国外IT服务管理的现状及其发展趋势

IT服务管理的发展历程分为概念酝酿期、思想形成期、理论成长期、标准和方法开发完善期。IT服务管理打通了IT部门和业务部门之间的结构性障碍,全面和系统地实施IT基础架构的管理,计量IT服务成本和效益,为组织IT服务外包提供指导方法。IT服务管理将向组织管理、时效管理、风险管理、成本控制管理、技术管理等方向发展。随着信息技术在组织中的地位越来越突出,IT服务管理必将快速在中国得以应用,并形成一个新兴的IT应用领域。     

How useful are IT research and analysis services?

How do firms keep abreast of new waves of information technology (IT) innovations such as CRM and Web services? Many engage IT research and analysis (R&A) firms such as Gartner Group and Forrester Research. But how do buyers of IT R&A offerings actually make use of these services, and how useful do they find them? Why do some companies choose not to use IT R&A services? We examine these questions in the context of a survey, and find that users and non-users of IT R&A services can be classified. Users fall into three groups: proactive, reactive and situational. Non-users are either cost-conscious or need-doubters. We compare the different groups and suggest the implications for management.     

基于IT能力的企业信息化非技术影响因素研究

企业要想从信息技术应用中获得利润,必须投资于培育整体的信息技术能力,而并非孤立的IT系统。信息技术能力不仅依赖于技术因素,还依赖于非技术因素,单一非技术因素的忽视就能直接削弱企业信息技术能力。很多企业在信息化中对非技术因素缺乏足够的认识和管理,形成了非技术因素管理缺口,从而造成信息化项目成功率不高、效益不高。因此,针对我国企业信息化过程中的非技术因素问题,探索性地提出了构建基于IT能力的非技术因素分析框架,并对高层领导支持、组织变革与变革管理、企业的文化管理三方面的非技术因素以及之间作用机制进行重点分析。对推进我国企业信息化进程和整体信息技术能力的提升具有重要的现实意义。     

IT Controlling – Concepts and Transformation into Practice

In the first part the paper depicts central IT controlling terms and selected IT controlling concepts of the last decade. In the second part a performance oriented IT controlling concept describes central processes of the IT controlling concept by using a three step life cycle model in terms of a reference model. Finally some important results from a current survey concerning the development of IT controlling in German speaking countries are given. Based on these facts the paper describes the needs for action in academia and practice: The role of the IT controller has been established in German speaking countries, but there is disagreement concerning targets, tasks and processes of IT controlling, cost oriented tasks and reporting are dominating the practitioner’s work, established economic methods of IT controlling are not consistently used in companies. This article is also available in German in print and via http://www.wirtschaftsinformatik.de: Gadatsch A (2009) WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK. doi: 10.1007/11576-009-0166-x.     

Community Banks and Internet Commerce

ABSTRACT

This study examines the factors affecting a community bank's decision to develop Internet-based applications using survey data from representative community banks and secondary data regarding the financial institution's financial performance data (Call Reports). The results from a logistic regression show that there is a significant size effect in developing web and Internet commerce applications. Other factors determining Internet commerce activities include IT costs, use of PC-banking options, and the perceived competition in the local commercial loan markets.     

Feasibility Frontier—A Method for Aligning Competitive Strategy with the Choice of IT Architectures

This article introduces an approach that addresses the challenge of aligning choices about IT architecture with the strategic goals of a corporation. This takes the form of a framework that captures how managers make IT architecture choices and how those choices impact an organization's competitive position. Based on microeconomic theory, the framework provides a set of conceptualizations for understanding alignment, plus some recommendations on how organizations should approach IT architecture adoption in a way that assures optimal alignment with strategic goals. The most important facilitating factor for the framework is the commitment to complete, accurate, and unbiased cost and quality assessment of business processes and their supporting IT infrastructure.     

Economic Perspectives on Health Information Technology

It seems paradoxical that health care spending and examples of inferior health care have been rising rapidly at the same time. An important factor is the slow pace at which the health care system has adopted information technology (IT). This paper discusses the dimensions of the problems that could be mitigated by effective use of IT in the health care system, their consequences, and their potential solutions. It also discusses the economic and institutional barriers to deploying IT and how the inherent economies of scale in IT are likely to lead to new problems of competition within the health care system. Inasmuch as this paper was based on an address followed by a question-and-answer period, it also includes an edited version of the recorded questions and answers.JEL Classification I180, I190     

Integration Deficits of IT Controlling

The paper is based on the thesis that IT controlling suffers from two integration deficits with regard to its methods base: On the one hand, this is a lack of synchronization between research on IT controlling methods and developments in practice; on the other hand, a lack of integration of IT controlling methods with methods of business and information systems engineering (BISE). Based on this assumption, the paper investigates historical developments in IT controlling research and practice to derive theses about the present state of method integration. The analysis finds indications for further potential for method integration and identifies these potentials. Requirements towards method integration are derived from an analysis of the identified integration potentials and two examples illustrate how to realize further integration. Accepted after two revisions by the editors of the special focus. This article is also available in German in print and via http://www.wirtschaftsinformatik.de: Strecker S, Kargl H (2009) Integrationsdefizite des IT-Controllings – Historischer Hintergrund, Analyse von Integrationspotenzialen und Methodenintegration. doi: 10.1007/s11576-009-0175-9.     

Pattern of information technology use and relationship learning in international customer-supplier relationships

While information technology (IT) has been widely applied in global supply chain relationships, academic research in this area is still limited. Drawing on resource-based view (RBV) and interpartner learning theory, we investigate how different pattern of IT use (IT exploitation and IT exploration) influences relationship learning and performance in international customer-supplier relationships. Further, we look into two contingent conditions including technological uncertainty and cultural distance in the proposed model. Based on 240 Taiwanese-based electronics suppliers, this empirical study reveals that only exploration side of IT use was significant on relationship learning and finds significant positive relationship between relationship learning and relationship performance. Moreover, the effect of IT exploration on relationship learning was positively moderated by technological uncertainty but negatively moderated by cultural distance. However, the effect of IT exploitation on relationship learning was negatively moderated by technological uncertainty but positively moderated by cultural distance.     

跨组织协作、供应链电子化整合能力与供应链绩效——需求不确定性和组织内部信息技术的调节效应

基于我国310家制造企业的问卷调查分析发现,跨组织协作二维化解构——协作意愿和共同改进行为皆可促进供应链电子化整合能力,在此过程中,需求不确定性正向调节共同改进行为与供应链电子化整合能力之间的关系,但是对协作意愿和供应链电子化整合能力之间的关系没有影响。同时,研究还发现组织内部信息技术可以协同供应链电子化整合能力提升供应链绩效。文章深化了资源基础理论和能力论在供应链上信息技术的应用,重点区分了组织内外部信息技术的不同应用及作用机制,试图将管理者的视野从简单的跨组织信息技术投资转向为企业的供应链电子化整合能力提升上,为供应链管理者提供决策指导。     

Open-source intelligence for risk assessment

Advances in information technology (IT) have prompted tremendous growth in security issues for companies. Increasingly, cyberattacks represent a threat to companies and national security; to prevent them, firms should routinely perform risk assessments of their IT infrastructure and employees. This article highlights the importance of open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools in conducting risk assessments to prevent cyberattacks. More specifically, we performed a vulnerability assessment on the critical infrastructure of a company operating on the U.S. electrical grid. We successfully profiled the company’s network software, hardware, and key IT personnel—using OSINT—and detailed potential vulnerabilities associated with these findings. The results of our study provide empirical evidence for the efficacy of OSINT in improving the security posture of organizations. Our research findings were subsequently used to produce tactical and strategic recommendations for organizations based on the use of OSINT to identify vulnerabilities, mitigate risks, and formulate more robust security policies to prevent cyberattacks.     

Valuation of IT Investments Using Real Options Theory

Real Options Theory is often applied to the valuation of IT investments. The application of Real Options Theory is generally accompanied by a monetary valuation of real options through option pricing models which in turn are based on restrictive assumptions and thus subject to criticism. Therefore, this paper analyzes the application of option pricing models to the valuation of IT investments. A structured literature review reveals the types of IT investments which are valued with Real Options Theory in scientific literature. These types of IT investments are further investigated and their main characteristics are compared to the restrictive assumptions of traditional option pricing models. This analysis serves as a basis for further discussion on how the identified papers address these assumptions. The results show that a lot of papers do not account for critical assumptions, although it is known that the assumptions are not fulfilled. Moreover, the type of IT investment determines the criticality of the assumptions. Additionally, several extensions or adaptions of traditional option pricing models can be found which provide the possibility to relax critical assumptions. Researchers can profit from the results derived in this paper in two ways: First, it is demonstrated which assumptions can be critical for various types of IT investments. Second, extensions of option pricing models that relax critical assumptions are introduced.     

网络效应、信息技术与服务业跨国公司客户管理

通过对信息技术的成功应用,服务业跨国公司在参与全球竞争的过程中,可以克服传统市场竞争条件下的产能的限制,并能够更快地达到为获得网络效应所要求的临界值,从市场扩张的正反馈中获益。信息技术降低了客户管理成本,使得客户忠诚计划和价格歧视具备更强的操作性。因此提高了服务业跨国公司的竞争力。     

Adoption and Use of Electronic Meeting Systems in Large Australian and New Zealand Organizations

As globalization increases and competition grows, firms are becoming increasingly dependent upon group work and collaboration. The recent surge of reengineering efforts to reinforce a process view of organizational work and the emergence of virtual corporations spanning the globe indicate that firms are relying more on group work today than ever before. Information technology (IT) may have the capability to greatly enhance the quality of collaboration in accomplishing group tasks. This paper focuses on electronic meeting systems (EMS), which are mostly aimed at supporting group work in a face-to-face setting, and empirically assesses their adoption and use in supporting task-oriented collaborative work in Australian and New Zealand organizations. Results from survey data collected from 147 organizations indicate that EMS adoption has been somewhat limited. Most organizations had not adopted EMS to support group work. Further, both the level of adoption and level of use of EMS within the organizations was very low. Barriers to adoption were identified along with implications for future research. Organizational barriers, including compatibility with cognitive styles, lack of incentives and resistance to change, were the most important adoption obstacles. Technological and costs issues were somewhat less significant. Overall, the findings are fairly similar to the US study on which the survey instrument was based, though some adoption differences occurred which may be related to the structure and ownership of the organizations.     

How to create information management capabilities through web 2.0

Over the last two decades investment in information technologies (IT) has been sufficiently high to be considered economically relevant. However, it has not been easy to prove that there are positive effects of these investments on organisational performance. This study questions the validity of directly relating web 2.0 initiatives to firm performance without taking into consideration other complementary assets such as managerial skills in IT, organisational restructuring and a culture of change. If these factors are not present, IT may not in fact produce any benefits whatsoever. The authors approach this problem using the resource-based view and propose the construct information management capability as a measure to gather the integration of the various co-specialised and complementary capabilities, whether technological or human and organisational, necessary in order to obtain competitive advantages in information use. A scale is created to measure this construct, the reliability and validity of which are demonstrated.     

New Service Development and Digitalization: Synergies of Personal Interaction and IT Integration

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the effects of personal interaction and information technology integration (IT integration) on new service development in business-to-business (B2B) service firms' relationships. Personal interaction, IT integration and new service development are latent variables in a structural model tested with LISREL (N = 138). The relationship between personal interaction and IT integration is strong and indicates that both these constructs are drivers for new service development. Although both these constructs represent diverse ways of interacting, they both positively impact new service development. Hence, managers should not expect IT to replace personal interaction to a great extent in B2B-service contexts.     

Paperless healthcare: Progress and challenges of an IT-enabled healthcare system

For most Americans, a trip to the doctor's office or a hospital stay necessitates that medical personnel search through paper charts and records as care is administered. This remains the status quo, despite the increasingly large role that electronic communication plays in other aspects of our business and personal lives. The elevated use of information technology (IT) in healthcare settings—primarily via utilization of electronic health records (EHRs), which allow information to be readily communicated and shared among healthcare providers—has been advocated as a means of improving quality of care and helping to control healthcare costs over the long term. Yet, hastened implementation of healthcare IT will require considerable cost incursion in the near term, and will present various other challenges that must be addressed. Herein, we examine the merits and benefits of healthcare IT, as well as the costs and other challenges that may serve as obstacles to its wider implementation and use. We conclude with a set of recommendations designed to increase the likelihood that extensive expansion in the use of healthcare IT will yield the desired benefits.     

Back-end information technology resources and manufacturing SMEs’ export commitment: An empirical investigation

The capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to embrace international markets is based on some prerequisites including the acquisition and / or development of specific resources. Drawing on a sample of 202 Canadian manufacturing SMEs, and using the resource-based view as a theoretical lens, this study analyzes the effects of different configurations of the adoption of back-end information technology (IT) resources on the levels of export commitment. The results show that there are four well-separated profiles of SMEs with regard to the adoption levels of back-end IT resources, and that the profiles with higher levels of back-end IT resources adopted are most likely to be exporters, particularly to the nearby international markets. This study contributes to theoretically bridging the gaps in both the information system and international business literature concerning the role of back-end IT resources in sustaining SMEs’ export commitment and has practical implications as well.     

离岸IT服务外包发包方选择承接商的影响因素研究——基于上海地区的实证分析

本文基于上海地区,利用与本土IT外包承接企业有业务往来的跨国公司(发包方)数据,对离岸IT服务外包发包方选择承接商的影响因素进行研究。实证分析结果显示,承接企业的项目运营交付能力、国际市场品牌竞争力、行业知识和领域经验、技术和创新能力、风险管控能力等对发包方选择服务外包承接商有显著影响,跨文化沟通和协调、成本竞争力的影响不显著。本土服务外包承接企业可以根据这些因素有针对性地提升其在国际接包市场上的竞争力。     

Retail network performance evaluation: a DEA approach considering retailers' geomarketing

Stores develop customized assortments based on localization characteristics. In terms of performance analysis, these changes make it more difficult to analyse store performance. This adjustment procedure entails an internal benchmarking which needs small samples to control regional and assortment effects. This paper explores the influence of competitive environment and store neighbourhood characteristics on store efficiency by using three data envelopment analysis (DEA) models. This research is illustrated by using real data from a French supermarket retail chain at the product category level. It is shown that the two-steps DEA model is a relevant analysis tool to take into account location aspects. It presents a discriminant power strong enough to derive managerial implications with small samples.