Vijay Sethi

The impact of organizational commitment, senior management involvement, and team involvement on strategic information systems planning

Organizational commitment, senior management involvement, and team involvement are typically expected to have a positive impact on the achievement of strategic information systems planning (SISP) objectives. That is, more commitment and involvement should produce greater success. However, they might also have a quadratic impact, specifically an inverted-U relationship such that after they reach an optimum, the achievement of the objectives diminishes.A postal survey about planning practices and objectives produced usable data from 105 corporate information systems planners. Senior management involvement predicted the achievement of the objectives in a positive manner whereas organizational commitment predicted it in an inverted-U relationship. Future research should look more closely at these relationships. Planners should be more aware of the possibly detrimental effects of excessive planning.

Rationality in Strategic Information Technology Decisions: The Impact of Shared Domain Knowledge and IT Unit Structure*

Rationality is a fundamental concept to several models of IT planning and implementation. Though the importance of following rational processes in making strategic IT decisions is well acknowledged, there is not much understanding on why discrepancies occur in the IT decision-making process and what factors affect rationality. Drawing upon structural and resource-based perspectives of strategy, this study examines the influence of shared domain knowledge and IT unit structure on rationality in strategic IT decisions. Data were gathered from 223 senior IT executives using a survey to examine the relationships among the research constructs. The results suggest a positive impact of shared domain knowledge and formalization of IT unit structure on rationality in strategic IT decisions. Further, a highly centralized IT unit structure was found to negatively influence shared domain knowledge. On the other hand, formalization of IT structure positively influenced shared domain knowledge. The implications of the findings for research and practice are presented.

Key predictors of the implementation of strategic information systems plans

Strategic information systems planning (SISP) is the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications that will assist an organization in executing its business plans and realizing its business goals. SISP is an important activity for information executives and top management. However, too often organizations fail to implement the recommendations from a SISP study. The SISP experiences of 105 experienced planners in this research used perceptual and objective measures to identify planning practices that predict the implementation of such plans. Deliberate planning for implementation during SISP presages that implementation whereas greater analysis of organizational needs may impede it.

Environmental assessment in strategic information systems planning

Environmental assessment (ENVA) is expected to increase the chances of achieving strategic information systems planning (SISP) objectives. Such planning characteristics as the initiator of the SISP study, the studys planning horizon, its scope, and information systems department participation in long-range, business planning have been suggested as influences on the ENVA performed in SISP. This study employed a postal survey to investigate those predictors of ENVA and the impact of that assessment on the achievement of SISP objectives. It obtained responses from 105 corporate information systems planners. The study confirmed the effects of ENVA on the achievement of objectives, and those of initiator and IS department participation on assessment. Future researchers may want to investigate the predictors of the initiator and IS department participation as well as why scope and planning horizon did not lead to ENVA. Practitioners may want to encourage top management to initiate SISP studies and to include the IS department in the business planning.

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Implementation in a Global Subsidiary Organization: Lessons Learned

ABSTRACT This article describes the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) implemented by British Petroleum (BP) Worldwide, from the perspective of one of its subsidiary organizations, BP Singapore. The ERP solution, an internally developed system, was implemented globally by BP worldwide quite successfully from a global perspective, though not without challenges at the local level. This study examines the process of implementing a global ERP solution at the local subsidiaries, and the unique problems that may be encountered in force-fitting a global solution at the local level. Among the issues and problems experienced by the subsidiary are higher-than-anticipated costs, longer development times, lack of technical expertise, and compromises in business processes. The findings of the study could be helpful in formulating coping mechanisms in implementing global ERP solutions.

A Cross Cultural Comparison of Problems in Business Process Reengineering Initiatives

Abstract Reengineering is rooted in the United States and has since spread to many other NICs (newly industrialized countries) like Singapore. As experience in reengineering accumulates, it is time to explore empirically the different types of problems commonly encountered and the impact of these problems on reengineering success. Also this study looks at whether the same types of problems are relevant in a Chinese-based society like Singapore. The study results show that many of the difficulties encountered in implementing BPR in the U.S. apply equally to Singapore. On the other hand, there are also significant differences between the two countries. While change management and management support problems have been identified as critical problems (which are severe and at the same time have a high impact on BPR success) in the U.S., project management and cultural issues are found to be critical problems in Singapore. It is concluded that culture does affect the types of problems encountered and their impact on reengineering success.

Restructuring in Telecommunications and its Market Impacts: An Event-Study Analysis

This study presents an assessment of the changes in the telecommunications industry and their impact on market returns. Events were identified from a sample of global telecom companies and assessed in terms of their favorable or unfavorable impacts. Based on event-study analysis with generalized autoregressive conditionally heteroskedastic specification, the impact was tested after incorporating dummy variables of different lengths. The results show interesting patterns in how the market views restructuring in the business model of telecom companies, organizational structure, alliances and mergers, and technological platform changes. Countries differ in how they view telecoms restructuring and what changes are considered beneficial by investors.

Education Dashboards for Enhanced Learning: A Singapore Experience

ABSTRACT Educators continue to utilize add-ons, extensions, or replacements to traditional Learning Management Systems (LMSs) to supplement capabilities and improve the classroom experience. This work resulted in the design and development of the Education Dashboards for Enhanced Learning (EDEL) template. The EDEL template enables faculty members to create dynamic web spaces called Knowledge Portals (KPortals). A semester-long introduction of KPortals proved to be positive and useful. Students tended to view the KPortal as a “go-to” webspace. The authors hope to refine the template in future studies and examine its usefulness in other countries.