An eBusiness Design and Evaluation Framework - Consideration of Options from an Entrepreneurial, Technical and Operational Perspective

The development of business models for eBusiness is helpful in allowing researchers and practitioners to organise their thoughts about different eBusiness options. However, it can be argued that many of the business models for eBusiness are static in nature and only provide a historical view. Indeed, these models are of limited value in providing guidance as to how to link the broad strategic concept with the detail of the required business processes in the operating eBusiness. This paper draws upon the emergent knowledge of eBusiness models together with traditional strategy theory to provide a simple integrating framework for the evaluation and assessment of business models for eBusiness. The framework allows for the simultaneous reflection of both top- down and bottom-up perspectives. That is, an entrepreneurial view based on the identification of a market need or business opportunity triggering the search for appropriate delivery mechanisms. In contrast, a technical view which builds up from an internal review of business process and ICT resources and capabilities which could suggest new electronically-based business options. Moreover, the paper provides a simple framework for the evaluation of possible business processes and business solutions

E-fulfilment Systems for Quality Healthcare Delivery: A New Construct for Visualising and Designing

Electronically delivered information and funds transaction systems do offer such organisations great potential for efficiency and effectiveness, but many large integrated ICT systems, particularly in public service projects, have notoriously underperformed and disappointed. To ensure that quality is ‘engineered in’ a holistic, integrated and quality approach is required, and Total Quality Management (TQM) principles are the obvious foundations for this. TQM is a business philosophy that encourages an over-arching responsibility - both individual and collective - to quality and customer satisfaction. This paper describes a novel approach to viewing the operations of a healthcare provider where electronic means could be used to distribute information and facilitate electronic fund settlements, building around the Full Service Provider core. Specifically, an approach called the “triple pair flow” model is used to provide a view of healthcare delivery that is integrated, yet detailed, and that combines the strategic enterprise view with a business process view

Designing and Visualising Healthcare Delivery Systems

The effective delivery of information within health care is essential in a clinical setting but the healthcare domain is littered with poorly designed, developed, and implemented systems that do not meet the expectations of the clinicians, administrators or patients. To address design, development and implementation of health information systems issues safety and quality must be ‘engineered in’ a holistic, integrated and quality approach using the guiding principles of Total Quality Management, TQM. Technology can improve health care delivery but must be understood by all stakeholders and a consistent view of the role it plays must be achieved. This paper describes a novel approach to viewing the operations of a healthcare provider where electronic means could be used to distribute information. Specifically, an approach called the “triple pair flow” model is used to provide a view of healthcare delivery that considers the issues of safety and quality that is integrated, yet detailed, and that combines the strategic enterprise view with a business process view

Business Models and their Implications for Skills

The dominant political-economic narrative of our time is that, under conditions of global competition with low-wage economies able to undercut even efficient western firms, the only viable and sustainable route to competitiveness is to trade on high value-added goods and services and that these in turn require enhanced skills and knowledge. This kind of analysis finds echo and sustenance in the management literature concerning 'knowledge'. Drawing upon a series of case studies this monograph reveals a more varied and complex pattern of possibilities

Exploring the development of social alignment within an innovation context

There has been increasing attention in IS literature around the technology-business relationship and the concept of social alignment. However, little attention has been given to how or why social alignment should be developed. Further examining the concept this paper explores the development of social alignment within an innovation context. Using canonical action research the study is based within an innovation network. Primarily focusing on four organisations, a lack of social alignment was diagnosed. In particular, it was found the business executives did not fully understand the potential of the new technologies available. An intervention was then planned to facilitate the organisations in utilising a business model framework for developing social alignment by creating a common understanding between the business-technology executives. The study which took 24 months to complete involved over 110 hours of primary data. The results highlight the positive impact of the business model framework in developing social alignment. However, it was found that the business model framework alone is not enough to develop social alignment within an innovation setting. Careful thought should be put into who facilitates the development of social alignment and a shared understanding, as CTO’s are often too caught up in day-to-day operations to fulfill the role

Exploring the development of social alignment within an innovation context

There has been increasing attention in IS literature around the technology-business relationship and the concept of social alignment. However, little attention has been given to how or why social alignment should be developed. Further examining the concept this paper explores the development of social alignment within an innovation context. Using canonical action research the study is based within an innovation network. Primarily focusing on four organisations, a lack of social alignment was diagnosed. In particular, it was found the business executives did not fully understand the potential of the new technologies available. An intervention was then planned to facilitate the organisations in utilising a business model framework for developing social alignment by creating a common understanding between the business-technology executives. The study which took 24 months to complete involved over 110 hours of primary data. The results highlight the positive impact of the business model framework in developing social alignment. However, it was found that the business model framework alone is not enough to develop social alignment within an innovation setting. Careful thought should be put into who facilitates the development of social alignment and a shared understanding, as CTO’s are often too caught up in day-to-day operations to fulfill the role

Interrelationship between KM strategies and e-business strategies in support of transformation to a knowledge-based organisation; a study of oil and gas iindustry

Two major new strategies of modern organisations, transforming to a Knowledge Based Organisation (KBO) to survive and gain sustained competitive advantage, and adopting ICT and Web enabled strategies (e-Business) are becoming increasingly interdependent. This is a critical factor particularly in the oil and gas industry especially in countries with oil-based economies. Research in this area is still growing and gaps exist in the knowledge of the subject. A comprehensive research on e-business strategies and the role of a KBO in developing and implementing it, with a view to integrate it with Knowledge Management (KM) strategy and KM systems, in the oil and gas industry, is the focus of this research. How e-business strategies and KM strategies are interrelated, what factors determine the effectiveness and success of each of the strategies, and how these factors interact in the overall success of the organisation to become a modern KBO are the questions the research seeks answers for. A research model was developed after the integration of KM and e-business models and strategies and a KBO model, which were designed as a conceptual framework. Conceptually the outcome of the integration of KM and e-business strategies for transforming an organisation to a KBO would be an e-enabled knowledge network. The research propositions were designed based on the research model. A qualitative research methodology was designed and methods including a case study and interviews were used to collect data with a semi-structured questionnaire supported by secondary data. An expert panel was also formed of seven academic and professional experts in the Iranian oil and gas industry. The outcomes from the panel included identifying cases studies (NIOC and NIGC and their subsidiaries (31 SBUs and companies) based on the Bain model), validating the research model and the questionnaire based on method of the CVI (The index of content validity), and also performing final review of the results. The research results were analysed using Nvivo. The study demonstrated how e-business strategy and KM strategy should be developed and integrated to support the organisation to become a KBO. The results show that the e-enabled knowledge network assists an organisation to become a KBO, when it impacts on internal competencies, strategic capabilities and organisation performance. Also, technological, organisational and individual barriers, which prevent the organisation to become a knowledge-based organisation were identified in the oil and gas industry