THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN SUPPORTING THE EXTENDED SUPPLY CHAIN

The emergence of the Internet and new software applications has provided an opportunity for some companies to move towards an extended enterprise business model–one that enhances value across the total supply chain. The prime driver of this trend has been the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. The research investigates whether traditional technology infrastructures, including information systems, have failed to deliver the level of support required to enable organizations to take advantage of the new extended business model. The research identifies a series of new and distinctive capabilities that influence the adoption of an extended business model. Supported by innovative technologies, leading companies are exploiting these distinctive capabilities to meet the challenge of the New Economy.     

Impact of Organizational Characteristics and Information Technology Maturity on Internet Business Application: A Taiwan Survey

ABSTRACT

The Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) have provided unprecedented opportunities and challenges for conducting business online today. The growing trend of the Internet in Asia will cause companies to go on online quickly and the Internet will reinforce a speedy recovery and drive the globalization of the region. The spread of the Internet with decrease in cost should remove hidden barriers to free commerce and boost the economy in Asia. A cross-sectional survey of the manufacturing industry in Taiwan was conducted. On the basis of concerning value chain, organization and information management, this study examines the impact of organizational characteristics and information technology (IT) maturity on the Internet business application, and on the benefit of improving competitive advantages. It is found that firm type, organizational characteristics and IT maturity influence firms' Internet application in the value chain. Organizational characteristics and IT maturity influence the Internet business application, and the firms' improvement in competitive advantage varies. Overall, the firms with innovation-oriented or high level of IT maturity in Taiwan have higher implementation rate of the Internet and more widespread of application in the value chain. Hence, these firms are usually able to further integrate different value creation activities in the value chain to gain more competitive advantages     

Cooperation as a Mediator between ICT and Export Success

The use of new information and communication technologies has been reshaping the export paradigm for more than a decade and exponentially increasing the possibilities of the exporting companies in international markets. The Internet improves establishing contact with partners in other countries for trade, optimizes daily communication with them, and makes companies more efficient in finding information on the markets they are reaching. According to these implications, to what extent do new technologies have a positive impact on the success of companies abroad? Does the use of these technologies facilitate cooperation between exporters and trading partners in the export destination country? The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of Internet technology upon export success when companies use this technology to find relevant information on foreign markets, improve communication in the business process, and enhance contacts with customers and distributors in distant countries. This study reveals that cooperative relationships between export companies and their foreign customers/distributors have a mediating effect between ICT and export success. Moreover, a surprisingly low significance of using ICT to support sales activities and develop lasting business relationships on export success has been found.     

Internet Appreciation in Nigerian Business Organizations

ABSTRACT

Internet technology is one of the approaches used by business organizations to execute their business activities. The present research investigated the degree of Internet appreciation in Nigerian companies, factors influencing such appreciation, and the associated efficacy of Internet appreciation. It was found that e-mail was the most used aspect of the Internet system in Nigerian companies. Relatively, it was found that Nigerian business organizations used the Internet system mostly for business communication. The low level of Internet education proved to be the most influencing factor in Internet appreciation in Nigeria companies. These findings were discussed with respect to extant literature and pieces of empirical and anecdotal evidence. Management and policy recommendations were made and areas for future research suggested.     

The evolution of social media and its impact on organizations and leaders

This paper examines organizational impacts of social media on Fortune 100 companies over a 5-year period (2011–2016). Specifically, the study focuses on three broad areas of social media impact: (1) the adoption of social media platforms across industries and business models from 2011 to 2016, (2) the influence of social media adoption on the roles of the chief information officer (CIO) and chief marketing officer (CMO) and their changing relationships in companies over this time frame, and (3) the impact of social media on company strategy, governance, and the IT (information technology) and marketing functions. The results support the contention that the CMO role has evolved to meet the technology needs of the marketing function and that the relationship between the CMO and CIO has taken on greater importance. In most Fortune 100 companies in 2016, social media has transitioned to ownership by the marketing department and the CMO provides leadership for social media strategy while working closely with the CIO. This study contributes to a better understanding of the established role of social media in companies, governance structures, and the evolving roles of both the CIO and CMO in relation to social media trends. The study integrates the IT and marketing literature to provide an agenda for future work that builds on theory and establishes an ongoing cohesive research agenda.     

Adoption of Web-Based Applications in the Financial Sector: The Case of Online Insurance

ABSTRACT

Implementation of new technologies is a never-ending process that attempts to secure the best available tools to accomplish organizational goals. Previous studies on technology implementation discuss the technology adoption process and the multiple factors that are important for making this process successful. This study focuses on the adoption of web-based applications in the insurance industry. An in-depth investigation of relevant literature on the technology adoption process and data collected from insurance companies helped us identify the success factors for online insurance. Relevant factors include infrastructure flexibility, website availability, the degree of business integration, and company age.     

Does XBRL adoption reduce information asymmetry?

This paper examines whether or not XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) adoption reduces information asymmetry in a stock market context. Student t-tests and multiple regression analysis were employed to examine the effect of XBRL adoption on information asymmetry in the capital market. A significant and negative association exists between XBRL adoption and information asymmetry, which implies that the adoption of XBRL may lead to the reduction of the information asymmetry in the Korean stock market. In addition, the effect of XBRL adoption on reducing information asymmetry is stronger for large-sized companies than for medium-sized and small-sized companies. Based on these findings, the demand for XBRL-enabled applications and services in the capital market is expected to grow while governments should promote XBRL adoption for business reporting.     

Organizational characteristics and the CRM adoption process

The purpose of this study is to identify the status of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) adoption and explore the influence of organizational characteristics on the CRM adoption process in the Korean fashion industry. Using Rogers' [Rogers EM. Diffusion of innovation. New York: Free Press; 1995] innovation decision process model as the conceptual basis, this study surveyed 94 Korean fashion companies to investigate the persuasion, decision, and implementation stages of CRM adoption. Organizational variables included firm characteristics (size, strategy, maturity of information system), product characteristics (category, fashion position, seasonality), and CEO characteristics (age, education). The most frequently used CRM technology is the development of a customer database, whereas the mostly frequently mentioned benefits of CRM are encouraging repurchase. Moreover, respondents' perceptions of CRM benefits affect CRM adoption, influencing the use of various CRM technologies. Organizational strategy, maturity of information system, and product category all significantly influence the adoption process. Empirical findings provide further support for the innovation decision process model developed by Rogers [Rogers EM. Diffusion of innovation. New York: Free Press; 1995] and the CRM adoption model can be used when fashion companies do strategic planning and evaluate the possibility of adopting CRM strategies.     

Consumers' Search for Information on the Internet: How and Why China Differs from Western Europe

Internet adoption in China is booming and purchasing power is growing steadily. Increasing numbers of Chinese turn to the Internet to search for information prior to a purchase. Based on 32 h of interviews with students and business professionals in China, and a questionnaire completed by a sample of 1140 students in Beijing and Belgium, our explorative study demonstrates that fundamental cultural, behavioral, economic, technical, and other characteristics of China cause significant differences between Chinese and Western Europeans in their online search process for information prior to a purchase. The differences occur in frequency, goal, types of information sought, types of websites used, search engine usage patterns, and contribution of user opinions. This has important implications for marketing practitioners in China, especially for multinational corporations that enter China and that are not familiar yet with the Chinese environment. Suggestions for future research are also provided.     

Just Doing Business or Doing Just Business: Google,Microsoft, Yahoo! and the Business of Censoring China’s Internet

This paper addresses the criticism recently directed at Internet companies who have chosen to do business in China. Currently, in order to conduct business in China, companies must agree to the Chinese government’s rule of self-censoring any information the government deems inappropriate. We start by explaining how some of these companies have violated the human rights of Chinese citizens to freely trade information. We then analyze whether the justifications and excuses offered by these companies are sufficient to absolve them of moral responsibility. We argue that both justifications and excuses offered are insufficient. Wilfully abiding by unjust laws, albeit necessary to do business in China, should not trump moral actions that protect rights. “This is not something we did enthusiastically, or not something that we are proud of at all.”– Elliot Schrage answering questions from Congress regarding Google’s decision to censor its Internet searches in China Neil Haddow is currently finishing his PhD in philosophy at the University of Waterloo. His interests are moral and political philosophy at the theoretical and applied levels. He is the co-author of another paper forthcoming in The Journal of Business Ethics on age discrimination and automobile insurance. G. Elijah Dann presently lectures for the Department of Philosophy at the University of Toronto. He is author of After Rorty: The possibilities for ethics and religious belief (Continuum Press, 2006), and is editor of a forthcoming book on Christianity entitled, Leaving Fundamentalism (Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2007).     

How mobile technologies support business models: Case study-based empirical analysis

Mobile technologies have pushed the connectivity of IT systems to the limit, enabling people and things to connect to one another at all times. The amount of information companies have at their disposal has increased exponentially, thanks largely to geolocation and to the vast array of sensors that have been integrated into mobile devices. This information can be used to enhance business activities and processes, but it can also be used to create new business models. Focusing on business models, we analyze mobile technologies as enablers of activity changes. We consider the differentiating characteristics of mobile technologies and examine how these can support different business functions. A study based on fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 30 cases across different industries allows us to identify mobile technology success factors for different core activities. The results show that several combinations of mobile technology initiatives provide a competitive advantage when these initiatives match the business model.     

Data-driven business and data privacy: Challenges and measures for product-based companies

To leverage the opportunities provided by the Internet of Things (IoT), product-based companies are exploring new data-driven business opportunities. They may miss these same opportunities, however, owing to data-privacy challenges. These challenges start with the customers of product-based companies, extend to the wider business ecosystem, and continue with the companies themselves. This article identifies 12 data-privacy challenges and introduces 12 measures to address them. These include intuitive recommendations, such as enabling cross-product consent collection, as well as less intuitive measures, such as fostering a can-do attitude in legal units, closing the gap between legal and business initiatives, or implementing a clear process for well-reasoned risk-taking. The following four principles were found to support companies in implementing these measures: (1) letting privacy and data-driven business go hand in hand, (2) putting customers first and turning their privacy preferences into opportunities, (3) aligning risk-management activities with the process of digital service development, and (4) using technology to professionalize legal processes.     

Web retailing adoption: exploring the nature of internet users Web retailing behaviour

The interaction of consumers and marketers within the Web environment, particularly for retailing/purchasing is a growing area of importance. This paper focuses on examining Internet users adoption of the Web for retail usage. It uses the Technology Acceptance Model Davis (Int. J. Man-Mach. Studies 38 (1993) 475) as a theoretical foundation to explore adoption of this technology for retail usage. The study also adds what are argued to be key consumer characteristics such as Opinion Leadership, Impulsiveness, Web Shopping Compatibility, Internet Self-Efficacy, Perceived Web Security, Satisfaction with web sites, and Shopping Orientation to understand the adoption of Web retailing by Internet users’. A Web based survey was developed and administered, yielding 392 responses. The findings indicate that TAM is a valid theoretical framework to understand users adoption of the Web for retail purposes. Also Internet users’ perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were effected differentially by Opinion Leadership, Web Shopping Compatibility, Internet Self-Efficacy, Perceived Web Security, Impulsiveness, Satisfaction with web sites, and Shopping Orientation.     

International heterogeneity in the associations of new business models and broadband Internet with music revenue and piracy

Broadband Internet has fundamentally changed business models in many industries. In the music industry, for instance, old business models were challenged by illegal competitors, and broadband Internet has enabled value creation through new business models. The changes that established business models experienced in the wake of broadband Internet, however, differed vastly across national markets, and these differences are not well understood. We build a conceptual framework and study the extent to which differences in economic and cultural factors are associated with different market outcomes in the wake of the proliferation of broadband Internet. Thus, we compile two unique data sets from the music industry, comprising (1) revenue data for 36 countries and 22 years and (2) piracy data for 47 countries and >2 years. We use a Bayesian multilevel model to explore between-country heterogeneity in the associations between these variables and broadband Internet adoption and business model innovations. Our results show that the negative association between broadband Internet penetration and music revenue is weaker in high-income countries, where income restrictions are less likely to drive demand towards illegitimate piracy services. In terms of cultural factors, we find that a market's response to the introduction of broadband Internet is less negative in countries scoring high on Hofstede's individualism and uncertainty avoidance dimensions. Furthermore, we find that overall revenues only recover after the latest generation of streaming services (e.g., Spotify) has been introduced, and the adoption of these services is associated with lower levels of online music piracy.     

Different determinants at different times: B2B adoption of a radical innovation

This research aims to empirically determine which factors best explain business to business adoption of a radical, high-tech innovation early in the diffusion process. Early lifecycle data collection provides insights about the differences in determinants of adoption at different times in the product diffusion process. The results indicate that differences do exist between the determinants of early adoption, intent to adopt later, and unawareness of the innovation. The influencers of earliest adopters appear to be innovation-focused: the perceived benefits of the innovation as well as the strength of the producer network positively relate to early adoption; early adopters also tend to perceive the technology in the innovation as less different than previous technology than do those who intend to adopt later. The influence of a champion within the adopting firm, the ability of the firm to sense and respond to new technology, and the depth of technology knowledge within the adopting firm are significant influencers across multiple stages of diffusion, showing that firm-internal traits are particularly important influencers of adoption. Laggard firms are missing the critical firm traits that lead to information gathering and understanding of innovations. In addition to contributing to adoption research theory and methodology, this research has implications for innovation-marketing and innovation-adopting firms.     

Stakeholder Engagement: Keeping Business Legitimate in Austria’s Natural Mineral Water Bottling Industry

Stakeholder maneuvers such as Internet media attacks or consumer boycotts can have devastating effects on companies. By contrary, vital relationships between companies and their stakeholders can be highly beneficial. A review of the existing stakeholder-management literature suggests to engage stakeholders in business activities in a positive manner. However, the types of successful engagement activities differ across industries. The purposes of this article are to develop an explanatory framework based on the literature findings, to introduce stakeholder-engagement literature to a segment of the water sourcing industry, and to unfold industry’s stakeholder-engagement measures. Based on a content analysis of 11 cases, we investigate if and how companies in the natural mineral water bottling industry in Austria inform, communicate, and therefore engage with stakeholders. It became evident that fewer than three of eleven companies published information on sustainability or corporate social responsibility reports, open house days, workshops, or international community activities. Most companies maintained a website for their bottled natural mineral water or communicated quality consciousness. We conclude that most companies in the Austrian mineral water industry could increase their stakeholder-engagement activities to positively respond to challenging business environments.     

Promotional strategies on the World Wide Web

Business managers that use the Internet as a major component of their marketing communications strategy face great challenges. The popularity of the Internet with consumers and businesses drives thousands of firms to promote their products and services using World Wide Web (known hereinafter as the Web) sites. Technology has created a competitive arena that enables exposure to consumers worldwide, who can now easily communicate with each other. This potential for exposure has dramatic implications for any business considering the Internet as a promotional vehicle. The growing popularity of Internet sites, where users may discuss their feelings about companies and products, allows an increased scrutiny of all aspects of business. If companies do not deal effectively with this scrutiny, brand equity is vulnerable to erosion. Therefore, all contingencies inherent in promotional efforts on the Internet must be weighed carefully. Businesses which examine the ramifications of on-line exposure are better able to create and maintain a positive Internet presence which facilitates effective Web site promotion. Planning, implementation and control must be integrated into the on-line marketing communications of businesses, regardless of business size.     

基于互联网的“免费”商业模式创新研究

进入21世纪,得益于互联网技术的快速发展,网络平台被广泛的运用在商业运作的各个领域,基于互联网的免费商业模式创新大量涌现,并不断冲击着传统的商业运行模式。本文运用经济学原理,结合互联网的特征,从注意力经济、网络效应以及互联网经济的竞争模式和数字产品的成本特征四个方面,论述了基于互联网免费商业模式的原因和形成机制,并分析总结了互联网经济中几种常见的免费商业模式类型。     

Information technology and consumer behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using the internet

Sustaining business success hinges upon a firm׳s ability to understand and capitalize on consumer behavior trends. Synthesizing information from a variety of sources, this paper discusses the nature of use of the Internet by American travelers. In general, the adoption of the Internet has reached a level of saturation and some traditional channels such as online travel agencies (OTAs) continue to dominate travel planning. While traditional means of Internet use for travel planning appears to be widespread across all customer segments, higher-order Internet uses (i.e., social media) are now prevalent among some segments, particularly among travelers of Generation Y. Also, there seems to be an important bifurcation in the traveler population in that the traditional online consumers remain unchanged with their pattern of use of online tools while sizable groups are adopting emergent information sources and transaction channels. This article details the particulars of these trends and offers managerial implications and future research directions.