Exploring the performance effects of Internetworking

Extant theory presents two explanations as to how IT inputs might affect firm performance: direct or indirect associations between IT inputs and overall economic performance are proposed. A survey of 550 firms indicates that in the case of internetworking the relationship is indirect. Internetworking associates with overall economic performance, but only through proximate internetworking related performance. However, internetworking performance explains very little of the variance in overall economic performance. While enhancing operational efficiency, the Internet enabling of business operations offers little IT-derived competitive advantage

Revisiting the influence of institutional forces on the written business plan:A replication study

The present paper re-analyzes and extends a study on institutional forces and the written business plan (Honig and Karlsson in J Manag 30(1):29–48, 2004). We attempt to examine to what extent critical decision making is evident in model and variable choice, and whether the implications provided by systematic replication efforts may serve to provide additional and perhaps unrecognized theoretical and/or empirical observations. We find that the key result—formal business planning does not affect performance, does not hold. In fact, we find evidence that formal business planning affects survival but not profitability. The re-analysis also reveals, that institutional antecedents to formal planning appear to be fragile and prone to researcher biases due to different coding and assumptions. Our study underscores the consequences of access to original data and coding material, and to rely upon current methodological explanations for subsequent analyses

Conceptualizing and measuring strategy implementation – a multi-dimensional view

Through quantitative methodological approaches for studying the strategic management and planning process, analysis of data from 208 senior managers involved in strategy processes within ten UK industrial sectors provides evidence on the measurement properties of a multi-dimensional instrument that assesses ten dimensions of strategy implementation. Using exploratory factor analysis, results indicate the sub-constructs (the ten dimensions) are uni-dimensional factors with acceptable reliability and validity; whilst using three additional measures, and correlation and hierarchical regression analysis, the nomological validity for the multi-dimensional strategy implementation construct was established. Relative importance of ten strategy implementation dimensions (activities) for practicing managers is highlighted, with the mutually and combinative effects drawing conclusion that senior management involvement leads the way among the ten key identified activities vital for successful strategy implementation

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

Screening and evaluating potential merger or acquisition candidates: Some suggestions for a critical process

Corporate growth through merger and acquisition is one of the many growth strategies open to the firm. Such a growth strategy can be divided into three stages: formulating the merger/acquisition strategy; screening and evaluating potential candidates; and implementing and integrating the merger/acquisition. In this article, the second in a series of three, the focus is on the second stage. Research findings into the evaluation practices utilized by twenty acquisition intensive South African companies are reported. Broadly speaking, evaluation in the South African context is seen primarily as a team effort, and the domain of top management, assisted by staff personnel where necessary. Taking between one to three months to complete, the evaluation practices of organizations represented display considerable variance. Some adopt a structured approach, and utilize formally developed evaluation checklists, while others rely on an ad hoc, informal approach. While several methods to evaluate managerial competence were suggested, no process to evaluate either managerial compatibility or the culture of potential candidates were discovered. Understanding of the concept of organizational culture was found to be minimal, though the research findings indicate a contingent role for organizational culture in the merger/acquisition process. The article is concluded by making some suggestions which, while not guaranteeing transaction success, should lessen the chance of failure being attributable to inadequate candidate evaluation

The structural and performance effects of internetworking: Why IT still matters, and probably more than you think!

(The Internet enabling of business operations is affecting the scope, structure, and performance of firms, and this article shows that deeply internetworked firms are more focused, less hierarchical, and form external partnerships more readily. They are also more operationally efficient. However, though clear operational benefits associate with Internet enabling, little IT derived competitive advantage is noted. By differentiating operational from strategic internetworking we explain why this should be so. However, this lack of any notable competitive advantage does not mean Internet enabling is any less important, nor that IT no longer matters. Internetworking’s operational effects are so profound in their own right that they warrant attention regardless of the presence (or otherwise) of any strategic effects. New forms of organization and better methods of operational integration and control are emerging, and these structural and performance effects are seen because internetworking is being widely dispersed and effectively commoditized. Despite its utility - like status IT still matters, now more than ever)