The impact of e-business technologies on supply chain operations: a macroeconomic perspective

New information technologies and e-business solutions have transformed supply chain operations from mass production to mass customization. This paper assesses the impact of these innovations on economic productivity, focusing on the macroeconomic benefits as supply chain operations have evolved from simple production and planning systems to today's real-time performance-management information systems using advanced e-business technologies. While many factors can influence macroeconomic variables, the impact of IT-enabled supply chains should not be overlooked. We find evidence that the impact of e-business technologies on supply chain operations have resulted in a reduced "bullwhip effect," lower inventory, reduced logistics costs, and streamlined procurement processes. These improvements, in turn, have likely helped to lower inflation, reduce economic volatility, strengthen productivity growth, and improve standards of living.Information technology ; Macroeconomics ; Productivity

Effect of IT and quality management on performance

Purpose – The present study aims to draw on operations management and information technology literature to examine the effect of three information technology resources (electronic data interchange (EDI), computer‐aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems) and three related quality management capabilities (customer and supplier relations, product and process management, and quality data and workforce management) and their effect on a firm's quality performance. Design/methodology/approach – Hypotheses derived from the key features of quality management and information technology presented by previous authors are tested using structural equation modeling through field research on a sample of 229 manufacturing companies in Spain. Findings – Findings from this study indicate that there is significant evidence to support the hypothesized model in which information technology resources (EDI, ERP systems, and CAD/CAM systems) have a direct impact on related quality management capabilities (customer and supplier relations, product and process management, and quality data and workforce management) as well as an indirect impact on quality performance mediated through quality management capabilities. Originality/value – The discrepant findings in the literature suggest the need to identify contingencies that may govern the IT‐performance relationship. This study focuses on the interplay between information technology, quality management, and quality performanc

Model Driven Information Security Management - Evaluating and Applying the Meta Model of ISO 27001

Information technology has had a significant impact on business operations and allowed the emergence of new business models. These IT-enabled processes and businesses however depend on secure information systems which need to be managed. The management of information systems security (ISS) is a highly dynamic and complex task due to constant change in the information technology domain. In this paper we propose the use of a meta model to aid ISS managers in setting up a holistic information security management system (ISMS). For this we describe how an adapted meta model of ISO 27001, a security standard for ISMS, can be used to aid with general phases of ISS management. We demonstrate how models can support ISS managers in their endeavors. The paper concludes with a pragmatic evaluation by providing an example of how such a meta model can be operationalized for vulnerability identification, before discussing potential future research

Mapping Information systems’ maturity in the Portuguese Hospitality Industry

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceHospitality is a highly competitive market that struggles to improve its performance. Today, the use of technology is a critical factor for more efficient performance. For this reason, hotels are increasingly willing to adopt information systems to optimize the performance of their operations. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the information systems’ maturity levels of Portuguese independent hotels and small hotel chains, to map them regarding hotels’ characteristics and identify patterns among those maturity levels. The literature indicates that hotels are becoming more willing to adopt information systems to optimize their operations, but it is always dependent on the decision-makers. The NEC (Network Exploitation Capability) Model (Piccoli et al., 2011) was employed to evaluate Portuguese hotels' information systems adoption. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed to perform this research. Six hoteliers, from the 77 hotel companies surveyed, were also interviewed, wich represented almost 10% of hotels. The results revealed that some hotel characteristics influence the information systems’ maturity level, which, in average, has a value of 2.7 out of 5. Nevertheless, hoteliers, on average, give a selfclassification of 3.51. Besides measuring hotels’ information systems’ maturity, the study goes deeper. It explores the type of systems used by hoteliers, their main drivers and the limitations to invest in technology or in factors that do not only influence their information system’s maturity. Additionally, this study shows how hoteliers see the technology on their day to day operations and staff qualification investment. Finally, this srudy corroborates the positive impact of technology on promoting business maturity, which consequently boosts hotels’ performance and competitiveness

Differential Impacts of Information Technology Services in the Korean Hotel Industry: A Study of Management Perceptions

Successful introduction of information technology applications in various operations of hotel management is vital to most service firms. In recent decades, technologies of information, automation, and communication are increasingly recognized as essential components of a hotel company’s strategic plan. In this study, 62 super-deluxe hotels (5 star), deluxe hotels (4 star), and tourist hotels (3 star) in Korea are examined for differences in the impact of information technology services on guest’ satisfaction, guest convenience, and operational efficiency. The findings generally suggest that the impacts of information technology-enhanced services vary according to the category of hotels in Korea. The results of the study are expected to assist managers in the selections and implementation of information technology systems in their hotel

Patterns of Advanced Computer Applications in Singapore

This thesis analyzed the state of practice in Operations Research (OR) and Management Information Systems (MIS). Special emphasis is placed on the role of computer technology in these advanced application areas. A major finding of the research reported in this thesis is that both OR and computer-based MIS were used only by approximately a quarter of the survey samples. Operations Research was mainly applied to operational and tactical problems on an ad-hoc basis by various functional areas. The majority of the techniques were used regularly only by a third of the users. It was only with in the last five years that most of the OR techniques were implemented. Overseas headquarters and associates were the most frequent source initiating the use of operations research in Singapore. In contrast to practices in the West, OR has not suffered from lack of top management support. Management-oriented information systems were found in less than half of the electronics firms. An Information Systems (IS) Typology was developed to classify information systems of various degree of sophistication. Using this conceptual scheme, the analyses revealed that number of employees, product type, nationality, age, market and equity capital influenced the sophistication of information systems. The state of practice and development trends in computer based information systems were also examined. The survey found that the use of computers in information systems has been a recent phenomenon and computer impact was mainly felt in lower level management activities and in the accounting and logistics areas. In general, systems management activities were under the jurisdiction of the Accounting / Finance Department-traditionally the predominant location of systems activities. It is not expected that there will be large scale expansion in computer-based OR and MIS in the near future. The manority of OR techniques and applications will continue to be financial in nature, based essentially on an extension of the accounting system to generate information for management decision support. A general direction towards developing management-oriented in formation systems was identified in this research

Leveraging Technology towards HR Excellence

The last decade has seen a significant increase in the number of organizations gathering, storing and analyzing human resources data using Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) (Ball, 2001; Barron et al., 2004; Hussain et al., 2007; Ngai & Wat, 2006). HR to benefit almost every realm of business operations is leveraging technology. Many technology applications support Human Resource functions like erecruitment, employee tracking system, performance management software, e earning mode etc are helping dramatically to improve HR’s ability to carry out effective talent management and get better employer brand. Integration of technology and HR not only mean harmonious co-existing but would also mean the journey towards business excellence. This paper explores the understanding on positive impact of Human Resource Information System (HRIS) currently in use for people management with perception on Information Communication Technology (ICT) applications adopted by many industries. The study follows qualitative research as its plan of action in gathering information. The information gathered in crosschecked with industry to cross check the reliability

A Workflow Approach To Information Systems Development

How businesses evolve and the technology available to them has changed in response to changing competitive environments. Organizations compete in global markets and must maintain international communication and operations. In the 1990\u27s, continued globalization and increasingly competitive markets will call for rapid responses and innovative thinking. In this turbulent environment, information technology will leverage time and human resources. (The Landmark MIT Study: Management in the 1990\u27s). While technology is available to link organizations around the world, the traditional development models and techniques for such systems are outmoded. Current systems analysis and design techniques needto be improved. According to a survey of senior information systems executives, improving the systems-development process is ranked sixth in the top issues facing North America and Europe. Improving information-services personnel is ranked ninth in North America and eighth in Europe (Sager, 1994). The purpose of this paper is to present a workflow approach of information systems development (WFSAD: Workflow Systems Analysis and Design) that incorporates an emphasis on analyzing business processes to improve processing time and focuses on developing integrated systems throughout and beyond organizational boundaries. A framework for analyzing the impact of the WFSAD approach on the management of information systems personnel is also presented

Risk Management in Financial Information Systems using Bayesian Networks

During the last 20 years many technological advances have inundated the entire spectrum of our everyday lives. None of these advances has had such an impact like the IT revolution which can only compare with the Industrial Revolution of the 18th Century. The advent and acceptance of Information Technology as the norm rather the exception has seen this sector move from a tedious and cumbersome manually managed and run sector, to an almost paperless industry that is almost entirely dependent on Information Systems. With the growth of the dependency on IT, the impact of risk concerns on the development and exploitation of information systems has also increased exponentially. Within the financial services industry, risk management involves assessing and quantifying business risks, then taking measures to control or reduce them. These methods are generally built around a well structured process. However, the product coming from the different risk management steps is still largely informal, and often not analytical enough. This lack of formality hinders the automation of the management of risk-related information. Furthermore, these risk management system focuses on specific phases of the software life cycle, without recognizing that risks in one stage can have an impact on other stages. This necessitates the proposed study in order to propose a generic approach that may be deployed to mitigate risks from the early stages of financial information systems development for daily financial institution operations until the post-implementation phases. This paper proposes a new approach for performing a risk analysis study of financial information systems. It is aimed at developing a generic approach for Risk Analysis and Management applicable from the early phases of information system development unlike in the existing models which are applied after the development process. It can be utilized for identifying and valuating the assets, threats, and vulnerabilities of the information system, followed by a graphical modeling of their interrelationships using Bayesian Networks. The proposed approach will exploit the results of the risk analysis for developing a Bayesian Network model, which presents concisely all the interactions of the undesirable events for the system. Based on “what–if” studies of system operation, the Bayesian Network model identifies and prioritizes the most critical events. Keywords: Riks, risk management, Bayesian Network mode