Business Commons^™

A Collaborative Project Management Approach And A Framework For Its Supporting Systems, Fang Chen, Nicholas C. Romano Jr, Jay F. Nunamaker Jr

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The project management (PM) paradigm has changed during the past decade due to the globalization of business and advancement of information technology (IT). Increasingly, projects involve members from different geographical locations more than at any other time in history. Traditional PM methods may be inadequate to manage distributed projects, and new information systems are needed to support distributed PM. This article provides the rationale for a collaborative PM approach to manage distributed projects and proposes a conceptual framework for the collaborative PM software development. The objective is to present a collaborative PM framework that can guide further research and development …

An Empirically Derived Taxonomy Of Information Systems Integration, Thawatchai Jitpaiboon, T.S. Ragu-Nathan, Mark A. Vonderembse

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Information systems integration (ISI) represents the degree of cooperation in information system practices between business functions within a firm and between a firm and its trading partners. Although the establishment of information systems integration objective has been reported as one of the key concerns of top management because ISI enhances the firms’ competitiveness and growth, the classification of the information system practices and its managerial implications are still vaguely developed. The two objectives of this paper are: (1) to develop a taxonomy of information systems integration (ISI) called ISI-Matrix, and (2) to report managerial implications for matching each information system …

An Artificial Intelligence Approach To International Market Screening Dss, Kelly E. Fish

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This paper applies artificial intelligence (AI) computing, Kohonan Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs), to the problem of international market selection (IMS). Broadly speaking, IMS can be summarized to consist of three stages a) screening stage, b) identification stage and, c) selection stage. The screening stage often employs some type of grouping technique so that firms can begin to view the potential markets in terms of similarities and differences over variables of interest. The underlying purpose is to screen out or eliminate markets that do not meet certain criteria established by the firm. Statistical techniques such as cluster analysis, discriminant analysis or factor …

The Effects Of Personal Innovativeness , Perceived Risk , And Computer Self -Efficacy On Online Purchasing Intent, Randall J. Boyle, Cynthia P. Ruppel

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The rapid growth of e-commerce makes it important for the success of companies to understand both the factors that facilitate and are barriers to these transactions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between perceived Internet risk, personal innovativeness and computer/web self-efficacy, and online purchases intentions as three of these factors. Results indicate that perceived Internet risk, personal innovativeness and computer/web self-efficacy are all strongly related to online purchasing intentions. There is also a strong relationship between computer self- efficacy and personal innovativeness, two of the values-compatibility variables related to intention to purchase on-line. Suggestions for …

Cross-Border It-Support For The Management Of International Subsidiary Operations: The Diffusion Of Innovations-Based Conceptual Model, Arto Ojala, Nazmun Nahar

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Rapid and effective internationalization has increasingly become important for high-tech companies. Establishing a foreign subsidiary can facilitate effective internationalization for a high-tech company. This study investigates how IT can provide cross-border support to manage international subsidiary operations and makes important theoretical contributions. The research results exhibit how companies can use cross-border IT-support to effectively share and utilize information from the target country environment for international subsidiary operations. This paper also introduces the diffusion of innovations-based conceptual model which deals with various factors that should be taken into account while operating a foreign subsidiary through IT support. The findings are useful …

The Role Of Convergence In Information Systems And Business Planning, Sharath Sasidharan, Jiming Wu, Dennis Pearce, Grover S. Kearns, Albert L. Lederer

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

A key challenge to top management is the alignment of IS and business plans for the purpose of producing an IT-based competitive advantage. This study uses a well known communication theory to provide new insight into the impact of CEO and CIO planning participation on IS and business alignment via the convergence of views between the CEO and CIO regarding the current and future strategic impact of IT on the firm’s success. One hundred and nine matched pairs of questionnaire responses from CIOs and CEOs were collected using a postal survey. Results indicated that CIO participation in business planning predicted …

A Comprehensive Study On The Differences In Erp Implementation Between Manufacturing And Service Industry, Farshad Salimi, Ben Dankbaar, Reggie Davidrajuh

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

In the first part, this paper presents a review of current literatures on key critical success factors (KCSFs) and their inevitable relative links with ERP benefits, project (strategic) goals and objectives in ERP implementation; this literature review searches for the available KCSFs in two sectors: manufacturing and service industry. The second part of paper looks into the available literature on differences in manufacturing and service industry. From these differences we deduct that there are differences in ERP implementation between manufacturing and services.

Simulation Model And Analysis Of A Data Warehouse, Vikas Agrawal, Udayan Nandkeolyar, P.S. Sundararaghavan, Mesbah U. Ahmed

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Data warehouses are large complex systems with many interacting nonlinear components. It is an amalgamation of many different systems and integration of such diverse elements is its primary concern. It is often difficult for a data warehouse manager to predict the performance of the system especially when demand pattern for the required data keeps changing. We have developed a simulation model using ARENA simulation package that will simulate the behavior and performance of a data warehouse system environment based on its overall design. Given such a model, a data warehouse manager can walk through various what-if scenarios and can pinpoint …

A Framework For Agents Conducting E-Business In A Supply Chain, C.W. Leung, T.N. Wong, Domenic Sculli

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This paper describes the development of an agent-based framework that supports the purchasing function in supply chain management. The framework has been applied in a case situation for planned order releasing from a manufacturer’s materials requirement planning (MRP) system. The proposed framework incorporates a negotiation protocol that can effectively coordinate the negotiation process between a buyer agent and several supply agents, which may represent the manufacturer and its suppliers respectively. These agents negotiate according to their preferred strategies which aim to conclude a deal that achieves their own objectives. The implementation of the negotiation process involves considerations of the price …

Access To Computer Technologies At Home Improves Wages In The Marketplace, Pankaj Kumar Maskara, Rajesh Aggarwal, Rajesh Maskara

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study suggests that having access to a computer and the Internet at home leads to better wages. We normally have the idea that people with higher wages have computers and Internet access at home. But with declining prices of home PCs and the increasing importance of Internet, this no longer seems to be the case. The new owners of PC today are considerably poorer and less educated than in the past. People with access to a PC and Internet at home appear to earn 8.6% more than their counterpart. This result seems to suggest that University policies requiring students …

Grey Situation Decision-Making Algorithm To Optimize Silicon Wafer Slicing, Che-Wei Chang, William Yu Chung Wang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The slicing of Silicon wafer is a complex manufacturing process in producing the raw materials for electronic chips and requires the efforts to effectively monitor the stability in production line and ensure the quality for the products composed of different shapes and materials. Human decision failure and other analytical errors are the most common source of management problems in such manufacturing stage. This paper presents a case regarding the silicon wafer manufacturing to examine the response to quality errors. The study has adopted the approach of grey situation decision-making algorithm for problem detection that suggests a technique to attain the …

The I_Carre Methodology: An Organized Approach To Selecting Web Design Software For Nonprofits, Christie Pitzer, Chang Liu, Jack T. Marchewka

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Choosing Web content management software from the myriad of choices available can be a critical decision any organization. However, this decision becomes an even greater concern for nonprofit organizations with limited IT resources, technical skills, and financial resources. In this paper, a methodology is introduced that describes a step-by-step approach to selecting Web design software for organizations with extremely limited resources. The proposed I_CARRE methodology was developed using an action research approach and introduces several fundamental project management concepts, as well as some widely available tools. The objective of the I_CARRE methodology is to provide a non- technical, common sense …

Regional Economic Development Issues Within The Information And Communications Technology (Ict) Industry, James M. Henson

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This exploratory research was initiated to develop a computer-based interview tool that would help determine the factors that companies in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry consider a problem in regards to the economic environment within a local study region. Topics included the labor market and community issues, including costs of doing business and quality-of-life questions. A computer-based process was employed in telephone interviews to solicit and record responses from executives in ICT-related companies for the 197 cases that are included in this study. Descriptive data are presented along with a first-order and a second-order factor analysis.

Organizational Learning Stages Of Assimilation, Integration And Optimization And Their Relationship With User Satisfaction Of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, Edith Galy, Jane Lemaster

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Literature on organizational learning suggests that various processes have to occur in order for an organization to learn. This study provides empirical evidence for measuring organizational learning in three stages: assimilation, integration and optimization. A path model of organizational learning was tested establishing the significance and magnitude of the total effect of assimilation, integration and optimization on the satisfaction level of top information executives in firms with Enterprise Resource Planning systems. The model indicates that the optimization-satisfaction path is the strongest, followed by the integration-satisfaction path. Measuring and improving the factors composing organizational learning is essential for successful implementation of …

Using System Dynamics Approach To Construct A Performance Measurement Model For Pharmacy Supply Chain Management, Jiinpo Wu, Charlie C. Chen, Ray Tsai

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

A credible performance measurement system is imperative to evaluate SCM systems effectiveness. However, commonly accepted measurements for evaluating pharmacy supply chain management (SCM) are yet to be developed. This study models the dynamic behavior of pharmacy supply chains to include managerial policies and performance measuring systems based on a well-established theoretical framework. The system dynamics methodology is adopted to simulate three scenarios: (1) demand forecasting policy, (2) market need, and (3) manufacturing errors. Simulation results lead to important policy implications of pharmacy SCM.

Do Information Privacy Concerns Affect Students’ Feeling Of Alienation?, Joseph S. Mollick, John Michael Pearson

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Organizations such as universities collect and use personal data about customers such as students. How do students feel about their university’s practices related to the collection and use of personal data? Using data collected via a survey of 187 students at a large U.S. university, we investigate the effects of these two privacy concerns on students’ feeling of alienation. Implications of the results are discussed in light of ethics, strategy, design, control and administration of personal information management systems.

Enterprise Integrated Security Platform: A Comparison Of Remote Access And Extranet Virtual Private Networks, Emmanuel U. Opara, Jack T. Marchewka

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The Internet has created unprecedented opportunities for both organizations and individuals. However, these opportunities also have created a double-edge sword as organizations attempt to connect trading partners, customers, and remote users while providing adequate security measures that are flexible and cost-effective. This paper explores why secured socket layer (SSL) may be better tool for secured remote access and extranets by comparing it to internet protocol security virtual private networks (IPSec-based VPNs).

Computer Security Checklist For Non-Security Technology Professionals, Chlotia P. Garrison, Roderick B. Posey

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Networked computers and electronic data storage make computer security a fundamental component of a company’s survival. Security incidents can cause reputation damage, loss customers, or even liability. Companies that are unable or unwilling to hire certified security professionals often rely on non-security IT professionals for assistance. This paper provides a checklist the non-security professional can use to assist the company in the critical areas of conducting risk analysis, performing vulnerability assessments, educating employees and developing computer security policies and procedures

Use Of Advanced Technologies And Information Solutions For North Sea Offshore Assets: Ambitious Changes And Socio-Technical Dimensions, Jayantha P. Liyanage, Eirik Bjerkebaek

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The use of various forms of advanced technologies and information solutions are in common place to manage industrial assets today. This is widely seen as the way forward in various industrial sectors owing to range of commercial benefits offered by new technologies and its importance to gain competitive advantage. The objective of this paper is to describe such an ongoing major technology-dependent re- engineering process termed Integrated eOperations in oil and gas exploration and production business in North Sea since 2004-2005, and to highlight the nature of ambitious techno-managerial changes and its critical socio-technical dimensions. The change process focuses on …

Mobile Maintenance Management, Aitor Arnaiz, Christos Emmanouilidis, Benoit Iung, Erkki Jantunen

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The paper gives a short overview of the enabling tools and technology available to the maintenance engineer in manufacturing industry, in relation to the emergence of e-maintenance practices and the introduction of mobile computing devices. An analysis of the main characteristics of the e- maintenance concepts and the associated challenges is provided, highlighting the lack of use of condition-based maintenance strategies. The potential of using ubiquitous computing in industrial maintenance practice is then examined, followed by an original vision for the adoption of mobile maintenance management solutions, which can facilitate the implementation of condition-based- maintenance. This vision is supported today …

Development Of A Risk Assessment Model For Global Information Technology Outsourcing, June Wei, Brian Peach

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Global Information Technology (IT) outsourcing has been recognized to have important potential benefits. However, researchers and practitioners also recognize potential risks involved in global IT outsourcing, which sometimes lead to undesirable consequences. This paper develops a model to assess risks in global IT outsourcing. Specifically, this paper begins by identifying global IT outsourcing risk factors by considering the national infrastructure, organizational infrastructure, and project environment. Second, a Global IT Outsourcing (GITO) engagement model for risk assessment is developed to logically link all these risk factors together. Third, one quantifiable approach based on a relative-weighted assessment model is presented to demonstrate …

The Coming Age Of Rfid Revolution, Mohsen Attaran

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID, has been around for decades and is being used in manufacturing to complement established barcodes for the past 25 years. Recently, many companies are embracing RFID as a competitive weapon that can improve their efficiencies, and provide significant business benefits. Despite many useful applications, the technology's potential has yet to be fully realized. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of contemporary RFID systems, highlight its promises as well as its pitfalls, identify the implementation challenges and key business drivers, survey its application in various industries, and speculate about where this technology …

December 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

Amtec Communications Teams up With Cymphonix

4 Ways to Increase Sales---Is your Marketing Pumping iron?

World Trade: A Mall for Global Manufactures

Office and Industrial Markets Poised for Sold Growth

Close-up

Corporate Profile

Investment and Finance

Commentary

World Trade

The List:

Chambers of Commerce

Business Brokerage Firms Serving in the Inland Empire

Fleet Automotive Dealership in the Inland Empire

Managing

Computers/ Technology

Real Estate Notes

Managers Bookshelf

New Business List:

County of San Bernardino

County of Riverside

Executive Time out

November 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

Close-up

The Number one Soft Drink Maker in the Inland Maker

Corporate Profile

The Lists: Commercial Building Developers

Investments & Finance

Letters to the Editor

Commentary

Executive Notes

OK, So the Phone is Ringing

The Lists: Fastest Growing Companies in the Inland Empire

The Lists: Title Companies in the Inland Empire

Hazardous to Our Health

Health Issues

Malpractice Maladies

The Lists: Mortgage Lenders

Computers/Technology

New Solar Energy Project Coming Soon to the Mojave Desert

The Lists: Commercial Real Estate Brokers Serving the Inland Empire

Commercial Real Estate Brokers Serving the Inland Empire

New Business Lists: Real Estate Notes

New Business …

September 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

News and Features

High Praise for Palm Springs Convention Center Expansion 1

A Family and Their Family Restaurant 7

Ambryx Biotechnology Relocates Corporate Headquarters From Orange County to Riverside's University Research Park 8

What Went Wrong in New Orleans? 10

The Training Track: Four Reasons to Invest In a Great Training Program 30

Columns

Close-up 6

Corporate Profile 7

Inland Empire People 8

Investments & Finance 9

Editorial 10

Commentary/Opinions 11

Executive Notes 12

Computer Technology 13

The Lists; Golf Courses in the Inland Empire 14

Inland Empire's Largest Hotels 20

Banks in the Inland Empire 34

Substance Abuse Programs …

October 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

Two Indian Gaming Casinos Slated for Barstow

Job Market Strongest in Nation

CSI: San Bernardino---Real Facts vs. Myths and Beliefs

Only you can Prevent Identity Theft

Stop Managing and Start Leading

Owning Your Intellectual Property

Close-up

Commentary

Executive Notes

Inland Empire People

Financial

Executive Time Out

Managing

Computers/ Technology

Leadership

Real Estate Notes

Managers Bookshelf

The List:

Wireless Companies in the Inland Mepire

Interconnect/ Telecommunications Firms Serving the Inland Empire

Internet Service Providers Serving the Inland Empire

Copier, Fax and Business Equipment

Retailers in the Inland Empire

Long Distance Companies Serving the Inland Empire

New Business List:

County of San …

August 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

News and Features

Nine Things o Know Before Selecting the Web Host for Your Business 6

Garner Holt: San Bernardino’s Toymaker 7

Market Competition and Recent Reforms Will Keep Bringing Workers’ Comp Rates Down, If Preserved 8

Phishing and Casting 13

Columns

Close-Up 6

Corporate Pro file 7

Investments & Finance 9

Letters to the Editor 10

Opinions 11

Computers/Technology 13

Lists. Top Health Care Medical Clinics’Groups 20

MBA/Executive Programs 22

Environmental Companies 34

Money/ Investments 23

Executive Time Out 26

Managing 27

Managing Bookshelf 39

New Business List: County of San Bernardino 41

New Business List: County of Riverside …

July 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

News and Features

San Bernardino Count)'S Top Teacher 6

Scandia Downs; A Family Affair 7

This Could Happen to You--So It's Always Great to be Proactive 21

World's First Total Marrow Irradiation Procedure Performed at City of Hope Cancer Center 26

My Favorite Small Hotel in the Desert 7

Columns

Close-Up 6

Corporate Profile 7

Inland Empire People 8

Investments & Finance 9

Commentary 10

Credit Unions 11

Computers/Technology 13

Law 14

Negotiations 22

Money/ Investments 23

Lists:

Advertising Agencies in the I.E 16

Staff Leasing Companies 25

Certified Public Accountant Finns 35

Commercial Printers 36

Managing 28

Desert Business …

June 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

Corporate Profile 7

Commentary 10

Managing 11

Computers/Technology 13

Law 14

Legislation 15

Executive Time Out 19

Financial Institutions 20

Negotiations 22

Communications 23

Desert Business Journal 30

Lists:

I Savings & Loans 21

Motorcycle Dealers 29

Hospitals 35 & 36

Manager's Bookshelf 39

Restaurant Review 44

Calendar 46

May 2005, Inland Empire Business Journal

Inland Empire Business Journal

News and Features

Workers’ Compo Plan Critics Cry Foul 5

Kelly Space: Measuring the Moon From the Inland Empire? 7

Why Rosie Wilson Is as Bubbly as Her Own Champagne 8

The Mall of Victor Valley 17

Radical Capitalist Ethics 37

Owners, Presidents, Genera; Managers START YOUR ENGINES 38

Columns

Close-Up 6

Corporate Profile 7

Commentary 10

Inland Empire People 8 +16

Investments & Finance 9

Computers/Technology 13

Managing 11, 15

Executive Time Out19

Lists:

Largest Credit Unions 22

Employment Services/Agencies 29,30,31

Law Firms 33,35,36,37

Dental Plans 41

New Business Lists 42 & 43

Manager's Bookshelf 39

Restaurant Review 44 …