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The purpose of this paper is to discuss in depth the factors that lead to misalignment between the project management (PM) and the business strategy by investigating four case studies in the telecommunications industry in Saudi Arabia.

Due to the limited research on the subject of the alignment of PM and business strategy, the methodology used in this research was a case study in depth interview.

The paper highlights the important factors that affect the process of aligning the PM to the business strategy. The companies that have strong alignment between the business strategy and the PM show successful projects outcome while the companies that have mismatch alignment show less successful projects outcome.

The paper has investigated four telecommunications companies only. However, more companies will be better to compare the finding. Due to time constrains, the research has studied one project in each company. Each project was supporting one of the company's business strategies. More projects and business strategies will lead to clear picture of the alignment. Access to executives’ managers and CIO's was difficult. Several meetings were cancelled without short notice.

This paper helps the companies to implement their business strategies with embedding their projects in the overall strategy. Also, helps the PM team to execute the projects in a strategic way.

This paper contributes to the literature with a clear explanation of the concept of the alignment and provides a framework to ensure the alignment between the large PM process and the business strategy is achieved.

This paper aims to introduce a supplementary strategic mapping tool designed specifically for family businesses. The authors extend the popular tool of strategy maps into the family business arena to address potential misalignments arising from the family imprint on a business. The resulting family enterprise strategy map (FESM) aims, both literally and figuratively, to get internal stakeholders on the same page in their pursuit of family business objectives. Using the FESM, family managers can enhance strategy design and implementation, thereby increasing the viability and longevity of their enterprises for future generations.

The framework draws from previous work on strategic maps, from scholarly research on family businesses and from the authors’ experiences consulting with family enterprises. The framework addresses four distinct but interrelated perspectives requiring managerial attention: family business objectives, family alignment, family systems and family business foundation. The case of Mondavi Winery is used to illustrate the prescriptive value of the FESM.

The FESM is meant to be used cooperatively among internal stakeholders to tease out potential challenges that can hinder the effective design and implementation of a family business strategy. The FESM makes explicit the primary objectives of the family business, prompts stakeholders to voice professional and personal ambitions in the business and brings individual risk propensities to the dialogue. Systems and activities necessary for successful strategy implementation are also underlined in the FESM. Lastly, the framework helps to identify the strategic foundation that can be leveraged to achieve the family enterprise’s objective.

The value of the FESM is threefold. First, having family members and non-family managers engage in this activity can make known individual, family and non-family functions, desires and goals. In doing so, the FESM also effectively highlights misalignments among and between various internal stakeholders that may otherwise go unnoticed. Second, the FESM draws management’s attention to specific family-related resources and capabilities within the company and, just as importantly, those that need to be cultivated to achieve strategic objectives. Third, the FESM can serve as a valuable reminder during those times when family systems begin to malfunction or to diverge from intended objectives.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Service sector companies can secure a competitive edge by using a strategic performance measurement system (SPMS) to better realize business objectives. An emphasis on strategic alignment and organizational learning generates a significant mediating effect on the SPMS–performance relationship and helps such firms better differentiate their service provision.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Business-to-business (B2B) relations will become more prevalent in many areas such as delivery services, based on current trends supporting e-commerce proliferation. In addition, hyperlocal e-commerce, which focuses on customers in a small geographic region, relies heavily on another business to handle the supply chain. Emerging trends in business to business to customer (B2B2C) experiences provide retailers with opportunities to develop strategies for better customer service. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a scale for measuring business customer experience in the B2B2C aggregator business model.

Using the psychometric scale development procedure, the researchers devised a 29-item, six-dimensional scale measuring business customer experience with the help of two cross-sectional studies. Restaurant managers who rely on delivery partners to serve their customers were surveyed twice. The authors validated a scale for assessing business customer experience using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Based on fit criteria, a higher-order formative structure was best suited to the scale. The dimensions identified were shared vision, interaction experience, end-customer focus, relationship experience, service experience and outcome focus. According to the study, business customer experience is more objective and utilitarian than existing paradigms on customer experience.

Theoretically, this research helps to understand the underpinnings behind the formation of business customer experience and attempt to bring transformative service research focus in the B2B2C trilogy as better experiences predict the well-being of members of the business centre in the B2B.

Practically, this research helps businesses to revisit their strategies for a better relationship with business partners for jointly offering an improved experience to the end customers.

This study explains a pioneer attempt to develop a scale for business customer experience in the context of B2B2C aggregator business models.

The knowledge economy presents new demands for government departments and agencies to deliver improved levels of service to their clients. Citizens expect services to be delivered effectively and economically, and at the same time they expect the knowledge that government holds will be shared with them, to be part of the products government delivers. To meet this increased level of expectation, departments and agencies have begun focusing more on the need to manage their corporate knowledge with the same diligence with which they manage their other organizational assets. This article seeks to look at ways to help organizations and individuals to meet these business objectives.

The article presents a strategy and approach for implementing knowledge management (KM) successfully in any organization, one that takes KM right back to its basics.

Despite the pressure to address knowledge‐related issues, it appears that government institutions are not adopting KM as an organizational imperative. In fact some of the early KM adopters have fallen by the wayside, and the public sector in general is struggling to make the connection between its desired business outcomes and the benefits of doing KM.

The article examines: why governments are having a problem with KM; what can be done to make the KM connection in public sector organizations; and what comprises a winning strategy for KM programs in the public sector.

The purpose of this paper is to present a case study demonstrating the role of performance measurement systems (PMS) in driving strategic transformation.

Using a case study approach this paper analyses how Babcock Marine, a service provider to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), is using performance measurement as a catalyst to bring about strategic transformation at Her Majesty's Naval Base – Clyde. Transformation is required to facilitate a new public‐private sector contractual and financial relationship.

This paper highlights the differences between the use of PMS in static and dynamic (transformational) environments. It proposes that the balanced scorecard is a useful tool to monitor the pace of change and communicate the status of the change. It indicates that during the transformation program care must be taken to ensure that the measures used stay aligned with strategic objectives and that the balanced scorecard does not become cumbersome in terms of number of measures and administrative overhead. Finally it suggests that even in the absence of other critical success factors normally associated with transformation (such as a clear transformation plan and a strong ongoing communication mechanism), the balanced scorecard can provide structure and focus which will help to maintain the pace of change. It therefore demonstrates that the introduction of a performance management system can be complementary to the process of strategic transformation.

The paper provides empirical evidence of PMS supporting transformation even in the absence of other critical success factors normally associated with strategic transformation.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of research and development in the measurement of maintenance performance. It considers the problems of various measuring parameters and comments on the lack of structure in and references for the measurement of maintenance performance. The main focus is to determine how value can be created for organizations by measuring maintenance performance, examining such maintenance strategies as condition‐based maintenance, reliability‐centred maintenance, e‐maintenance, etc. In other words, the objectives are to find frameworks or models that can be used to evaluate different maintenance strategies and determine the value of these frameworks for an organization.

A state‐of‐the‐art literature review has been carried out to answer the following two research questions. First, what approaches and techniques are used for maintenance performance measurement (MPM) and which MPM techniques are optimal for evaluating maintenance strategies? Second, in general, how can MPM create value for organizations and, more specifically, which system of measurement is best for which maintenance strategy?

The body of knowledge on maintenance performance is both quantitatively and qualitatively based. Quantitative approaches include economic and technical ratios, value‐based and balanced scorecards, system audits, composite formulations, and statistical and partial maintenance productivity indices. Qualitative approaches include human factors, amongst other aspects. Qualitatively based approaches are adopted because of the inherent limitations of effectively measuring a complex function such as maintenance through quantitative models. Maintenance decision makers often come to the best conclusion using heuristics, backed up by qualitative assessment, supported by quantitative measures. Both maintenance performance perspectives are included in this overview.

A comprehensive review of maintenance performance metrics is offered, aiming to give, in a condensed form, an extensive introduction to MPM and a presentation of the state of the art in this field.

The paper aims to examine the impact of information technology (IT) on the financial performance of third‐party logistics (3PL) firms in China.

A questionnaire‐based mail survey was conducted in mainland China. Path analysis and spline regressions were used to model the relationship between IT and financial performance.

This study found that IT can significantly improve 3PL firms’ financial performance and there are complementarity and plateau effects of influencing financial performance between IT advantage and executives’ involvement in both IT and business strategy planning.

The modeled relationship between IT and competitive advantages may not hold in different cultural environments and industrial settings. The sample size was small. Perceptual performance data were used.

To achieve better financial performance, it is essential for 3PL firms to sense strategically the importance of IT and commit sufficient managerial efforts and resources to achieve IT competency. In addition, IT executives should involve themselves in strategic business planning to better understand business strategies.

The results of this study – which constitutes the first to investigate IT in the 3PL industry in China – provide empirical evidence and a better description of the relationship between IT and financial performance. The findings provide valuable managerial guidance and insights for logistics managers.

The purpose of the study is to examine how information technology, strategic planning processes, and people interact in an emerging e‐government environment.

A discriminant model was developed to test the ability to distinguish between the perceptions of high and low importance of six major e‐government functions as a function of a four‐item strategic e‐government readiness scale. An empirical study of a municipal government supported the discriminant model.

Government agencies must evaluate how strategic e‐government plans are developed, communicated, and integrated into the work environment. Without the proper understanding of the importance of e‐government initiatives, employees do not place high value on e‐government initiatives.

This study focuses on one group of stakeholders, employees. Future studies might consider other interested parties, like citizens, business partners, and other government organizations. Future researchers could also compare various municipalities and identify those that are successful in implementing e‐government initiatives and explore the factors that contribute to that success.

Government agencies must ensure that their IT plans are aligned with business strategies as they attempt to expand their e‐government services. It is also important that the content and organizational importance of the strategic plans be effectively communicated to employees.

This study contributes to the current body of knowledge on e‐government by facilitating understanding and measurement of e‐government models.

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are often very complex management endeavors. Analyzes the IT component of M&A for two financial institutions. Students are tasked with assisting Mike Farrell, the CIO of New Millennium Financial (NMF), a new company created through the merger of FinStar Financial and D&L Bank, in determining the optimal combined IT portfolio. To accomplish this task the strategic business objectives of the firm must be clearly understood and the IT projects in the pipelines of both institutions analyzed. Students must make an IT portfolio management decision and answer the question: What is the optimal IT strategy and project portfolio for NMF?

To apply a framework to manage a company's IT portfolio, i.e., understand the company's strategic context, develop business objectives that align with its strategy, assess IT investments, and develop a portfolio of IT projects that support the objectives. The framework is iterative, i.e., IT investments are assessed on a regular basis based on their performance and risk/return tradeoffs. Also to introduce a leading Web-based tool, ProSight, that helps managers organize IT portfolios.