Impact of Cloud Computing on Business Process Outsourcing - Case: Accounting in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

Cloud computing is a model for providing on-demand access to a shared pool of computational resources in a cost-efficient and convenient manner, involving minimal interaction with the cloud provider. Within the last eight years cloud computing has evolved from a promising, emerging technology to a credible alternative for fulfilling organizations' IT needs. Previous research has addressed a variety of issues including cloud sourcing and implementation in organizations. However, there is a gap in our understanding when it comes to the implications of cloud-based information systems on business process outsourcing (BPO). The objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the understanding of how the introduction of cloud-based-information systems affects BPO arrangements. The context of this research is professional business-to-business (B2B) services outsourcing by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). This setting is depicted as an outsourcing triangle, which includes a client company, a professional service provider, and a cloud-based information system. The four essays included in this dissertation investigate the implications of cloud computing from the perspective of the three sides of the triangle. The first essay seeks to understand factors behind cloud computing adoption in organizations. The second and third essays investigate the outsourcing patterns of client companies and BPO decision-making in the context of cloud-based information systems. Finally, the fourth essay addresses changes in the organization of professional service providers. The main theoretical contributions of the dissertation include (1) a revised cloud computing adoption framework, (2) a conceptualization of the outsourcing continuum, (3) an enhanced understanding of transaction costs in the cloud context, and (4) a framework of virtual organization for professional B2B service providers. For practitioners, this dissertation offers a set of guidelines for the implementation of cloud-based information systems in BPO arrangements, and the reorganization of work to suit the technology

Uncovering the nature of the relationship between outsourcing motivations and the degree of outsourcing: An empirical study on Finnish small and medium-sized enterprises

Prior literature has identified several outsourcing motivations, such as cost reduction and access to expertise, and deciphered the influence of these variables on outsourcing decisions. In another stream of outsourcing studies, researchers have gauged the degree of outsourcing, unearthing how companies may choose to outsource a set or processes instead of the whole business function. In this article, we draw on both of these streams of outsourcing research to study the relationship between outsourcing motivations and the degree of outsourcing within a particular business function. We probe the effect of nine motivation items on outsourcing decision through an empirical study using survey data gathered from 337 small and medium-sized enterprises. We find that cost reduction, a focus on core competence and business/process improvements are all associated with a higher degree of outsourcing, but interestingly, access to expertise is negatively associated with the degree of outsourcing. This finding suggests that companies that outsource mainly to acquire external expertise outsource only a limited number of processes within a specific business function. Our main theoretical contribution lies in uncovering the dynamic nature of outsourcing motivations, meaning that as companies outsource a larger degree of their business processes, some motivation items become more accentuated and others fade in importance

Competing in the Business Process Outsourcing Industry: A Call Center Case Study

In this paper, we study the business model of a call center in the business process outsourcing industry through case study research method to understand its business model and critical success factors. We found that the case company employed a concept of “virtual call center” and has developed “standard service processes” and “reused” them across various industries, product lines, and countries with only minor adjustment and customization. The case company leaned from Intel’s Copy Exactly technology transfer method and TSMC’s smart copy to take advantage of the experience curve. Its business model, and deployment and integration of information and communication technologies makes it possible to shorten the time for developing new services, reduce CSR training cost, and maintain competitive advantages such that it continues to grow rapidly and is profitable. Therefore, the company can provide streamlined and professional service for their business clients to keep excellent customer relationship. We have observed the new phenomena, “Service Sector Manufacturization” through the analysis of the case data collected

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

Information technology capability within small-medium enterprises

The study presented in this thesis investigates the influence of IT capability on the relationship between IT expenditures and long term business performance. To do so, the Resource Based View (RBV) has been used as the theoretical framework, and, within such a framework, the concept of sustainable competitive advantage has been used as a point of reference. IT capability, a term often mentioned in the scientific literature dealing with the applications of RBV in the IS field, has been the subject of this study. Within the IS discipline, IT capability is perceived to have considerable influence on the effect of IT expenditure on the long term results of an organization. However, few studies have identified the extent of this influence and indeed the very definition of IT capability has been so ambiguous that no measurement instrument has been developed and universally accepted. In this thesis we recognized this lack and carried out a multi-method study, to first identify a comprehensive definition of IT capability and then to develop and validate a measure of IT capability and evaluate its role on business performance. The empirical study was performed within the context of small-medium enterprises (SMEs),which implies a lower level of organizational complexity but in order to reflect the reality ofmodern business all such organisations were involved in inter-organisational networks within industrial aggregations in Italy. Eleven SMEs were involved in a multiple case study, and 77 SMEs (belonging to the textile and the mechanical industrial districts in Italy) were surveyed and these results analysed and aggregated to form some conclusions with respect to the meaning and influence of IT capability. The study was conducted over a number of stages to allow an initial definition of IT capability to be evaluated within a case study context and then expanded prior to the main survey. As such the literature review and analysis of previous studies was carried out in two different time periods as the scope of the study was refined

Towards a model of ICT adoption for the ICT Cluster

This thesis is concerned with the exploration of a framework for ICT adoption by ICT microsized companies in the West Midlands. The thesis evolved out of the author's sense of dissatisfaction with several cardinal aspects of traditional approaches to facilitating adoption of the latest technologies in small companies to enhance business performance. Four main weaknesses were identified: first, there is often a lack of a theoretical foundation for the approach taken with regard to interventions. Second, there is ample evidence to suggest that the environment of small companies is complex and volatile and fundamental to the economy and yet hitherto success of the support in this area is patchy. Third, the role of those working to support small companies is largely unsupported in terms of their understanding of the problems. Fourth, small companies themselves are often uninformed of the issues and unaware that simple changes will aid their approach to ICT adoption. Inspiration from three sources helped the author to develop the work behind this thesis and attempt to remedy weaknesses: first, the work of many researchers in ICT Evaluation methods and frameworks provided insights into the value placed on ICT within organisations and the subsequent impact of the perception of value. Second, developments in the study of SMEs provided new insights into the unique environment that exists within small companies and the issues that these organisations face on a daily basis. Third, research around the new field of EDI and eBusness adoption provided the basis for the exploration of frameworks and models that were applicable to the SME environment and could be developed to work with any technology adoption. This thesis is therefore the exploration of a new model for micro-companies, supported by a thorough grounding in these three areas, which was achieved by taking an exploratory research approach. The model will indicate to a small company the weaknesses in their environment regarding ICT adoption and what they need to do to increase the success rate of any proposed ICT adoption. The framework has been developed to incorporate the issues regarding the personal factors of the owner-manager, the firm, organisational readiness, external pressures, strategy and perceived value. The author describes the methodology behind the development of the framework and makes recommendations for improved ICT adoption initiatives. Application of the general methodology through exploratory research has resulted in new opportunities to embed the ethos and culture surrounding the issues in the framework into new projects developed as a result of Government intervention. The thesis proposes three main themes: first that an understanding of the issues inherent in small companies is necessary in order to work effectively in supporting them to make ICT adoption more successful in the future. Second, that a greater knowledge of these issues and the impact that adoption of technology has in small companies can assist those involved in intervention projects. Third, that by drawing together existing models this new framework can guide these companies in their own ability to adopt successfully and raise awareness regarding the need to address these factors. Taken together, these areas represent a new approach to ICT adoption. The thesis demonstrates originality in four key areas: 1. It extends and develops an understanding of the micro-company environment and the issues inherent when faced with the adoption of new technology. 2. It introduces a new model for use by micro-companies constructed from acknowledged academically grounded models, to develop and highlight their ability to adopt new technology successfully. 3. The exploration of the issues within the ICT sector gives unique insight to a vertical business sector. 4. Investigation of the sector within a UK sub-region gives new insights for that region giving an opportunity for intervention to be augmented by the findings.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Towards a model of ICT adoption for the ICT Cluster

This thesis is concerned with the exploration of a framework for ICT adoption by ICT microsized companies in the West Midlands. The thesis evolved out of the author's sense of dissatisfaction with several cardinal aspects of traditional approaches to facilitating adoption of the latest technologies in small companies to enhance business performance. Four main weaknesses were identified: first, there is often a lack of a theoretical foundation for the approach taken with regard to interventions. Second, there is ample evidence to suggest that the environment of small companies is complex and volatile and fundamental to the economy and yet hitherto success of the support in this area is patchy. Third, the role of those working to support small companies is largely unsupported in terms of their understanding of the problems. Fourth, small companies themselves are often uninformed of the issues and unaware that simple changes will aid their approach to ICT adoption. Inspiration from three sources helped the author to develop the work behind this thesis and attempt to remedy weaknesses: first, the work of many researchers in ICT Evaluation methods and frameworks provided insights into the value placed on ICT within organisations and the subsequent impact of the perception of value. Second, developments in the study of SMEs provided new insights into the unique environment that exists within small companies and the issues that these organisations face on a daily basis. Third, research around the new field of EDI and eBusness adoption provided the basis for the exploration of frameworks and models that were applicable to the SME environment and could be developed to work with any technology adoption. This thesis is therefore the exploration of a new model for micro-companies, supported by a thorough grounding in these three areas, which was achieved by taking an exploratory research approach. The model will indicate to a small company the weaknesses in their environment regarding ICT adoption and what they need to do to increase the success rate of any proposed ICT adoption. The framework has been developed to incorporate the issues regarding the personal factors of the owner-manager, the firm, organisational readiness, external pressures, strategy and perceived value. The author describes the methodology behind the development of the framework and makes recommendations for improved ICT adoption initiatives. Application of the general methodology through exploratory research has resulted in new opportunities to embed the ethos and culture surrounding the issues in the framework into new projects developed as a result of Government intervention. The thesis proposes three main themes: first that an understanding of the issues inherent in small companies is necessary in order to work effectively in supporting them to make ICT adoption more successful in the future. Second, that a greater knowledge of these issues and the impact that adoption of technology has in small companies can assist those involved in intervention projects. Third, that by drawing together existing models this new framework can guide these companies in their own ability to adopt successfully and raise awareness regarding the need to address these factors. Taken together, these areas represent a new approach to ICT adoption. The thesis demonstrates originality in four key areas: 1. It extends and develops an understanding of the micro-company environment and the issues inherent when faced with the adoption of new technology. 2. It introduces a new model for use by micro-companies constructed from acknowledged academically grounded models, to develop and highlight their ability to adopt new technology successfully. 3. The exploration of the issues within the ICT sector gives unique insight to a vertical business sector. 4. Investigation of the sector within a UK sub-region gives new insights for that region giving an opportunity for intervention to be augmented by the findings.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The future of Cybersecurity in Italy: Strategic focus area

This volume has been created as a continuation of the previous one, with the aim of outlining a set of focus areas and actions that the Italian Nation research community considers essential. The book touches many aspects of cyber security, ranging from the definition of the infrastructure and controls needed to organize cyberdefence to the actions and technologies to be developed to be better protected, from the identification of the main technologies to be defended to the proposal of a set of horizontal actions for training, awareness raising, and risk management

Multi-disciplinary Green IT Archival Analysis: A Pathway for Future Studies

With the growth of information technology (IT), there is a growing global concern about the environmental impact of such technologies. As such, academics in several research disciplines consider research on green IT a vibrant theme. While the disparate knowledge in each discipline is gaining substantial momentum, we need a consolidated multi-disciplinary view of the salient findings of each research discipline for green IT research to reach its full potential. We reviewed 390 papers published on green IT from 2007 to 2015 in three disciplines: computer science, information systems and management. The prevailing literature demonstrates the value of this consolidated approach for advancing our understanding on this complex global issue of environmental sustainability. We provide an overarching theoretical perspective to consolidate multi-disciplinary findings and to encourage information systems researchers to develop an effective cumulative tradition of research