Investigating benefits realisation process for enterprise resource planning systems

This research aims to investigate the benefit realisation process for ERP systems so as to develop a benefit realization road map whereby organisations can realize the maximum potential of their ERP systems. This research covers two areas: mechanism of implementation and the destination to change (i.e. road map). It has been found that project management and benefits management approaches are necessary for recouping benefits from investing in Information Technologies (IT) projects. Thus, Project Benefits Governance Framework (PBGF) is developed, and later tested, by combining the two approaches for the sake of realising the expected benefits from investing in IT initiatives. Because ERP demands radical changes in organisations, the neo-institutionalisation theory was adopted to apply PBGF on ERP so that the ERP success is improved. The key connecting element between PM and BM in PGBF is the blueprint design. ERP orchestration framework is developed to show how investments in ERP resources and organisational complementary resources shall be orchestrated so that ERP benefits can be realised effectively. Thus, benefits are classified into three levels (automating, planning, and innovating benefits), and each level needs a specific blueprint. All of these blueprints constitute the ERP benefits road map. Each blueprint consists of attitudes, skills, organisation characteristics, technologies, and ERP department human resources competencies. Based on these results, ERP Business Innovation framework is developed and tested. ERP benefits maturity assessment tool is developed for assessing organisations’ status to show weaknesses and strengths in their ability to recoup different ERP benefits by benchmarking with the three blueprints. This research has contributed by integrating and institutionalising benefits management practices and project management practices. Moreover, it is novel in adapting the orchestration theory to understand how ERP resources shall be composed to achieve benefits efficiently. Finally, it demonstrates that ERP can be a source of innovation if the innovating benefits are managed deliberately

Does Affirmative Action affect intention to leave? The effect of perception of discrimination due to Affirmative Action policies on the intention to leave in a beneficiary group

Affirmative action policies are believed to have both positive and negative impacts on business. This paper takes a novel perspective to understand the negative impact of this policy on the organizational commitment and therefore the intention to leave (IL) on the part of native employees when they perceive unfair discrimination against expatriate employees. Based on analysis conducted by Structure Equation Modelling of answers from a sample of 440 employees in Saudi Arabia, the perception of affirmative action in an organization is found to affect the perception of discrimination (national, gender and religious) in it. The perception among nationals of discrimination is found to fully mediate the relationship between the perception of an organization’s affirmative action policy and organizational commitment (OC). Indeed, this OC fully mediates the perception of national discrimination and the intention to leave. Furthermore, the perception of negative discrimination based on gender and religion partially mediates the relationship between the perception of the affirmative action policy and the intention to leave among the beneficiary group

Cost, Benefit and Financial Risk (CoBeFR) of ERP Implementation

The purpose of this research is to develop Benefits, Costs and Financial Risks (CoBeFR) model to show and measure the impact of ERP related decisions, such as degree of business process re-engineering and the level of hardware investment, on the organisational financial value (OFV). OFV is based on current time value of money (ie interest rate), financial risk, and net cash flows emerged from ERP system. Financial risk, the sensitivity of the organisation net profit to changes in market conditions, is affected by organisational adoption of ERP system. The main conclusion is that there are interrelated impacts of ERP implementation decisions to the organisational financial value. Therefore, decision maker should look at the implementation decision from a new perspective; Organisational Financial Value (OFV) perspective

How Can ERP Improve The Organisation Innovativeness? Factors Derived From Socio-Technical And Contingency Theories

This research adopts the Socio-Technical Theory and Contingency theory to develop and test a new framework for the possibility of improving organization innovativeness. The framework consists of three main drivers: ERP Innovation attitude, organization flexibility, and ERP skills. This research surveyed 210 ERP managers in different countries. After analysing the data using Structure Equation Modelling, that organization flexibility and the employees’ user skills enhance employees’ attitude towards ERP as an innovation enabler (ERP attitude) attaining ERP Innovating Benefits. Consequently, the study found that there is an indirect impact of ERP skills and Organisational flexibility on ERP Innovations meditated by the attitude. The main implication of this research is that ERP can be a source of innovation employees’ believe in that. They will believe in that if the organisation is flexible and they have the required skills and knowledge for using it effectively

Sharing-Economy ecosystem: A comprehensive review and future research directions

This research study reviews the literature on the participants in the sharing economy (SE) ecosystem and its impact on the participants, creating and capturing value through increasing the understanding of the ecosystem’s novel models. The review classifies the participants in the SE ecosystem into primary and secondary participants. The classification is based on the connection to the core network/ecosystem and the role of the participants in the ecosystem. The primary participants are subdivided into groups: customers are subdivided into New Customers (NC) and Current Customers (CC); providers into Product Providers (PP) and Service Providers (SP); and mediators are subdivided into Small and Medium Mediators (SMM) and Large Mediators (LM). The secondary participants are governments sub-grouped into Local Governments (NG) and National Governments (NG); Theories and methodologies within the academic literature on the sharing economy ecosystem are also examined. The study also analyses the influence of digital sharing and explores the value of digital technologies in management strategies and the value of the integration between participants of SE businesses. Recommended future research directions are outlined according to the conducted review

ERP System as an Enabler for Bottom up Innovations

This research adopts a resource-based approach to develop and test a new framework related to improvement in bottom up innovations by means of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The framework consists of five primary resources: attitude, organisational characteristics, skills, ERP human resources, and ERP technological resources. Responses from 210 organisations that have adopted ERP were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Regarding organisational resources, the research results did not support the premise that an organisation’s characteristics (i.e., agility, or the innovation sponsorship) and attitude to technology have direct effects on organisational innovativeness. Rather, it was found that these relationships are fully mediated by the employees’ quantitative skills. Regarding technical resources, ERP Human resources, i.e., the ability to create business partnerships, and ERP technical resources, i.e., the customisability of reports, have significant impacts on organisational innovativeness. The main implication of this research is that ERP is not only a planning technology but also a driver of innovation when supported by the necessary organisational and technical resource

ERP Benefits Capability Framework: Orchestration Theory Perspective

ERP benefits can be classified as automation, planning and innovation benefits. This research aims to answer two research questions: (1) what are the ERP resources and organizational complementary resources (OCRs) required to achieve each group of benefits? and (2) on the basis of its resources, when should an organization invest more in ERP resources and/or OCRs so that the potential value of its ERP is realised? Evidence from studying 12 organizations in different countries and validating the results with 8 consultants has been drawn upon to develop the ERP Benefits Realisation Capability Framework, showing (1) that each group of benefits requires ERP resources (classified into features, attached technologies and IT department competences) and OCRs (classified into practices, attitudes, culture, skills and organizational characteristics) and (2) that leaping ahead to gain innovation benefits before being mature enough in realising a firm’s planning and automation capabilities could be a waste of time and effort. This research can be used as a benchmark for designing the various blueprints required to achieve different groups of benefits from ERP investments

Determinations of System Justification versus Psychological Reactance Consumer Behaviours in Taboo Markets

Purpose: This research aims to understand the determinants of consumers' behaviour and motivations to buy taboo items online. Two theoretical lenses, theories of psychological reactance and system justification, are invoked to frame the role of online shopping in shaping consumer behaviour in taboo markets. Design/methodology/approach: A naturalistic inquiry paradigm was used to test a sample of 34 Saudi women who were buying taboo products online. Findings: The determinant of such behaviour is based on differences in understanding the ritual restrictions between people, their society and their country. The four principal attitudes towards restrictions are justifying, accepting, rejecting and reacting. These attitudes frame five motivations: satisfying the restriction, to be unique, but aligned with social norms; breaking social norms; aligning one's self-image to liberal societies; and joy in challenging legal restrictions. The motives for online shopping are justification/utilitarian, to accommodate other restrictions in going to local markets; and reactance hedonic, to break restrictions. These motivations create seven different patterns of online shopping behaviour. Originality/value: This research contributes to the literature by presenting an alternative perspective on online shopping motivations for taboo products. Furthermore, this research calls for a new socio-psychological theory for understanding the role of technology in influencing consumer behaviour in restrictive societies