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Selecting an appropriate theory has always remained a critical task for the digital policy researchers. The literature seems to miss providing theoretical accounts of policy view of the digital platforms governance and offering tools for measuring the effectiveness of policies. To this end, this paper aims to provide a critical review and comparison of dominant information systems (IS) theories used. It highlights the weaknesses of these theories to explain technology features and actor- technology interactions with the rising trend of digital platforms. The main argument of this research is that the policymakers will not have adequate tools for policymaking of digital platforms by following the assumptions of theories used dominantly in the IS field.

This paper analyzes the assumptions of dominant IS theories and their applications in the digital policy literature. Then, it shows to what extent these theories are incapable of conceptualizing features of technology and actors’ role in policymaking and governance of digital platforms.

This paper identifies three aspects of digital platforms, including layered architecture, multisided (“side” means “participants”) and user interaction based, that dominant IS theories have shortcomings in explaining them.

The findings of this research can help authorities to take a more realistic view in defining digital platform policy objectives and applying more appropriate tools in policy implementation.

Discussing insights into the shortcomings of theories helps to define the theoretical requirements for studying policymaking and governance of digital platforms. It also suggests opportunities and recommendations for future studies.

A multitude of factors influence the information technology outsourcing (ITO) decision. Organizations must systematically evaluate these factors prior to making the ITO decision. The purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth analysis toward understanding the critical factors in affecting ITO decision in the context of e-banking services.

The effect of technological, organizational, and environmental attributes on e-banking services outsourcing decision were investigated in this paper. The study was carried out using the quantitative research methodology based on a survey of 23 banks. The partial least squares technique was utilized as the method of data analysis.

The results of the data analysis illustrated that nine out of 11 assumed factors (i.e. perceived complexity, perceived cost, service observability to the client, cultural fit between client and supplier, perceived loss of organizational knowledge, prior outsourcing experience, external pressure, market volatility, and suppliers’ power) influence the outsourcing decision of e-banking services. The findings also confirmed that the nature of the service and client IT capabilities did not exert any influence on the outsourcing decision.

The study is among the first kind of ITO decision research which empirically investigates the effect of service observability, cultural fit, perceived loss of organizational knowledge, external pressure, market volatility, and suppliers’ power amongst other factors on the ITO decision. The findings from this study provide insights for the banks and service providers to better understand the factors affecting the outsourcing decisions of e-banking services in contexts of less developed countries. Implications based on a specific situation of the Iranian banking sector is also proposed.

The purpose of this paper is to suggest indicators for evaluating Iran national nanotechnology plan at the policy and program levels. Governments are required to evaluate their policies to be accountable to their audience and to improve their policies. The evaluation of nanotechnology policies both in academic and governmental institutions has been mainly confined to measuring the research and development outputs, while explicit models are required for evaluating national nanotechnology policies and programs. In other words, although policies are translated into several activities, it does not mean that the evaluation of activities results in holistic policy evaluation.

The present research uses a qualitative method to explore the process of developing a model for assessing nanotechnology policymaking in Iran. Expert opinions have been collected and analyzed by using local and international surveys to validate different elements of the model.

The model includes the evaluation time-frame, criteria and indicators for policy and program levels. Assessment at program and policy levels, as distinct from activity evaluation, measures the ultimate objectives of a policy intervention, based on which the outcome and impact indicators should be developed. This paper argues that the Iran national nanotechnology policy should be evaluated and revised triennially based on the model in which 46 outcome and impact indicators are included under three general criteria of appropriateness, efficiency and effectiveness. A number of these indicators should be evaluated annually or biannually.

The evaluation of nanotechnology plans has been mainly limited to assessing the research and development outputs that are related to the activity level. The main value of this work is developing outcome and impact indicators that are related to policy and program levels.

This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis toward understanding the critical factors in affecting information technology outsourcing (ITO) decision in the context of e-banking services in Iran. Within the recent decades, outsourcing IT processes and services as a strategic decision has been widely adopted throughout industries. In this regard, scholars have investigated a wide range of factors influencing ITO decision in various contexts.

This research examines a conceptual model that shows impacts of different attributes including technological, organizational and environmental on the Iranian banks’ ITO decision. To validate the research hypotheses, the partial least squares (PLS) technique for data analysis, is utilized.

The results of this study derived from the theoretical discussion of hypotheses illustrated that 9 of 11 assumed factors (i.e. perceived tangible benefits, perceived intangible benefits, perceived risks, perceived information security/privacy, complete contract establishment capability, making strong trustworthy relationship capability, uncertainty in business requirements, external pressure and market maturity) influence ITO decision in the target industry. The findings also confirmed that the size of the bank and competitors’ absorptive capacity did not exert any influence on their service outsourcing decision.

The sampling was confined to experts in the banking industry. Also, the results of this study reflect Iranian perspective. Consequently, generalization based on this sample would be interpreted cautiously and a limitation of the context should be kept in mind.

Insights into policymaking for suitable drivers to outsource e-banking services in the context of a less developed country are the main outcomes of the current research.

In today's societies, work environment and customers' expectations change on a daily manner. Consequently, it is crucial for companies to find a way for adapting themselves to new requirements. For this purpose, reengineering projects have been introduced and evolved in different companies with different responsibilities over the past decades. However, the risk associated with these projects is inevitable and is a huge obstacle on the way of their implementation. This study, in line with previous studies, contributed in this context by proposing a new methodology for selecting suitable processes and adopted best practices candidate for business process reengineering (BPR). The proposed methodology aims to achieve lower risk and higher probability of success for BPR projects.

This objective is achieved by integration of the concept of portfolio selection problems (PSP) into the organizational decision making concerning BPR project. A model for selection of most appropriate reengineering scenarios, which is a combination of processes and best practices, is adopted and proposed. This model by putting additional constraints on risks associated with a BPR project and increasing its return identifies the most prosperous portfolio of scenarios for a reengineering project. The proposed model is tested step-by-step through a case study in order to validate its outcome and justify its practicality.

In this paper, a new methodology is proposed containing a model as a managerial tool for conducting more successful reengineering projects. The applicability of the methodology is tested in one of the largest metallurgical laboratory and research centers of Iran. Four strategic processes were selected and several best practices customized, after screening all processes of the case study. Accordingly, in total, 15 different scenarios were explored for the reengineering project in which four of them identified by the model as the processes with the highest possibility of success through the BPR project.

This methodology suggests a novel way to benefit from PSP for process selection problems by putting additional control on implementation risk of reengineering project. While the urge of using reengineering project exists within the current companies, the high level of risk of these projects is considered as a huge obstacle in conducting this project. This study, by proposing a new method, aims to address this issue as well as point to the practicality of integrating PSP model in organizational contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to present a model in order to select the most appropriate process for business process reengineering (BPR) through evaluation of the degree of change.

Corporations usually work in an environment in which business requirements are subject to continuous inevitable change. Therefore, in order to sustain competitive advantage, the corporations are required to continuously configure their business processes and operations with respect to these changes. This paper presents a model for evaluating change in an organization. By applying this model, one can select appropriate processes for reengineering.

The proposed model was confirmed by consulting with engineering companies and was also implemented in one of them. This model includes five soft and hard dimensions, 19 factors, as well as 44 indicators for measuring the changes. Eventually, the proposed model was carried out in “recruitment” and “performance measurement” processes in a consulting engineering company in the water industry.

The paper shows that by applying the selected best practices in BPR projects, some degrees of changes are imposed upon corporation in which soft factors usually cannot be assimilated to these changes. This condition leads to a high resistance and finally the failure of the changes in corporation.

The purpose of this paper is to provide some insights regarding the adoption of internet advertising by Iranian small and medium‐sized enterprises. The recent negative trends leading to a lack of competitive advantage in small businesses and the advantages of internet advertising makes it imperative to study various factors affecting this area of marketing.

This study reviewed 59 previous related studies, resulting in a comprehensive theoretical framework which explains the advantages of internet advertising for small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Via questionnaire, the paper compiles 346 Iranian experts’ opinions in order to test the validity and applicability of variables in Iran. A structural equation model and LISREL software were used to analyze the data.

A total of seven latent variables of internet advertising adoption were examined: advertising agencies, internet publishers, small and middle‐sized enterprises, government role, e‐commerce development and user types. The paper found that these constructs successfully explain internet advertising adoption by incorporating readiness and globalization stages. The small and medium‐sized enterprises were found to be the most significant for explaining internet advertising adoption.

The sample was restricted to Iranian experts.

This study offers one of the first attempts to build a comprehensive theoretical model explaining internet advertising adoption. Second, this study offers a new scale for internet advertising adoption with higher content validity.

The main aim of the present study is to propose a framework for selecting an appropriate electronic business (e‐business) model in managerial holding companies with a chain structure acting in the area of the automobile industry.

This is an applied study conducted as a survey and case study. First, the factors affecting selection of an appropriate e‐business model in managerial holding companies with chain structure in auto industry are identified through a survey and by testing hypotheses. Then, these factors are measured as a case study in Iran Khodro Co. so that the appropriate e‐business model can be determined for this managerial holding company with chain structure.

In this study, 18 different factors were identified for the five main criteria in identifying e‐business. Using the survey conducted in the statistical sample, only three factors of internal and external integration of human resources, flexibility, and decentralization in the responsibilities were identified as less important factors in identifying an appropriate model of e‐business in managerial holding companies with chain structure in automobile industry.

One limitation of the study was lack of sufficient managerial holding companies with a chain structure in the Iranian automobile industry, so that only two companies of Iran Khodro and Saipa possess holding and chain structure. Thus, generalization of the results of this study to the whole society must be done with great care in association with more researches.

This study, expanding and operationalizing a conceptual model, tries to identify the set of determining factors in selecting appropriate e‐business models in the managerial holding companies with a chain structure in the automobile industry.

The purpose of this paper is to define the strategic processes or processes with strategic nature of investment companies (ICs). This goal is achieved by proposing a methodology for selecting strategic processes among the processes of ICs based on the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework and the statistical analysis.

Ten leading Iranian Investment Companies (ICs) were selected whose processes represented those in the field. Through administration of a questionnaire, the processes under study were ranked based on their degree of contribution to the IC's strategy.

This paper defines the common ICs' processes based on surveying the literature review. By using the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework, ICs are able to define the processes which are critical in achieving organizations' objectives. These processes are ranked based on company strategy using a statistical survey which finally leads to defining strategic processes. Determining strategic processes in business process reengineering (BPR) is of great importance owing to time and budget limitations.

This research is based on multi case studies. It therefore has its limitations which should be taken into consideration in interpreting and/or generalizing the results obtained from the study. The paper is partially based on previous findings of a literature review. Furthermore, the strategy considered in this study is a competitive one and the strategic processes are chosen according to this strategy which can be changeable. In interpreting the result, these limitations should be kept in mind.

Defining the strategic processes for ICs helps them to allocate their resources to the processes which directly contribute to the company's strategic goal. This paper builds a portfolio of ICs' processes highly related to organization strategic goals. Therefore, these processes are the appropriate candidate in BPR project investment.

Scenario planning has significant applications in the field of strategic management and facilitating decision making under uncertainty, and hence this study aims to integrate scenario planning and the preference ranking organisation method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE) method to propose a new methodology to design a portfolio.

The methodology has been designed in two stages, the first of which identifies the investment environment in Iran and defines possible scenarios for the future based upon the opinion of experts and uncertainties established in the identified environment. In the second stage, the views of experts are elicited on business area performance within each scenario. The business areas are subsequently ranked based on their final performance scores in each scenario area using the PROMETHEE method. Through use of a linear programming model, the percentage of investment in each business area is then determined according to the net flow of the area (i.e. the priority of a certain area relative to others).

The portfolio design in an Iranian investment company has been considered as a case study. The building industry and cement industry have been selected as preferable strategic business areas based on hypothetical scenarios for investment environment in Iran over five years (2008‐2012) and the strategies of the investment company.

The integration of scenario planning and multi‐criteria decision analysis (MCDA) holds great potential for strategic decision support due to the complementary nature of these two approaches. In this article, the authors provide a methodology to apply scenario planning alongside other MCDA methods to portfolio design, focusing on an innovative use of the PROMETHEE method with scenario planning.