Using waterfall, iterative and spiral models in ERP-system implementation projects under uncertainty

The article considers the use of cascade and multi-pass implementation models of corporate information systems in case of business and technological uncertainty. A review of waterfall, iterative and spiral ERP-systems implementation models is given. The business and technological uncertainties inherent in software systems implementation projects are introduced. The basic principles of development complex applications in ERP-systems are analyzed, including the rules of evolution and functionality. One compares business uncertainty for refined requirements in the waterfall and Agile-based implementation models, which operate with a change request and allocation requirements to a new round of development respectively. There is no or minimal technological uncertainty in ERP-systems implementation projects, however high business uncertainty exists, which can not be decreased by any basic implementation approaches. The application area of the waterfall and multi-pass implementation models is clarified for ERP projects from scratch, rollout and evolution under business uncertainty.

Measuring technological uncertainty and technological complexity: scale development and an assessment of reliability and validity

Purpose Technological uncertainty and technological complexity are the two dominant characteristics of new product development (NPD) projects that have a negative influence on NPD performance, relying on a strong theoretical argumentation based on organizational information processing theory. The purpose of this study is the development of reliable and valid scales for the measurement of technological uncertainty and technological complexity, especially in the context of the discontinuous technological change of digitization. Design/methodology/approach This study uses material from 44 in-depth interviews, which has been transferred into a questionnaire, and survey data from 166 respondents from the German automotive industry in charge of the development and production of electric and electronic technologies (including software). In this context, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are used to test the developed scales for reliability and validity. Findings In this context, it can be stated that the developed scales affirm reliability and validity sufficiently. Interestingly, novelty, regarded as key item for measuring technological uncertainty, has to be dropped, as the factor loadings are under the cut-off of 0.40. Moreover, resulting items for measuring technological uncertainty and technological complexity do not deviate significantly from those discussed in previous study before the discontinuous technological change of digitization occurred. Originality/value This paper provides value for the discussion on how to measure technological uncertainty and technological complexity, especially in times of radical technological changes.

Uncertainty and Managers’ skills in Industrial Innovation Processes

In the manufacturing industry, there is a strive for innovative processes. This study puts the focus on the successful implementation of innovation projects in the manufacturing industry. The study identifies the interrelationships between two dimensions: management skills and change management of innovation projects implemented in an industrial organization and technological uncertainty. Innovation can be achieved through small steps (incremental innovation), i.e., minor improvements to current products, services, processes, and business models. The necessary skills for successful organizational change and how managers can acquire them are provided. The literature review dedicated to this subject emphasizes the relationship between an innovation project’s success and managers’ skills within the industrial organization. In this study, we have narrowed this dimension to the manager’s communication abilities. The data analysed were collected from Israel and Romania. We want to analyse the role human resources departments manage skills acquisition in the organisation, as well as the role of manager’s communication skills in innovative cases. The data from 275 Israeli project managers, mainly from innovative projects, was collected using a validated questionnaire. Data from Romanian 48 industrial companies was collected using questionnaires distributed to 67 managers from all hierarchical levels. We found that management skills are correlated with innovation and its success; communication skills are acquired through non-formal learning methods. The skills of managers are highly correlated with success, especially under high levels of technological uncertainty.

Innovation Mirage: The Role of Technological Uncertainty in Military Instability

The article examines the impact of technological changes on the risks of military clashes between states. Currently, experts express increasing concerns about the destabilizing effect of new weapons (including anti-missile and anti-satellite weapons, hypersonic missiles, autonomous lethal systems, and artificial intelligence). These assessments are rarely based on solid theoretical foundations. The author seeks to fill this gap, arguing that the emergence of new weapons has a negative impact on international stability, and this effect is weakly related to the specific characteristics of underline technologies. The theory of technological uncertainty offers an alternative to the offense-defense balance theory. The latter developed since the 1970s, but its validity is questionable. The theory of technological uncertainty attributes the destabilizing effect of weapons to the divergence of states' perceptions of the balance of powers, to the hyped expectations regarding the ability to compensate quantitative limitations with qualitative superiority, to the alarmistic sense of closing windows of opportunities and growing vulnerabilities. The article tests the theory against the historical record of military clashes in Europe from the end of the 18th to the middle of the 20th centuries, as well as the crises between superpowers during the Cold War. The empirical cases are selected in order to cover the period marked by the intensification of qualitative arms races between states. In addition, it is also the period most often used to substantiate the offense-defense balance theory. The history of the last two and a half centuries provides a solid foundation for the theory of technological uncertainty. All instances of large-scale military clashes were preceded by significant technological changes, while peace fell on periods of technological stagnation. The author addresses the policy implications of the theory for the discussions on emerging weapons in the 2010s and 2020s. The study confirms that concerns regarding their destabilizing effect are justified, but for the different reasons from those put forward by most analysts. A somewhat optimistic caveat to its conclusions is the fact that currently emerging weapons are at various stages of development. The greatest likelihood of military clashes corresponds to the overlap of several technological uncertainties. Therefore, an increase in the time lag between introduction of various arms can mitigate destabilizing effect.

Impact of technological uncertainty and technological complexity on organizational information processing capability: the moderating role of work experience

PurposeTechnological uncertainty and technological complexity are key characteristics of new product development (NPD) projects that impose significant information processing requirements on organizations. This paper examines the direct influence of technological uncertainty and technological complexity as well as the indirect influence of work experience on organizational information processing capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThe author used a sample of 166 respondents from the German automotive industry and applied linear hierarchical regression analysis.FindingsThe results confirm a negative influence of technological uncertainty and technological complexity on organizational information processing capability. This research also supports a moderating influence of work experience on these relationships.Originality/valueThis research helps to understand the relationship between technological uncertainty, technological complexity and OIPC. It represents a first and different approach to measure these constructs for further empirical studies and provides interesting managerial implications.

How to perform strategic change? A strategy as practice perspective

Purpose In spite of the significance of the strategic change, its high rate of failure inspires us to explore how to successfully enact new strategic change in a different environment. Based on strategy as practice perspective and effectuation theory, this study aims to extend extant literature by identifying two approaches performing strategic change (e.g. causation strategic change or effectuation strategic change) and investigating their effects on firm performance and also boundary conditions (e.g. market uncertainty or technological uncertainty). Design/methodology/approach Based on a data set from 238 firms in China, the authors empirically test the hypotheses through regression analysis. Findings The findings indicate that causation and effectuation strategic changes can promote firm performance. However, the roles of the two approaches vary with the external environment. Specifically, market uncertainty strengthens while technological uncertainty weakens the positive effect of causation strategic change. In contrast, technological uncertainty strengthens the positive effect of effectuation strategic change on firm performance. Originality/value This study extends research literature of strategic change by identifying causation and effectuation strategic changes and investigating how their roles vary with market uncertainty and technological uncertainty. The findings guide firms to adopt a fit approach to perform a strategic change in different external environments.