a literature review synthesis in small and medium enterprises

Rodrigues, J., Ruivo, P., & Oliveira, T. (2014). Software as a Service Value and Firm Performance: a literature review synthesis in small and medium enterprises. In J. Varajão, M. Cunha, N. Bjørn-Andersen, R. Turner, D. Wijesekera, R. Martinho, & R. Rijo (Eds.), CENTERIS 2014 - Conference on ENTERprise Information Systems / ProjMAN 2014 - International Conference on Project MANagement / HCIST 2014 - International Conference on Health and Social Care Information Systems and Technologies (Vol. 16, pp. 206-211). (Procedia Technology; Vol. 16). DOI: 10.1016/j.protcy.2014.10.085It is consensual that Software as a Service (SaaS) has significant effects on enterprise costs and return on investment (ROI) in information technologies (IT) and information systems (IS). However, as a distribution model which is still relatively recent and a fraction of all IT invested, even if growing at a faster pace than traditional distribution models, the impact in Firm Performance is still an area of research which is very much under covered especially in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) segment. Literature reviews to support research of SaaS applications impact in SMEs Firm Performance are unknown to the best of our knowledge and this review in selected publications is a starting point to fill this gap and looks at some of the cross-road subjects that might be combined to build on greater knowledge and research work on the subject, such as Firm Performance influenced by (not specified genre of) IT/IS adoption; Cloud Computing and Performance, and, Enterprise Systems Software and Firm Performance. It provides an updated bibliography of the most relevant publications about these subjects, published mainly during the period of 2001 to 2014, for the exception of a seminal article published in 1995. A total of 32 articles from 30 journals and 2 conferences are reviewed. The main focus of this paper is to shed the light on the areas that researchers should consider in the research of the impact of SaaS business applications adoption in SMEs Firm Performance, and which are the major variables that explain SaaS Value influence to these organizations. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.publishersversionpublishe

Cloud Computing Adoption by firms

In recent years Cloud Computing has been one of the most discussed references in the world of information technology. As the adoption of Cloud Computing has become so important for firms, a question arises: what is the factor determining the adoption of technology? Thus, the aim of this study is to identify a set of determinants of adoption of Cloud Computing by firms. To reach this goal we suggested a research model based on two theories held in the literature: the diffusion of innovation (DOI) model and the technology organization environment (TOE) framework. To support the suggested model a quiz is even proposed to test the suggested hypotheses. The implications of the results of this study are discussed, both for researchers and for managers. We present the plan to the empirical testing and model validation of the hypotheses suggested. Future extensions to this study are also considered in this paper

The impacts of cloud computing adoption at Higher Education institutions: a SWOT analysis

The integration of advanced technologies within education has frequently enhanced teaching. In higher education it is not a surprise that using the latest developments in cloud computing improves learning practices and thus ensures they are more interactive, available, and convenient. The ease of integration, collaboration, and sharing of information and knowledge made possibleby cloud computing will be further enhanced if this technical advancement is used wisely and in a foolproof manner. In this paper, a SWOT analysis of the impact of cloud computing on higher education methodologies is presented. A SWOT analysis is here demonstrated to be a helpful guide in decision-making for all higher education institutions when considering the migration of their present learning systems to cloud based systems

INDIAN RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION IN CLOUD COMPUTING: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATION OF JOURNAL ARTICLES FROM SCOPUS DATABASE

The present bibliometric study aims to analyze the Indian research contribution in cloud computing from 2011 to 2020. The data was collected from Scopus database using “cloud Computing” keyword and limited to articles final publications. The study analysis many bibliometric parameters like; year-wise distribution of publications; most productive authors, titles, sources and citation counts. Co-occurrence of keywords from articles and authors keywords mapping through VOSviewer. The study found a total 1482 articles, highest 439 articles were published in 2019. The article entitled Honey bee behavior inspired load balancing of tasks in cloud computing environments published in 2013 received highest citation i.e 386. Chana, I., Kumar N, Iyengar are the prolific authors. Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore is the top contributing Institute

AN EVALUATION OF THE BENEFITS AND DIFFICULTIES FACING GHANAIAN SMES IN IMPLEMENTING CLOUD COMPUTING

ABSTRACT The advantages and challenges of cloud computing services adoption by Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) in the Kumasi Metropolis are examined in this paper. SMEs in Ghana lack adequate information technology skills for record keeping and information management, marketing and processing. It will be beneficial for SMEs in Ghana to use cloud conjugating for enable productivity, dependability, cost savings, and corporate cooperation. Although, the benefits of cloud computing are enormous, due to a number of obstacles, the widespread implementation of cloud computing among SMEs is slow and discouraging. The impact of the use of cloud computing on the performance of the organization has also been thoroughly explored in this study. Using a combination of methods. the study gathered quantitative data using questionnaires. whereas interview guides were used to gather qualitative data. In assessing the effects of the use of cloud computing on the firm\u27s performance, a simple linear regression was used to ascertain the correlation between them. The findings establish that cloud computing has a major influence on business performance. Data were gathered in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area

THE AGRICULTURE 4.0 PARADIGM: STATE OF THE ART, INNOVATIONS AND FUTURE AGENDA

Nei prossimi decenni, il settore agricolo globale dovrà affrontare sfide importanti. L'agricoltura subirà cambiamenti sostanziali e trasformativi dovuti all'introduzione di nuove tecnologie, alla digitalizzazione dei processi e delle catene del valore e all'imperativo della sostenibilità. Secondo questa visione, le aziende (agricole) possono sfruttare gli straordinari miglioramenti delle tecnologie (e delle soluzioni) digitali la cui adozione ha portato alla cosiddetta quarta rivoluzione industriale, che in questo campo di applicazione è nota come "Agricoltura 4.0" (A4.0). In effetti, numerosi lavori in letteratura hanno analizzato le tecnologie abilitanti A4.0 per quanto riguarda le loro specifiche tecniche, l'architettura e il dominio di utilizzo; ne sono un esempio l'Internet delle cose (IoT), l'analisi dei dati e i Big Data, il Cloud Computing e la tecnologia dei sistemi cyber-fisici (CPS), l'intelligenza artificiale (AI) e l'apprendimento automatico (ML), la realtà virtuale e aumentata (VR e AR), la robotica e l'automazione, i droni e i veicoli aerei senza pilota (UAV), l'elaborazione delle immagini, il sistema informativo geografico (GIS) e l'analisi. Tuttavia, un'analisi e una descrizione completa del paradigma e delle modalità di adozione nelle aziende agricole sono meno importanti, così come l'evidenza di studi empirici sull'impatto di A4.0 sulle aziende agricole. Per colmare questa lacuna, questa tesi offrirà contributi da tre prospettive (A, B e C). Il primo contributo è una revisione sistematica della letteratura (SLR), che esplora 1): quali sono i domini applicativi in cui trova applicazione l'Agricoltura 4.0, 2): quali tecnologie consentono l'implementazione dell'Agricoltura 4.0; 3): descrive i vantaggi chiave associati all'adozione dell'Agricoltura 4.0 (contributo A). Il secondo e il terzo contributo sono studi descrittivi e di indagine longitudinale, che 1) indagano lo stato dell'arte del paradigma A4.0 nelle aziende italiane (contributo B), 2) confrontano l'avanzamento dello stato dell'arte dell'I4.0 in un intervallo di due anni nel settore agricolo italiano (contributo C); questi contributi sono principalmente volti a fornire evidenze empiriche su come le soluzioni A4.0 stanno impattando sulle aziende e su come il paradigma si sta evolvendo. I risultati di questo progetto di ricerca contribuiscono alla letteratura sull'agricoltura 4.0. In particolare, la SLR per le applicazioni I4.0 nel contesto manifatturiero fornisce una descrizione dettagliata e olistica dei casi d'uso delle tecnologie abilitanti I4.0 nei processi del ciclo di vita delle aziende manifatturiere. In secondo luogo, l'indagine descrittiva sullo stato dell'arte dell'I4.0 nelle aziende manifatturiere italiane fornisce una descrizione concreta di come l'I4.0 è conosciuto e adottato dalle aziende, nonché dei benefici e degli ostacoli corrispondenti. In terzo luogo, attraverso uno studio dinamico dello stato dell'arte, confrontando i dati raccolti nel 2021 e nel 2023, viene dimostrata la caratteristica evolutiva dell'A4.0In the upcoming decades, the global agricultural sector will grapple with significant challenges. Agriculture will experience substantial and transformative changes due to the introduction of new technologies, digitalization of processes and value chains, and the imperative of sustainability. According to this view, companies (farms) can exploit the outstanding improvements in digital technologies (and solutions) whose adoption has brought to the so-called fourth industrial revolution, which in this field of application is known as “Agriculture 4.0” (A4.0). Indeed, numerous literature has investigated A4.0 enabling technologies with regards to their technical specification, architecture, and domain of use, examples are Internet of Things (IoT), Data Analytics and Big Data, Cloud Computing and Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR & AR), Robotics and Automation, Drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Image Processing, Geographic information system (GIS) and analytics. However, a comprehensive analysis and description of the paradigm, as well as the adoption mode in farms is of less concern, as well as the evidence from empirical studies on how farms are impacted by A4.0. To fill this gap, this dissertation will make contributions from three perspectives (A, B and C). The first contribution is a systematic literature review (SLR), which explores 1): what are the application domains where Agriculture 4.0 finds its applications, 2): which technologies enable the implementation of Agriculture 4.0; 3): describing the key advantages associated with adopting Agriculture 4.0 (contribution A). The second and third contributions are descriptive and longitudinal survey studies, which 1) investigate the state-of-the-art of A4.0 paradigm in Italian companies (contribution B), 2) compare the I4.0 state-of-the-art advancement in a 2-year gap in Italian agricultural sector (contribution C); these contributions are mainly to provide empirical evidence on how A4.0 solutions are impacting on companies and how the paradigm is evolving. The results of this research project contribute to Agriculture 4.0 literature. In particular, the SLR for I4.0 applications in the manufacturing context provides a detailed and holistic description of the use cases of I4.0 enabling technologies in the lifecycle processes of manufacturing companies. Second, the descriptive survey of I4.0 state-of-the-art in Italian manufacturing companies provides a concrete description of how I4.0 is known and adopted by companies, as well as the corresponded benefits and obstacles. Third, through a dynamic state-of-the-art study, comparing with the data collected from 2021 and 2023, the evolvement feature of A4.0 is demonstrate

A Study of Effectiveness and Satisfaction Level of Cloud CRM Users in Taiwan\u27s Enterprises

Cloud computing in recent years has become a popular IT application. In Taiwan, enterprises currently using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) applications seek to take advantages of cloud computing features to enhance CRM effectiveness. However, despite international IT service providers’ investments in Taiwan’s market for establishing a cloud computing environment for CRM users, no statistics are available to reflect experience with actual use. Therefore, the purposes of this study are to understand the satisfaction levels of the current cloud CRM users (i.e., Taiwan’s enterprises) and to determine the key factors, which significantly affect enterprises’ managerial effectiveness and users’ satisfaction with cloud CRM. The basis for the research model is the Information System Success model and the characteristics of SaaS and CRM. This study has obtained contacts with Taiwan’s enterprises currently using cloud CRM, and the complete analyses of valid survey responses will occur shortly

Return on Investment of the CFTP Framework With and Without Risk Assessment

In recent years, numerous high tech companies have developed and used technology roadmaps when making their investment decisions. Jay Paap has proposed the Customer Focused Technology Planning (CFTP) framework to draw future technology roadmaps. However, the CFTP framework does not include risk assessment as a critical factor in decision making. The problem addressed in this quantitative study was that high tech companies are either losing money or getting a much smaller than expected return on investment when making technology investment decisions. The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship between returns on investment before and after adding risk assessment to the CFTP framework. Paap\u27s CFTP framework and process to improve technology investments thus served as the theoretical framework for this study. Data were obtained from cloud computing companies using the companies\u27 market risk data and actual returns on investment data. The results and findings of paired sample two-tailed t tests for means and equal variances showed that return on investment was positively related to adding a traditional risk assessment model to Paap\u27s CFTP framework. These findings regarding the addition of risk assessment to the technology investment framework may be used by investors to (a) make better and more expeditious decisions, and (b) obtain a high return on technology investment by selecting the highest return value and lowest risk value

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