Benefits realisation in post-implementation development of ERP systems

Abstract. Complex applications, like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, that significantly influence organisational performance and business strategies, are the most challenging in terms of identifying and managing expected benefits. ERP systems can generate benefits from variety of underlying factors, but systems do not provide benefits on their own. In this, formal benefits realisation practices can be highly effective. The existing ERP research has largely focused on ERP implementations leaving the post-implementation phase to lesser attention. Nevertheless, the work does not end there, but continues with post-implementation activities which aim to ensure also the future benefits from the ERP systems. Motivated by the insufficient research regarding benefits realisation in post-implementation development of ERP system, this study aimed to identify how organisations manage benefits realisation in post-implementation phase of ERP systems, what challenges they might face and how the benefits realisation is ensured. It was also the purpose to find out what tools or methods organisation use in this. This study was a revelatory embedded single-case study with positivist approach. Qualitative data was collected from interviews and documents supported by data from the ERP system. This study is revelatory, because access was gained to the Case organisation’s data to study phenomenon inaccessible previously. The data was analysed inductively allowing patterns and concepts to arise and the findings were evaluated through theoretical lenses. The aim of all the chosen methods was to get rich, in depth understanding of the phenomenon. It is argued that this study has created in-depth understanding of circumstances and challenges of benefits realisation in post-implementation development of ERP system providing window to phenomenon largely unstudied before. It was identified that old and evolved business processes, which are further complicated by workarounds, can be unfamiliar to Information Technology (IT) and business managers responsible of ERP development making it largely difficult to identify all benefits. Moreover, when subsidiaries are unable to identify new benefits on their own and the benefits further vary from one subsidiary to another, the complexity increases further. These unique characteristics, that surround ERP post-implementation development, require modified approach to benefits realisation practices. This is the main contribution of this study

Teacher’s pain:how to manage cooperation with local companies: practical cases in vocational and higher education

Abstract In this workshop cooperation between educational organizations and local companies will be described with two practical cases: one case from vocational education and another from higher education. From the theoretical point of view this is a qualitative case study based on authentic learning. The background of this study rises from a regional entrepreneurship education strategy, which was done by using participatory method of strategy building. Entrepreneurship education in schools is seen to be significant in developing welfare in Europe. In Finland entrepreneurship education has been systematically developed. In Northern Ostrobothnia entrepreneurship education has been put into practise in various different ways. In the beginning of 2016 the common strategy for entrepreneurship education for the whole region was published (www.minunpolkuni.fi). Goal of the common strategy is to unify and develop entrepreneurial competencies in all levels of education from kindergarten until university. To make sure that the strategy will be implemented to practise in teaching, the teachers were involved in this strategy process. Putting the strategy in practise means continuous development in education and curricula. One important element in entrepreneurship education in vocational and higher education is practical cooperation with local companies. During the strategy building process some data has been collected also through web-based measurement tool for entrepreneurship education. Through the results of this survey we have got results of the level of entrepreneurship education practices in vocational and higher education. One element measured with this tool is cooperation with local businesses. It is remarkable that most of the companies in our area are SME’s. To deepen our knowledge concerning the cooperation some teachers were interviewed both in vocational education and higher education organisations. During the workshop we describe two different cases of cooperation — one from vocational education and another from higher education. In this workshop we will focus on the question: How to manage cooperation with local companies? By presenting these practical cases of cooperation we share our experiences and the audience will be inspired. They will also get ideas to be used when developing entrepreneurship education in different levels of education

Collectively ambidextrous digital service ecosystems: a case of bureaucracy of death

Abstract Public services often extend beyond the public sector, requiring collaboration and interaction between public and private actors. Initiating digital service innovations in collaboration is challenging, especially in large-scale public service ecosystems. While individual service providers may have clashing interests, balancing incremental improvements and radical changes (i.e., pursuing ambidextrous development) requires collective efforts. We report a case of a digital service ecosystem related to the bureaucracy of a person’s death in Finland. We focused on the pursuit of collective ambidexterity, which requires collaborative development among various actors. The suggested contributions are summarized as four propositions to facilitate collective ambidexterity in service ecosystems: 1) adoption of multiple collaboration modes pursuing both efficiency gains and innovation outcomes, 2) parallel foci of top-down and bottom-up ambidextrous balancing, 3) governance of collaboration and (dis)benefits management both intra- and inter-organizationally, and 4) focus on citizen life-events to facilitate development across organizational silos and innovation beyond suboptimization

Modes of Collaboration in Digital Transformation of Municipal Wastewater Management

Abstract Digital transformation introduces new opportunities for public services, such as wastewater management. The opportunities include better interoperability and data availability, leading to such benefits as predictive maintenance and efficient allocation of resources. To reach the envisioned benefits, inter-organisational collaboration is essential. However, municipal water utilities have varying objectives, expectations, and challenges related to collaboration. This paper reports a field study on the digitalisation opportunities of municipal water services in Finland. We report the observed collaboration forms, rationale, expected benefits, and recognised challenges (i.e., the modes of inter-organizational collaboration) for deploying digitalised operations. This study provides insight into inter-organisational collaboration on the digital transformation of municipal water management. On a theoretical level, the study supports and complements the previously theorised collaboration modes of autonomous development, standardisation, and central service organization. The results also describe why and how limited company mode emerges in the sector, corresponding to the previously described consortium mode

Safety and efficacy of eculizumab in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive refractory generalised myasthenia gravis (REGAIN): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study

Background Complement is likely to have a role in refractory generalised myasthenia gravis, but no approved therapies specifically target this system. Results from a phase 2 study suggested that eculizumab, a terminal complement inhibitor, produced clinically meaningful improvements in patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive refractory generalised myasthenia gravis. We further assessed the efficacy and safety of eculizumab in this patient population in a phase 3 trial. Methods We did a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study (REGAIN) in 76 hospitals and specialised clinics in 17 countries across North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Eligible patients were aged at least 18 years, with a Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) score of 6 or more, Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) class II\ue2\u80\u93IV disease, vaccination against Neisseria meningitides, and previous treatment with at least two immunosuppressive therapies or one immunosuppressive therapy and chronic intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange for 12 months without symptom control. Patients with a history of thymoma or thymic neoplasms, thymectomy within 12 months before screening, or use of intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange within 4 weeks before randomisation, or rituximab within 6 months before screening, were excluded. We randomly assigned participants (1:1) to either intravenous eculizumab or intravenous matched placebo for 26 weeks. Dosing for eculizumab was 900 mg on day 1 and at weeks 1, 2, and 3; 1200 mg at week 4; and 1200 mg given every second week thereafter as maintenance dosing. Randomisation was done centrally with an interactive voice or web-response system with patients stratified to one of four groups based on MGFA disease classification. Where possible, patients were maintained on existing myasthenia gravis therapies and rescue medication was allowed at the study physician's discretion. Patients, investigators, staff, and outcome assessors were masked to treatment assignment. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change from baseline to week 26 in MG-ADL total score measured by worst-rank ANCOVA. The efficacy population set was defined as all patients randomly assigned to treatment groups who received at least one dose of study drug, had a valid baseline MG-ADL assessment, and at least one post-baseline MG-ADL assessment. The safety analyses included all randomly assigned patients who received eculizumab or placebo. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01997229. Findings Between April 30, 2014, and Feb 19, 2016, we randomly assigned and treated 125 patients, 62 with eculizumab and 63 with placebo. The primary analysis showed no significant difference between eculizumab and placebo (least-squares mean rank 56\uc2\ub76 [SEM 4\uc2\ub75] vs 68\uc2\ub73 [4\uc2\ub75]; rank-based treatment difference \ue2\u88\u9211\uc2\ub77, 95% CI \ue2\u88\u9224\uc2\ub73 to 0\uc2\ub796; p=0\uc2\ub70698). No deaths or cases of meningococcal infection occurred during the study. The most common adverse events in both groups were headache and upper respiratory tract infection (ten [16%] for both events in the eculizumab group and 12 [19%] for both in the placebo group). Myasthenia gravis exacerbations were reported by six (10%) patients in the eculizumab group and 15 (24%) in the placebo group. Six (10%) patients in the eculizumab group and 12 (19%) in the placebo group required rescue therapy. Interpretation The change in the MG-ADL score was not statistically significant between eculizumab and placebo, as measured by the worst-rank analysis. Eculizumab was well tolerated. The use of a worst-rank analytical approach proved to be an important limitation of this study since the secondary and sensitivity analyses results were inconsistent with the primary endpoint result; further research into the role of complement is needed. Funding Alexion Pharmaceuticals