Correlating Architecture Maturity and Enterprise Systems Usage Maturity to Improve Business/IT Alignment

This paper compares concepts of maturity models in the areas of Enterprise Architecture and Enterprise Systems Usage. We investigate whether these concepts correlate, overlap and explain each other. The two maturity models are applied in a case study. We conclude that although it is possible to fully relate constructs from both kinds of models, having a mature architecture function in a company does not imply a high Enterprise Systems Usage maturity

Developing an inter-enterprise alignment maturity model: research challenges and solutions

Business-IT alignment is pervasive today, as organizations strive to achieve competitive advantage. Like in other areas, e.g., software development, maintenance and IT services, there are maturity models to assess such alignment. Those models, however, do not specifically address the aspects needed for achieving alignment between business and IT in inter-enterprise settings. In this paper, we present the challenges we face in the development of an inter-enterprise alignment maturity model, as well as the current solutions to counter these problems

Business-IT Alignment Maturity in the US and China: Perspectives of IT and non-IT Employees

Business-IT alignment has been always one of top concerns in IS management and strategic planning. This study evaluated the business-IT alignment maturity levels in the US and China from the perspectives of IT and non-IT employees. The alignment in the US was found to be more mature than in China. Additionally, data revealed that the alignment maturity level was higher in the US from the viewpoint of IT employees than from those of non-IT employees, although there was no significant difference between IT and non-IT employees in China. Furthermore, results indicated that alignment in manufacturing and retail industries were more mature in the US than in China. The IT industry had the highest alignment maturity level in both countries

Metamorphosis of Entrepreneurial Ventures: A Holistic Paradigm from Two Tales

Some entrepreneurial ventures grow into large organizations within a relatively short duration. These startups rapidly increase their scale and scope to turn into matured organizations. Though the literature is replete with such examples, there is no explanation for such a phenomenon. Also, nothing has been said about the role of the environment in metamorphosis of such ventures. We look at two global organizations and explain their metamorphosis. We arrive at four dynamic stages through which an entrepreneurial venture grows: prime pillar formation stage, scale catapult stage, scope enlargement stage, and maturity stage. We also explain the different roles played by the firm and the environment during each stage, the interactions between each of these roles, and the dominant strategic process underlying in each stage.

ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks: a literature review

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation is a complex and vibrant process, one that involves a combination of technological and organizational interactions. Often an ERP implementation project is the single largest IT project that an organization has ever launched and requires a mutual fit of system and organization. Also the concept of an ERP implementation supporting business processes across many different departments is not a generic, rigid and uniform concept and depends on variety of factors. As a result, the issues addressing the ERP implementation process have been one of the major concerns in industry. Therefore ERP implementation receives attention from practitioners and scholars and both, business as well as academic literature is abundant and not always very conclusive or coherent. However, research on ERP systems so far has been mainly focused on diffusion, use and impact issues. Less attention has been given to the methods used during the configuration and the implementation of ERP systems, even though they are commonly used in practice, they still remain largely unexplored and undocumented in Information Systems research. So, the academic relevance of this research is the contribution to the existing body of scientific knowledge. An annotated brief literature review is done in order to evaluate the current state of the existing academic literature. The purpose is to present a systematic overview of relevant ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks as a desire for achieving a better taxonomy of ERP implementation methodologies. This paper is useful to researchers who are interested in ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks. Results will serve as an input for a classification of the existing ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks. Also, this paper aims also at the professional ERP community involved in the process of ERP implementation by promoting a better understanding of ERP implementation methodologies and frameworks, its variety and history

The Road to Business-IT Alignment: A Case Study of Two Chinese Companies

Business information technology alignment (BITA) has been found to improve firm performance. Yet little is known about the process through which firms achieve BITA. Less is known about this process in China, the fastest-growing economy in the world. We conducted case studies with two Chinese firms. We first used the Strategic Alignment Maturity assessment model to evaluate these two firms’ BITA degree. Then we applied punctuated equilibrium Theory to study the firms’ dynamic BITA changing process. The results reveal BITA revolutions and identify their external and internal antecedents. Consistent with prior research, we find that the competitive environment, macro environment, performance deterioration, leadership change, and perception transformation contribute to revolutionary changes of BITA. More important, we find some unique impetuses of revolutionary changes of BITA in China, which include government support, organizational inertia, and social culture preferences. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed

Leveraging Open-standard Interorganizational Information Systems for Process Adaptability and Alignment: An Empirical Analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the value creation mechanisms of open-standard inter-organizational information system (OSIOS), which is a key technology to achieve Industry 4.0. Specifically, this study investigates how the internal assimilation and external diffusion of OSIOS help manufactures facilitate process adaptability and alignment in supply chain network.Design/methodology/approachA survey instrument was designed and administrated to collect data for this research. Using three-stage least squares estimation, the authors empirically tested a number of hypothesized relationships based on a sample of 308 manufacturing firms in China.FindingsThe results of the study show that OSIOS can perform as value creation mechanisms to enable process adaptability and alignment. In addition, the impact of OSIOS internal assimilation is inversely U-shaped where the positive effect on process adaptability will become negative after an extremum point is reached.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature by providing insights on how OSIOS can improve supply chain integration and thus promote the achievement of industry 4.0. By revealing a U-shaped relationship between OSIOS assimilation and process adaptability, this study fills previous research gap by advancing the understanding on the value creation mechanisms of information systems deployment

The risks of investing in the real estate markets of the asian region

The Asian region has become a focus of attention for investors in recent years. Due to the strong economic performance of the region, the higher expected returns in the area compared with Europe and the USA and the additional diversification benefits investment in the region would offer. Nonetheless many investors have doubts about the prudence of investing in such areas. In particular it may be felt that the expected returns offered in the countries of the Asian region are not sufficient to compensate investors for the increased risks of investing in such markets. These risks can be categorised into under four headings: investment risk, currency risk, political risk, and institutional risk. This paper analyses each of these risks in turn to see if they are sufficiently large to deter real estate investment in the region in general or in a particular country