330,935 research outputs found

    Main Problems with Management Information Systems and Their Relationship to Critical MIS Success Factors

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    Most companies do not exploit all potential benefits of Management Information Systems (MIS). To enhance the understanding of how MIS might be better managed, a nationwide mail-survey among 280 randomly selected chief MIS executives of Corporate 1000 firms was conducted. The first part of the thesis investigated the areas of importance for MIS success and performance ratings of the 85 participating managers on the issues. In the second part relationships between these variables and the success of the MIS operations were established to derive critical success factors. The findings indicate that there is a shift towards an increased strategic importance of MIS in most companies. Accordingly, the MIS leaders take a strategic view of MIS and stress issues affecting the entire organization over those relating only to the MIS department. The success of current operations, however, is still mainly influenced by technical factors. Because of the transition from a technical to a strategic orientation of MIS, major problems arise in the areas of strategic MIS issues. For the same reason, the factors perceived as important for future MIS success do not coincide with the twelve critical success factors for current operations. The critical success factors, recruiting and training data processing staff, end-user computing, and measuring effectiveness enhance MIS success in terms of user satisfaction, effectiveness, and efficiency. Alignment of MIS with business goals, integrating technologies, software development, data quality, user involvement, organizational learning and information system usage, information centers, and efficient data utilization contribute to user satisfaction and effectiveness, but not to efficiency. Long-range MIS planning is not critical to MIS success since the focus of planning is shifting from internal MIS department issues to the support of the whole organization by aligning MIS with corporate objectives. In contrast to the prevailing opinion in the MIS literature, top management involvement in the definition of MIS goals is also not critical, as top management lacks a sufficient knowledge of MIS. Thus, the MIS manager is to be integrated in the corporate strategy setting and business planning process to ensure a proper alignment of MIS and business objectives

    An investigation of project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry

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    Includes bibliographical references.This study will investigate project success factors in the South African petrochemical industry. The availability of capital for projects was reduced by the 2008-2009 global economic recession. This resulted in additional strain on project performance, since the potential implications of cost and schedule overruns for clients, project teams and project managers became harsher. For project failure, the implications may be even worse. Possible implications include career damage; unemployment; financial loss; or liquidation of companies. Projects in the South African petrochemical industry are faced with many challenges such as unfavourable legislation; lack of competent and experienced project human resources; low quality of work; low productivity; and remoteness of the region and industry. These challenges pose a risk to project success. When projects are completed successfully, it can hold major advantages for clients as well as for project team members. These potential advantages include corporate growth; improved job security; career advancement; and financial gain. There are certain factors which need to be managed effectively on projects to improve the probability of project success. These are referred to as success factors. The research question for this study is: What are the most critical factors that project managers need to manage effectively in the South African petrochemical industry to improve project success? This question will be answered by first considering theoretical data, as well as empirical data collected from project professionals with relevant experience by means of interviews and a survey. Purposive sampling was used to obtain inputs from 61 project professionals with over 1,000 years combined project experience in this region and industry. The sample includes participants from project engineering consultants, client organisations, as well as project professionals working for owner project management companies. From the empirical data, challenges unique or dominant in the region or the industry were identified. Using qualitative content analysis, challenges were coded, which resulted in 30 challenge categories. The 10 highest priority challenge categories were consolidated to form 5 general challenges. These are an unfavourable environment; low competence and experience levels; poor availability of project resources; low quality of work; and low productivity. These challenges are a hindrance to project success

    A framework for the successful implementation of food traceability systems in China

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    Implementation of food traceability systems in China faces many challenges due to the scale, diversity and complexity of China’s food supply chains. This study aims to identify critical success factors specific to the implementation of traceability systems in China. Twenty-seven critical success factors were identified in the literature. Interviews with managers at four food enterprises in a pre-study helped identify success criteria and five additional critical success factors. These critical success factors were tested through a survey of managers in eighty-three food companies. This study identifies six dimensions for critical success factors: laws, regulations and standards; government support; consumer knowledge and support; effective management and communication; top management and vendor support; and information and system quality

    The potential link between corporate innovations and corporate competitiveness:Evidence from IT firms in the UK

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    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a thorough empirical investigation of the potential link between corporate innovations and corporate competitiveness in the context of the UK IT industry. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a panel of 216 UK IT firms for the period from 2000 to 2016. The sample data for this study were extracted from the Worldscope, extracted from the Datastream database from Thomson Reuters. For the analysis of the data, the generalised method of moments model is applied. Findings: The results of this study provide empirical evidence that there exists a strong, positive link between corporate innovations and corporate competitiveness. Such evidence further reinforces the common view in the current literature of strategic management that because of the nature of their business, firms in the IT industry need to enhance their innovative capacities on a continual basis because of their critical role on these firms’ success and survival. Also, it is found that when the proxies for corporate innovations are lagged by two periods, their impact on corporate competitiveness becomes relatively more significant. However, when they are further lagged, i.e. by three periods, such an impact turns out to be relatively less pronounced. Research limitations/implications: The data gathered for this paper was restricted to IT-oriented firms in the UK. Using a secondary database (Datastream), the paper considered the period of 2000-2016. Originality/value: The research makes a significant contribution to the current debate on the relationship between information technology, innovation and performance, referred to in the literature as the productivity paradox, by studying the problem in the IT industry. It supports organisations from the sector in their efforts to deal with the dynamic nature of technological innovations and of the context where they operate. Methodologically, the way the study has measured the concepts of innovation and performance and the lessons learned from their analysis has also brought value to the research

    Key Factors for Reaching the Top of the Corporate Ladder

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    The purpose of this study is to in a succinct manner provide a clear delineation of key factors and primary points for increasing the likelihood of success and upward mobility in corporate America. Numerous facets of the personal and professional lives of corporate executives have been documented, studied, and debated. From the autobiographies of successful individuals such as Jack Welch’s “Winning” to analysis of the widely criticized executives, such as Home Depot’s former CEO Bob Nardelli, the lives of these high ranking corporate managers have been extensively scrutinized. However, despite the numerous studies, and with the study of any behavioral science holding the potential to return an innumerable amount of outcomes, it is obvious that portions of this field lend themselves to further analysis. Since the beginning of my working career, my interest has always centered on upper level management. From wondering how much the store manager at my first job got paid, to pondering the strategic moves of today’s Fortune 500 CEOs, my focus has been on the people driving organizations. Coupling this with my goal to one day attain an executive position, my recent curiosity has turned to how to best position myself to be considered for an executive level management position in the future. To do so, the most effective means appeared to be to interview senior level managers and executives within local companies and see what their experience and success has taught them and more importantly, what information they can pass on to a individual looking to one day earn a similar position

    Design and radical innovation: a strategic perspective based upon a comparative case study between emergent and traditional industries in Portugal

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    The survival challenge faced by the Portuguese companies nowadays has promoted Innovation as the main management strategy to be applied. This research reveals the importance and the role of Design as the basic and integrative tool for the success of this strategy, focused on Radical or Breakthrough Innovation. The main contribution of this paper is the proposal of a conceptual model developed from a comparative case study research, made among Portuguese companies from the emergent sectors connected to new technologies and Portuguese companies from the traditional sectors. That work allowed the definition of the Success Critical Factors to consider for the development of radical new products: integrating new technologies (Science Knowledge), market sensibility (Marketing Knowledge), forecasting new needs or user interfaces and disruptive creativity (Design Knowledge)

    A path model “why-what-how-when” to Implement an IC reporting

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    The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an empirical study and the critical success factors for implementing Intellectual Capital (IC) reporting. Selecting an IC model to be implemented in a specific context at a particular time depends on several contingent factors. In light of this, we propose the following “why-what-how-when” agenda, which will be applied in the case study: 1. Why implement IC reporting in a specific context? 2. What IC approach/tool is suitable to satisfy users’ informational needs? 3. How is the quality of information? 4. When is information available? The research is qualitative and focused on a case study in order to understand the dynamics of a given process. The company analyzed designs and develops Large Systems for Homeland Protection. The analyzed case study shows that there isn’t “one best way” to report on intangibles. Thus, the main critical factors of the process investigated are the following: accurate identification of actors involved in the decision-making process; quality and availability of information. The case study allows us to analyze how changes in decision maker(s), users’ informational needs and information quality can impact the selection of the framework and its relative artifact/tool to be used to report on intangibles

    Pollution Prevention and Business Management. Curricula for Schools of Business and Public Health. Volume 1: Modules 1-3

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    These instructional modules are based on the premise that sustained economic development is dependent upon sustained protection ofthe environment. They also reflect the fact that preventing waste is far more cost effective than managing the waste once it is generated. Pollution prevention not only offers businesses a competitive opportunity, it is a natural extension of sound management practices. Incorporating pollution prevention into business management and government regulation will enhance longterm economic prosperity.published or submitted for publicatio
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