Wen-Jang Jih

Aligning information technology and business strategy with a dynamic capabilities perspective: A longitudinal study of a Taiwanese Semiconductor Company

Strategic alignment involves the development and reconfiguration of information technology (IT) to support business strategies. This paper applies the dynamic capabilities perspective to analyze the strategic information system alignment process. The paper further argues the approach is constructive in understanding and overcoming difficulties in achieving and sustaining alignment. From a longitudinal case study of a semiconductor company in Taiwan, the results show an unaligned strategic information system (with an implemented IT strategy that varies from the intended IT strategy) impedes the development of IT. Path dependence, or the implications of prior IT decisions, is another barrier for alignment. A broader view of intended alignment, focusing on IT combined with clear business vision, can be beneficial for adding future IT resources. In addition, dynamic capabilities, which are critical for the creation and strength of IT resources, positively influence the alignment process and its future implementation success.

An Empirical Examination of Customer Perceptions of Mobile Advertising

A two-stage approach is employed in order to examine the influencing factors of consumer behaviors in the context of mobile advertising. The first stage of the study evaluates the correlation relationship of consumer motives for receiving mobile advertising and their attitudes toward mobile advertising. It also investigates the relationship between consumer intentions for receiving advertisements on their cellular phones and their subsequent actions once the mobile advertising was received. A negative sentiment was revealed by cellular phone users toward mobile advertising, a signal that current practices of mobile advertising are ineffective and require a careful reevaluation on the part of mobile commerce firms. The second stage of the research validates a Fishbein and Ajzens Theory of Reasoned Action model. It is found that positive actions on the received advertisements are significantly influenced by strong intentions; strong intentions are influenced significantly by favorable attitudes, and favorable attitudes are influenced significantly by strong motives. Implications for e-commerce application developers and marketers are discussed.

Effects of Consumer-Perceived Convenience on Shopping Intention in Mobile Commerce: An Empirical study

Wireless communication and Internet services are converging to provide an unprecedented level of convenience for online shopping. Although the concept of consumer-perceived convenience has been extensively discussed in marketing and consumer behavior literature, there still is a lack of empirical validation in the context of mobile commerce. This study was conducted to examine the effect of convenience on customers’ intention of shopping via their mobile communication devices. The primary data collected from college students in Taiwan were analyzed to examine the relationship between perceived convenience and shopping intention. The result shows a significant relationship between the two variables, and a positive effect of convenience perception on shopping intention. The findings have practical implications for mobile commerce strategists by providing more understanding of the mobile commerce success factors from a consumer behavior point of view.

Role Negotiation and Interaction: An Exploratory Case Study of the Impact of Management Consultants on ERP System Implementation in SMEs in Taiwan

Abstract With growing pressures for collaborative information systems (IS) partnerships, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation has been an important activity for improving supply chains efficiency in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Historically ERP consultants usually take a product-selling approach in SMEs, providing limited management consultancy services. However, a more constructive role for management consultants has become an emerging and challenging issue. This study explored the involvement of management consultants in ERP implementation, particularly with internal managers, ERP consultants and other project members. Extensive interviews were conducted with management consultants as well as 47 project members from four different SMEs in Taiwan employing ERP consultants. Using a grounded theory methodology, prior literature was used to sensitize the findings to key concepts of importance. The results were then analyzed and we described how owner-managers regard management consultants and how the consultants use role negotiation skills to work with both internal managers and ERP consultants. The study found resistance toward management consultants primarily from managers in SMEs, and not owner-managers. The relationships between management consultants and SME managers also differed from similar relationships in large organizations. Suggestions are also provided for academics and practitioners along with areas for future research to extend these exploratory findings.

Effects of Perceived Risks on Adoption of Internet Banking Services: An Empirical Investigation in Taiwan

Banking services primarily involve the creation, processing, storage, and distribution of financial information. Most of these services can be conveniently handled via Internet-based information technologies. This convenience, however, may be offset to a certain degree by customers’ perception of the risks associated with transacting in the wide-open cyber-world. A key challenge for online bankers is to maintain a secure information infrastructure that effectively manages the perceived risk factors. This research examines usages of Internet banking services, investigates the nature and sources of customers’ perceived risks, and tests hypotheses with regard to impacts of perceived risks on Internet banking adoption. Using primary data collected in Taiwan, the study finds significant relationships among involvement, familiarity, perceived risks, perception of measures for reducing perceived risks, and customer willingness to adopt Internet banking services. The findings have significant implications for the practice and research in Internet banking.

Effects of Knowledge Management on Electronic Commerce: An Exploratory Study in Taiwan

The Internet-enabled e-commerce field provides capabilities for firms in all sectors to reach global buyers and suppliers. Knowledge management provides frameworks to manage intellectual capital as a valuable organizational and strategic resource. Current literature on e-commerce and knowledge management primarily emphasizes the benefit of knowledge management for innovative e-commerce operations. Do knowledge management practices significantly benefit electronic commerce? If so, does the relationship work in the other direction? Does a firm’s e-commerce applications significantly benefit knowledge management practices, as well? To test these exploratory propositions, empirical data were collected from companies in a variety of industries in Taiwan, a country emphasizing e-commerce initiatives. The results revealed significant relationships between the way businesses implement electronic commerce projects and how they experiment with knowledge management concepts, as well as interesting benefits and difficulties in implementation. These relationships were found to operate in both directions, offering reinforcing effects as well as connections.

Factors Influencing Information System Flexibility: An Interpretive Flexibility Perspective

Information System (IS) flexibility has been regarded as an important indicator of information technology success. This article provides a model of IS flexibility encompassing all stages of IS implementation and usage. The model considers the cognitive factors from IS staff and users as important leveraging IS flexibility with adaptation activities. A review of constructs extending from the interpretive flexibility perspective in the literature is used to identify these cognitive factors. By hypothesizing the relationships among these cognitive factors, IS flexibility, and adaptation activities several propositions are identified. Empirical testing is then warranted to refute or validate the propositions.

Investigating the Impact of Customer Relationship Management Practices of E-Commerce on Online Customer's Web Site Satisfaction: A Model-Building Approach

This study addresses the effect of customer relationship management (CRM) practices on online customers’ satisfaction with their experience in interacting with the company Web sites. Recognizing the importance of maintaining a healthy relationship with customers, companies are actively seeking ways to enhance the customer value of their offerings through relationship marketing. Since effective managing of customer relationships essentially involves managing customer information flow, Internet technologies have become an important element of a firm’s CRM program. The company Web site is functioning as the focal point of contact for interacting with existing and prospective customers. An important concern is how the company Web site affects customers’ overall perception of the Web site. Using the concepts of Internet-mediated market orientation in marketing and user satisfaction in information systems, this study formulated and validated a theoretical model to analyze causal relationships between CRM practices, customers’ perception of a Web site’s online customer orientation and online customer Web site satisfaction. Based on the structural equation modeling analysis of the primary data collected in Taiwan, the study found that CRM practices positively impact online customers’ Web site satisfaction through their perception of the Web site’s customer orientation.

Effects of Website Interactivity on e-Loyalty: A Social Exchange Perspective

This study examines the impact of major considerations of commercial website design and management, website interactivity, the important performance factor, and customer loyalty. Meaningful interactions with existing and potential customers allow e-commerce firms to enhance customer loyalty by providing satisfactory customer experience. Customer loyalty is a composite construct, yet consists of multiple dimensions that do not necessarily contribute to repeat purchase in the same manner. Guided by the concept of social exchange in social psychology, this study investigates the causal effect of website interactivity on two conceptually distinctive types of website loyalty-transactional loyalty and relational loyalty. This paper finds positive effects of website loyalty on both types of loyalty, while revealing positive effects of transactional loyalty on relational loyalty and overall loyalty. Furthermore, relational loyalty is found to contribute more to overall loyalty than transactional loyalty. E-commerce firms are advised to offer attractive incentives in a systematical manner to gradually convert more temporary transactional loyalty to more long-term relational loyalty. Finally, firms must devise a portfolio of different marketing strategies to cater to the customers located on different points on transactional loyalty.

Effects of Knowledge Management Implementation in Hospitals: An Exploratory Study in Taiwan

From the knowledge management point of view, the fundamental mission of hospital management is the delivery of quality medical services, utilizing highly specialized knowledge to solve healthcare problems within various resource constraints. Similar to other knowledge-intensive industries operating in highly challenging business environments, hospitals of all sizes must view the creation, organization, distribution, and application of knowledge as a critical aspect of their management activities. Knowledge management represents a viable strategy as hospitals strive simultaneously to provide quality medical services, improve operational efficiency, and conform to the government’s documentation and reporting regulations. This study examines the correlation as well as the causal relationships among knowledge characteristics, knowledge acquisition strategy, implementation measures, and performance of knowledge management implementations in the context of hospital management. Using primary data collected in Taiwan, our analyses show that the characteristics of knowledge affect the ways in which knowledge management is implemented, and the implementation measures, in turn, have a significant impact on the results of knowledge management implementations.