A Study of company-initiated training in US and Swedish printing firms relative to prepress, press, and finishing operations

Company-initiated training has become an increasingly important activity in printing firms because of the digital revolution in the industry which started in the mid 1980\u27s. Previously, almost every step in prepress, press and finishing was analog, but today the workflow can be 100 percent digital until the information reaches the paper on the press. The computer is the principal part of the workflow, and it is essential for a printing firm to continuously train its workforce in the new technologies in order to develop the company\u27s human resources, and thereby to improve the workflow and even ultimately to ensure the company\u27s survival. This thesis seeks to determine (1) why printing companies provide company-initiated training in prepress, press and finishing, (2) what sort of training they provide their employees with, (3) how successful they are, and (4) how important they think company-initiated training is in general. In addition, one of the purposes of this thesis is to note if there are any differences in company-initiated training between US and Swedish printing firms. A survey of 13 questions was developed and e-mailed to 10 US printers and 10 Swedish printers of different types and sizes. The data from the survey was analyzed for overall frequency and was then used to test this thesis\u27 four hypotheses. Hypothesis I: Company-initiated training contributes to improved worker morale; Hypothesis II: Company-initiated training contributes to improved worker retention; Hypothesis III: Company-initiated training contributes to improved productivity; Hypothesis IV: Company-initiated training contributes to reduced absenteeism. The printing companies were asked to rate how company-initiated training impacts morale, retention, productivity and absenteeism respectively. The rating scale was 0 to 5 where 0 equals no impact and 5 equals highest impact. Seven types of company initiated training were given: on-the job training (employee-to-employee), internal courses, off-site seminars, certification programs, consultant\u27s help, manufacturer/supplier training programs, on-line courses and other (specify). An average rating for each one of the hypotheses was calculated in order to determine the relative significance of company-initiated training on morale, retention, productivity and absenteeism as judged by printing executives. The results of the survey determined that three of the four hypotheses tested in the course of this work received substantial support. 19 of 20 companies answered that they do provide company-initiated training (CIT). Hypothesis I, CIT contributes to improved worker morale, scored the average 3.87. Hypothesis II, CIT contributes to improved worker retention, scored the average 3.16, and Hypothesis III, CIT contributes to improve productivity, scored 3.89. Hypothesis IV, CIT contributes to reduced absenteeism, scored the average 1.79, indicating low support for this hypothesis (Table 1). The results of this survey determine that printing companies are aware of the importance of company-initiated training, regardless of their type or size, and consider it important in prepress, press and finishing. Prepress is the area that has changed most since the digital revolution, and this is the area that the companies consider CIT most important (average rating 4.78 of 5). However, CIT in the press room is considered important too (average rating 4.31 of 5), while CIT in finishing is considered less important (ave. rating 3.68 of 5). Regarding the differences between US and Swedish printers, the results of the survey indicate one significant difference: retention. US printers consider that CIT has a higher impact on retention than Swedish printers do. One reason could be that there are more printing companies in the US which means more competition and the employees have more job options. If a company does not provide CIT, the employee goes to a company that does provide it and that gives the person the opportunity to grow with the company. This difference regarding retention warrants further study of why CIT is considered more important in US printers compared with Swedish printers. A further study could include a larger number of companies in the survey and could focus more indepth on how CIT impacts morale, retention, productivity and absenteeism specifically in prepress, press and finishing

The CES Framework for Discussing ES

This paper presents CES framework for discussing ES from an organizational effectiveness perspective. The framework builds on Quinn and associates’ competing value approach of organizational effectiveness. The framework can be used to appraise and evaluate ES as well as enhance communication between designers and users about ES impact on organizational effectiveness

Developing m-Services: Lessons Learned from the Developers\u27 Perspective

In recent years the Swedish Police Force (SPF) have encountered greater demands on availability and 24/7 services when dealing with errands that are regarded as low priority compared to regular police work, e.g. collecting tips from the public. One attempt to meet these increasing demands was the development of a mobile communications platform that allowed the public to communicate easily with the SPF using their own mobile phones by sending SMS and MMS. The focus of this paper is on the early phases of development of this m-service, in particular, on the specific technical issues such as interoperability and standards used by the actors on the scene affecting the development of mobile information systems. The learning experiences are as follows: First, mobile communication platforms have a large potential for contributing to the field of emergency management information systems since they can be based on open and nationally accepted standards. Second, global and national standards for sending multimedia messages are not always truly standardized. Operators and mobile phone manufacturers make minor alterations and interpretations of the standard and thereby some of the benefits found in standards disappear. Third, when developing mobile information systems we suggest and recommend that the analysis phase should be enhanced compared to traditional system development, and it should address the interoperability between mobile phones on one hand and operators on the other hand

The Business Model: A Means to Comprehend the Management and Business Context of Information and Communication Technology

This paper presents a conceptual business model, which aims to improve the understanding of the business context of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). We argue that research into how ICT generates economic value is limitedly valid due to lacking comprehensive knowledge of strategy theory and lacking abilities to integrate strategy perspectives, and the fragmentation of strategy theory. We discuss the main strategy perspectives as well as ICT research within each of these perspectives and conclude that in order to improve the understanding of the ways in which ICT generates value, research must integrate different perspectives. We also review some of the new ebusiness texts that addresses business models. The business model is broader than any individual strategy perspective (such as Industrial Organisation, the Resource-Based View or the Strategy Process Perspective) and includes market factors, offering, activities, organisation and resource bases as well as longitudinal management processes. In addition, we illustrate how the management and business context of ICT (such as ERP and CRM systems) can be viewed through the business model

Technology-based Transformation of Digital Ecosystems: The DETT Framework

This article develops the Digital Ecosystem Technology Transformation (DETT) framework for explaining technology-based transformation of digital ecosystems. In digital ecosystems, the fusion relation between business and technology means that the decision of technical compatibility of the offering is also the decision of how to position the firm relative to the coopetive relations that characterize business ecosystems. The DETT framework depicts ecosystem transformation as distributed and emergent from micro-, meso-, and macro-level coopetition, based on interrelated business and technology ecosystems positioning. As such, the DETT framework consists an alternative to the existing explanations of digital ecosystem transformation as the rational management of one central actor balancing ecosystem tensions. We illustrate the use of the framework by a case study of technology-based transformation in the digital payment ecosystem

ECIS - Evolution Of Business Models: A Case Study Of SAP

The ERP industry has undergone dramatic changes over the past decades due to changing market demands, thereby creating new challenges and opportunities, which have to be managed by ERP vendors. This paper inquires into the necessary evolution of business models in a technology-intensive industry (e.g., develop new offerings, engage in partnerships, and the utilize new sales channels). This paper draws from strategy process perspective to develop an evolutionary business model (EBM) framework that explains the components and processes involved. The framework is then applied to a longitudinal case study of SAP to explain how its success in a technology-intensive industry hinges on its ability to reconfigure its business model. The paper contributes to the extant literature on business models in two ways: first, by identifying and explaining the need for an evolutionary perspective; and second, by adopting different value configurations to reflect the convergence of customers, suppliers and vendors

Sourcing strategies to keep up with competition: the case of SAP

This paper applies the Red Queen theory to explain how organizations utilize various sourcing arrangements in order to compete in an evolutionary arms race where only the strongest competitors will survive. The case study incorporates competition, and views sourcing strategies as a means to improve the firm’s viability to survive competition in the marketplace. The study begins by positioning the Red Queen theory within the sourcing literature. It subsequently applies the framework to a case study of SAP AG to illustrate how sourcing strategies have changed over time in response to the logic of competition. The case study reveals that (a) organizations are adaptive systems and capable of learning to make strategic changes pertaining to sourcing arrangements; (b) organizations select the terms on which they want to compete by developing certain capabilities within the firm; (c) organizations are reflexive and over time develop competitive hysteresis which allows them to become stronger competitors. In the case of SAP AG, various sourcing arrangements were selected over its 40-year history to respond to technological and market changes

A Typology of Digital Offerings

This paper develops a typology of digital offerings to shed light on the distinct characteristics of this emerging digital phenomenon. Drawing on Roman contract law, the typology focuses on digital rights offered (selling, leasing, partnering, and agencing) and digital assets involved (tangible and intangible). These two dimensions lead to eight archetypes that we illustrate through the diverse Amazon portfolio of digital offerings. The typology sets out to shape the scholarly discourse around digital offering research and practice and to provide a foundation from which the characteristics and mechanisms of digital offering value appropriation can be further understood and operationalized. Ultimately, by rejecting the traditional service vs. product distinction and instead accounting for offering variations based on the intrinsic merits of digital offerings, we are embracing a digital terminology rather than attempting to transfer the terminology of the physical world to the digital realm

Competitive Moves Over Time: The Case of SAP

This paper applies the Red Queen theory to explain how organizations utilize various sourcing arrangements in order to compete in an evolutionary arms race where only the strongest competitors will survive. This case study incorporates competition and views sourcing strategies as a means to improve its viability to survive in the marketplace. The study begins with a review of sourcing literature to position the Red Queen theory within the sourcing literature. It subsequently applies the framework to a case study of SAP AG to illustrate how sourcing strategies changed over time in response to the logic of competition. The case study reveals that (a) organizations are adaptive systems and capable of organizational learning to make strategic changes pertaining to sourcing arrangements; (b) organizations select the terms in which they want to compete by developing certain capabilities within the firm; (c) organizations are reflexive and over time develop competitive hysteresis which allows them to become stronger competitors. In the case of SAP AG, various sourcing arrangements were selected over its 40-year history to respond to technological and market changes