Agile supply chain strategy and supply chain performance:complementary roles of supply chain practices and information systems capability for agility

The paper examines the mediating effect of supply chain (SC) practices on the relationship between agile supply chain (ASC) strategy and supply chain (SC) performance. It further examines the moderating effect of information systems (IS) capability for agility on this mediated relationship. Using the theoretical lenses of complementarity and the information processing view of the supply chain, we hypothesize that strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship, postponement, and lean practices, mediate the relationship between ASC strategy and SC performance. We further hypothesize that IS capability for agility moderates each of these mediated relationships. We empirically test the hypotheses using survey data from members of senior and executive management in the logistics/supply chain functions, of 205 firms. The paper contributes to the literature on agile supply chains by theoretically explaining and empirically demonstrating how SC practices and IS capability for agility act together to effect a positive relationship between agile supply chain strategy and supply chain performance

Impact of the Information Technology Unit on Information Technology-Embedded Product Innovation

Organizations increasingly embed IT into physical products to develop new product innovations. However, there is wide variance in the outcomes of the IT-embedded product (ITEP) innovation process. In this paper, we posit that the IT unit’s involvement in the ITEP innovation process could positively influence the outcomes. ITEP innovations become part of complex ecosystems in which they interact with their developers, customers, and other ITEPs. These developments suggest new roles for IT units of organizations. Yet, there is dearth of theory explaining how the IT unit of a firm could contribute to the firm’s development of ITEP innovations in ways to create customer value and improve firm performance. This paper seeks to address this gap. ITEP innovations present new challenges for organizations. This paper builds on complexity science to articulate the challenges and explain how the IT unit can increase an organization’s capacity to cope with them. First, the paper adopts Wheeler’s (2002) “net-enabled business innovation model” to structure the key stages of innovation that an organization goes through in developing new ITEPs. Second, the paper articulates IT-specific uncertainties and challenges entailed in each of the four stages. Third, the paper develops hypotheses explaining how the IT unit could increase the effectiveness of each stage by helping to address these uncertainties and challenges. Finally, the paper empirically tests and finds support for the hypotheses in a sample of 165 firms. The paper contributes to the literature on IT-enabled business innovations by developing and validating a new theoretical explanation of how IT units increase the effectiveness of the ITEP innovation process

Understanding information exchange in healthcare operations:evidence from hospitals and patients

Coordination–or the information exchange among physicians and hospital staff–is necessary for desirable patient outcomes in healthcare delivery. However, coordination is difficult because healthcare delivery processes are information intensive, complex and require interactions of hospitals with autonomous physicians working in multiple operational systems (i.e. multiple hospitals). We examine how three important variables distinctive of the healthcare operations context–use of IT for dissemination of test results (ITDR) (i.e. Electronic Health Records systems) by physicians and hospital staff, social interaction ties among them, and physician employment–influence information exchange and patient perceptions of their care. Drawing from the literature on process inter-dependencies and coordination, vertical integration and social exchange, we develop and test research hypotheses linking ITDR, social interaction ties and physician employment to information exchange relationship, and information exchange relationship to provider-patient communication. Using a paired sample of primary survey data and secondary archival data from CMS HCAHPS for 173 hospitals in the U.S.A., we find that increased information exchange relationship drives provider-patient communication, and increased social interaction ties drives information exchange relationship. Social interaction ties fully mediates the relationship between ITDR and information exchange relationship. Physician employment amplifies the link between ITDR and social interaction ties, but does not have an effect on the link between ITDR and information exchange. We do not find a direct relationship between ITDR, and information exchange relationship or provider-patient communication

MARKETS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID: EXAMINING THE ROLE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

This paper examines how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can enable development of markets at the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP). Integrating ideas centered on the three-fold role of ICT (automate-informate-transform) and on market mechanisms, we develop research propositions explaining how (1) ICT roles facilitate development of market mechanisms at the BOP, (2) market mechanisms enable economic and social benefit outcomes for BOP markets and members, and (3) particular complementary conditions sustain ICT-enabled market development. We illustrate and support our propositions using published and secondary examples. Theoretical contributions and implications for practice and further research are also discussed

Remote, Mobile, and Blue-Collar: ICT-Enabled Job Crafting to Elevate Occupational Well-Being

Blue-collar remote and mobile workers (BC-RMWs) such as repair/installation engineers, delivery drivers, and construction workers, constitute a significant share of the workforce. They work away from a home or office work base at customer and remote work sites and are highly dependent on ICT for completing their work tasks. Low occupational well-being is a key concern regarding BC-RMWs. The objective of this research is to understand how BC-RMWs can use information and communication technology (ICT) to elevate their occupational well-being. Drawing from the job demands-job resources theoretical framework in occupational psychology, we theorize that the distinctive work characteristics faced by BC-RMWs can be viewed in the conceptual framing of job demands. We conceptualize BC-RMWs’ practices of ICT use as possible ways to gather resources to tackle these demands. We conducted a study of 28 BC-RMWs employed in two private sector firms (telecom service provision and construction industries) in the UK across 14 remote work sites. Based on our findings, we developed the concept of ICT-enabled job crafting and theorized how ICT-enabled job crafting by BC-RMWs can help them increase their job resources to tackle their job demands and consequently increase their occupational well-being. The empirical context of the paper, i.e., the study of BC-RMWs, provides further novelty because these kinds of workers and their distinctive and interesting work conditions have not received much attention in the literature

Impact of Information Technology Deployment on Supply Chains at the Bottom of Pyramid: A Separations Lens Separations

There has been recent interest of corporations (e.g. producers, marketers and distributors) in Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) communities because of notions that - business enterprises can (profitably) provide price- and culture-sensitive products to them and economic benefits can accrue to BOP communities if business enterprises can source products from BOP producers. However, supply chains that connect into BOP communities are subject to several difficult conditions such as problems in building distribution channels into remote locations and lack of transportation and warehousing resources. Studies that examine supply chains in the context of under-developed populations do not provide theoretical understanding of particular conditions and problems in BOP supply chains. Similarly, while, the supply chain literature acknowledges the role of IT in supply chain integration and supplier development, it does not theoretically examine the potential role of IT in BOP supply chains. There is consequently, an absence of research frameworks for understanding specific characteristics of BOP supply chains. This research-in-progress paper reports on a larger study, the objective of which is to examine the following research question – How does the deployment of IT impact supply chains at the BOP. We adopt the idea of market and economic separations as our informing theoretical lens and address our question through two sub-questions – (1) What are the separations in supply chains at the BOP; and (2) How can IT reduce these separations? In this paper we report on the first part, that is, on theorization that characterizes different separations that exist in supply chains at the BOP. Our continuing research aims to develop case studies to address the second part, that is, to understand how IT can reduce them. If selected we hope to present some of our findings at the workshop. With this study we hope to develop a theoretical basis to examine distinguishing characteristics of supply chains at the BOP, thus contributing to our understanding of problems plaguing supply chains at the BOP. Second, we hope to analyze the role of IT in mitigating these problems

Synchronous or Asynchronous? Investigating the Impact of Online Learning Overload on Student Outcomes

The shift to online learning (i.e., classes conducted remotely through platforms such as Zoom and Blackboard) due to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in students experiencing online learning overload, leading to adverse impacts on their experiential and learning outcomes, and calling into question the sustainability of online learning. Drawing on the media synchronicity theory, this study aims to investigate how a mismatch between the modes of a communication application (i.e., synchronous, or asynchronous) and the type of communication process (i.e., conveyance or convergence) can result in students experiencing online learning overload. We conceptualize online learning overload as composed of technology related overload, information overload and extraneous cognitive load. We investigate how the three overloads negatively affect student performance and student satisfaction. The study contributes to improving the online learning process by emphasizing the importance of fitting the capabilities of the communication application to the communication process

How Information Technology Capabilities Influence Organizational Innovation: Exploratory Findings from Two Case Studies

This paper is based on research-in-progress that examines how a firm’s information technology (IT) capabilities affect its ability to innovate. Prior research has identified five dimensions of IT capability and three activities related to innovation. The current research draws on these themes and examines the interplay among these factors. We used a multiple case study method and studied innovation activities at three case sites. The findings so far have revealed that the different aspects of IT capability do indeed affect an organization’s ability to innovate and influence the innovation process in different ways. The paper explains how and why this is so, and identifies areas for further enquiry

CAN ICT ENHANCE WORKPLACE INCLUSION? THE ROLE OF ICT ENABLED INCLUSION PRACTICES

While workplace inclusion is of strategic importance, it is not easily achievable due to persistent classification, segregation, and stereotyping that are socially embedded in everyday organizational processes. Our research aims to develop a theoretical understanding of how ICT shapes workplace inclusion. Drawing on a qualitative study conducted in one of the most prominent companies in the recruitment sector in the UK, we present in this research-in-progress paper preliminary evidence of ICT-enabled inclusion practices that can enhance workplace inclusion. In particular, we elicit three such practices – Expanding, Orienting, and Enculturating, and explain how they mitigate classification, segregation, and stereotyping. We contribute to literature at the intersection of ICT and inclusion