Udechukwu Ojiako

A Multidimensional Analysis of Project Manager Competences

Projects are important to industry. Project manager (PM) competences are important in project success. Yet, current competence studies largely rely on small-sample, homogenous PM surveys which could suffer from uncontrollable biases and may not be generalizable. Often, the studies disregard industry specificity. We attempt to address these issues by exploring the key competences employers require from PMs across multiple industry sectors. We code the contents of 2306 online project management job advertisements in the U.K., the U.S., Canada, China, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore for frequently occurring keywords. Using three-way multidimensional scaling (MDS), we extract six dimensions of competence present in the coded keywords: 1) industry-specific and generic skills over project management knowledge/expertise; 2) project management knowledge/expertise over industry-specific and generic skills; 3) (senior) managerial skills; 4) (positive) personal traits; 5) project management methodology experience and professional qualifications; and 6) risk management over a project life cycle. We find that typically industry puts more weight on generic skills than project management knowledge/expertise, replicating previous PM survey-based results. We believe, however, that the main contribution is our finding that different industry sectors place significantly different levels of salience on the six dimensions. We discuss the practical implications of the results.

Using IS/IT to enhance service delivery

Purpose – The paper aims to contribute to ongoing research which emphasises the expanding role of information systems and information technology (IS/IT) as an enhancer of service delivery.Design/methodology/approach – In order to explore the practical utilisation of IS/IT in the enhancement of service delivery, a case study was adopted as the preferred research methodology. The case focused on one of the biggest telecommunications IS/IT service providers in the UK.Findings – The study shows that the delivery of service experiences to customers by firms operating in service provider‐intensive environments is challenged by the multi‐dimensional nature of service.Practical implications – The interest lies in the question of the “true” role of IS/IT in service delivery. In particular, the paper explores key thematic elements that underlie enhanced IS/IT delivery.Originality/value – Exploration of the utilisation of IS/IT to enhance service delivery is framed within extant services science and service research...

The criticality of risk factors in customer relationship management projects

Customer relationship management (CRM) remains an area of considerable interest in contemporary project management literature, due to its association with high failure rates. This research examined the criticality of four risk factors. Quantitative data analyzed using PASW17 were collected from a sample of 250 CRM project practitioners. Although we found strong evidence to support the focus on these risk factors, which include “user training,” “top management support,” “business strategy and technology alignment,” and “effective project feedback,” the authors found that, although some risk factors may be identified as “critical,” their criticality is dependent on the context of the project.

Synchronicity and alignment of productivity: the real value from Service Science?

The ability of services to pervade all aspects of productivity creates the need for an interdisciplinary framework of service to be developed. It is, however, critical that any proposed service framework is jointly developed between the service purveyor and the stakeholders involved. An expected outcome from a focus on productivity in the Service Science arena is that a much closer relationship between the purveyor of a service and the customer is initiated and fostered. This requires a clear focus on the requirements of the customer and the various ways in which the service can be conveyed. This is not too far removed from what is required in other areas such as product specification that should also be carefully crafted from the needs of the customer. The research utilises two case studies to highlight the impact of Service Science as a co-producer of service productivity. We find from the case studies that human factors play an extremely important role in improving service productivity.

User adoption of mandatory enterprise technology

Purpose – Drawing on extant technology acceptance literature, the purpose of this paper is to critically examine the impact of mandatory enterprise technology adoption in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach – Data were gathered from a survey of stockbrokers operating on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange on two occasions over a four year period. Expert forecasting (TSModel) algorithms were employed to assess attitudinal changes of users on mandatory system adoption.Findings – The results suggest that over time, users (stockbrokers) developed an increasingly negative perception of the technology, thus emphasising the need for managers to focus on subjective imperatives that might impact the adoption of mandated technology.Practical implications – Africa remains neglected in relation to information systems/information technology (IS/IT) research. This has driven the authors’ interest in seeking to understand how contextual peculiarities specific to Africa could play a significant role in an understand...

Managing Competition Risk: A Critical Realist Philosophical Exploration

As firms act to meet competitive challenges, they separately vary their exposure to objectively real risks, and their subjective risk perceptions. Hence the ‘fit’ between each firms subjective risk map and its objective ‘riskscape’ is in constant flux. Realist thought, which emphasizes the separateness of mind from external reality, and sets itself the slow and painstaking task of improving the fit between the two, is therefore universally relevant for risk management. This simple ‘risk realism’ has value for academics wishing to analyse risk management practice and can provide useful working assumptions and procedural guidelines for practitioners. Mindful of both uses, this paper utilizes the philosophical thesis of critical realism to develop ontological and epistemological standpoints that relate specifically to what we call ‘competition risk’. Working from these standpoints we develop parallels between business and military engagements with competition risk. We explore what we treat as ontologically indistinct competition risk issues present across both contexts and conclude that firms can learn much from how the military deals with both ‘regular’ and ‘irregular’ forms of competition risk.

Success criteria for systems led transformation

Purpose: organisational transformation has been a major research theme over the last few decades. The main emphasis focuses on how successful organisations are using information systems and technology (IS/IT) to transform business operations. This paper aims to summarize and evaluate the key perspectives and concepts of change management. These perspectives and concepts are used to conduct an overview of the transformation of a major UK telecommunications company is using IS as a driver. Design/methodology/approach: this paper focuses on trying to understand the whole range of systems-related problems that may confront an organisation during the introduction of new operational systems as part of organisational change and transformation. The primary objective is to identify best practice. A case study focusing on a large organisation is the approach used to try and elicit learning. Findings: the view emerging from the case study is that there are generic problems that need to be addressed especially related to how system changes, processes and the customer are managed. Even with an increasing caseload of examples where large firms are unsuccessfully with major organisational transformations-companies are still willing to undergo this risky change process. Research limitations/implications: it is intended that this best practice framework will be used in other organisational environments. Originality/value: the paper contributes to widening studies on systems introduction as part of organisational change

Calendar effects of the Chinese stock markets

Drawing upon extant literature on the impact of calendar effects (daily effect and monthly effect) on the stock markets, the authors employ regression analysis to test the relationship between mean daily returns of trading days and mean returns of the remaining trading days of the week (in effect, calendar effects), on the Chinese stock markets. The study employs observations drawn from the Shanghai and Shenzhen composite stock indices between January 2000 and December 2010. Based on the analysis of the regression results, we find the following. For the tests and results of the day of the week effect, in the Shanghai stock market, there is significantly positive Monday effect and significantly negative Thursday effect. On the other hand, we find a weak Monday effect and Thursday effect in the Shenzhen stock market. For monthly effect, summary statistics of monthly equity returns for both stock markets show the findings of the February effect in China are similar to the January effect in countries where year-end is in December.

A Management Perspective on the Failure of IS&T Projects

The objective of the paper is to present a clear management perspective on how IS&T project failure may be conceptualised within this management dispensation. Current knowledge on a generalised process for management control expectations perspective, is used in the re-affirmation of the concept of Information Systems and Technology IS&T project failure.

Investment risk preference among Greek SME proprietors: a pilot study

Purpose – Current research in the area of risk management within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) appears predisposed towards risk, predominantly dealing with the willingness of SMEs to take on losses. However, in this pilot study, the authors aim to focus on a different aspect of risk management in SMEs, namely the risk preferences. Risk preferences in this case are regarded as the willingness of SME proprietors to take on risks that are likely to lead to investment gains. Design/methodology/approach – Data is gathered via a combination of a survey questionnaire and a probability scenario toolset. The authors sampled a total of 150 SME proprietors operating in Greece. The data was analysed using a combination of regression models and binomial tests. Findings – The results suggest that we cannot, as previous literature suggests, conclude that SME proprietors generally exhibit a negative risk preference. Originality/value – In light of Greeces recent economic difficulty, and in acknowledgement of...