ICT-based solution approach for collaborative delivery of customised products

© 2016 Taylor & Francis. Growing interest on business collaboration motivates todays industries, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to establish and manage dynamic and non-hierarchical business networks to respond to market opportunities with added business benefits. This business environment requires concurrent work and real-time information sharing between key business partners in order to design and develop customised products. The use of traditional communication media such as e-mail, phone and fax is not satisfactory to get real-time information and is time-consuming and most often ineffective. In such environments, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT)/Web-based technology supports real-time information sharing among networked SMEs for the collaborative design and manufacturing of customised products. This study proposes an innovative ICT platform supporting SMEs collaboration, through Web and the Internet of Things technologies, which follows the Net-Challenge conceptual approach and methodological guidelines for SMEs to form and operate virtual organisations for the collaborative development and delivery of customised products. The ICT Platform was assessed in three different industry domains, namely the textile and apparel, the footwear and the machine tools, respectively. This ICT solution promotes collaboration, with substantial advantages for SMEs including the reduction of costs and delivery time and improvement of the innovation potential

Business Intelligence and Analytics in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This thesis presents a study of Business Intelligence and Analytics (BI&A) adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Although the importance of BI&A is widely accepted, empirical research shows SMEs still lag in BI&A proliferation. Thus, it is crucial to understand the phenomenon of BI&A adoption in SMEs. This thesis will investigate and explore BI&A adoption in SMEs, addressing the main research question: How can we understand the phenomenon of BI&A adoption in SMEs? The adoption term in this thesis refers to all the IS adoption stages, including investment, implementation, utilization, and value creation. This research uses a combination of a literature review, a qualitive exploratory approach, and a ranking-type Delphi study with a grounded Delphi approach. The empirical part includes interviews with 38 experts and Delphi surveys with 39 experts from various Norwegian industries. The research strategy investigates the factors influencing BI&A adoption in SMEs. The study examined the investment, implementation, utilization, and value creation of BI&A technologies in SMEs. A thematic analysis was adopted to collate the qualitative expert interview data and search for potential themes. The Delphi survey findings were further examined using the grounded Delphi method. To better understand the study’s findings, three theoretical perspectives were applied: resource-based view theory, dynamic capabilities, and IS value process models. The thesis’ research findings are presented in five articles published in international conference proceedings and journals. This thesis summary will coherently integrate and discuss these results.publishedVersio

A Conceptual Model for User-system Collaboration: Enhancing Usability of Complex Information Systems

A variety of organizations around the world use complex information systems (e.g., enterprise resource planning and supply chain management systems). However, poor usability caused by system complexity continues to frustrate users and damage the reputation of these systems. In this study, we address usability issues with complex information systems from the human-computer collaboration perspective by modeling user-system interaction as a joint activity between the system and its users. We propose a conceptual model for user-system collaboration, elaborate on the components in the model and the relationships between the components, derive the required capabilities for collaborative information systems, and establish conceptual relationships between system collaborative behaviors and usability. We use empirical evidence gathered from a qualitative field study on ERP systems to illustrate the model and the possible impact of system collaborativeness (i.e., the presence or absence of collaborative capabilities) on usability. We do so to provide a strong conceptual foundation for modeling user-system collaboration and to encourage designers to employ the collaboration metaphor during system design and, thus, help them develop future complex information systems with better usability

Desarrollo de solución en BI para pymes manufactureras que implementen OPENERP

Este trabajo presenta la solución BI obtenida a través de la recolección de información en empresas de manufactura en Colombia, dicha información fue recolectada por medio de entrevistas realizadas a gerentes de trece diferentes compañías, y la encuesta resuelta por otras treinta y dos. La solución BI resultado se presenta a través de la metodología aplicada para su desarrollo, las preguntas de negocio que responde, su arquitectura, el modelo dimensional de su bodega de datos, sus procesos ETL, los reportes junto a los datos mínimos para la construcción de ellos, y finalmente los resultados obtenidos luego de aplicar un caso de estudio en una PYME manufacturera colombiana, en la cual se implantó de la solución BI. Exponiendo en este caso de estudio, los recursos, tareas y tiempo empleados para dicha implantación, con el fin de ofrecer los elementos necesarios para su replicación.This work present the BI solution got from the information collected in some manufacturing companies in Colombia, This information was collected through an interviews made to managements of thirteen different companies, and the survey answered for another thirty two. The BI solution got, is presented through the methodology implemented for their develop, the business questions answered, their architecture, the dimensional model of their data warehouse, their ETL processes, the reports with their minimum requirements of data for his construction, and finally the results obtained after apply a case study in a colombian manufacturing SME, in which was implanted the BI solution. Exhibiting in this case study, the resources, tasks and time employed for this implantation, with the goal of offer the necessary elements for his replication.Maestrí

A framework for the integration of management systems in organisations

During the last decade, the integration of management systems (this includes any management system that is used to achieve the goals of an organisation example PASCAL, ISO standards and enterprise resource planning), has become an increasingly important strategy adopted by organisations, as it represents an alternative to operating with multiple management systems in parallel (Abad, Cabrera & Medina, 2014:860). Despite the established need for the integration of management systems, research on how to carry out integration has yet to be developed fully and an elaborated methodology of integration needs full realisation (Bernardo, Casadesús, Karapetrovic & Heras, 2012; Rocha, Searcy, Karapetrovic, 2007; Wilkinson & Dale, 1999a; Zeng, Shi & Lou, 2007). The aim of the current study was to develop a framework for organisations that could be used for the integration of management systems in a structured manner. This study was undertaken by exploring the views and opinions of senior management through fourteen face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Thereafter, an online survey collected 220 responses from four South African multinational organisations involved with management system development and implementation. The research instrument used a seven-point Likert-type scale for the respondents to rate each question. The data was analysed statistically primarily using factor analysis to confirm the significant factors and then structural equation modelling to test the relationships between the factors, which ultimately confirmed the developed framework. The beneficiaries of this research are primarily organisations that have three or more management systems in an organisation. The framework will also be valuable to management in industry and policymakers since it addresses key integration issues, such as employee performance, organisational culture, employee motivation and policy as factors when considering integration of management systems.Kule minyaka ilishumi idluleyo amaqumrhu aye aphuhlisa ngamandla icebo lobulumko lokuhlanganiswa kweenkqubo zolawulo (kuquka nayiphi na inkqubo yolawulo esetyenziselwa ukufezekisa iinjongo zequmrhu, iinkqubo ezifana nePASCAL, ISO, ne standards and enterprise resource planning). Oku kumele indlela eyenye yokusebenzisa ngaxeshanye iinkqubo zolawulo ezininzi (Abad, Cabrera & Medina, 2014:860). Ngaphandle kokuba siqondakala kakuhle isidingo sokuhlanganisa iinkqubo zolawulo, alukaphuhliswa kakuhle uphando lokuqhuba oko kuhlanganisa (Bernardo, Casadesús, Karapetrovic & Heras, 2012; Rocha, Searcy & Karapetrovic, 2007; Wilkinson & Dale, 1999a; Zeng, Shi & Lou, 2007). Injongo yolu phando kukuphuhlisa isakhelo esinokusetyenziswa ngamaqumrhu ekuhlanganiseni iinkqubo zolawulo ngendlela efanelekileyo. Esi sifundo saqhutywa ngokuphengulula izimvo neengcinga zabaphathi abakwizinga elingentla ngokuqhuba udliwano ndlebe nabaphathi abali-14 nganye nganye. Emva koko kwenziwa intlolomvo kubantu abangama-220 abasebenza kumaqumrhu amane aseMzantsi Afrika, maqumrhu lawo asebenza ngophuhliso nokusetyenziswa kweenkqubo zolawulo. Isixhobo sophando esisetyenzisiweyo sisikali esineencam esisixhenxe esiludidi lweLikert, apho abathathi nxaxheba bebeka esikalini umbuzo ngamnye abawunikiweyo. Iinkcukacha zolwazi zahlalutywa ngobuchule bezobalo, kuqukaniswa iimpendulo ezenza udidi olunye, emva koko kwasetyenziswa indlela yokuhlalutya apho kuphononongwa ukwalamana ngoonobangela neziphumo zemiba ethile, okuthe ekugqibeleni kwaveliswa isakhelo. Abancedakeleyo lolu phando ngamaqumrhu asebenzisa iinkqubo zolawulo ezintathu nangaphezulu. Isakhelo esiphuhlisiweyo siya kuba luncedo kakhulu kubalawuli nabaqulunqi bomgaqo nkqubo, kuba sijolise kwimibandela yokuhlanganisa, efana nendlela abasebenza ngayo abaqeshwa, inkcubeko yequmrhu, ukukhuthazwa kwabasebenzi nemiba emalunga nomgaqo nkqubo oqwalaselwa xa kuhlanganiswa iinkqubo zolawuloKule minyaka eyishumi edlule, ukuhlanganiswa kwezinhlelo zokuphatha (kufaka kukho noma yiluphi uhlelo lokuphatha olusetshenziselwa ukufeza izinhloso zenhlangano, njengePASCAL, amaqophelo e-ISO kanye nokuhlelwa kwezinsiza zebhizinisi), sekuyicebo elibaluleke kakhulu elamukelwa yizinhlangano, njengoba kumele enye indlela yokusebenza nezinhlelo eziningi zokuphatha ngokuhambisanayo (Abad, Cabrera & Medina, 2014: 860). Yize sekubonakale isidingo sokuhlanganiswa kwezinhlelo zokuphatha, ucwaningo lokuthi kuzohlanganiswa kanjani kusamele luthuthukiswe ngokuphelele kanti nendlela ecacile yokuhlanganiswa kumele ifezeke ngokugcwele (Bernardo, Casadesús, Karapetrovic & Heras, 2012; Rocha, Searcy & Karapetrovic, 2007; Wilkinson & Dale, 1999a; Zeng, Shi & Lou, 2007). Inhloso yocwaningo lwamanje bekungukuthuthukisa uhlaka lwezinhlangano olungasetshenziselwa ukuhlanganiswa kwezinhlelo zokuphatha ngendlela ehlelekile. Lolu cwaningo lwenziwe ngokuhlola imibono nemicabango yabaphathi abaphezulu ngokuba nezingxoxo eziyi-14 ezingahlelekile ngokuphelele ezibe khona kuxoxwa ubuso nobuso. Ngemuva kwalokho, ucwaningo olwenziwa ngokuqoqa imininingwane ngobuchwepheshe bekhompuyutha lwaqoqa izimpendulo ezingama-220 ezinhlanganweni ezine zaseNingizimu Afrika ezihlanganise amazwe ahlukene nezibandakanyeka ekusungulweni nasekuqaliseni ukusebenza kohlelo lokuphatha. Kusetshenziswe indlela yokucwaninga yesikali sohlobo lwe-Likert samaphoyinti ayisikhombisa abaphendulayo abakala ngaso umbuzo ngamunye. Imininingwane ihlaziyiwe ngokwezibalo kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziywa kwezinto ngokuqavile ukuqinisekisa izici ezibalulekile bese kulandelwa indlela yokulinganisa ukwakheka ukuhlola ubudlelwano phakathi kwezici, okugcina kuqinisekisa uhlaka olusunguliwe. Abahlomuli balolu cwaningo ngokuqavile yizinhlangano ezinezinhlelo ezintathu noma ngaphezulu zokuphatha enhlanganweni. Uhlaka luzoba wusizo nakubaphathi embonini nakubenzi bezinqubomgomo, njengoba lubheka izingqinamba ezibalulekile zokuhlanganiswa, njengokusebenza kahle kwabasebenzi, isiko lenhlangano, ukukhuthazwa kwabasebenzi kanye nenqubomgomo njengezinto ezibhekwayo uma kucatshangwa ngokuhlanganiswa kwezinhlelo zokuphatha.SBLD.B.L