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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 1 February 2008

Joy M. Field and Larry C. Meile

This paper aims to empirically test the relationship between supplier relations and satisfaction with overall supplier performance in a services context at a process level of…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically test the relationship between supplier relations and satisfaction with overall supplier performance in a services context at a process level of analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

Two hypotheses are developed, one predicting a positive relationship between a multi‐dimensional construct of supplier relations and satisfaction with overall supplier performance, and one five‐part hypothesis predicting positive relationships between the underlying components of supplier relations and satisfaction with overall supplier performance. Using a sample of 108 financial services processes, the first hypothesis is tested using regression analysis, and the second hypothesis is tested using correlation analysis.

Findings

After controlling for supplier efficiency and responsiveness, use of information technology, electronic information‐sharing, supplier type, and firm size, better supplier relations are associated with satisfaction with overall supplier performance. However, while the “partnering” components of the relationship (i.e. cooperation and long‐term commitment) are correlated with satisfaction with overall supplier performance, the “operational” components of the relationship (i.e. high degree of coordination, information‐sharing, and feedback) are not.

Research limitations/implications

Limited informant population, primarily single respondents, some single‐item variables.

Practical implications

The research results suggest not only the importance of improving overall supplier relations, but also the particular benefits of building partnerships within the service supply chain through co‐operation and long‐term commitment in order to increase satisfaction with overall supplier performance.

Originality/value

Unlike most empirical supply chain management studies, which use data from manufacturers at the strategic business unit or firm level, and recognizing that services and manufacturers differ in certain respects that are salient for supply chain management, this study uses data from a services industry (i.e. financial services) collected at the process level and provides unique insights into services and process level supply chain management.

Details

International Journal of Operations & Production Management, vol. 28 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 May 2020

Serge-Lopez Wamba-Taguimdje, Samuel Fosso Wamba, Jean Robert Kala Kamdjoug and Chris Emmanuel Tchatchouang Wanko

The main purpose of our study is to analyze the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on firm performance, notably by building on the business value of AI-based transformation…

27352

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of our study is to analyze the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on firm performance, notably by building on the business value of AI-based transformation projects. This study was conducted using a four-step sequential approach: (1) analysis of AI and AI concepts/technologies; (2) in-depth exploration of case studies from a great number of industrial sectors; (3) data collection from the databases (websites) of AI-based solution providers; and (4) a review of AI literature to identify their impact on the performance of organizations while highlighting the business value of AI-enabled projects transformation within organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has called on the theory of IT capabilities to seize the influence of AI business value on firm performance (at the organizational and process levels). The research process (responding to the research question, making discussions, interpretations and comparisons, and formulating recommendations) was based on a review of 500 case studies from IBM, AWS, Cloudera, Nvidia, Conversica, Universal Robots websites, etc. Studying the influence of AI on the performance of organizations, and more specifically, of the business value of such organizations’ AI-enabled transformation projects, required us to make an archival data analysis following the three steps, namely the conceptual phase, the refinement and development phase, and the assessment phase.

Findings

AI covers a wide range of technologies, including machine translation, chatbots and self-learning algorithms, all of which can allow individuals to better understand their environment and act accordingly. Organizations have been adopting AI technological innovations with a view to adapting to or disrupting their ecosystem while developing and optimizing their strategic and competitive advantages. AI fully expresses its potential through its ability to optimize existing processes and improve automation, information and transformation effects, but also to detect, predict and interact with humans. Thus, the results of our study have highlighted such AI benefits in organizations, and more specifically, its ability to improve on performance at both the organizational (financial, marketing and administrative) and process levels. By building on these AI attributes, organizations can, therefore, enhance the business value of their transformed projects. The same results also showed that organizations achieve performance through AI capabilities only when they use their features/technologies to reconfigure their processes.

Research limitations/implications

AI obviously influences the way businesses are done today. Therefore, practitioners and researchers need to consider AI as a valuable support or even a pilot for a new business model. For the purpose of our study, we adopted a research framework geared toward a more inclusive and comprehensive approach so as to better account for the intangible benefits of AI within organizations. In terms of interest, this study nurtures a scientific interest, which aims at proposing a model for analyzing the influence of AI on the performance of organizations, and at the same time, filling the associated gap in the literature. As for the managerial interest, our study aims to provide managers with elements to be reconfigured or added in order to take advantage of the full benefits of AI, and therefore improve organizations’ performance, the profitability of their investments in AI transformation projects, and some competitive advantage. This study also allows managers to consider AI not as a single technology but as a set/combination of several different configurations of IT in the various company’s business areas because multiple key elements must be brought together to ensure the success of AI: data, talent mix, domain knowledge, key decisions, external partnerships and scalable infrastructure.

Originality/value

This article analyses case studies on the reuse of secondary data from AI deployment reports in organizations. The transformation of projects based on the use of AI focuses mainly on business process innovations and indirectly on those occurring at the organizational level. Thus, 500 case studies are being examined to provide significant and tangible evidence about the business value of AI-based projects and the impact of AI on firm performance. More specifically, this article, through these case studies, exposes the influence of AI at both the organizational and process performance levels, while considering it not as a single technology but as a set/combination of the several different configurations of IT in various industries.

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 26 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2013

Martin George Wynn, Phillip Turner and Erin Lau

– The purpose of this research paper is to explore the impacts of e-business technology adoption at process level in SMEs.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to explore the impacts of e-business technology adoption at process level in SMEs.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews a range of literature and mainstream models relating to e-business impacts in SMEs and then focuses on two in-depth case studies. The cases draw their empirical material from the involvement of the authors in e-business project management in these two companies.

Findings

The two case studies show significant impacts of e-business technology at process level. They also illustrate how contrasting information systems strategies can successfully embrace e-business process change, and suggest the importance of organisational issues in determining the degree of benefits delivery.

Research limitations/implications

The paper suggests a framework for analysing the impact of e-business at process level that can be used with other SME case studies.

Practical implications

The suggested assessment framework can be used for comparison with e-business implementations in other SMEs.

Originality/value

The value of the case studies lies in their originality and the paper highlights the potential impacts and benefits of e-business at process level. The suggested assessment framework builds on existing models and concepts but provides an update and customisation relevant to today's e-business technologies and business environment.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2018

Alberto Ferraris, Filippo Monge and Jens Mueller

In several studies, it has been found that organizational performance is affected by ambidextrous IT capabilities. Nevertheless, business processes are essential to the value…

1369

Abstract

Purpose

In several studies, it has been found that organizational performance is affected by ambidextrous IT capabilities. Nevertheless, business processes are essential to the value generation conversion of IT investment into performance. In the literature, this focus on the impact of IT capabilities at the business process level is still under investigated. So, the purpose of this paper is to test the effects of explorative and exploitative business process IT capabilities on business process performances (BPP) and the positive moderator role of business process management (BPM) capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This analysis has been done through a quantitative study in the Italian hotel industry. An OLS regression analysis has been carried out on a sample of 404 firms.

Findings

The study identifies distinct effects related to exploration and exploitation and finds a moderating effect of BPM capabilities, explaining their positive impact on BPP.

Originality/value

The main purpose of the paper is to contribute to the area of business process management by demonstrating the importance of both explorative and exploitative IT capabilities for a business process as well as the managerial capabilities at the process level. Furthermore, this focus at the process level allows us to add original insights into research on ambidexterity by expanding existing works.

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2018

Carl Simon Heckmann and Alexander Maedche

In highly dynamic industries, business processes require exploitation, i.e. activities that are associated with an increase in productivity through automation, standardization…

1093

Abstract

Purpose

In highly dynamic industries, business processes require exploitation, i.e. activities that are associated with an increase in productivity through automation, standardization, integrated architectures, and the usage of existing IT resources. As a complementary capability, exploration is needed, i.e. the ability to flexibly implement new and innovative IT resources (Lee et al., 2015). The purpose of this paper is to use the concept of ambidexterity, which is researched intensively outside the domain of business processes (e.g. Gibson and Birkinshaw, 2004; Tang and Rai, 2014), to address this paradoxical trade-off within business processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper follows a qualitative approach. A multiple case study comprising 11 interviews and additional document analysis in six organizations is conducted in the German energy sector to examine the proposed framework.

Findings

This paper shows the importance of balancing exploitative and explorative business process IT (BPIT) capabilities. The process-theoretical outcome of this study is the BPIT Capability Framework that provides explanation for the interaction between exploitation and exploration.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the understanding of how to build ambidextrous BPIT capabilities by explaining the underlying mechanisms for feedback loops that occur in cases of imbalance. The scope of the conducted study presents a limitation and thus future research is encouraged to further validate the findings of this paper.

Originality/value

By drilling down to the process level, this paper addresses the gaps that limited empirical studies have in business process management research (Recker and Mendling, 2015) and the focus on business processes that is lacking from the literature on organizational IT management (Gregory et al., 2015).

Details

Business Process Management Journal, vol. 24 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-7154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2011

Başar Öztayşi, Selime Sezgin and Ahmet Fahri Özok

Customer relationship management (CRM) projects have a low success rate, which can be solved by better measurement of CRM process. The purpose of this paper is to define the CRM…

13046

Abstract

Purpose

Customer relationship management (CRM) projects have a low success rate, which can be solved by better measurement of CRM process. The purpose of this paper is to define the CRM processes within a company and propose a tool for CRM measurement.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study is conducted in industrial organizations in Turkey. The research is designed according to scale development literature. The responses from various industries (manufacturing, information technologies, tourism, service, retail, finance, logistics) were collected. Using exploratory factor analysis, 167 valid responses are analyzed.

Findings

The paper provides a general understanding of CRM processes in customer‐oriented perspective and proposes a measurement tool that addresses seven main processes which are: targeting management, customer information management, production/service customization, expansion management, referrals management, termination management and win back.

Practical implications

The results of the analysis provides useful information for managers to define, measure and improve CRM process.

Originality/value

The paper provides an enhanced review about CRM measurement literature. Based on this review, the paper defines seven CRM processes and maintains a tool for evaluation of these processes within a company.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 111 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 November 2021

Mohamed Z. Elbashir, Steve G. Sutton, Vicky Arnold and Philip A. Collier

Recent research and policy reports indicate public sector organizations struggle to leverage information technology-based performance measurement systems and fail to effectively…

Abstract

Purpose

Recent research and policy reports indicate public sector organizations struggle to leverage information technology-based performance measurement systems and fail to effectively evaluate performance beyond financial metrics. This study aims to focus on organizational factors that influence the assimilation of business intelligence (BI) systems into integrated management control systems and the corollary impact on improving business process performance within public sector organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The complete Australian client list was acquired from a leading BI vendor; and the authors surveyed all public sector organizations, receiving 226 individual responses representing 160 public sector organizations in Australia. Using latent construct measurement, structural equation modeling (SEM)-partial least squares is used to test the theoretical model.

Findings

When top management promotes knowledge creation among the organization’s operational level employees and support their activities with strong BI infrastructure, the same knowledge and infrastructure capabilities that are critical to assimilation in private sector hold in the public sector. However, public sector organizations generally have difficulty retaining staff with expertise in new technologies and attracting new innovative staff that can leverage smart systems to effect major change in performance measurement. When top management effectively manages knowledge importation from external entities to counteract deficiencies, public sector organizations effectively assimilate BI knowledge into performance measurement yielding strong process performance.

Research limitations/implications

When top management promotes knowledge creation among the organization’s operational level employees and support their activities with strong BI infrastructure, the same knowledge and infrastructure capabilities critical to assimilation in the private sector hold in the public sector. However, public sector organizations generally have difficulty retaining staff with expertise in new technologies and attracting new innovative staff that can leverage smart systems to effect major change in performance measurement. The research extends the theory behind organizational absorptive capacity by highlighting how knowledge importation can be used as an external source facilitating internal knowledge creation. This collaborative knowledge creation leads to affective assimilation of BI technologies and associated performance gains.

Practical implications

The results provide guidance to public sector organizations that struggle to measure and validate service outcomes under New Public Management regulations and mandates.

Originality/value

The results reveal that consistent with the philosophies behind New Public Management strategies, private sector measures for increasing organizational absorptive capacity can be applied in the public sector. However, knowledge importation appears to be a major catalyst in the public sector where the resources to retain skilled professionals with an ability to leverage contemporary technologies into service performance are often very limited. Top management team knowledge and skills are critical to effectively leveraging these internal and external knowledge creation mechanisms.

Article
Publication date: 24 March 2022

Poppy Siddell

The purpose of this study was to explore the views of psychologists working in community teams for people who have intellectual disabilities (ID) on the provision of psychological…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the views of psychologists working in community teams for people who have intellectual disabilities (ID) on the provision of psychological therapies to those with ID and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with seven clinical psychologists working across a large geographical area. Interviews concerned the accessibility and effectiveness of psychological therapies. These were transcribed and analysed thematically.

Findings

Participants expressed concern about lack of access to mainstream services, the lack of visibility of their service and the suitability of the physical space to deliver therapy. They were positive about the effectiveness of therapy but emphasised the importance of adaptations and managing expectations.

Research limitations/implications

There is a lack of research in this area, and further research is needed with service users to develop a fuller understanding of their needs.

Practical implications

Consideration needs to be given on how to optimally deliver psychological therapies for this group. This will need services to become more flexible and focussed on the needs of this group of service users.

Originality/value

This paper provides insights into the views of psychologists on providing psychological therapy to people who have autism and ID.

Details

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1282

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 March 2022

Xia Wu, Yang Li, Hefu Liu and Kai Zhang

Using dynamic capability theory, this study investigates how information technology (IT) support affects firms' online and offline cross-channel integration (CCI). In addition, it…

Abstract

Purpose

Using dynamic capability theory, this study investigates how information technology (IT) support affects firms' online and offline cross-channel integration (CCI). In addition, it applies institutional theory to examine how the relationships between IT support and CCI are moderated by firms' institutional environments.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 308 firms in China that conduct business in online and offline channels was empirically tested through hierarchical regression analysis.

Findings

The results showed two types of IT support facilitated CCI: IT support for strategy and IT support for process. The relationship between IT support for process and CCI was stronger than that between IT support for strategy and CCI. The results further indicated institutional environment (i.e. dysfunctional competition and government support) played differing roles in these effects, such that the relationship between IT support for strategy and CCI was significantly weakened by dysfunctional competition yet enhanced by government support. However, neither dysfunctional competition nor government support had a significant moderating role in the relationship between IT support for process and CCI.

Originality/value

This study identifies different IT support types as antecedents of CCI. It is also one of the earliest attempts to explore the influence of institutional environment on the relationship between IT support and CCI.

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2007

Renee Wever, Casper Boks, Thomas Marinelli and Ab Stevels

Widely accepted classifications of benchmarking distinguish between different levels of benchmarking. Strategic‐level benchmarking is considered to be of a higher sophistication…

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Abstract

Purpose

Widely accepted classifications of benchmarking distinguish between different levels of benchmarking. Strategic‐level benchmarking is considered to be of a higher sophistication than product‐level benchmarking. Such strategic benchmarking would be based on process information instead of product information. The purpose of this paper is to research the possibility of obtaining strategic‐level information based on an extensive amount of product‐level benchmark data.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this paper originate from the environmental benchmarking program of Philips Consumer Electronics (CE). Philips CE has successfully implemented benchmarking as an environmental improvement strategy for its products. Product‐level competitive benchmarking is used to assess the environmental performance of a Philips' product compared to its main economic rivals. Since the start of environmental benchmarking a considerable pool of product‐level benchmark data has been generated. This paper reports on an extensive data analysis of product‐level benchmarking data concerning the packaging of these consumer electronics products.

Findings

It is shown how strategic‐level information is obtained from a data analysis of these separate benchmarking studies, resulting both in useful strategic‐level managerial information and practical design input. Finally, advantages of this approach as compared to classic strategic‐level benchmarking are identified.

Research limitations/implications

The study has yielded empirical data indicating a limitation in current benchmarking classification.

Originality/value

The paper offers insights into the benefits of product level benchmarking for strategic eco‐efficient decision making.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 14 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000