Information Systems’ Contribution to Firm Performance: Impacts of Information Systems Strategy and IS Maturity

The evolution of information systems (IS) into a more strategic tool in organizations from its traditional role of a business support has taken root in the last decade. For many, the level of sophistication/maturity of the enterprise-IS is key to delivering competitive advantage or efficiency gains towards firm performance. As such, the adoption and implementation of appropriate IS Strategy is imperative to setting the path for the effective utilization and management of the enterprises-IS to deliver the desired outcome. But what strategies underpin the implementation of the enterprises-IS agenda and how do these influence the level of the enterprise-IS Maturity and its contribution to overall firm performance? The study adopts a quantitative design and cross-sectional approach with survey responses from IT executives of Ghana Club 100 organizations in Accra to examine this phenomenon. Results suggest that although defined IS Strategy positively impacts enterprise-IS Maturity and leads to greater contribution of IS to firm performance, IS Innovator strategy yields greater impact than IS Conservative strategy Whereas IS Undefined strategy is detrimental to enterprises-IS Maturity. Further, the surveyed organizations exhibit “stage disparity” recording different stage scores for the enterprise-IS growth processes. It is imperative, therefore, that organizations not only develop definitive IS Strategy to guide the enterprise-IS agenda, but be consistent in their implementation towards improved firm performance and sustainability. Keywords: IS Strategy, IT Maturity, Performance, Enterprise-IS, Stage Disparit

Consumer food storage practices and methods at the household-level: a community study in Ghana

IntroductionHousehold-level food storage can make food available to consumers, and promotes food security. Nevertheless, attention is mostly devoted to enhancing food storage at the farmer and national levels, neglecting the household level. It is therefore critical to assess food storage practices of households. This study examined food storage practices of households, evaluated expert opinions on household-level food storage, and assessed the effect household characteristics has on food storage and food security.MethodsDzorwulu and Jamestown communities in Accra, Ghana, were chosen as the study locations. The study consisted of a survey, expert interviews and structural equation modeling. For the survey, 400 food household heads selected using systematic sampling method responded to a semi-structured questionnaire. Seventeen (17) experts were also purposively sampled and interviewed.Results and DiscussionThe results showed that, most households stored foodstuffs they often consumed, with generally low storage of fruits and vegetables. Perishable foods such as cassava, tomato, yam, and banana were stored by 37.8, 42, 38.3 and 43.8% of households, respectively, for 1–3 days. Households often stored food within a period of 2 weeks, due to poor storage facilities and lack of food storage knowledge. About 85.8% of households had never received training on food storage. Most households used baskets, bowls, sacks and polyethylene bags to store food at home, and some used refrigerators and deep freezers. Regarding the link between food storage and food security, household heads’ income showed a significant positive moderating effect (p ≤ 0.01), households’ socioeconomic status had a positive effect, while household size indicated a significant negative moderating effect (p ≤ 0.01). The experts asserted that, household-level food storage enhances food security and food safety, and reduces food expenditure and food wastage. The limited food storage knowledge of households should be a basis for intervention to enhance proper food storage practices within households