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1 – 10 of over 57000J. Pedro Mendes, Miguel Marques and Carlos Guedes Soares
Organizational technologies can be classified according to the roles they play as either commodity or strategic. Commodity technologies support common operations, while strategic…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational technologies can be classified according to the roles they play as either commodity or strategic. Commodity technologies support common operations, while strategic technologies address perceived threats to competitiveness, often identified by strategic foresight. These must go through an adoption process before playing an effective role in strategy execution. The adoption process includes known activities, ranging from sourcing (itself from in-house development to turn-key acquisition) to operational integration. This paper aims to reveal strategic technology adoption risks that arise during strategy execution.
Design/methodology/approach
A gradually developed causal loop diagram model, supported by general literature, introduces three general classes of technology adoption risks: mismatched requirements, supplier dependence and unmanaged life cycles.
Findings
Rather than managed, these risks are incurred or avoided depending on decisions made during the adoption process.
Research limitations/implications
Despite the scarce literature coverage for the approach, examples revealing the presence of adoption risks are nevertheless available in the well-documented history of enterprise resource planning (ERP).
Practical implications
Although ERP is presented as a general-purpose strategic technology, the unique business features of maritime container terminals pose serious challenges to its adoption, which provides additional support to the discussion and reinforces the conclusions.
Originality/value
The approach to identifying risks in strategic technology adoption departs from the current risk paradigm in two significant ways. First, it emphasizes policy decision-making rather than external events. Second, it views risks as systemic rather than occurring independently.
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This study aims to investigate the relationship between all three dimensions of perceived strategic value of m-commerce (operational support, managerial productivity and strategic…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationship between all three dimensions of perceived strategic value of m-commerce (operational support, managerial productivity and strategic decision aids), antecedents of m-commerce (organizational readiness, external context and m-commerce competence) and m-commerce adoption. The present study will further examine a mediation model in which all three dimensions of perceived strategic value of m-commerce affect m-commerce adoption through IT investment.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey questionnaire was adopted to test the validity of this research and hypotheses. Data were collected from 178 Chinese family businesses via snowball sampling.
Findings
The results show that all three dimensions of perceived strategic value of m-commerce (operational support, managerial productivity and strategic decision aids) are positively connected to m-commerce adoption. Also, it was found that IT investment partially or fully mediates the relationship between all these dimensions of perceived strategic value of m-commerce and m-commerce adoption.
Originality/value
This study would enhance owners' and managers' understanding of the relationship between perceived strategic value of m-commerce, IT investment, antecedents of m-commerce and m-commerce adoption, thus contributing to their future adoption.
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The purpose of this paper is to measure the extent to which selected contextual variables have an impact on the adoption of strategic pricing by industrial service firms, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to measure the extent to which selected contextual variables have an impact on the adoption of strategic pricing by industrial service firms, and determine the effect of the adoption of strategic pricing on company performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 154 industrial service firms operating in four different service sectors through a mail survey. Moreover, qualitative research through 20 in-depth interviews was carried out.
Findings
The study’s main findings indicate that market orientation along with a leading position in the market and market growth boost the development of strategic pricing. On the other hand, technological and market turbulence hinder this development, while the overall impact of turbulence is reduced in market-oriented firms. Finally, a positive impact of strategic pricing on company performance was found.
Research limitations/implications
The adoption of strategic pricing requires attention to a variety of factors, while this adoption can improve both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the company’s performance. The significance of these findings notwithstanding, the context of the study does limit generalization of its findings to other industrial service sectors and national contexts.
Originality/value
The current study represents one of the first attempts to empirically examine the aforementioned topics in an industrial service context.
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We study ceremonial adoption of voluntary standards, where participants adopt the standard in principle but do not change their practices. Ceremonial adoption can benefit…
Abstract
We study ceremonial adoption of voluntary standards, where participants adopt the standard in principle but do not change their practices. Ceremonial adoption can benefit individual participants, who may be able to reap the benefits of association with the standard at lower cost, but it can be problematic for overall levels of adoption. We conceive of ceremonial adoption as an interaction between strategic incentives of participants and social ties to their audiences, such that not all participants are likely to ceremonially adopt. Our setting is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for sustainable construction. We study the conditions under which projects register for LEED certification, allowing them to claim affiliation with LEED, but then do not actually finish certification. While our data are correlational in nature, our results suggest that studying the competition for audience members (in our case, occupants) can provide greater understanding of certification behavior as well as overall levels of adoption. Our findings have implications for organizations that design and maintain voluntary standards and for organization theorists who wish to understand field-level change. Thus, we provide more evidence that strategy and organizational theory interact in important and often unexamined ways.
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Historically, Canada has always been a diverse nation made up of a wide variety of different peoples. However, the nature, causes and manifestations of diversity have been…
Abstract
Historically, Canada has always been a diverse nation made up of a wide variety of different peoples. However, the nature, causes and manifestations of diversity have been changing, along with the attitudes towards the treatment of diversity within the country's social, economic and political structures. For example, the dominant organisational culture in business and government has traditionally been created by white, able‐bodied, Canadian‐ born males with shared values and behaviours (McDonald, 1991). Other groups, described as non‐dominant or minority, were often excluded from full participation in the economic, social and political life of such organisations. Increasingly, however, non‐ dominant groups such as women, people of colour and persons with disabilities have been entering the workforce, creating the phenomenon known as workforce diversity.
The purpose of this research paper is to examine the impact of a number of variables on the adoption of strategic pricing by industrial service firms, and the effect of this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research paper is to examine the impact of a number of variables on the adoption of strategic pricing by industrial service firms, and the effect of this adoption on company performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 301 industrial service firms operating in seven different service sectors through a mail survey. Moreover, qualitative research through 35 in-depth interviews was conducted.
Findings
The findings reveal that market orientation and market growth boost the development of strategic pricing. On the other hand, technological and market turbulence hinder this development, while the overall impact of turbulence is reduced in market-oriented firms. Finally, strategic pricing has a positive impact on company performance in both quantitative and qualitative terms.
Research limitations/implications
The adoption of strategic pricing requires attention to a variety of company- and market-related factors, while this adoption can improve various aspects of company performance. The addition of other moderating and mediating effects could certainly provide additional insights.
Originality/value
The current study represents one of the first attempts to empirically examine the above topics in an industrial service context.
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Keywords
Edward Sweeney, David B. Grant and D. John Mangan
The purpose of this paper is to develop a thorough understanding of the adoption of logistics and supply chain management (SCM) in practice, particularly at a strategic level…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a thorough understanding of the adoption of logistics and supply chain management (SCM) in practice, particularly at a strategic level, through an investigation of the four perspectives taxonomy of the relationship between logistics and SCM.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a comprehensive literature review, three specific research questions are proposed. The empirical work addresses these questions and comprised three phases: focussed interviews, a questionnaire survey and focus groups.
Findings
The findings provide a usage profile of the four perspectives and indicate a divergence between the understanding and adoption of logistics and SCM principles and concepts at a strategic level in firms. The findings also identify the critical success factors (CSFs) and inhibitors to success in addressing this divergence.
Research limitations/implications
The insights generated using the authors’ methodologically pluralist research design could be built upon to include case studies, grounded theory and action research. Replicating the research in other geographical areas could facilitate international comparisons.
Practical implications
The findings allow practitioners to compare their perspectives on the relationship between logistics and SCM with those of their peers. The CSFs and inhibitors to success provide a rational basis for realising the strategic potential of logistics and SCM in practice.
Originality/value
New insights are generated into practitioner perspectives vis-à-vis logistics vs SCM. A fresh understanding of those factors which drive and hinder the adoption of strategic SCM is also developed and presented.
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Administering healthcare within developing contexts of Africa presents a myriad of challenges. This includes competing priorities, cultural differences, language barriers…
Abstract
Administering healthcare within developing contexts of Africa presents a myriad of challenges. This includes competing priorities, cultural differences, language barriers, resource limitations, supply chain management disruptions, and an infinite array of ever-changing political, social, environmental, and economic dynamics. However, leadership and more specifically, intentional relationship development grounded in strategic diffusion networks have the potential to mitigate these challenges and maximize the adoption of life-saving technologies, pharmaceuticals, and treatment plans. This chapter provides context for the systemic healthcare challenges facing developing contexts across Africa, utilizes the theoretical frameworks of adaptive leadership and complexity leadership to create a holistic approach to relationship-building within these contexts, and illuminates the strategic influence, agency, and adoption and diffusion strategies that ultimately have the potential to create pathways to promise and save lives within underserved and under-resourced communities.
Atul B. Borade and Satish V. Bansod
In the global economy, vendor‐managed inventory (VMI) is gradually becoming an important element of supply chain management strategy of organizations. Recently, Indian industries…
Abstract
Purpose
In the global economy, vendor‐managed inventory (VMI) is gradually becoming an important element of supply chain management strategy of organizations. Recently, Indian industries, both large and small, have started adopting VMI for their supply chains. The purpose of this paper is to investigate apparent differences among large and small industries in terms of objectives, drivers, obstacles and impacts of VMI in Indian context.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted to examine organizational objectives, strategic drivers, obstacles and affected operations pursuant to VMI adoption. By reviewing the literature, four hypotheses were formed and tested from the responses.
Findings
It is observed that both large and small industries in India have started adopting VMI for improving the business performance. Results clearly indicate that adoption factors are different in large and small industries.
Originality/value
The paper explores current practices with respect to VMI in Indian industries. The analysis would be useful for the developing VMI adoption strategies in Indian context.
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Adedapo Oluwaseyi Ojo, Olawole Fawehinmi, Christine Nya-Ling Tan and Oluwayomi Toyin Ojo
In recent years, Malaysia has seen a dramatic change in the landscape of financial transactions due to the fast growth of mobile payment systems. This study aims to examine the…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, Malaysia has seen a dramatic change in the landscape of financial transactions due to the fast growth of mobile payment systems. This study aims to examine the technological, organisational and environmental (TOE) factors of merchants’ adoption intention to use mobile payment platforms essential for the continuing development and profitability of these cutting-edge payment options.
Design/methodology/approach
The research model was developed from the TOE framework and tested with the data collected from 120 merchants in Malaysia. The partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was used in analysing the collected data.
Findings
Technology readiness and competitor pressure were directly related to merchants' mobile payment adoption intention and indirectly through perceived strategic value. Also, perceived ease of use and perceived strategic value were significant predictors of the adoption intention of mobile payment.
Originality/value
This model demonstrates the relevance of TOE in explaining merchants' mobile payment adoption intention, with implications for policy and strategy to support the broader adoption of mobile payment platforms in Malaysia.
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