Business Integration as a Service

This paper presents Business Integration as a Service (BIaS) which enables connections between services operating in the Cloud. BIaS integrates different services and business activities to achieve a streamline process. We illustrate this integration using two services; Return on Investment (ROI) Measurement as a Service (RMaaS) and Risk Analysis as a Service (RAaaS) in two case studies at the University of Southampton and Vodafone/Apple. The University of Southampton case study demonstrates the cost-savings and the risk analysis achieved, so two services can work as a single service. The Vodafone/Apple case study illustrates statistical analysis and 3D Visualisation of expected revenue and associated risk. These two cases confirm the benefits of BIaS adoption, including cost reduction and improvements in efficiency and risk analysis. Implementation of BIaS in other organisations is also discussed. Important data arising from the integration of RMaaS and RAaaS are useful for management of University of Southampton and potential and current investors for Vodafone/Apple

The Impact of Human Resource Sharing on IT Project Risk

The increasing number of sophisticated IT projects and the scarcity of skilled human resources increasingly challenge IT project portfolio managers with the need to do ‘more with less’. Consequently, resource sharing among projects provides a widely applied instrument to reduce project costs. However, resource sharing may not only result in cost synergies but also in risk effects. In contrast to cost synergies, these risk effects are rarely considered in business practice and quantification efforts of these risk effects are missing in the literature. Our research is the first to provide a systematic quantitative empirical analysis of the relationships between resource sharing and project risk. We find evidence that projects sharing their human resources are more likely to fall short in their planned scope while being more likely to comply with their planned timeline

Corporate Entrepreneurship, HRM Practices and Firm Performance

AIn modern business dynamics, firm growth and sustainability significantly depends on corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and entrepreneurship (E) practices. Because of their significance, we have examined the direct and indirect effect of corporate entrepreneurship (CE) and entrepreneurship (E) on firm performance (FP) in SMEs of Nigeria. We have used a sample of 387 for collecting the data non-randomly. The tool we used for collecting the data was a close-ended questionnaire, which we adapted from earlier studies. The authors have used Smart PLS for statistical analysis. We found that corporate entrepreneurship (CE), entrepreneurship (E), and human resource management (HRM) affects firm performance (FP). We also found that HRM practices also have a significant link with corporate entrepreneurship (CE), entrepreneurship (E), and firm performance (FP). The results also suggest that entrepreneurship (E) and corporate entrepreneurship (CE) mediates HRM practices and firm performance (FP). The above findings were consistent with the view that HRM practices are an essential component of an organization. HRM activities besides conventional functions also promote entrepreneurial (E) behaviour and organizational outcomes. Thus, the HRM department must continuously revisit the policies and procedures to ensure that they are aligned with the changing environment. Entrepreneurial (E) and corporate entrepreneurial (E) orientation support an environment that encourages employees to participate in decision making, which enhances employees’ sense of belonging and promote a positive attitude towards work.Keywords: Corporate entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, practices, firm performance, Nigeri

Project portfolio risk management: a structured literature review with future directions for research

Project Portfolio Risk Management (PPRM) has been identified as a relevant area regarding project portfolio success. This paper reports on a structured literature review of PPRM. A structured search and selection process was carried out and conventional content analysis was conducted in the literature analysis of 62 papers published in international journals. PPRM has its theoretical and practical bases in the modem theory of portfolios, decision theory and risk management (RM). The content analysis reveals four main recurrent topics in PPRM: (1) The influence of RM on project portfolio success, based on project portfolio impact level, moderators or contingency factors between RM and project portfolio success, and PPRM dimensions; (2) risk and project interdependencies, highlighting resources, technology, outcome, value, and accomplishment project interdependencies; (3) project portfolio risk (PPR) identification, where four main risk source categories are identified; and (4) PPR assessment, composed of risk measures and the main methods used for risk assessment. Therefore, this study provides an overview of PPRM as a research field, while it also promotes four future research directions: (1) PPRM as part of organizational RM (2) RM, success dimensions and strategic impact; (3) mechanisms for PPR assessment, and (4) PPRM as a complex and dynamic system.This research was sponsored by the University of Valle, Colombia, and Colfuturo-Colciencias, Colombia

Project portfolio risk management: a structured literature review with future directions for research

Project Portfolio Risk Management (PPRM) has been identified as a relevant area regarding project portfolio success. This paper reports on a structured literature review of PPRM. A structured search and selection process was carried out and conventional content analysis was conducted in the literature analysis of 62 papers published in international journals. PPRM has its theoretical and practical bases in the modern theory of portfolios, decision theory and risk management (RM). The content analysis reveals four main recurrent topics in PPRM: (1) The influence of RM on project portfolio success, based on project portfolio impact level, moderators or contingency factors between RM and project portfolio success, and PPRM dimensions; (2) risk and project interdependencies, highlighting resources, technology, outcome, value, and accomplishment project interdependencies; (3) project portfolio risk (PPR) identification, where four main risk source categories are identified; and (4) PPR assessment, composed of risk measures and the main methods used for risk assessment. Therefore, this study provides an overview of PPRM as a research field, while it also promotes four future research directions: (1) PPRM as part of organizational RM; (2) RM, success dimensions and strategic impact; (3) mechanisms for PPR assessment, and (4) PPRM as a complex and dynamic system

Developing a competency model for head of departments at tertiary education institutions in South Africa

The increase in complexity of the Tertiary Education landscape has increased the pressure to perform. This forces employees on all management levels within Tertiary Education institutions to be highly competent and efficient. Excellent academic leadership is needed from all levels of management to reach strategic goals and to build the local and international profile of the university. The objectives of this study are firstly to determine which competencies are needed by Heads of Departments / Directors of Schools at South African Universities, and secondly to develop a proposed competency profile for Heads of Departments / Directors of Schools in Tertiary Education institutions in South Africa. Research design - A quantitative research approach adopting an explorative design was used and the data was collected via convenience sampling by way of an online questionnaire. Heads of Departments and School Directors completed the questionnaire (n = 37). Data from the questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests and ANOVAs. The results of the descriptive statistics revealed that respondents considered the most relevant competency to have is Integrity, which falls within the Ethic and Values subscale. Leadership / Management Competencies as well as competencies from the Enabling Competencies subscale were identified as the 41st most relevant competencies. Functional competencies (Quality Assurance) only score from the 42nd place on the ranking order list. In a theoretical domain this study will prepare the ground for future studies, specifically those for developing training and development modules that will help to address the competencies that are lacking. In a practical domain this study will help universities to appoint more qualified Heads of Departments / School Directors and therefore establish a stronger and more efficient management structure to help the university to achieve strategic objectives

The Future of Equity Research: A Strategic Analysis of Investment Firms

Equity Research (ER) is a fundamental sector of the financial services industry, responsible for producing and selling informational content for investors to make more profitable investment decisions. In January 2018, a cost unbundling regulation was enacted in Europe, decreasing the industry’s appeal to investors. This paper investigates the effects of MiFID II on the strategic decisions of Equity Research providers in the US. By performing a qualitative analysis through interviewing eight industry insiders, the key variables of analysis were coverage (number of stock recommendations) and analyst count for ER firms. Using a fixed-effects regression over a 48-month period (before and after MiFID II), this study finds a positive association between industry coverage and analyst count on research providers. This result, I argue, could be related to the unintended consequences of the European regulation on the US industry, allowing US firms to gain competitive advantage and thus increase coverage and staffing

Leveraging Information Systems Capabilities for Operational Performance in Services: The Role of Supply Chain Integration

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the link between IS capabilities and operational performance in services. More specifically, it aims to investigate how the processes for supplier and customer integration affect IS capabilities and consequently, firms’ operational performance. Accordingly, this study examines the effects of three dimensions of IS capabilities (IT for supply chain activities, flexible IT infrastructure, and IT operations shared knowledge) on cost and quality performance via the mediation of the processes developed for supplier and customer integration in service firms. This is achieved by measuring SCI in terms of supply side integration processes (supplier integration) as well as customer side integration processes (customer transactions, customer connection, and customer collaboration). A survey-based research design intended to measure the estimated relationships was adopted. Data were collected from 156 service establishments in the UK. Mediated multiple regression analysis revealed that integrating specific processes with supply chain members (supplier integration, customer transactions, customer connection, and customer collaboration) can fully or partially mediate the effects of IT for supply chain activities and IT operations shared knowledge on cost and quality performance; no support was found for the relationships between flexible IT infrastructure and cost and quality performance. These results provide a valuable explanation to academics as well as to practitioners regarding the importance of various processes developed for integration with supply chain members in leveraging IS for operational performance in services. This thesis takes a step towards quelling concerns about the business value of IS, contributing to the development and validation of the measurement of IS capabilities in the service operations context. Additionally, it adds to the emerging body of literature linking supply chain integration to the operational performance of service firms

Influence of Human Behavior on Success of Complex Public Infrastructural Megaprojects in Kenya

The main objective of this study was to investigate the influence of human behavior on the success of public infrastructural megaprojects in Kenya. The need for this study arose from the thesis that complexity due to human behavior is the main cause of waste and failure that results in infrastructural megaprojects being delivered over budget, behind schedule, with benefit shortfalls, over and over again. The study was designed as multiple-method research, based on virtual constructionist ontology recognizing that complexity is the mid-point between order and disorder. A cross-sectional census survey of 27 completed public infrastructural megaprojects was conducted using two interlinked questionnaires assessing human behavior constructs and project success. A total of 108 respondents made up of project managers, team members and organizational sponsors, participated in this study. Using both descriptive and inferential analysis, the results of this study have confirmed that human behavior significantly influences success of public infrastructural megaprojects. Optimism bias remains the main individual behavior that leads to cost and schedule underperformance in infrastructural megaprojects but loss aversion is the most occurring cognitive bias. In light of this finding, the study recommends that implementing organizations adopt structures that allow for continued business justification, focus on products and give project managers sufficient authority over project resources in line with the postulations of the structural contingency theory

Do Big 4 Auditors Provide Higher Audit Service Quality Than Second-Tier Auditors in Small and Mid-Sized Initial Public Offerings?

Big 4 auditors perform most audits of companies that issue initial public offerings (IPOs). Regulators have expressed interest in increasing IPO audit market competition and a growing body of evidence suggests that Second-Tier auditors could provide IPO audit service quality comparable to that of Big 4 auditors. However, there exists limited empirical evidence on whether IPO audit service quality varies with auditor type. I investigate whether IPO audit service quality differs between Big 4 and Second-Tier auditors for a sample of small and mid-sized IPOs from 2005 through 2019. I find that Big 4 clients are associated with lower pre-IPO discretionary accruals, suggesting that Big 4 auditors are better able to constrain the opportunistic financial reporting decisions of management. I also examine whether the extent of accounting comments in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) comment letters on the registration statement varies by auditor type. I find that Big 4 clients receive fewer initial accounting comments and that they more effectively address these comments, suggesting that Big 4 auditors are better able to advise clients on achieving compliance with SEC reporting standards. Collectively, my findings suggest that Big 4 auditors provide higher IPO audit service quality than Second-Tier auditors. However, I find that Big 4 clients are not less likely to be sued in IPO-related litigation and that they pay a considerable audit fee premium relative to Second-Tier clients. These findings should be of interest to those who influence IPO auditor selection and must consider the viability of Second-Tier auditors as an alternative to the Big 4. In addition, my findings should be informative to regulators concerned that the lack of audit market competition may not provide sufficient incentives for Big 4 auditors to deliver high quality audits