Business Intelligence and Analytics in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

This thesis presents a study of Business Intelligence and Analytics (BI&A) adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Although the importance of BI&A is widely accepted, empirical research shows SMEs still lag in BI&A proliferation. Thus, it is crucial to understand the phenomenon of BI&A adoption in SMEs. This thesis will investigate and explore BI&A adoption in SMEs, addressing the main research question: How can we understand the phenomenon of BI&A adoption in SMEs? The adoption term in this thesis refers to all the IS adoption stages, including investment, implementation, utilization, and value creation. This research uses a combination of a literature review, a qualitive exploratory approach, and a ranking-type Delphi study with a grounded Delphi approach. The empirical part includes interviews with 38 experts and Delphi surveys with 39 experts from various Norwegian industries. The research strategy investigates the factors influencing BI&A adoption in SMEs. The study examined the investment, implementation, utilization, and value creation of BI&A technologies in SMEs. A thematic analysis was adopted to collate the qualitative expert interview data and search for potential themes. The Delphi survey findings were further examined using the grounded Delphi method. To better understand the study’s findings, three theoretical perspectives were applied: resource-based view theory, dynamic capabilities, and IS value process models. The thesis’ research findings are presented in five articles published in international conference proceedings and journals. This thesis summary will coherently integrate and discuss these results.publishedVersio

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

Standards in Disruptive Innovation: Assessment Method and Application to Cloud Computing

Die Dissertation schlägt ein konzeptionelles Informationsmodell und eine Methode zur Bewertung von Technologie-Standards im Kontext von Disruptiven Innovationen vor. Das konzeptionelle Informationsmodell stellt die Grundlage zur Strukturierung relevanter Informationen dar. Die Methode definiert ein Prozessmodell, das die Instanziierung des Informationsmodells für verschiedenen Domänen beschreibt und Stakeholder bei der Klassifikation und Evaluation von Technologie-Standards unterstützt

Cloud Technology Selection: A structured framework for decision making

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementThis study aims to get organizations to improve their decision making during the selection of cloud technology process. As the technology evolves alongside an ever-increasing abundance in market offer, it may be challenging to choose the desirable service that encompasses several business approaches. For the purpose of this study to be attained, the reader must first comprehend the definition of Cloud Technology: it is the delivery of IT resources over the Internet, being applications, software, storage, among other services. Furthermore, understanding the current main technologies/architectures and their capabilities/limitations will play an important role in designing and developing the prospected solution. A thoroughly research will be produced to better define the criteria used in the process. Despite the fact that technology is able to be tailored up to a certain level for the organization needs, a higher level of participation will encourage vendors and architecture designers to develop a better knowledge on the companies’ desires, thus delivering more appropriate features to their unique needs

Critical Success Factors for Electronic Therapy—A Delphi Study

E-therapy employs a cross-section of online psychotherapies that use many of the same traditional face-to-face techniques as psychotherapy by exploiting electronic synchronous communication between a patient and trained therapists (counselors, psychoanalyst’s, or other licensed practitioners). A Delphi study of practicing therapists revealed five critical success factors (CSFs) (technological, managerial, empathic, service quality, and legal) that are important influences in the implementation of e-therapy services. Results suggest that managerial and legal factors hinder wider acceptance of e-therapy services. Secure and effective communication channels and protection of patient data emerge as important themes in the context of the five CSFs as concerns of potential e-therapists in wanting to provide effective care to patients

Critical Success Factors in Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation in U.S. Manufacturing

Organizational leaders have increasingly turned to enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications, also known as decision-support systems, to make their firms\u27 operational, tactical, and strategic processes more efficient and effective in the changing global marketplace. High failure rates in ERP systems implementations make these projects risky, however. Most prior research on critical success factors for conventional ERP implementation has been on large enterprises, resulting in a gap in knowledge on these factors in the small and medium enterprises that constitute the majority of U.S. employer firms. A qualitative modified Delphi study with an expert panel of U.S. manufacturing consultants and 3 iterative rounds of data collection and analysis revealed consensus on 8 critical success factors in ERP implementations, with the highest agreement on top management support and commitment, enterprise resource planning fit with the organization, quality management, and a small internal team of the best employees. In addition to furthering knowledge in the fields of leadership and enterprise applications, the study expands enterprise resource planning experts\u27 and scholars\u27 understanding of strategies to improve project success and the triple bottom line for any size enterprise in the manufacturing industry. Practitioners in the ERP industry can also apply approaches outlined during ERP implementations to mitigate risk during these engagements. Implications for positive social change include additional job opportunities and higher wages through increased efficiencies in ERP applications

Financial Services Innovation: Opportunities for Transformation Through Facial Recognition and Digital Wallet Patents

Bringing innovation to the marketplace for new products and services involves creativity, a culture in which change flourishes, and leadership that thrives on transformation and complexity. This study explored the potential for market disruption or change based on innovations involving patents granted to nonfinancial services organizations that could affect financial services, specifically consumer or retail bank products. It involved analyzing documents related to recently granted patents and completing a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi research technique. This method required multiple iterations of a survey presented to expert panelists or industry thought leaders to attempt to gain consensus ( Consensus , 2011) or general agreement by the group (Tersine & Riggs, 1976). With this research method, the goal is to gain an understanding of initial individual perspectives. Through an iterative process, then determine if, as a group, they can move toward a common vision of what is likely to happen after viewing other\u27s perspectives. This research was specific to two innovations for which patents have been granted: facial recognition and digital wallets. Patents can provide insights into potential new developments planned by organizations. In some cases, patents can provide insights into innovation, potential threats, opportunities, or disruptions that could change the way a market operates. The goal of this research was to select two recent patents from many that have been granted, develop theoretical insights, and, through a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi methodology, identify when or if these patents could have an impact on financial services. This research brought together thought leaders in an anonymous, collaborative approach to assess considerations and provide their perspective on these changes. This study served to help leaders drive innovation in financial services organizations and to understand how others perceive these innovations. The electronic version of this Dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.etd.ohiolink.ed

Financial Services Innovation: Opportunities for Transformation Through Facial Recognition and Digital Wallet Patents

Bringing innovation to the marketplace for new products and services involves creativity, a culture in which change flourishes, and leadership that thrives on transformation and complexity. This study explored the potential for market disruption or change based on innovations involving patents granted to nonfinancial services organizations that could affect financial services, specifically consumer or retail bank products. It involved analyzing documents related to recently granted patents and completing a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi research technique. This method required multiple iterations of a survey presented to expert panelists or industry thought leaders to attempt to gain consensus ( Consensus , 2011) or general agreement by the group (Tersine & Riggs, 1976). With this research method, the goal is to gain an understanding of initial individual perspectives. Through an iterative process, then determine if, as a group, they can move toward a common vision of what is likely to happen after viewing other\u27s perspectives. This research was specific to two innovations for which patents have been granted: facial recognition and digital wallets. Patents can provide insights into potential new developments planned by organizations. In some cases, patents can provide insights into innovation, potential threats, opportunities, or disruptions that could change the way a market operates. The goal of this research was to select two recent patents from many that have been granted, develop theoretical insights, and, through a mixed methods survey integrating the Delphi methodology, identify when or if these patents could have an impact on financial services. This research brought together thought leaders in an anonymous, collaborative approach to assess considerations and provide their perspective on these changes. This study served to help leaders drive innovation in financial services organizations and to understand how others perceive these innovations. The electronic version of this Dissertation is at OhioLink ETD Center, www.etd.ohiolink.ed