The Inter-organizational Business Case in ES Implementations: Exploring the Impact of Coordination Structures and Their Properties

Developing the business case (BC) for an inter-organizational network is a major challenge. Factors like competition and differences in semantics between actors influence the stakeholders’ willingness to share information necessary for the BC development. In this paper we develop an exploratory framework showing the effect that coordination structure and project scope have on the development of a shared BC. We defined several coordination properties, such as competition, decision making location and decision power that mitigate this effect. We applied the framework in a case study where a BC is developed for an inter-organizational network. Our findings show that current BC development methods need to be re-stated and complemented by extra tools and interventions to support stakeholders in the inter-organizational specific setting

An empirical investigation of Network-Oriented Behaviors in Business-to-Business Markets

This study is concerned with the extent to which network-oriented behaviors directly and/or indirectly affect firm performance. It argues that a firm's interaction behaviors in relation to an embedded network structure are key mechanisms that facilitate the development of important organizational capabilities in dealing with business partners. Such network-oriented behaviors, which are aimed at affecting the position of a company in the network, are consequently important drivers of firm performance, rather than the network structure alone. We develop a conceptual model that captures network-oriented behaviors as a driving force of firm performance in relation to three other key organizational behaviors, i.e., customer-oriented, competitor-oriented and relationship-oriented behaviors. We test the hypothesized model using a dataset of 354 responses collected via an on-line questionnaire from UK managers, whose organizations operate in business-to-business markets in either the manufacturing or services sectors. This study provides four key findings. First, a firm's networkoriented behaviors positively affect the development of customer-oriented and competitor-oriented behaviors. Secondly, they also foster relationship coordination with its important business partners within the network. Thirdly, the effective management of the firm's portfolio of relationships is found to mediate the positive impact of network-oriented behaviors on firm profitability. Lastly, closeness to end-users amplifies the positive effect of network-oriented behaviors on relationship portfolio effectiveness

Planning for electronic data interchange

A model of strategic implementation is developed as a possible solution to the inability of numerous US business organizations to effectively plan their electronic data interchange (EDI) systems. The model is developed based on an extensive analysis of the EDI systems of numerous US firms and illustrates the dynamics of such systems in reference to supplier-customer relationship, as influenced by corporate structure, marketing and distribution channels, and buyer power. Five generic business strategies are formulated using the EDI model. These are the strategy in which retail firms follow the lead by suppliers and customers, the strategy in which EDI's functions in the supply chain are expanded, the new products and services strategy, the tie-in strategy, and the time-based competition strategy

Imbalance of Power: Social Service Entrepreneurs’ Experiences of Entrepreneur-Municipality Relationship

We investigate the complex dynamics between social service entrepreneurs and social sector managers through the lens of network metaphor, utilizing our data on social service entrepreneurs’ experiences of cooperation with municipalities. We examine what kinds of dependencies exist in the entrepreneur–municipality relationships and what kind of consequences these dependencies have on social service businesses run by entrepreneurs. Basing on the social service entrepreneurs experience, our findings suggest that while the cooperation with the municipality represents a prerequisite for success, their business represent only one alternative for the renewal of social service structures from the point of view of municipalities. In addition, the existence of legally enforced supervisory duties incorporates a considerable amount of power that influences areas of the entrepreneur–municipality relationships and interaction other than just those defined by the supervisory and regulatory rights.W naszej pracy badamy złożoną dynamikę między przedsiębiorcami oferującymi usługi społeczne a menadżerami sektora społecznego za pomocą metafory sieci, używając danych dotyczących doświadczeń, jakie mają tacy przedsiębiorcy we współpracy z władzami lokalnymi. Badamy jakiego rodzaju zależności istnieją w relacji przedsiębiorca – władza lokalna oraz jakie konsekwencje zależności te mają na firmy prowadzące działalność w sektorze usług społecznych. W oparciu o doświadczenia przedsiębiorców z tego sektora, wyniki naszych badań sugerują, że o ile współpraca z władzami lokalnymi jest warunkiem niezbędnym powodzenia działalności, ich przedsiębiorstwa stanowią tylko jedną alternatywę dla odnowienia usług społecznych z punktu widzenia władz lokalnych. Ponadto, istnienie narzuconych przez prawo obowiązków nadzorowania zawiera w sobie znaczny ładunek władzy, która wpływa na relacje między przedsiębiorcami a władzami lokalnymi oraz interakcje inne niż te zdefiniowane prawami nadzoru i regulacjami