Strategies and Influencing Factors for Big Data Exploration

Many enterprises feel the need to explore the possibilities big data may provide for their business. However, they hesitate to apply big data, as they are unsure how to successfully identify new opportunities. We analyze in a multiple case study how companies start to investigate big data applications. Based on these case studies, we find two generic strategies companies tend to follow. These strategies focus either on the search for potential business opportunities or on the need to develop technology infrastructure. In order to understand the strategy selection, we utilize the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. Our findings are twofold. First, we identify factors that influence the choice of strategy. Second, we identify the factors that influence the initiation phase of big data adoption within a chosen strategy

How to start with big data - a multiple case study

As part of an advancing digitalization, many enterprises feel the need to explore the possibilities big data may provide for their business. However, only a few companies use big data applications productively, despite its high expected potential. How companies examine the possibilities of big data, is therefore a highly interesting and relevant question. Based on a multiple case study we identify three different approaches: Companies either initially focus entirely on business aspects, or on a systematic build-up of a big data technology and data platform. Innovation adoption research is used as a theoretical basis

A Comparison of Smart City Development and Big Data Analytics Adoption Approaches.

This paper intends to elucidate the similarities between smart city development and big data analytics adoption. Both concepts promise new opportunities: smart cities to improve citizens’ life quality and big data analytics to drive companies towards the competitive edge. Consequently, the number of organisational big data initiatives and efforts to implement smart city concepts are increasing. In the context of big data analytics adoption, it could be shown that there are two distinct approaches companies follow. They either focus on the search for potential use cases or on the development of a technology infrastructure. Based on a comparison of various smart city and big data analytics use cases, this paper discloses that both of these approaches either concentrate on developing new service development or providing the required infrastructures for future services

STARTING POINTS FOR BIG DATA ADOPTION

As part of an advancing digitization, many enterprises feel the need to explore the possibilities big data may provide for their business. However, only a few companies use big data applications productively, despite its high expected potential. How companies examine the possibilities of big data, is therefore a highly interesting and relevant question. Based on a multiple case study we identify three different approaches and factors that influence the choice of approach: Companies either initially focus entirely on business aspects, or on a systematic build-up of a big data technology and data platform. Innovation adoption research is used as a theoretical basis

Strategies for the Initiation Phase of IT Innovation Adoption

For decades, enterprises have to face transformational processes triggered by technological progress. At present, digital transformation and its effects are in the focus of companies in all industries. Compared to previous information technology enabled transformations, the digital transformation goes far beyond organization’s processes and changes enterprises, markets and society. The technological advances that are associated with this development present companies both game-changing opportunities and existential threats. New technologies are ubiquitous, available at low cost and can be applied and combined in various ways. Companies must therefore orient themselves in a multitude of technological possibilities and evaluate which technologies are most beneficial for them. Simultaneously, the digital transformation requires companies not only simply introduce new technologies, but also exploit them in innovative ways. Using the example of two current IT trends that reflect this development, this dissertation examines the research question of what approaches can be identified when organizations explore the potentials of IT driven innovations and what factors influence the choice of approach. Based on multiple case studies, it investigates how companies approach the adoption of big data and how cities adopt new technologies for smart services. Both trends are triggered by a large bundle of mostly similar technologies and methods. The diversity of new possibilities challenges organizations to identify and leverage the most valuable ones. In particular, the initiation phase, where organizations initially explore the manifold options of new technologies, poses a first serious obstacle. To study this in detail, two theories are used: The innovation adoption process of Rogers as a theoretical lens for the activities of organizations and the technology-organization-environment framework to structure decision criteria during innovation adoption. The results from the big data cases show that three different approaches exist: Companies start (1) with the identification of big data use cases considering only business aspects, (2) with a systematic build-up of a big data technology and data platform, (3) or with reducing data silos for traditional data analyses and a later systematic build-up of a big data platform. Two approaches could be recognized in the initiation phase of smart service adoption in cities: Smart city initiatives start either (1) with identifying use cases for smart services solving urban challenges or (2) with lowering the hurdles for the implementation of future use cases by a systematic build-up of a technological platform. Summing up the results, this thesis contributes to a better understanding of IT innovation adoption in the era of digitalization. Practitioners can compare and restructure their approaches for IT innovation adoption. Researchers gain insights into how innovation adoption is shaped by organizations and how innovation adoption theories can be applied to understand such phenomena.Seit Jahrzehnten sehen sich Unternehmen mit Veränderungsprozessen konfrontiert, die durch technologische Fortschritte ausgelöst werden. Die Digitale Transformation und ihre Auswirkungen stehen derzeit im Fokus von Unternehmen. Im Vergleich zu früheren durch Informationstechnologie ermöglichte Transformationen geht die Digitale Transformation weit über die Prozesse eines Unternehmens hinaus und verändert ganze Konzerne, Märkte und Gesellschaften. Der technologische Fortschritt, der mit der Digitalisierung einhergeht, bietet Unternehmen sowohl wegweisende Möglichkeiten als auch existenzielle Bedrohungen. Neue Technologien erscheinen allgegenwärtig, sind kostengünstig verfügbar und können auf vielfältige Weise eingesetzt und kombiniert werden. Unternehmen müssen sich daher in einer Vielzahl von technologischen Möglichkeiten orientieren und bewerten, welche Technologien für sie am vorteilhaftesten sind. Gleichzeitig erfordert die Digitale Transformation, dass Unternehmen neue Technologien nicht nur einfach einführen, sondern auch auf innovative Weise nutzen und neuartige Anwendungsfälle identifizieren. Am Beispiel zweier aktueller IT-Trends, die diese Entwicklung widerspiegeln, untersucht diese Arbeit die Forschungsfrage, welche generischen Ansätze identifiziert werden können, wenn Unternehmen die Potenziale von IT-getriebenen Innovationen eruieren und welche Faktoren die Wahl eines Ansatzes beeinflussen. Auf der Basis multipler Fallstudien wird untersucht, wie Unternehmen bei der Einführung von Big Data vorgehen und wie Städte Potenziale für Smart Services identifizieren. Der Forschungsarbeit liegen zwei Theorien zu Grunde: Der Prozess der Innovationsadoption von Rogers als theoretische Linse für die Aktivitäten von Organisationen und das Technology-Organization-Environment Framework, um Entscheidungskriterien während der Innovationsadoption zu strukturieren. Die Ergebnisse der Big-Data-Fallstudien zeigen, dass es drei verschiedene Ansätze gibt: Unternehmen beginnen (1) mit der Identifizierung von Big-Data-Use-Cases unter Berücksichtigung betriebswirtschaftlicher Aspekte, (2) mit dem systematischen Aufbau einer Big-Data-Technologie- und Datenplattform, (3) oder mit dem Reduzieren von Datensilos für traditionelle Datenanalysen und einem späteren systematischen Aufbau einer Big-Data-Plattform. In der Initiierungssphase der Einführung von Smart Services in Städten konnten zwei Ansätze identifiziert werden: Smart-City-Initiativen beginnen entweder (1) mit der Identifizierung von Use Cases für Smart Services zur Lösung urbaner Herausforderungen oder (2) mit der Reduktion von Hürden für die Umsetzung zukünftiger Use Cases durch einen systematischen Aufbau einer Technologieplattform. Abschließend ist festzuhalten, dass diese Arbeit zu einem besseren Verständnis der Einführung von IT-Innovationen im Zeitalter der Digitalisierung beiträgt. Praktiker können ihre Ansätze zur Einführung von IT-Innovationen vergleichen und neu strukturieren. Forscher erhalten Einblicke in die Art und Weise, wie die Übernahme von Innovationen durch Unternehmen und Organisationen gestaltet wird und wie Innovationstheorien angewendet werden können, um solche Phänomene zu verstehen

State-of-the art comparability of corrected emission spectra.1. Spectral correction with physical transfer standards and spectral fluorescence standards by expert laboratories

The development of fluorescence applications in the life and material sciences has proceeded largely without sufficient concern for the measurement uncertainties related to the characterization of fluorescence instruments. In this first part of a two-part series on the state-of-the-art comparability of corrected emission spectra, four National Metrology Institutes active in high-precision steady-state fluorometry performed a first comparison of fluorescence measurement capabilities by evaluating physical transfer standard (PTS)-based and reference material (RM)-based calibration methods. To identify achievable comparability and sources of error in instrument calibration, the emission spectra of three test dyes in the wavelength region from 300 to 770 nm were corrected and compared using both calibration methods. The results, obtained for typical spectrofluorometric (0\ub0/90\ub0 transmitting) and colorimetric (45\ub0/0\ub0 front-face) measurement geometries, demonstrated a comparability of corrected emission spectra within a relative standard uncertainty of 4.2% for PTS- and 2.4% for RM-based spectral correction when measurements and calibrations were performed under identical conditions. Moreover, the emission spectra of RMs F001 to F005, certified by BAM, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, were confirmed. These RMs were subsequently used for the assessment of the comparability of RM-based corrected emission spectra of field laboratories using common commercial spectrofluorometers and routine measurement conditions in part 2 of this series (subsequent paper in this issue).Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

State-of-the Art Comparability of Corrected Emission Spectra.1. Spectral Correction with Physical Transfer Standards and Spectral Fluorescence Standards by Expert Laboratories

The development of fluorescence applications in the life and material sciences has proceeded largely without sufficient concern for the measurement uncertainties related to the characterization of fluorescence instruments. In this first part of a two-part series on the state-of-the-art comparability of corrected emission spectra, four National Metrology Institutes active in high-precision steady-state fluorometry performed a first comparison of fluorescence measurement capabilities by evaluating physical transfer standard (PTS)-based and reference material (RM)-based calibration methods. To identify achievable comparability and sources of error in instrument calibration, the emission spectra of three test dyes in the wavelength region from 300 to 770 nm were corrected and compared using both calibration methods. The results, obtained for typical spectrofluorometric (0°/90° transmitting) and colorimetric (45°/0° front-face) measurement geometries, demonstrated a comparability of corrected emission spectra within a relative standard uncertainty of 4.2% for PTS- and 2.4% for RM-based spectral correction when measurements and calibrations were performed under identical conditions. Moreover, the emission spectra of RMs F001 to F005, certified by BAM, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, were confirmed. These RMs were subsequently used for the assessment of the comparability of RM-based corrected emission spectra of field laboratories using common commercial spectrofluorometers and routine measurement conditions in part 2 of this series (subsequent paper in this issue)

State-of-the Art Comparability of Corrected Emission Spectra.1. Spectral Correction with Physical Transfer Standards and Spectral Fluorescence Standards by Expert Laboratories

The development of fluorescence applications in the life and material sciences has proceeded largely without sufficient concern for the measurement uncertainties related to the characterization of fluorescence instruments. In this first part of a two-part series on the state-of-the-art comparability of corrected emission spectra, four National Metrology Institutes active in high-precision steady-state fluorometry performed a first comparison of fluorescence measurement capabilities by evaluating physical transfer standard (PTS)-based and reference material (RM)-based calibration methods. To identify achievable comparability and sources of error in instrument calibration, the emission spectra of three test dyes in the wavelength region from 300 to 770 nm were corrected and compared using both calibration methods. The results, obtained for typical spectrofluorometric (0°/90° transmitting) and colorimetric (45°/0° front-face) measurement geometries, demonstrated a comparability of corrected emission spectra within a relative standard uncertainty of 4.2% for PTS- and 2.4% for RM-based spectral correction when measurements and calibrations were performed under identical conditions. Moreover, the emission spectra of RMs F001 to F005, certified by BAM, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, were confirmed. These RMs were subsequently used for the assessment of the comparability of RM-based corrected emission spectra of field laboratories using common commercial spectrofluorometers and routine measurement conditions in part 2 of this series (subsequent paper in this issue)

State-of-the Art Comparability of Corrected Emission Spectra.1. Spectral Correction with Physical Transfer Standards and Spectral Fluorescence Standards by Expert Laboratories

The development of fluorescence applications in the life and material sciences has proceeded largely without sufficient concern for the measurement uncertainties related to the characterization of fluorescence instruments. In this first part of a two-part series on the state-of-the-art comparability of corrected emission spectra, four National Metrology Institutes active in high-precision steady-state fluorometry performed a first comparison of fluorescence measurement capabilities by evaluating physical transfer standard (PTS)-based and reference material (RM)-based calibration methods. To identify achievable comparability and sources of error in instrument calibration, the emission spectra of three test dyes in the wavelength region from 300 to 770 nm were corrected and compared using both calibration methods. The results, obtained for typical spectrofluorometric (0°/90° transmitting) and colorimetric (45°/0° front-face) measurement geometries, demonstrated a comparability of corrected emission spectra within a relative standard uncertainty of 4.2% for PTS- and 2.4% for RM-based spectral correction when measurements and calibrations were performed under identical conditions. Moreover, the emission spectra of RMs F001 to F005, certified by BAM, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, were confirmed. These RMs were subsequently used for the assessment of the comparability of RM-based corrected emission spectra of field laboratories using common commercial spectrofluorometers and routine measurement conditions in part 2 of this series (subsequent paper in this issue)