Web 2.0 and micro-businesses: An exploratory investigation

This is the author's final version of the article. This article is (c) Emerald Group Publishing and permission has been granted for this version to appear here. Emerald does not grant permission for this article to be further copied/distributed or hosted elsewhere without the express permission from Emerald Group Publishing Limited.This article was chosen as a Highly Commended Award Winner at the Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence 2013.Purpose – The paper aims to report on an exploratory study into how small businesses use Web 2.0 information and communication technologies (ICT) to work collaboratively with other small businesses. The study had two aims: to investigate the benefits available from the use of Web 2.0 in small business collaborations, and to characterize the different types of such online collaborations. Design/methodology/approach – The research uses a qualitative case study methodology based on semi-structured interviews with the owner-managers of 12 UK-based small companies in the business services sector who are early adopters of Web 2.0 technologies. Findings – Benefits from the use of Web 2.0 are categorized as lifestyle benefits, internal operational efficiency, enhanced capability, external communications and enhanced service offerings. A 2×2 framework is developed to categorize small business collaborations using the dimensions of the basis for inter-organizational collaboration (control vs cooperation) and the level of Web 2.0 ICT use (simple vs sophisticated). Research limitations/implications – A small number of firms of similar size, sector and location were studied, which limits generalizability. Nonetheless, the results offer a pointer to the likely future use of Web 2.0 tools by other small businesses. Practical implications – The research provides evidence of the attraction and potential of Web 2.0 for collaborations between small businesses. Originality/value – The paper is one of the first to report on use of Web 2.0 ICT in collaborative working between small businesses. It will be of interest to those seeking a better understanding of the potential of Web 2.0 in the small business community.WestFocu

Revisiting IT readiness:an approach for small firms

Drawing from the literature, this paper offers an empirically validated framework for examining IT readiness in small firms. A conceptual framework of IT readiness for small firms is developed and validated empirically using a quantitative survey of 117 UK manufacturing small firms to identify distinct clusters of firms according to their states of IT readiness. The survey responses are grouped according to three distinct profiles that display varying degrees of IT readiness depending upon their strategic motivation, IT processes, project management and technology complexity. The novelty of the conceptual model differs from the prior literature on IT readiness by explicitly recognising the potential effect of IT maturity on the capability of the firm to respond to opportunities in its external environment. The paper also distinguishes between internal IT processes and project management skills

A situated knowledge work context perspective on knowledge management software-organisation misalignments

Underpinned by the work of Schultze and Boland (2000) on situated knowledge work context, and using Bourdieu’s (1990) theory of practice, this paper draws attention to potential sources of likely misalignment between Knowledge Management (KM) software and the implementing organisation. Using the case of a global IT-Management consultancy firm, the paper elucidates KM softwareorganisation misalignments as the consequence of differences between organisational and KM technology developer’s ‘situated’ knowledge work contexts with due consideration of the case organisation’s large and diverse user base. Such contextual differences reflect the differing ‘situated’ knowledge work structures that KM technology developers and adopting organisations deliberately acquire and evolve over time. Theoretically, by giving a more comprehensive account of how knowledge work structures were emergent and then embedded into the organisation that either develops or implements the technology, we wish to provide readers with insights into the sources of misalignment, thereby enriching theory of KM technology implementation. Practically, studies of this nature would help make organisations more aware of the factors that can influence KM software package implementation, particularly in the case of large firms that are characterised by high-value, text-based knowledge for decision-making, such as consultancies, R&D, healthcare or legal organisations

Understanding Knowledge Management Software Acquisition in Organisations: A Conceptual Framework

The increasing importance of Knowledge Management (KM) has prompted many researchers to examine facets of the topic. However, understanding the acquisition of KM software in organisations and particularly the factors and conditions that affect the acquisition process has been largely ignored in the literature. Here we argue that incorporating an understanding of issues relating to KM software acquisition into KM frameworks could have real business benefits such as substantial savings in terms of cost, time, and improved administrative procedures, and could lessen the risk and uncertainty associated with KM software. The paper first examines KM definitions, KM processes and frameworks. Then, it briefly reviews evaluation criteria for acquiring KM software. A conceptual framework is introduced to describe the nature of the KM software acquisition process. Lastly, that framework is illustrated using two case studies to highlight its usefulness. This framework can also be used as a tool to explore the appropriateness of a particular software solution to an organisation by analysing the solution against the factors and conditions depicted in the framework. Empirical examination of the factors identified in our framework could also lead to a better understanding of the critical success factors of KM initiatives

UNDERSTANDING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE-ORGANISATION MISALIGNMENTS FROM AN INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE: A CASE STUDY OF A GLOBAL IT-MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY FIRM

Inspired by the proposition that Enterprise information systems configurations chosen by the organisations will encode institutionalised principles into these systems (Gosain, 2004: 169), this study seeks to draw attention to potential sources of likely misalignment between Knowledge Management (KM) software and the implementing organisation from an institutional theory perspective. Employing a conceptual framework based on this perspective and the extended theory of structurational properties of technology and using a case study of a global IT-Management consultancy firm, the study elucidates KM software-organisation misalignments as the consequence of differences between organisational and KM technology developer\u27s contexts with due consideration of the case organisation\u27s large and diverse user base. Such contextual differences reflect the different institutional contexts where KM technology developers and adopting organisations operate. Theoretically, this study is arguably the first of its kinds to demonstrate how institutional forces can affect KM technology adoption and implementation in an actual business case, thereby enriching institutional theory. Practically, studies of this nature should assist organisations toward understanding the factors inherent within a successful implementation of KM technology in large firms, particularly those rich in high-value text-based knowledge for making decisions like management consultancies and legal organisations

Web 2.0 and micro‐businesses: an exploratory investigation

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Emerald via the DOI in this record.Purpose: The paper reports from an exploratory study into how small businesses use Web 2.0 information and communication technologies (ICT) to work collaboratively with other small businesses. The study had two aims: to investigate the benefits available from the use of Web 2.0 in small business collaborations, and to characterize the different types of such online collaborations. Design/methodology/approach: The research uses a qualitative case study methodology based on semi-structured interviews with the owner-managers of twelve UK-based small companies in the business services sector, who are early adopters of Web 2.0 technologies. Findings: Benefits from the use of Web 2.0 are categorised as lifestyle benefits, internal operational efficiency, enhanced capability, external communications and enhanced service offerings. A 2x2 framework is developed to categorise small business collaborations using the dimensions of the basis for inter-organizational collaboration (control vs. cooperation) and the level of Web 2.0 ICT use (simple vs. sophisticated). Research limitations/implications: A small number of firms of similar size, sector and location were studied, which limits generalisability. Nonetheless, the results offer a pointer to the likely future use of Web 2.0 tools by other small businesses. Practical implications: The research provides evidence of the attraction and potential of Web 2.0 for collaborations between small businesses. Originality/value: The paper is one of the first to report on use of Web 2.0 ICT in collaborative working between small businesses. It will be of interest to those seeking a better understanding of the potential of Web 2.0 in the small business community.The authors are grateful for support received from WestFocus (a consortium of universities based in south west London and the Thames Valley, initially established as part of a UK government-funded knowledge exchange project)

Factors affecting SME owner-managers\u27 willingness to share knowledge online in rural local business networks

This article integrates typically separate SME research on e-commerce, business networking, and knowledge management into a model explaining factors influencing the willingness of SME owner-managers to share knowledge online in business networks in rural districts. This is important because e-commerce can assist owner-managers, often dispersed in rural districts, to share knowledge between face-to-face networking events. The main factors associated with willingness to share knowledge online were their willingness to share knowledge face-to-face and their intensity of Internet use. Entrepreneurial factors such as owner-managers\u27 expectations of rapid growth, trading outside the district, and seeking information about customers/competitors were indirectly associated with online sharing via intensity of Internet use only. The model suggests network coordinators could encourage online knowledge sharing by assisting owner-managers to see the business value of e-commerce and by ensuring that networking events are suitable for owner-managers, whether or not they have entrepreneurial goals, to facilitate face-to-face knowledge sharing

Understanding knowledge management software-organisation misalignments from an institutional perspective:A case study of a global IT-management consultancy firm

Inspired by the proposition that “Enterprise IS configurations chosen by the organisations will encodeinstitutionalised principles into these systems” (Gosain, 2004, p. 169), this study seeks to draw attentionto potential sources of misalignment between knowledge management (KM) software and the imple-menting organisation from an institutional theory perspective. Using a case of a global consultancy firm,the study elucidates such misalignments as the consequence of different institutional contexts wheretechnology developers and adopters operate. This study demonstrates how institutional forces affect theimplementation project and provides some lessons learned for organisations that are rich in high-valuetext-based knowledge for making decisions