Towards the formulation of a comprehensive framework for the evaluation of investments in sell-side e-commerce

In recent years, whilst considerable attention has been focussed on the Internet, and in particular its potential as a sales medium, little research has been conducted into how such investments can be objectively evaluated. Based upon a review of the literature and a series of exploratory interviews, a provisional framework for evaluating e-commerce investments is presented. It is shown that in addition to considering generic issues such as flexibility and implementabilty, an e-commerce evaluation framework should address specifics, such as customer management, marketing and logistics

Performance Measures and Short-Termism: An Exploratory Study

We examine the relationship between performance measurement systems and short-termism. Hypotheses are tested on a sample of senior managers drawn from a major telecommunications company to determine the extent to which the diagnostic and interactive uses of financial and non-financial measures give rise to short-termism. We find no evidence to suggest that the use of financial measures, either diagnostically or interactively, leads to short-term behaviour. In contrast, we find a significant association between the use of non-financial measures and short-termism. Results suggest that the diagnostic use of non-financial measures leads managers to make inter-temporal trade-off choices that prioritise the short term to the detriment of the long term, while we find interactive use is negatively associated with short-termism. We find an imbalance in favour of the diagnostic use over the interactive use of non-financial performance measures is associated with short-termism. Overall, findings highlight the importance of considering the specific use of performance measures in determining the causes of short-termism

Examining a positive psychological role for performance measures

Emerging evidence suggests that management control systems may generate positive psychological effects, leading to higher levels of managerial performance. We extend this literature by examining the extent to which (1) financial vis-à-vis non-financial measures and (2) diagnostic vis-à-vis interactive utilisation of performance measures may be associated with decreasing role ambiguity and increasing psychological empowerment with performance as the ultimate outcome variable. We find that the interactive utilisation of non-financial performance measures can be particularly important for generating a positive psychological experience and (indirectly) increasing performance. Our study contributes further evidence of the psychologically beneficial role played by management control systems

Multiorgan MRI findings after hospitalisation with COVID-19 in the UK (C-MORE): a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

Introduction: The multiorgan impact of moderate to severe coronavirus infections in the post-acute phase is still poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities after hospitalisation with COVID-19, evaluate their determinants, and explore associations with patient-related outcome measures. Methods: In a prospective, UK-wide, multicentre MRI follow-up study (C-MORE), adults (aged ≥18 years) discharged from hospital following COVID-19 who were included in Tier 2 of the Post-hospitalisation COVID-19 study (PHOSP-COVID) and contemporary controls with no evidence of previous COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody negative) underwent multiorgan MRI (lungs, heart, brain, liver, and kidneys) with quantitative and qualitative assessment of images and clinical adjudication when relevant. Individuals with end-stage renal failure or contraindications to MRI were excluded. Participants also underwent detailed recording of symptoms, and physiological and biochemical tests. The primary outcome was the excess burden of multiorgan abnormalities (two or more organs) relative to controls, with further adjustments for potential confounders. The C-MORE study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04510025. Findings: Of 2710 participants in Tier 2 of PHOSP-COVID, 531 were recruited across 13 UK-wide C-MORE sites. After exclusions, 259 C-MORE patients (mean age 57 years [SD 12]; 158 [61%] male and 101 [39%] female) who were discharged from hospital with PCR-confirmed or clinically diagnosed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and Nov 1, 2021, and 52 non-COVID-19 controls from the community (mean age 49 years [SD 14]; 30 [58%] male and 22 [42%] female) were included in the analysis. Patients were assessed at a median of 5·0 months (IQR 4·2–6·3) after hospital discharge. Compared with non-COVID-19 controls, patients were older, living with more obesity, and had more comorbidities. Multiorgan abnormalities on MRI were more frequent in patients than in controls (157 [61%] of 259 vs 14 [27%] of 52; p<0·0001) and independently associated with COVID-19 status (odds ratio [OR] 2·9 [95% CI 1·5–5·8]; padjusted=0·0023) after adjusting for relevant confounders. Compared with controls, patients were more likely to have MRI evidence of lung abnormalities (p=0·0001; parenchymal abnormalities), brain abnormalities (p<0·0001; more white matter hyperintensities and regional brain volume reduction), and kidney abnormalities (p=0·014; lower medullary T1 and loss of corticomedullary differentiation), whereas cardiac and liver MRI abnormalities were similar between patients and controls. Patients with multiorgan abnormalities were older (difference in mean age 7 years [95% CI 4–10]; mean age of 59·8 years [SD 11·7] with multiorgan abnormalities vs mean age of 52·8 years [11·9] without multiorgan abnormalities; p<0·0001), more likely to have three or more comorbidities (OR 2·47 [1·32–4·82]; padjusted=0·0059), and more likely to have a more severe acute infection (acute CRP >5mg/L, OR 3·55 [1·23–11·88]; padjusted=0·025) than those without multiorgan abnormalities. Presence of lung MRI abnormalities was associated with a two-fold higher risk of chest tightness, and multiorgan MRI abnormalities were associated with severe and very severe persistent physical and mental health impairment (PHOSP-COVID symptom clusters) after hospitalisation. Interpretation: After hospitalisation for COVID-19, people are at risk of multiorgan abnormalities in the medium term. Our findings emphasise the need for proactive multidisciplinary care pathways, with the potential for imaging to guide surveillance frequency and therapeutic stratification

Transformational leadership: a response to limitations in conventional information systems evaluation

Abstract:The principles of information technology evaluation typically presume a transactional leadership style. This paper begins with the assumption that evaluation can be used in ways other than as the exercise of transactional leadership. It uses data drawn from a study of the expertise of UK Financial Directors to suggest some of the implications of transformational leadership for the exercise of evaluation. The paper argues that evaluation as framed by transactional leadership is given responsibility for decisions regarding information systems evaluation whilst for transformational leaders evaluation can become the means by which individuals are enabled to take responsibility for their actions

Examining a positive psychological role for performance measures

Emerging evidence suggests that performance measurement systems may generate positive psychological effects, leading to higher levels of managerial performance. We extend this literature by examining the extent to which diagnostic vis-à-vis interactive utilisation of performance measures may be associated with decreasing role ambiguity and increasing psychological empowerment with positive consequences for performance. We find that the interactive utilisation of non-financial performance measures can be particularly important for generating a positive psychological experience and (indirectly) increasing performance. Our study contributes further evidence of the psychologically beneficial role played by management control systems

Examining a positive psychological role for performance measures

Emerging evidence suggests that management control systems may generate positive psychological effects, leading to higher levels of managerial performance. We extend this literature by examining the extent to which (1) financial vis-à-vis non-financial measures and (2) diagnostic vis-à-vis interactive utilisation of performance measures may be associated with decreasing role ambiguity and increasing psychological empowerment with performance as the ultimate outcome variable. We find that the interactive utilisation of non-financial performance measures can be particularly important for generating a positive psychological experience and (indirectly) increasing performance. Our study contributes further evidence of the psychologically beneficial role played by management control systems

Performance measures and short-termism: an exploratory study

We examine the relationship between performance measurement systems and short‐termism. Hypotheses are tested on a sample of senior managers drawn from a major telecommunications company to determine the extent to which the diagnostic and interactive uses of financial and non‐financial measures give rise to short‐termism. We find no evidence to suggest that the use of financial measures, either diagnostically or interactively, leads to short‐term behaviour. In contrast, we find a significant association between the use of non‐financial measures and short‐termism. Results suggest that the diagnostic use of non‐financial measures leads managers to make inter‐temporal trade‐off choices that prioritise the short term to the detriment of the long term, while we find interactive use is negatively associated with short‐termism. We find an imbalance in favour of the diagnostic use over the interactive use of non‐financial performance measures is associated with short‐termism. Overall, findings highlight the importance of considering the specific use of performance measures in determining the causes of short‐termism