A framework for the elicitation and analysis of Information Technology service requirements and their alignment with enterprise business goals

As the economies of the world have become increasingly dependant on Information Technology (IT) services, there is a need for service designers and developers to focus on co-value creation between service providers and service consumers. Developers need to conduct a more rigorous and systematic identification, elicitation, and analysis of IT service requirements than ever before so that the resulting IT services are closely aligned with the enterprise business requirements. Research in Services Science from the business and management discipline has mostly focused on the delivery and management of services experience from the business perspective. Much of the research focus in Service Oriented Computing (SOC) so far has been on the design and delivery of services (especially Web Services), but engineering of IT service requirements has received much less attention. The overall aims of the proposed research is the design and development of an integrated framework and its supporting toolset for the systematic identification, elicitation, and analysis of IT service requirements that satisfy consumers' needs and are closely aligned with their enterprise business goals. © 2010 IEEE

E-services in business models of enterprises in the logistics sector

Most of the available papers on the logistics sector identify the type of the business model with the type of logistics service providers, distinguishing between three to five business models. These models most often focus, almost exclusively on the complexity of the logistical services and their scope. The more complex a logistic service is, the more benefits it brings to the company. This is a result of the increase in added value and key competences, and a decrease in the intensity of resources usage. Expanding logistics services to include e-services significantly improves the position of a company in the so-called pyramid of logistics services. The purpose of this article is to identify the use of e-services among the enterprises of the logistics sector and to examine the impact of the use of e-services on the quality of the business model. The realization of the objective was possible thanks to a study carried out among the logistics sector companies that participated in the twentieth edition of the Polish ranking of enterprises in the logistics sector. The analysis of the data from the concluded study was conducted with the use of the methods of multivariate statistical analysis: cluster analysis and correspondence analysis. The carried out study of selected companies of the logistics sector leads to the conclusion that the use of e-services in their offer has a positive effect on the quality of the business model. Offering e-services adds value for the customer, as well as the value for the company, as evidenced by the improved financial condition of enterprises that use e-logistics

ANALISIS KELAYAKAN INVESTASI USAHA BENGKEL “SPEEDSHOP” DI SAMARINDA

This study aims to determine and analyze the feasibility of a "Speedshop" Workshop business investment which is reviewed based on the Payback Period (PP), Net Present Value (NPV), and Profitibility Index (PI) methods. The analytical tool used in this study is an investment feasibility analysis using Payback Period (PP), Net Present Value (NPV), and Profitibility Index (PI) methods and hypothesis testing is based on the criteria of each method. The analysis shows that the payback period of the "Speedshop" Workshop business is smaller than the investment return target set by Mr. Suhang, so it can be concluded that the investment project is feasible. Based on the results of the analysis that has been done, it can be seen that the Net Present Value is positive so that the investment project is concluded to be feasible. The results of the subsequent analysis showed a Profitability Index greater than 1 (PI> 1), so it can be concluded that the investment project is feasible. The results of this analysis indicate that the investment planned by Mr. Suhang is feasible to be carried out with the assumption that the projected income is in accordance with the predetermined, and operational costs are in accordance with the estimates made. Mr. Suhang projected more revenue from light modification services, because even though light modification services generate smaller revenues compared to projections of income from heavy modifications, it is expected to reach more consumers. This shows that even though the planned business is only based on a hobby background, if it is done well and planned it will produce beneficial results.

Business models of micro businesses: Empirical evidence from creative industries

Business model describes how a business identifies and creates value for customers and how it organizes itself to capture some of this value in a profitable manner. Previous studies of business models in creative industries have only recently identified the unresolved issues in this field of research. The main objective of this article is to analyse the structure and diversity of business models and to deduce how these components interact or change in the context of micro and small businesses in creative services such as advertising, architecture and design. The article uses a qualitative approach. Case studies and semi-structured, in-depth interviews with six owners/managers of micro businesses in Croatia provide rich data. Structural coding in data analysis has been performed manually. The qualitative analysis has indicative relevance for the assessment and comparison of business models, however, it provides insights into which components of business models seem to be consolidated and which seem to contribute to the diversity of business models in creative industries. The article contributes to the advancement of empirical evidence and conceptual constructs that might lead to more advanced methodological approaches and proposition of the core typologies or classifications of business models in creative industries. In addition, a more detailed mapping of different choices available in managing value creation, value capturing or value networking might be a valuable help for owners/managers who want to change or cross-fertilize their business models

The Future of Digital Music Services in Three Stereotypes; How Focus Groups of End Users See the New Business Models

“I am just a stereotype” sang Terry Hall in 1980. Ariola records took them in and made the band The Specials a world success. How will that process go in 2014? Will they put it on You Tube for free? Do they need a record company? Will they have less or more fans, earn less or more money? Focus group interviews with 90 people between the ages of 15 and 25 were successfully employed to create 20 new business models for the digital music industry. Analysis with grounded theory revealed that a new business model is necessary and three types for future music services to create and capture value from digital music were found: Social focus; Artist focus and Extra Value focus. More than 50% of the research subjects put the emphasis on social functionalities of the music services, while the value network was underestimated. For artists we see opportunities and threats in the business models: on one hand they can use the worldwide niches to earn money, on the other hand the new business models do not seem to reimburse them enough. Finally, value capture is an overall problem that is best solved in the extra value focus business models. A combination of the three types using the best of each of them guides the way to a successful business model of the futur

A study into the utilization of value-added services in commercial printing companies

Today\u27s printing industry is in a state of transition. It has become an industry that no longer solely relies on print for sustainability. Thus, printers as well as print service providers are incorporating different strategies into their business models to provide the types of services that customers now require in order to achieve their own business goals (Cummings and Chhita, 2004). This research was conducted in an effort to better understand the impact of these emerging trends. The primary objectives were: 1) to clearly understand the changing business dynamics in the printing industry, 2) to determine whether there is a positive correlation between the number of value-added services being offered and company size, 3) to determine the degree to which fulfillment is offered as a value-added service, and 4) to add to the current base of research on this very important topic. The research sample consisted of databases from the Finishing Resources Inc. and the Binding Industries of America (BIA) databases. Finishing Resources Inc. has 980 members, which are comprised of commercial printers (74.5%) and trade finishers (25.5%). BIA has 115 members, of which 50% are trade finishers and 50% are equipment suppliers. The survey, which was administered via the Internet, consisted of five sections: 1) demographic profile, 2) industry business trends in finishing and distribution, 3) value-added services, 4) fulfillment services, and 5) comments. This thesis is concerned with sections one (demographic profile), three (value-added services) and five (comments). Analysis of the research data revealed key findings, summarized as follows: - Most conventional commercial companies also offer digital printing. - There is no positive correlation between the size of the company in terms of the number of employees and the number of value-added services offered. - E-commerce and fulfillment appear to be the most frequent value-added services offered among conventional commercial printers and digital commercial printers. - The majority companies offered fulfillment in-house as a value-added service. Significant opportunities still remain for future research within various aspects of this research. Two specific areas include adopted profit models as well as a more in-depth study of value-added services probability related to current distribution workflow processes

Synergy of interfunctional coordination and services in companies producing electrical equipment and electronic components in the Czech Republic: pilot study

Research background: Interfunctional coordination (IFC) is a part of market orientation and at the same time an approach which helps to improve cooperation between different departments or functions in a company. Market orientation is an approach aimed at external and internal elements and activities leading to performance increase. Services offered by a manufacturer are activities complementing their products. Manufacturers can benefit from the service differentiation and use it to design alternative marketing strategies. Generally, IFC and services — contributes to higher positive effect on business performance. For this reason, it is interesting to know if synergy of IFC and services have a higher positive effect on business performance. Purpose of the article: This article aims to determine how IFC and services at manufacturing companies in the Czech Republic influence business performance. The research question is as follows: Does the synergy of IFC and services in companies producing electrical equipment and electronic components have a higher positive effect on business performance? Methods: Sixty SME’s filled in a questionnaire to gather information about IFC and services. For measurement of correlation for two variables, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was chosen. Regression analysis was used for measuring the synergy. Findings & Value added: The main finding shows that the synergy of the quantities observed has not been confirmed, although some of the following relations were approved such as a positive relationship between: a) some items of IFC and items of business performance, b) some items of services and items of business performance and c) items of IFC and items of services. The result of the paper shows further consequences of IFC and services in today’s manufacturing companies.Research background: Interfunctional coordination (IFC) is a part of market orientation and at the same time an approach which helps to improve cooperation between different departments or functions in a company. Market orientation is an approach aimed at external and internal elements and activities leading to performance increase. Services offered by a manufacturer are activities complementing their products. Manufacturers can benefit from the service differentiation and use it to design alternative marketing strategies. Generally, IFC and services — contributes to higher positive effect on business performance. For this reason, it is interesting to know if synergy of IFC and services have a higher positive effect on business performance. Purpose of the article: This article aims to determine how IFC and services at manufacturing companies in the Czech Republic influence business performance. The research question is as follows: Does the synergy of IFC and services in companies producing electrical equipment and electronic components have a higher positive effect on business performance? Methods: Sixty SME’s filled in a questionnaire to gather information about IFC and services. For measurement of correlation for two variables, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was chosen. Regression analysis was used for measuring the synergy. Findings & Value added: The main finding shows that the synergy of the quantities observed has not been confirmed, although some of the following relations were approved such as a positive relationship between: a) some items of IFC and items of business performance, b) some items of services and items of business performance and c) items of IFC and items of services. The result of the paper shows further consequences of IFC and services in today’s manufacturing companies