The construction of the relationship between ERP and the organisation through negotiation

This paper questions the relationship between the ERP and the buyer’s organisation and the validity of the deterministic and social constructivism arguments in the ERP case. It follows the implementation of ERP in an international organisation and through the Actor Network Theory (ANT) analysis introduces the concept of negotiation as an account for the process of implementing ERP. The findings suggest that the relationship between the ERP and the organisation is constructed through negotiation that is not based on the pretext that one side would dominate the other. The issue then is not about domination but rather how the negotiation and controversy between them ends up. The paper ends by discussing the theoretical and practical implication of the findings

Exploring the democratic potential of online social networking: The scope and limitations of e-participation

Copyright © 2012 by the Association for Information Systems.The availability and promise of social networking technologies with their perceived open philosophy has increasingly inspired citizens around the world to participate in political activity on the Web. Recent examples range from opposing public policies, such as government funding cuts, to organizing revolutionary social movements, such as those in the Middle East and North Africa. Although online spaces create remarkable opportunities for various forms of political action, there are concerns over the power of existing institutions to control and even censor such interaction spaces. The objective of this article is to draw together different insights on the online engagement phenomenon, highlighting both its potential and limitations as a mechanism for fostering democratic debate and influencing policy making. We examine recent examples from Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Finally, we summarize the implications of our work and outline directions for further research

Do different marketing practices pre-suppose different frames of reference? An exploratory study

Purpose: The role of managerial assumptions in the formulation of organizational strategies has been well recognized by previous studies, yet in marketing literature, the effect of such imperative on marketing practice choice tends to be ignored. Therefore, this paper aims to empirically investigate how management assumptions fit with the choice of marketing practices, and how such fit affects performance. Design/methodology/approach: A model is developed and tested using survey methodology, and the data are analyzed using the partial least square (PLS) approach. Findings: The results show that different marketing practices were coupled with different frames of reference, resulting in viable matching profiles. Research limitations/implications: Given the novelty of the approach adopted in this study, conclusions about association and not causation are drawn. In addition, the study is restricted to Qatar which may reduce the generalizability of its findings and conclusions. Practical implications: The findings will help managers to examine carefully the internal logic of their marketing-related profiling, where coherent variables will enhance performance. Originality/value: To one’s knowledge, this paper reports a work in an area not previously researched. In addition, this study is one of the rare papers that examines unobserved heterogeneity using the PLS-structural equation modeling (SEM) in the field of marketing. © 2018, Allam Abu Farha and Said Elbanna.Scopu

Can board environmental orientation improve U.S. firms' carbon performance? The mediating role of carbon strategy

Overwhelming evidence from prior research suggests a positive association between corporate board characteristics and carbon performance; however, very little is known about the mechanisms linking the two variables. This study attempts to fill this gap by developing and empirically testing a conceptual model that highlights the role of carbon strategy in the relationship between board environmental orientation (BEO) and carbon performance. We argue that BEO can directly and indirectly influence carbon performance through carbon strategy. Using structural equation modelling to analyse data consisting of 2,301 US firm-year observations over the 2005-2015 period, we find that the greater the BEO is, the better its carbon performance (i.e., lower greenhouse gas emissions). The results also provide evidence of the mediating effect of carbon strategy on the relationship between BEO and carbon performance. Splitting the sample into high and low carbon-intensive industries shows a partial mediation effect in high carbon-intensive industries and a full mediation effect in low carbon-intensive industries. The findings of the study and its implications for scholars, policy makers, managers, investors and environmentalists are discussed

Neuroendocrine tumor of the appendix inside an incarcerated Amyand’s hernia

AbstractAmyand’s hernia is a rare type of hernia where the vermiform appendix is within an inguinal hernia sac. Tumors of the appendix are quite uncommon. The coincidence of an Amyand’s hernia with neuroendocrine tumor of the appendix, as in our case, is even more rarely reported.We report the case of an 81-year-old male who presented with an incarcerated right inguinal hernia. After resuscitation, the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by computed tomography. It showed an incarcerated right inguinal hernia which contained the distal ileum, cecum, thickened appendix, as well as a small amount of fluid. Subsequently, the patient was prepared for emergency surgery. During the operation, the hernia sac was found and opened. The appendix was swollen. Therefore, appendectomy was performed. The inguinal defect was repaired using the Modified Bassini Technique. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery and surprisingly the histopathology of the appendix revealed a 1.5cm well-differentiated low grade neuroendocrine tumor (carcinoid) of the appendix tip.An incidental finding of neuroendocrine tumor of the appendix in a patient with s hernia is extremely rare. A high index of suspicion is the key to diagnose such a coincidence in order to safely and optimally treat such a condition

Deciding Fast:Examining the Relationship between Strategic Decision Speed and Decision Quality across Multiple Environmental Contexts

Rapid innovation, shortened product life cycles and fierce competition place great pressures on top managers to make fast strategic decisions. However, a key question in strategic decision-making research is whether decision speed helps or harms decision quality, and there is a shortage of theory and evidence concerning the consequences of decision speed across different environmental contexts. We develop new theory by considering the effects of decision speed on decision quality under conditions of environmental munificence, under conditions of dynamism, and under the joint conditions of munificence and dynamism. We test our theory through analysis of multi-informant survey data drawn from top management teams and secondary databases, in 117 UK firms. Our findings demonstrate that munificence is the central generative mechanism which moderates the relationship between decision speed and decision quality, and markedly alters the previously theorized positive effects of decision speed in dynamic contexts

Discrete Half-Logistic Distribution: Statistical Properties, Estimation, and Application

This article presented a novel discrete distribution with one parameter derived by the discretization approach and called the discrete half-logistic distribution. Its probability mass function and hazard function have different shapes. A variety of its statistical properties, including moments, probability generating function, incomplete moments, and order statistics, were determined mathematically. Maximum likelihood, moments, and proportion estimation methods were used to estimate its parameter. A simulation study conducts to check the various estimating method’s performance. By using a real data set, its flexibility is assessed. Lastly, it can model count data sets in a way that is compared with other distributions that are already in the scientific literature

Antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia

We investigated the occurrence rate of antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in exotic pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia. Salmonellae samples were collected from eight different genera of pet reptiles (snakes and lizards). Selective enrichment and selective plating procedures were carried out in order to detect salmonellae. Isolated bacteria were identified using biochemical tests, API 20E strips, and the VITEK compact system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disc diffusion method. Salmonella spp. belonging to subspecies I (Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica) were detected in 29.2% of the samples. All of the detected salmonellae showed multidrug resistance (p<0.001, χ2 ). The results demonstrated that pet reptiles in private households could present health hazards to humans. Therefore, these animals should be carefully handled to avoid infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report regarding the occurrence rate of antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia. The detected Salmonella serovars should be subjected to further in-depth molecular analyses in order to understand the overall epidemiology of salmonellosis in Saudi Arabia.We investigated the occurrence rate of antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in exotic pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia. Salmonellae samples were collected from eight different genera of pet reptiles (snakes and lizards). Selective enrichment and selective plating procedures were carried out in order to detect salmonellae. Isolated bacteria were identified using biochemical tests, API 20E strips, and the VITEK compact system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the disc diffusion method. Salmonella spp. belonging to subspecies I (Salmonella enterica ssp. enterica) were detected in 29.2% of the samples. All of the detected salmonellae showed multidrug resistance (p<0.001, χ2 ). The results demonstrated that pet reptiles in private households could present health hazards to humans. Therefore, these animals should be carefully handled to avoid infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report regarding the occurrence rate of antibiotic-resistant salmonellae in pet reptiles in Saudi Arabia. The detected Salmonella serovars should be subjected to further in-depth molecular analyses in order to understand the overall epidemiology of salmonellosis in Saudi Arabia