Analysis of stakeholder concerns with a view to avoid organisational conflict in B2B systems

In recent years there has been a remarkable increase in information exchange between organizations due to changes in market structures and new forms of business relationships. The increase in the volume of business-to-business (B2B) transactions has contributed significantly to the expanding need for electronic systems that could effectively support communication between collaborating organizations. Examples of such collaborating systems include those that offer various types of business-to-business services, e.g. electronic commerce, electronic procurement systems, electronic links between legacy systems, or outsourced systems providing data processing services via electronic media. Development and running of B2B electronic systems has not been problem free. One of the most intractable issues found in B2B systems is the prevalence of inter-organisational conflict reported to exist and persists between the participants of interorganisational electronic networks. There have been very few attempts, however, to prescribe any practical method of detecting the antecedents of such conflict early in B2B development to facilitate smooth construction and the subsequent operation of B2B services. The research reported in this paper focuses on the identification and analysis of antecedent conflict in a joint process involving different organizations in a B2B venture. The proposed method involves identification of domain stakeholders, capturing and packaging their views and concerns into a reusable form, and the application of captured domain experience in B2B systems development. The concepts and methods introduced in this paper have been illustrated with examples drawn from our study of six web-enabled payroll systems.<br /

Embedding risk management within new product and service development of an innovation and risk management framework and supporting risk processes, for effective risk mitigation : an action research study within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector

At first glance, innovation and risk management seem like two opposing disciplines with diverse objectives. The former seeks to be flexible and encourages enhanced solutions and new ideas, while the latter can be seen as stifling such innovative thinking. Since there is a failure rate of as many as eight out of every ten products launched, it is perhaps necessary for organisations to consider applying more structured approaches to innovation, in order to better manage risks and to increase the chances of delivering improved goods and services. A risk management approach is well suited to address the challenge of failure, as it focuses not only on the negative impact of risks but also on the opportunities they present. It aligns these with the strategic objectives of the organisation to increase the chances of its success. The research objective of this study was to establish how to embed risk management within the innovation divisions of an organisation to ensure that more efficient products and services are delivered to customers. To achieve this end, action research was conducted in a large organisation operating in a high-technology environment that launches many diverse products and services and rapidly expanding service offerings to other industries. The study took four years to complete and delivered multiple interventions that successfully embedded risk management within the organisation, leading to changed behaviours and double-loop learning. Two main knowledge contributions are offered by the study. Firstly, a generic and empirically validated integrated Innovation and Risk Management Framework (IRMF) is developed and guides new product and service development by considering both best practices and risks. Secondly, a risk dashboard is designed as a design science artefact within the action research cycles, which consolidates all the knowledge that was generated during the study. This is ultimately a visual interface to support stage-gate decision making. Since the context of the study was broad, extensive and complicated, the use of mixed-method research complemented and expanded on the findings by providing another layer of support and validation. This thesis highlights the complexity of innovation and presents the need for an organising framework that will encourage innovation but is sufficiently flexible to cater for diverse needs and risks. The study delivers several other, valuable contributions regarding what, how and why incidents occur within the real-world context of new product and service development. Several generic artefacts, such as risk processes and maturity frameworks, are also developed, which can guide risk and new product and service development practitioners to deliver more efficient product and services. This study offers several novel approaches to evaluating risks and provides practical support and recommendations, addressing shortcomings of fragmented research in similar, but smaller-scale studies that have been conducted in information systems. It is the premise of this research that a much wider number of risks need to be managed as new products and services are developed, than was noted in previous studies. Effective risk management in new product and service development could lead to competitive advantage for organisations by increasing knowledge and facilitating sustainable, informed risk decision-making

A communicative model for stakeholder consultation: towards a framework for action inquiry in tourism I.T.

A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of the University of BedfordshireThis thesis focuses on an under-researched area of tourism -the multi stakeholder, inter organisational business to business Tourism IT domain which exhibits a marked rate of failure. A critical review of B2B case studies reveals that this failure is in large part due to the primacy afforded to technical problem solving approaches over human centred ones. The main purpose of the research is therefore stated as: "how do we ensure that, as technological solutions are implemented within this domain, due consideration is given to human-centred issues?" In order to tackle this research problem an interdisciplinary approach is taken and a communicative model for stakeholder consultation is developed. At the centre of the model lies an innovative method for deconstructing and reconstructing stakeholder discourse. A Co-operative Inquiry research methodology was used and a significant number of stakeholders were engaged in an Open Space event sponsored by two major Tourism IT companies who wanted to investigate the issues and opportunities connected with travel distribution and technology. This was followed up with face to face interviews and live discussions over the internet. In addition stakeholder discourse was captured via the Travelmole tourism discussion site. The discourse between stakeholders was reconstructed and the normative and objective claims analysed in depth. The presentation of these reconstructions in textual, tabular and diagrammatic formats captures the complexity of stakeholder interactions, revealing that although IT is an important tool, what really lies at the core of multi stakeholder projects are the normative positions to which participants subscribe. The model provided a practical means for critiquing stakeholder discourse, helping to identify stakeholders both involved and affected by the issue; juxtaposing the 'is' against the 'ought'; and enabling critical reflection on the coercive use of power. The review of the tourism literature revealed that these issues are as important in general B2B tourism partnerships as in Tourism IT and in this respect the model provides a practical tool for critique and for enabling the formation of a shared normative infrastructure on which multi stakeholder projects can proceed. In addition, while borrowing from Management Science, this thesis also makes a contribution to it, specifically in the area of boundary critique, through the way in which Habermas' ideal speech criteria arc practically implemented

How partnerships can shape social enterprises' strategies : the case of Progetto QUID

The purpose of this thesis is the study of the effect the cross-sector partnering has on social enterprises’ strategies. The recent literature suggests partnerships can help social enterprises to scale impact, to sustain profitability and to enter new markets, but the resulting interactions moved by distinctive goals can also push social enterprises to drift away from their mission. The case of Progetto QUID, an emerging Italian social enterprise in the Fashion industry, offers practical insights towards the possible challenges and opportunities deriving from the engagement of different stakeholders, and how a team can manage them. All the data about Progetto QUID were personally collected with the help of Professor Tommaso Ramus in the period between 2017 and 2018. The case study is interesting for the types of partners QUID has, for-profit and non-profits, which stress even more the complexity of managing a hybrid organisation. The presence of these external actors derives from the appealing business model that combines three elements: the social mission through work inclusion, the environmental goal of recovering waste raw materials and the economic dimension, which supports the dual purpose and differentiate them of similar entities. The case touches multiple aspects aiming to unify some theoretical and empirical knowledge as well as engaging students in this realm that is both growing and consolidating, but which needs further research.O objetivo desta dissertação é estudar o efeito que a parceria intersetorial tem sobre as estratégias das empresas sociais. A literatura recente sugere que as parcerias podem ajudar as mesmas a aumentar o seu impacto social, sustentar a lucratividade e entrar em novos mercados, mas as interações resultantes movidas por objetivos distintos também podem levar as empresas sociais a afastarem-se da sua missão. Portanto, o caso do Progetto QUID, uma empresa social italiana emergente na indústria da moda, oferece conhecimentos práticos para os possíveis desafíos e oportunidades decorrentes do compromisso de diferentes stakeholders e com o team podes os administrar. Os dados foram coletados pessoalmente com a ajuda do professor Tommaso Ramus entre 2017 e 2018. O estudo de caso é interessante para os tipos de parceiros que a QUID tem, com fins lucrativos e sem fins lucrativos, que enfatizam ainda mais a complexidade de gerenciar uma organização híbrida. A presença desses atores externos deriva do atraente modelo empresarial que combina três elementos: a missão social por meio da inclusão no trabalho, o objetivo ambiental de recuperar tecidos e a dimensão econômica, que apóia as duplas missões e as diferencia de entidades similares. O caso aborda múltiplos aspectos com o objetivo de unificar alguns conhecimentos teóricos e empíricos, bem como engajar os alunos nessa área que está crescendo e se consolidando, mas que precisa de mais pesquisas

25 Years of Research into the Management of eTechnology Projects

Over the last 25 years, information technology has evolved from intra-organizational systems to inter-organizational electronic technologies (eTechnology) that span organizations and industries and to extra-organizational systems delivered via the Internet, which involve individuals rather than organizationss. Project management research has largely sought reasons for project outcomes (Factor Research), and considered projects either as a process (Engineering Tradition) or as a form of organization (Social Science Tradition). This meta-analysis of 284 research papers identified key findings that provide insights and guidance for eTechnology project management in different technical and organizational environments. As the management context of eTechnology projects changed and project implementation moved beyond the control of a single organization, research focus shifted to examining topics within inter-organizational environments. Although some shift in focus occurred towards the social aspects of eTechnology project management, there was comparatively little use of multiple levels of analysis or interdisciplinary research within the Social Science Tradition

Assessing the success and evaluating the benefits of government-sponsored regional internet-trading platforms for small and medium enterprises: A Western Australian perspective

The Internet has been viewed as an opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to efficiently compete in the global arena with their larger counterparts by overcoming distance and size. However, research has shown that actual uptake of Internet e-commerce by SMEs has been lagging behind that of larger companies. Fearing a growing digital divide between large companies and SMEs, some governments have taken specific measures to encourage SME participation in ecommerce. One of the more direct government initiatives to hasten the progression of SMEs on the e-commerce adoption curve is the creation, sponsorship and management of regional Internet trading platforms for these enterprises. Such a move is predicated on the belief that these platforms will offer SMEs a low-cost introduction to participation in Internet trading platforms without the need for significant technology investments, allowing them to reap benefits like lower costs, improved customer service and new levels of innovation through knowledge-sharing