Operationalization of Configuration Analysis in Interorganizational Information Systems Research: A Research Journey

Configuration analysis is still an under-developed tool for researchers to investigate interorganizational information systems (IOIS) and the forms of interorganizational integration that are supported by IOIS. In our attempt to explain observed phenomena in a target industry we applied configuration analysis proposed by Lyytinen and Damsgaard in their position paper from 2011 on an industry level. We operationalized the conceptual idea of configuration analysis in a research design defining research paradigm, type of reasoning, research goals, unit of analysis and research methods to make it feasible for IOIS research. Our findings indicate that our operationalization of configuration analysis is suitable for research fields in IOIS that have no or hardly any empirical groundwork to observe phenomena and hypothesize about the mechanics leading to the existence of the phenomena

Nested Configurations of Interorganizational Information Systems: Observations in the German Furniture Industry

Interorganizational information systems (IOIS) support inter-company processes in the German furniture industry for more than 25 years. Still, there are deficiencies in process integration and differences in IOIS infrastructures. New market participants struggle to adopt the right IOIS for their purposes. Current adoption models lack to understand and manage IOIS adoption on an industry level. Lyytinen and Damsgaard's configurational analysis for IOIS adoption considers enterprise networks as configurations of interorganizational integration that correspond to a stable pattern of cooperation forms. The configuration analysis is applied in the German furniture industry to identify and explain factors that influence an IOIS adoption decision and constitute stable IOIS configurations. Data collection in two industry segments shows four configuration types in 17 configurations characterized by 39 influencing factors. New market participants must consider the adoption of several IOIS at once in so-called nested configurations to gain access to all relevant exchange relations

An Empirical Study of the Current State of B2B Integration in Practice

With the ongoing process of building business networks in today’s economy, business-to-business integration (B2B Integration) has become a strategic tool for utilizing and optimizing information exchange between business partners. Industry and academia have made remarkable progress in implementing and conceptualizing different kinds of electronic intercompany relationships in the last years. Nevertheless, academic findings generally focus exclusively on certain aspects of the research object, e.g. document standards, process integration or other descriptive criteria. Without a common framework these results stay unrelated and their mutual impact on each other remains largely unexplained. In this paper we explore the current state of B2B in practice. In a research project using a uniform taxonomy (eXperience methodology) we classified real-world B2B integration projects from a pool of over 400 case studies using a pre-developed framework for integration scenarios. The result of our explorative research revealed typical patterns in companies\u27 position in the supply chain and industry sector and the use of the integration scenarios

Management collusion: Keeping the lid on the \u27can of worms\u27

CIOs and CEOs are confronted with the key question of choosing the right ERP software for their company. The evaluation process tends to be painstaking as the outcome usually affects the competitiveness and thus the future of the company itself. Packaged software has become so powerful in recent years that it fulfils the requirements of companies from different industries after a thorough customization process. Nevertheless, case studies and anecdotal evidence show that in many cases ERP implementation projects are demanding and results do not meet expectations. This leads to the question of whether and how ERP vendors are addressing the perceived problems of ERP users. Is there work in progress that will help facilitate the selection and implementation of ERP packaged software for users? Will there be tools available to adopt ERP modules to the specific business processes of a company and – taking into account that processes are likely to change over time – will there be mechanisms available to adapt the software to changing requirements (in the literature discussed as “agility”)? These are the questions that stimulated an in-depth study of the Germanspeaking ERP software market. In a qualitative study based on thirty interviews with ERP vendors we draw a picture of the value proposition of future ERP software

The Motives for B2B Integration: An Empirical Study

With the ongoing process of building business networks in today’s economy, business-to-business integration (B2B Integration) has become a strategic tool for utilizing and optimizing information exchange between business partners. Industry and academia have made remarkable progress in implementing and conceptualizing different kinds of electronic inter-company relationships in the last years. Nevertheless, academic findings generally focus exclusively on certain aspects of the research object, e.g. document standards, process integration or other descriptive criteria. Without a common framework these results stay unrelated and their mutual impact on each other remains largely unexplained. In this paper we explore motivational factors of B2B integration in practice. In a research project using a uniform taxonomy (eXperience methodology) we classified real-world B2B integration projects from a pool of over 400 case studies using a pre-developed framework for integration scenarios. The result of our partly exploratory research shows the influence of the role of a company in the supply chain and its motive to invest in a B2B solution

A Maturity Model for B2B Integration (BIMM)

Electronic data exchange along the supply chain has been discussed in the information systems (IS) academic literature for many years and remains a practical problem for enterprises worldwide. In this paper we present a Maturity Model for B2B Integration (BIMM). The model is a result of a longitudinal research project on B2B integration. The BIMM was developed to assess the capability level for electronic document exchange of players in a supply chain and addresses current limitations of existing maturity models. The BIMM was developed a-priori from an extensive literature review and an explorative study of 112 company cases. In the next stage of the research the model will be validated using real-world data from leading B2B integration providers

Quo vadis, B2B? Eine Literaturuntersuchung von Journal-Publikationen in den Jahren 2000 bis 2008

Der Bedarf an überbetrieblicher Kooperation bei Unternehmenwächst zunehmend. Technologische und marktbedingte Entwicklungendrängen zur Kooperation mit Partnern, wobei sich dieIntegrationsreife vieler Organisationen immer noch auf einemniedrigen Niveau befindet. Nutzenpotenziale von überbetrieblicherIntegration werden kaum von den beteiligten Partnern innerhalbeines Integrationsszenarios genutzt, da die zur Verfügungstehenden Technologien nur selten eingesetzt werden. EmpirischeStudien aus jüngerer Vergangenheit zeigen, dass trotz zahlreicherErkenntnisse und Fortschritte aus der Forschung die gelebte Realitätimmer noch um Jahre hinterherhinkt [14], [17], [22], [29].Dieser Unterschied zwischen wissenschaftlicher Forschung undwirtschaftlicher Realität lieferte die Motivation dazu, eine Literaturuntersuchungdurchzuführen, die den gegenwärtigen Stand undImpulse für die zukünftige Entwicklung der B2B-Forschung aufzeigensollte. Insgesamt wurden 15116 Artikel aus 40 wissenschaftlichenJournalen mit den Themenschwerpunkten Wirtschaftsinformatik,Informationsmanagement und ElectronicCommerce aus den Jahren 2000 bis 2008 untersucht und analysiert.Das Ergebnis zeigt, dass die wichtigsten Fokusthemen fürB2B-Integration Technologische Anpassung, TechnologischeAuswirkung und Design-orientierte Entwicklung von Artefaktensind

Massenprozessmanagement bei Dienstleistungen

Die Unterstützung von Massenprozessen (Prozesse in großer Anzahl) in Büroumgebungen von Dienstleistungsunternehmen mit spezialisierten Informationssystemen (Prozessmanagementsystemen) kann zur Realisierung hoher Effizienz- und Kostenvorteile führen. Moderne Prozessmanagementsoftware ermöglicht seit einiger Zeit, Massenprozesse „fabrikähnlich“ zu behandeln wie Produktionsprozesse. Das Thema „Massenprozesse im Bürobereich“ wurde wissenschaftlich bis dato kaum beleuchtet. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert eine Tiefenanalyse der existierenden Literatur und untersucht Faktoren, die für Massenprozesse relevant sind. Als wichtiges Ergebnis für die wissenschaftliche Diskussion liefert der Beitrag ein definitorisches Rahmenwerk für „Massenprozesse“, „Massenprozess-Management“ und komplementärer Begriffe zur Industrialisierung von Dienstleistungen in Büroumgebungen

The Motives for B2B Integration: An Empirical Study

Abstract With the ongoing process of building business networks in today's economy, businessto-business integration (B2B Integratio

Analytischer Vergleich der Praxistauglichkeit von Reifegradmodellen der zwischenbetrieblichen Integration

Reifegradmodelle gewinnen in der Disziplin der Wirtschaftsinformatik immer mehr Bedeutung. Der gegenwärtige Diskurs betrachtet hauptsächlich die wissenschaftlichen Methoden zur Modellentwicklung (rigor), und weniger den Beitrag eines Reifegradmodells zur realweltlichen Problemlösung (relevance). Dies zeigt sich z.B. in Form zahlreicher Reifegradmodelle zur zwischenbetrieblichen Integration, die aufgrund ihres hohen Komplexitätsgrades eine Herausforderung an Modellentwickler stellen und von Praktikern kaum nutzbar sind. Dabei gibt es bereits ein Reifegradmodell, das den Spagat zwischen wissenschaftlichem Anspruch und praktischem Nutzen geschafft hat: das Capability Maturity Model (CMM). Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, diejenigen Faktoren zu identifizieren, die zur Diffusion des CMMs in Wissenschaft und Praxis beigetragen haben, und zu prüfen, inwieweit Reifegradmodelle der zwischenbetrieblichen Integration diese Faktoren beinhalten. Mittels einer strukturierten Inhaltsanalyse von 13 CMM-bezogenen Artikeln wurde ein Analyseschema entwickelt, mit dem 24 Reifegradmodelle der zwischenbetrieblichen Integration untersucht wurden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen: Kaum ein Reifegradmodell verfügt über die notwendigen Eigenschaften, um den Erfolg des CMM zu wiederholen