boundary gatekeepers) to understand preferred governance practices between clients and suppliers in diverse economic markets. Findings Experiences of three real-life cases engaged in offshore outsourcing have helped to identify the market, operational knowledge and social influences in a relational exchange. Findings reveal that offshore partnerships are first constituted with service-level agreements, which set control measures and layout business expectations from both partners. Boundary gatekeepers bring further accountability across firms by designing social networks for capturing and sharing of knowledge, thereby reducing each partner’s perception of risk. As firms evaluate transactional, knowledge and social elements for building a futuristic relational exchange, more disaggregated and dispersed enterprises evolve as new opportunities are explored in foreign markets. Research limitations/implications The retrospective nature of the client–supplier partnership is a limitation in this research study. However, retrospection adds to experience, and to practice perspectives made in hindsight, and therefore has a positive influence in this study. Originality/value This paper shares real-world experiences that can be used by scholars and practitioners to better understand how relational governance practices operate in a global socio-economic setting.

Enhancing distributed product development agility with enterprise systems

Organizations face severe challenges for achieving the desired agility and effectiveness in timely supplying products and services to global markets. Also, firms are now increasingly outsourcing and distributing manufacture of products for economic reasons. Many companies have adopted enterprise systems (ESs) technology to enhance their core competencies and processes for improving new product development and supply to the marketplace. This paper discusses how implementation of an ES and knowledge-based processes in critical functional areas, enhances product development agility in a distributed environment. A case study is conducted in a manufacturing firm to evaluate the dispersed business practices which are complemented with knowledge processes through the use of ESs to support different phases of product development. Implications of strategies such as concurrent engineering, knowledge management, and virtual integration through use of ESs to become agile are explained.

Understanding the Transformation Process Success Factors in Enterprise System Implementations: An IT Professional’s Perspective

Enterprise system (ES) implementation has been a major investment by many organizations in the last two decades and realization of benefits from this investment is a critical issue. The benefit realization process involves transformation of ES data into practice knowledge by deployment of operational and managerial processes within the technology infrastructure. This study investigates the factors that influence the process for transforming ES data into successful outcomes from an Information Technology (IT) professionals’ perspective in three New Zealand hi-tech manufacturing companies. Findings highlight that ES data transformation is a holistic process that not only includes the essential data and technology factors, but also includes organizational strategy deployment, business process management, and development of skills and proficiency levels of IT professionals. This study contributes to practice discipline as insights are shared from IT professionals who routinely use the organization’s ES for benefit realization.