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1 – 10 of over 34000Keah Choon Tan, Vijay R. Kannan, Chin‐Chun Hsu and G. Keong Leong
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of inter‐organization information exchange on supply chain information and relational alignment. Drawing on literature on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of inter‐organization information exchange on supply chain information and relational alignment. Drawing on literature on information systems, supply chain management, and logistics, the paper aims to present a multidimensional framework for considering electronic data interchange (EDI) adoption in supplier management and its effect on information and relational alignment.
Design/methodology/approach
Theories drawn from resource‐dependent and transaction cost economics, and the resource‐based view of the firm were used to establish hypotheses. Structural equation modeling using survey data of manufacturing firms was used to test the hypotheses and research model.
Findings
Results support the central premise that firms must consider EDI adoption in supplier management to improve information and relational alignment between supply chain partners. It is through this alignment that firms achieve superior performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study used a single respondent from each firm due to cost considerations, and hence might have affected the inter‐rater reliability of the survey data.
Practical implications
Results show that firms should consider EDI adoption in supplier management because of its positive effect on information and relational alignment, which in turn impacts firm performance. However, EDI does not affect performance directly.
Originality/value
The role of EDI adoption in supplier management was examined and shown to indirectly affect firm performance via improved information and relational alignment. Moreover, supply chain information alignment was found to enhance relational alignment among supply chain partners.
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Jean‐Noël Ezingeard, Elspeth McFadzean and David Birchall
The paper seeks to investigate how the information assurance (IA) efforts of organisations should be aligned with their business strategy. From this analysis, a conceptual model…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to investigate how the information assurance (IA) efforts of organisations should be aligned with their business strategy. From this analysis, a conceptual model of alignment is presented. This framework shows several organisational factors that can influence alignment.
Design/methodology/approach
A number of published works on alignment are discussed in order to develop a conceptual model of IA fit. In addition, Venkatraman's six perspectives of alignment are used as a framework to suggest future research in this area.
Findings
The paper presents a definition of information assurance and proposes various reasons why IA is a strategic issue and should be aligned with both IT and corporate strategy. From the literature, a conceptual model illustrating the variables that can influence alignment is presented.
Research limitations/implications
A clear conceptualisation of alignment is needed. Six potential research models and associated research questions are proposed.
Practical implications
The paper concludes with a number of management and research implications. In looking at the implications for managers, it is argued that any alignment framework should include adequate metrics for checking the strategic fit on a continuous basis.
Originality/value
This paper is an initial attempt to fulfil an identified gap in the literature, namely the lack of research undertaken on IA and corporate strategy alignment. It offers practical help for management so that they can improve the fit between IA and business strategy. It also offers several avenues of potential future research using Venkatraman's six perspectives of fit.
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Shirley Gregor, Dennis Hart and Nigel Martin
Drawing on established alignment and architectural theory, this paper seeks to present the argument that an organisation's enterprise architecture can enable the alignment of…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on established alignment and architectural theory, this paper seeks to present the argument that an organisation's enterprise architecture can enable the alignment of business strategy and information systems and technology (IS/IT).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a detailed case study of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), where a high degree of alignment and international recognition of excellence in business and enabling IS/IT performance are documented.
Findings
The ABS enterprise architecture was developed in 1999‐2001 and describes the organisation's physical business and IS/IT elements, and the connective relationships that inform the alignment condition. The ABS architecture is robustly holistic in form, and is characterised by a strong and equal focus on business operations, the deliberate inclusion of an IS/IT governance framework, the structuring and hosting of corporate information for business delivery, and the efficient reuse of IS/IT components.
Originality/value
The ABS case study also examined empirically the social aspects and formal mechanisms of organisational alignment, and shows how a formal enterprise architecture mechanism can integrate into a successful alignment process.
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Anne‐Marie Croteau, Pierre‐Majorique Léger and Luc Cassivi
This paper aims to investigate the alignment between the information‐processing needs and capabilities during interorganizational relationships through the lenses of both the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the alignment between the information‐processing needs and capabilities during interorganizational relationships through the lenses of both the product and the business relationships life cycle concepts, and the types of information exchanged.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper follows up on a previous empirical study conducted in the automotive sector, investigating the electronic collaboration within the supply chain of a large European Automotive Supplier (EAS). Out of the 61 respondents from this previous study, four illustrative cases are selected to further investigate their information alignment, where each case involves one specific relationship between EAS and its business partners based on the supply chain collaboration classification provided by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).
Findings
The conclusion is that the phenomenon is bimodal and requires that the different information‐processing needs and capabilities associated with each stage of both the product and the business relationships life cycles should be considered.
Research limitations/implications
The small number of illustrative cases and the specificity of the chosen sector limit the generalizability of the results. Without considering the various types of information‐processing needs and capabilities as well as the stage of both product and business relationships life cycles, a biased conclusion could lead to inappropriate information and communication technology investments and business decisions.
Originality/value
The richness of the cases and the genuine integration of the life cycle concepts and the type of information with the notion of alignment help to identify some key aspects of interorganizational relationships.
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Oscar Avila, Virginie Goepp and François Kiefer
The purpose of this paper is to find alignment concerns (e.g. requirements, restrictions and issues) and addressing them into the design and development of domain-specific…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to find alignment concerns (e.g. requirements, restrictions and issues) and addressing them into the design and development of domain-specific information systems (ISs) supporting product manufacturing.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach is based on two metamodels of the Strategic Alignment Model that formalise its underlying concepts. The metamodels are used to build specific alignment models that define the elements to be aligned and the corresponding alignment sequences. The models and alignment sequences are intended to guide the design and development of an “aligned” domain-specific IS. An industrial case study for the manufacturing industry shows the feasibility of this approach.
Findings
The instantiation of the alignment models components with information about the specific-domain IS project enabled us to deal with current and future concerns into the design of ISs aligned with the manufacturing strategy and infrastructures.
Originality/value
IS alignment is generally tackled at a strategic level, in this paper the operational and tactical levels are also addressed.
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For the last four decades, the alignment of strategy and digital technology has persisted as one of the most critical and bothersome issues for senior government executives…
Abstract
For the last four decades, the alignment of strategy and digital technology has persisted as one of the most critical and bothersome issues for senior government executives. Against this backdrop and drawing on the fruits of an extended program of collaborative research between 1995 and 2020, this chapter draws attention to how government organizations foster effective alignment and how this is achieved through four distinct cycles of alignment work. Considering that this work is heavily people- and organization-centric, the chapter calls for greater involvement of organization development and change scholars and practitioners in this important area of organizational life and work.
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Rameshwar Dubey, Angappa Gunasekaran and Cyril R.H. Foropon
The coordination among the various entities such as the military, government agencies, civilians, non-governmental agencies, and other commercial enterprises is one of the most…
Abstract
Purpose
The coordination among the various entities such as the military, government agencies, civilians, non-governmental agencies, and other commercial enterprises is one of the most challenging aspects of managing the humanitarian supply chain. Blockchain technology (BCT) can facilitate coordination, but the cost and other hindrances have limited their application in disaster relief operations. Despite some studies, the existing literature does not provide a nuanced understanding of the application of blockchain technology to improve information alignment and coordination. Motivated by some recent examples where blockchain technology has been used to trace and mobilize resources in the form of funds and materials from the origin to the destination, the authors develop a theoretical model grounded in the contingent resource-based view.
Design/methodology/approach
To empirically validate the model and test the research hypotheses, the authors gathered cross-sectional data using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. In this study, the authors gathered our responses from international non-governmental organizations from twenty-four countries. The authors performed the statistical analyses using variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with the help of commercial software (WarpPLS 7.0).
Findings
The findings of the study offer some useful implications for theory and practice. The results obtained through statistical analyses suggest that the BCT significantly affects information alignment and coordination. However, contrary to popular beliefs the study suggests that intergroup leadership has no significant moderating effect on the paths joining BCT and information alignment/coordination. Moreover, the authors found that the control variable (interdependence) significantly affects the information alignment and coordination further, which opens the room for further investigation.
Practical implications
The result of the study offers some useful guidance. Firstly, it suggests that humanitarian organizations should invest in BCT to improve information alignment and coordination which is one of the most complex tasks in front of humanitarian organizations. Secondly, intergroup leadership may not have desired influence on the effects of BCT on information alignment/coordination. However, the interdependence of the humanitarian organizations on each other may have a significant influence on the information alignment/coordination.
Originality/value
The study offers some useful implications for theory. For instance, how BCT influences information alignment and coordination was not well understood in the context of humanitarian settings. Hence, this study offers a nuanced understanding of technology-enabled coordination in humanitarian settings.
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Shushan Zhang, Lei Sun, Qi Sun and Haiying Dong
This paper aims to explore how the novel information technology (NIT) [1] affects three dimensions of sustainable supply chain performance (economic performance, environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore how the novel information technology (NIT) [1] affects three dimensions of sustainable supply chain performance (economic performance, environmental performance and social performance) and how two dimensions of IT alignment (IT infrastructure alignment and IT human resources alignment) mediate the relationship between them.
Design/methodology/approach
NIT is defined, the dimension of IT alignment is expanded, the theoretical hypotheses are proposed and are tested using survey data from 394 manufacturing enterprises using NIT in China.
Findings
The results indicate that NIT plays a positive role in improving sustainable supply chain performance, and IT alignment mediates the impact of NIT on sustainable supply chain performance.
Originality/value
This study highlights the impact of NIT on sustainable supply chain performance and demonstrates IT alignment as a mediator between them, it also provides a deeper understanding of how different dimensions of IT alignment affect sustainable supply chain performance
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Aboobucker Ilmudeen, Yukun Bao and Ibraheem Mubarak Alharbi
Despite the conceptual, empirical and theoretical advances in alignment–performance relationship, there is a limited research on the alignment dimensions and organizational…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the conceptual, empirical and theoretical advances in alignment–performance relationship, there is a limited research on the alignment dimensions and organizational performance measures. Though strategic alignment is believed to improve organizational performance, the purpose of this paper is to develop conjectures for understanding how different alignment dimensions influence organizational performance measures.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were acquired from 161 senior IT and business managers paired responses in China and were analyzed by using a structural equation modeling technique.
Findings
The hypothesized relationships are largely supported. Thus, quality-oriented strategic alignment dimension has a significant relationship with all performance measures. Contrary to expectations, both product and marketing-oriented strategic alignment dimensions do not show a significant impact on financial return. The marketing-oriented strategic alignment dimension also has an insignificant relationship with operational excellence.
Practical implications
This study suggests that the business–IT alignment can be dimensioned to better combine business strategy and IT strategy. Hence, managers can focus specific alignment dimension instead of entire strategies of a firm for a better decision making.
Originality/value
Findings suggest guidance for formulating combined business and IT strategic alignment into dimensions and proposing insightful and practical implications.
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Nesrine Chtourou Ben Amar and Randa Ben Romdhane
Information systems (IS) strategic alignment is a significant chief information officers (CIO) and top management issue because of its impact on a firm’s performance and…
Abstract
Purpose
Information systems (IS) strategic alignment is a significant chief information officers (CIO) and top management issue because of its impact on a firm’s performance and profitability. Previous studies have primarily examined informal dimension’s influence on IS strategic alignment. Nevertheless, a few research works have emphasised cultural dimension’s effect. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate and bring out organisational culture’s influence on IS strategic alignment. Notably, it highlights the most significant culture types, according to the Competing Value Framework (Cameron et al., 2006).
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical setting comprises a quantitative approach using a survey based on a sample of 160 business managers (BMs) of 53 large companies located in Tunisia with international activities and being in the post-implementation operational use phase of their enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The partial least square (PLS) method has been used for data analysis.
Findings
The results provide an empirical evidence supporting a positive and significant organisational culture’s influence on the IS strategic alignment. The findings also show that “Clan Culture” (Internal/Flexibility-oriented culture) positively influences IS alignment along with the strategic priorities. These findings provide guidance and help understand how, through clan culture, the company can contribute significantly to the success of its ERP systems strategic alignment during the most critical phase, namely, post-implementation.
Originality/value
Despite abundant work related to IS alignment topic, little research, to the authors’ knowledge, has been undertaken in considering organisational culture’s influence. Thus, this research aims to fill this gap and to raise new questions about IS alignment. First, this study puts together organisational culture (through the Competing values Framework) and strategic alignment (through the IS use dimension) in a single research model to analyse four culture types’ direct effect on IS alignment. Second, this study is innovative in its use of the ERP post-implementation as an empirical framework. The post-implementation phase is often played down in research work in favour of the upstream pre-implementation phases. Furthermore, the findings bring together theoretical and practical insights on both IS-business strategic alignment and ERP post-implementation. Thus, future research could emphasise the role of clan culture in the efficiency of ERP systems strategic alignment during the usage phase. Building on these findings, BM, CIO and top management are advised to promote this culture type based on communication, information sharing and the spirit of internal partnership – so that their ERP systems are used appropriately and aligned with the company’s strategic priorities.
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