Mass Customization through B2B Integtration at Kaved AG

Kaved AG, a subsidiary of the Swiss Dätwyler Holding, mass-produces cabling systems for the engineering, instruments and elevator industry. Kaved is a strategically important supplier to the Schindler Group. The value-enhancing partnership between Kaved and Schindler is supported both by external integration of information systems and an internal network comprising an ERP system and computer-integrated manufacture. This form of e-business support enables machine production of complex and variable cabling systems for elevators. This has opened up an enormous potential for increased efficiency

Improving Consulting Processes in Web Analytics: A Framework for Multichannel Analytics

To control and optimise their marketing activities, organisations analyse customer behaviour on their online and offline channels. This is referred to as multichannel analytics (MCA). As enterprises often do not have the necessary know-how to implement analytics processes, analytics consultants support them in such projects. The problem for the consultants is that a standardised approach, which provides orientation and guidance during such projects, is currently not available. The goal of this paper is to develop a framework, which guides consultants in order to avoid common project-related problems. It is developed employing Design Science Research Methodology. Empirical data collection and iterative validation of the framework are based on literature research, document analysis, expert interviews and a focus group. Results highlight that it is useful to combine a capability maturity model and an analytics procedure model. This allows taking into account the different degrees of organisational maturity during the consulting process

Traditional Businesses in the Sharing Economy: Critical Success Factors and Prerequisites

The sharing economy emerged as an alternative way to earn or save money during the financial crisis. Customers started to share underused products for a small fee. This trend is projected to grow over the next years. Not only is the market volume rising, but also the customers\u27 willingness to use it. Projections indicate that traditional businesses will lose customers as well as market share. Hence, this paper tries to understand why traditional businesses should consider the sharing economy and intends to find critical success factors, prerequisites, potentials and risks. To achieve these goals, a comprehensive qualitative research approach involving six experts was applied. The results show that being customer-centric and adopting a sharing mindset are examples of CSFs, while an important prerequisite is to understand the customers’ needs and wants. These findings can guide traditional businesses with a B2C business model in the sharing economy as a provider of their products and services

A Classification for Business Model Types in E-commerce

Internet business models have been widely discussed in literature and applied within the last decade. Nevertheless, a clearunderstanding of some e-commerce concepts does not exist yet. The classification of business models in e-commerce is oneof these areas. The current research tries to fill this gap through a conceptual and qualitative study. Nine main e-commercebusiness model types are selected from literature and analyzed to define the criteria and their sub-criteria (characteristics). Asa result three different classifications for business models are determined. This study can be used to improve theunderstanding of essential functions, relations and mechanisms of existing e-commerce business models

Business Software Integration: An Empirical Study in Swiss SMEs

The integration of information systems is a topic which has long been discussed in the literature. Due to technological development, the possibilities for integration have considerably improved in recent years. The following paper concentrates on the integration of business software in SMEs and presents empirical primary data of the current situation in Switzerland. The study aims to demonstrate what has been experienced in previous integration projects and what the demands upon future business software solutions will be. The findings show that, in some software modules, the intensity of use and the degree of integration is dependent on the size of the company. 1

How SMEs Strive to Achieve Competitive Advantage with IT-Supported Business Processes: An Empirical Study

Results from a longitudinal empirical study on the use of information technology (IT) in Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the basis of this paper. In the recent survey, 917 questionnaires were collected and analysed. Selected findings are presented in ten conclusions which were drawn from the analysis of the responses. We see that the degree of information integration is very high in Swiss SMEs. Surprisingly, secondary process areas are better integrated across the company than primary process areas. The electronic exchange of data is quite common in SMEs and is performed, in many cases, at an international level. Swiss SMEs see the customer-oriented processes as important for their future competitiveness. On the other hand, they lay great importance on a well-working accounting process and the effective access to a management information system. Most SMEs embrace IT as a way to improve their business. Many of them are open for new technological developments and intend to further improve the interplay between software and processes. There is a strong association between the level of data integration in customer-related process areas and innovation. The integration level in supplier-related processes, on the other hand, has a weak influence on the innovativeness of a company

The Importance of ICT: An Empirical Study in Swiss SMEs

The following paper presents results from a longitudinal study about the importance and use of information and communication technology in Swiss small and medium-sized companies. In an empirical survey, 989 questionnaires were collected and analysed (return rate 17 %). The results were weighted according to company size and industry sector and are thus representative for Switzerland. The findings show that Swiss SMEs – in their self assessment – manage to gain (competitive) advantages from the deployment of information and communication technology. ICT is universally used (even) in (small and medium-sized) companies. There is a high degree of inter-organisational ICT use. ICT know-how and awareness are strongly rooted in management. The general conclusion is that IT matters for Swiss SMEs