Information Systems Effectiveness in Small Businesses

This study examines the applicability of the Thong, Yap, and Raman (1996) model of information systems (IS) effectiveness tested among Singaporean small businesses in a Canadian context. The model evaluates the importance of managerial support and external expertise (vendors and consultants) for IS effectiveness. This study extends the Thong et al. model by adding an intention of expansion construct. The sample included 105 small business users of IS in a small city in western Canada. The results show that both managerial and vendor support are essential for effective IS in Canadian small businesses, and supported part of the relations between IS effectiveness and intention of expansion. Overall, the results suggest that managers should engage quality vendors to obtain IS that contribute to the specific goals of the small business. The results of the Canadian study were, for the most part, similar to the results reported in the Singaporean study; however, a few notable differences appear to exist.

IT Software Development Offshoring

The offshoring of IT development is a significant global economic phenomenon. It influences the lives and fortunes of individuals, organizations, and nations/regions. However, because offshoring so broadly affects different stakeholders, a multi-level theory is required so that influences that may positively affect one set of stakeholders while negatively affecting another are not misinterpreted by an overly narrow analysis. This chapter discusses how IT development is differentiated from other global labor sourcing and argues that it is worthy of investigation as an offshoring domain. The chapter proposes that the study of IT development offshoring needs to recognize precursors and results as they affect individuals, organizations, and nation/regions, and presents examples and discussion in each of these areas. The chapter further argues that the domain of IT development offshoring is incomplete without consideration of interactions between the individual and nation/region as well as between the organization and nation/region. The chapter concludes by considering the complexity of presenting a complete picture in this domain and suggesting some areas for future research.

Organizational Learning Process

This chapter uses organizational learning as a lens to study how firms implement the enterprise system. The core research questions are: What are the critical organizational factors affecting organizational learning in ES implementation? How do these elements shape the learning process and thereby influence ES implementation outcomes? To address these questions, we conducted comparative case study with two organizations that have recently adopted ES and achieved significantly different results. Based on the empirical findings, we propose a framework that describes how organizational factors affect the four constructs of organizational learning in ES implementation context—knowledge acquisition, information distribution, information interpretation and organizational memory.

Understanding E-Government Development

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have been used to enhance services and improve the efficiency of government operations. To further improve the e-government operations, understanding e-government development and studying factors that affect e-government development are important research topics. The purpose of this research is to investigate factors influencing e-government development through a social development lens. Based on growth and regional development theories, this chapter hypothesizes that income level, development status, and region are three factors that differentiate e-government development in various countries. Group comparison tests are conducted using secondary data from the United Nations and the United Nations Development Programme. The results support the hypotheses that significant differences in e-government development exist between countries with respect to the three categorical variables mentioned. In addition, the paper applies planned post hoc tests to further investigate the differences in e-government development between different groups of countries (e.g., countries with low income vs. countries with high income). The results of this research are valuable to e-government scholars and practitioners. As the research involves data from countries all over the world, it contributes to understanding e-government development factors on a global scale.

The Challenge of Web Site Design for Global Organizations

The growth of Internet shopping motivates a better understanding of how e-loyalty is built online between businesses and consumers. In this study, Web site design and culture are advanced as important to Web site trust, Web site satisfaction, and e-loyalty in online business relationships. Based on data collected in Canada, the U.S., Germany, and Japan, the research considers (1) examining, within culture, preferences for design elements of a local vs. a foreign Web site, and subsequent participant perceptions of trust, satisfaction, and e-loyalty, and (2) comparisons between cultures for design preferences of local and foreign Web sites, and subsequent participant perceptions of trust, satisfaction, and e-loyalty. As predicted, similarities were greatest among Americans, Canadians, and Germans, with the Japanese representing a different and unique case. The results are discussed against hypothesized expectations. Implications for future research are outlined.

E-Business Integration by SMEs in the Manufacturing Sector

SMEs in the manufacturing industry are impacted by enormous changes in their business processes. E-business-related developments have reduced the importance of physical branches and moved towards more sophisticated, e-business-enabled supply chains for products and services. This contribution analyzes the differences in adoption behavior and actual use of e-business applications among 152 investigated SMEs in the manufacturing sector from four countries. Best practice cases of efficient e-business performance, such as in Denmark or the U.S., are identified by deploying a data envelopment analysis (DEA). Leading SMEs in the sample are characterized by a wide range of thoroughly implemented and integrated e-business applications, resulting in higher satisfaction rates.

Experiences Conducting Cross-Cultural Research

When conducting cross-cultural investigations, it is incumbent upon the information systems researcher to be prepared to reflect upon the differences between the frameworks of the researcher and the research participants. Three cross-cultural projects are discussed in this article. The first project, investigating systems analysts, employs the Repertory Grid from personal construct theory (Kelly, 1955, 1963). The second and third projects both employ narrative inquiry (Bruner, 1990). The second project investigates the use of information systems by small business and relies upon multiple regional researchers. The third project, which is currently on-going, investigates the emerging role of chief information officers and is a single researcher venture. These projects have contributed to the information systems field of study and are presented here to provide researchers with ideas for further qualitative cross-cultural investigations.

Global Programs of Research

This is the second part of a two-part chapter that describes and analyzes a program of research (PR) in international IT studies that began in the fall of 1992. The first part spans the years 1992 through 2000 and discusses the concept of a PR, the inception of our PR, and its maturation in terms of theory and methodology, research team dynamics, and program implementation. Part II focuses on the time frame of 2000 to 2004. The work undertaken during this second period is distinctive in two areas: the examination in detail of the full range of all constructs in the final research model; and grantsmanship, which was essential to the life of the PR. Specifically, a multi-year NSF grant funded the core of in-depth work undertaken between 2000 and 2003. A second NSF grant permitted us to work with domain experts from around the world to push the stream of research forward. In Part II, we also offer a retrospective analysis, based on our experience, on the PR effort. Pros and cons are articulated and then extrapolated into practical lessons learned that will be useful to others in similar undertakings. We offer guidelines for initiating and maintaining programs of research, highlighting the inevitable trade-offs that occur when high administrative work loads and intensive data gathering in the global setting, often involving long periods of time abroad, have to be balanced with the ability to carry out the research at all and the rarity of the data. Finally, we look forward to what we term Stage 4—the period of redirection—which is the bridge to the next program of research.

Creating and Developing a Program of Global Research

This is the first part of a two-part chapter that describes and analyzes a program of research (PR) in international IT studies begun in the fall of 1992 and continuing through 2004. The chapter presents the first two stages which span the years of 1992 through 2000, focusing on the creation and development process for a PR, examining the concept of a PR, the inception of our PR and its maturation both in terms of theory and methodology, research team dynamics, and program implementation. We offer guidelines for initiating and maintaining programs of research, highlighting the inevitable trade-offs that occur when high administrative work loads and intensive data gathering in the global setting, often involving long periods of time abroad, have to be balanced against the ability to carry out the research at all and the rarity of the data.

An Evaluation System for IT Outsourcing Customer Satisfaction Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

Many companies have recently been choosing information technology (IT) out-sourcing in response to complicated information systems and various internal requirements. In order to monitor and maintain a high quality of IT outsourcing vendors’ services, it is necessary to develop a system to evaluate IT outsourcing customer satisfaction. The system can be used as a tool for choosing IT outsourcing providers. Through the literature reviews and experts’ interviews, we propose the evaluation system of IT outsourcing customer satisfaction. Using AHP (analytic hierarchy process) technique, attributes associated with customer satisfaction in IT outsourcing environments are then rated in terms of their importance. The customer satisfaction evaluation system is applied to IT outsourcing service receivers in Korea to demonstrate its practical implications.