Information technology capability within small-medium enterprises

The study presented in this thesis investigates the influence of IT capability on the relationship between IT expenditures and long term business performance. To do so, the Resource Based View (RBV) has been used as the theoretical framework, and, within such a framework, the concept of sustainable competitive advantage has been used as a point of reference. IT capability, a term often mentioned in the scientific literature dealing with the applications of RBV in the IS field, has been the subject of this study. Within the IS discipline, IT capability is perceived to have considerable influence on the effect of IT expenditure on the long term results of an organization. However, few studies have identified the extent of this influence and indeed the very definition of IT capability has been so ambiguous that no measurement instrument has been developed and universally accepted. In this thesis we recognized this lack and carried out a multi-method study, to first identify a comprehensive definition of IT capability and then to develop and validate a measure of IT capability and evaluate its role on business performance. The empirical study was performed within the context of small-medium enterprises (SMEs),which implies a lower level of organizational complexity but in order to reflect the reality ofmodern business all such organisations were involved in inter-organisational networks within industrial aggregations in Italy. Eleven SMEs were involved in a multiple case study, and 77 SMEs (belonging to the textile and the mechanical industrial districts in Italy) were surveyed and these results analysed and aggregated to form some conclusions with respect to the meaning and influence of IT capability. The study was conducted over a number of stages to allow an initial definition of IT capability to be evaluated within a case study context and then expanded prior to the main survey. As such the literature review and analysis of previous studies was carried out in two different time periods as the scope of the study was refined

THE EFFECTS OF COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE ON THE SUCCESS OF AN EXPERT RECOMMENDING SERVICE

This article presents an explorative study of the impact of Communities of Practice (CoPs) on the success of a certain category of Knowledge Management Systems, hereafter called Expert Recommender Information Systems. They regroup Information Systems that identify and display individuals who have been qualified by the system as experts, and who are in a position to help users solve problems involving a business process breakdown. Rather than focusing on the Expert Recommending Information System itself, the author concentrates on the service it delivers, the Expert Recommending Service (ERS). Using multiple case study research, five different organizations were investigated, essentially in order to identify how CoPs influence the success of their ERS.IS success; Communities of Practice; Expert Recommending Services; Experts

Innovative Methodologies of Active Learning to Develop the Competencies of the Future of Work

International organizations promoting economic growth and global development are increasingly requesting higher education systems to prepare students with the fundamental attitude and skills to be competitive in the future workplace. After conducting two separate literature reviews on active learning strategies and on the most demanded competencies in the future of work, the paper proposes a comprehensive framework of 31 competencies pivotal for future professionals to thrive in an innovative work landscape. In the effort to nurture these skills, it further explores the contributions of the most popular active learning methodologies and delves into the role of digital technologies in enhancing the learning experience. Significantly, the paper reveals that active learning not only develops technical and methodological competencies but also enriches social, personal, and particularly digital skills, positioning students to effectively navigate and contribute to the digital economy. The emergent pedagogies underscore the importance of fostering lifelong learning, self-agency, and the adept use of diverse tools and resources, essential for the professionals of today and tomorrow

“Simplifying” Digital Complexity? A Socio-Technical Perspective. Editorial Introduction to Issue 33 of CSIMQ

This thematic issue of four papers focuses on the importance of a socio-technical perspective in research and practice. A socio-technical perspective sees an organization as a combination of two components – a social and a technical one. The real pattern of behavior in the organization is determined by how well these parts fit each other. While analyzing system problems of getting things done, adequate consideration should be given to technology as well as informal and formal interactions of people with the technology as well as with other people using the technology. The papers in this issue present the sociotechnical perspective as a lens enabling researchers and practitioners to simplify the digital complexity in the socio-technical context

The Effects of Communities of Practice on the Success of an Expert Recommending Service

International audienceThis article presents an explorative study of the impact of Communities of Practice (CoPs) on the success of a certain category of Knowledge Management Systems, hereafter called Expert Recommender Information Systems. They regroup Information Systems that identify and display individuals who have been qualified by the system as experts, and who are in a position to help users solve problems involving a business process breakdown. Rather than focusing on the Expert Recommending Information System itself, the author concentrates on the service it delivers, the Expert Recommending Service (ERS). Using multiple case study research, five different organizations were investigated, essentially in order to identify how CoPs influence the success of their ERS

A BRAVE NEW SERVICE WORLD? AN ANALYSIS OF THE SERVICES SECTOR THROUGH THE LENSES OF SERVICE SCIENCE

The services sector is subject to a continuous transformation process and to technological changes and innovations; in the last few years the emergent Service Science Management and Engineering (SSME) discipline did several attempts in developing theories and explaining the service industry’s phenomena. The present paper, which is theoretically grounded in the Work Systems Theory, aims at describing the ongoing situation of Service Science applications in specific services industries. We hereby present a study, conducted on 24 academic papers that deal with different applications belonging to the Service Science domain, that provides a classification of each application according to: which part of the Service Science domain it involves, which specific industrial sector it belongs to and finally on which operational level, of a company’s organizational structure, it can be positioned. Although this study cannot describe the whole services sector and all its trends and characteristics, it provides an emblematic description of what the Service Science Management and Engineering discipline means in different industrial fields and which are the main trends and issues related to some specific industrial sectors

THE ROLE OF DIGITAL PLATFORMS IN INTER-FIRM COLLABORATION

Previous studies have widely focused on the adoption and usage of Knowledge Management Systems, namely KMS, within a single organization or within supply chains. However, these prior studies have provided little explanations of the relations behind knowledge sharing and transfer, and few studies have provided empirical results of KMS adoption within cluster of firms. In contemporary interorganizational relationships, digital platforms have gained attention for the enabling and improvement of communication, knowledge generation and information diffusion. This paper focuses on the cooperation, coordination and collaboration among a cluster of firms engaged in the usage of a digital platform. By integrating qualitative enquiries and Social Network Analysis (SNA), we illustrate the role of a digital platform in the interactions of firms within this cluster. Our research integrates theories pertaining to cooperation, coordination and collaboration in a framework of multiple stages, and clarifies the role of digital platform in this framework. The paper aims to contribute both to academia bringing together cooperation coordination and collaboration within a new framework, and to practitioners by understanding digital platform usage under a new context

An Analysis Framework for the Evaluation of Content Management Systems

The content published on the Web never stops growing. It is becoming essential to efficiently manage it. Organizations are increasingly searching for more efficient and feasible ways in which to manage the content of their websites. Content Management Systems offer a solution by facilitating the creation of websites and providing content management. Many organizations are now using Management Content Systems. This increasing interest is apparent in the growing market of such systems and in the updates of existing systems. For an organization, the choice of a Content Management System is not easy, since this is a dynamic market shared among many different publishers. The offer evaluation process requires specific tools. In order to help these organizations in their choice, we have attempted to provide an analysis framework for these applications. This analysis framework designed to help organizations choose their application contributes to the evaluation of these applications. This article puts forward a Content Management software analysis framework and explains its application to a sample of 23 products. The size of this sample allows us to asses the strategic grouping of Content Management Systems. Effectively, the analysis results in the identification of two strategic groups whose main differences lay in the software characteristics and their target markets

Assessing Cybersecurity Readiness within SMEs: Proposal of a Socio-Technical based Model

Like most companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become reliant on digital technology for their day-to-day business operations. However, while valuable, this comes with challenges; one of which is the increase in cybercrime. In terms of their cybersecurity resilience and risk, SMEs are among the most vulnerable and least mature. This article addresses a gap in the literature that has neglected cybersecurity readiness in SMEs. The study proposes a CyberSecurity Readiness Model (CSRM) based on a Socio-Technical view of organizations. The model was used in a multiple case study on three Italian SMEs to evaluate SMEs cybersecurity readiness and further understand the environment and strategies that could be adopted to prevent and manage cyber-attacks

IGV Short Scale to Assess Implicit Value of Visualizations through Explicit Interaction

This paper reports the assessment of the infographics-value (IGV) short scale, designed to measure the value in the use of infographics. The scale was made to assess the implicit quality dimensions of infographics. These dimensions were experienced during the execution of tasks in a contextualized scenario. Users were asked to retrieve a piece of information by explicitly interacting with the infographics. After usage, they were asked to rate quality dimensions of infographics, namely, usefulness, intuitiveness, clarity, informativity, and beauty; the overall value perceived from interacting with infographics was also included in the survey. Each quality dimension was coded as a six-point rating scale item, with overall value included. The proposed IGV short scale model was validated with 650 people. Our analysis confirmed that all considered dimensions in our scale were independently significant and contributed to assessing the implicit value of infographics. The IGV short scale is a lightweight but exhaustive tool to rapidly assess the implicit value of an explicit interaction with infographics in daily tasks, where value in use is crucial to measuring the situated effectiveness of visual tools. View Full-Tex