Business Commons^™

Service Personalization And Loyalty, A. Dwayne Ball, Pedro S. Coelho, Manuel J. Vilares

Department of Marketing: Faculty Publications

Purpose:

To investigate the effect of service personalization on loyalty, and to measure some of the psychological dynamics of the process.

Methodology:

structural equation modeling.

Findings:

We show that the effect of service personalization on loyalty exists, but that the effect is not all direct. Personalization works through improving service satisfaction and trust. Personalization and improved communication act together in such a way that they account for the variance in loyalty that would be otherwise explained by corporate image.

Research limitations:

Data, though comprising a very large probability sample, are from one economic sector in one European country.

Practical implications: …

The Importance Of Vertical And Shared Leadership Within New Venture Top Management Teams: Implications For The Performance Of Startups, Michael D. Ensley, Keith M. Hmieleski, Craig L. Pearce

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

The current study investigated the relative influence of vertical versus shared leadership within new venture top management teams on the performance of startups using two different samples. Vertical leadership stems from an appointed or formal leader of a team (e.g., the CEO), whereas shared leadership is a form of distributed leadership stemming from within a team. Transformational, transactional, empowering, and directive dimensions of both vertical and shared leadership were examined. New venture performance was considered in terms of revenue growth and employee growth. The first sample was comprised of 66 top management teams of firms drawn from Inc. Magazine’s …

Radio Frequency Identification Technology: Applications, Technical Challenges And Strategies, Suhong Li, John K. Visich, Basheer M. Khumawala, Chen Zhang

Management Department Faculty Journal Articles

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the technology behind RFID systems, identify the applications of RFID in various industries, and discuss the technical challenges of RFID implementation and the corresponding strategies to overcome those challenges.

Design/methodology/approach - Comprehensive literature review and integration of the findings from literature. Findings - Technical challenges of RFID implementation include tag cost, standards, tag and reader selection, data management, systems integration and security. The corresponding solution is suggested for each challenge.

Research limitations/implications - A survey type research is needed to validate the results.

Practical implications - This research offers useful …

Determining Information Requirements For E-Business Systems From Activity Space To Information Space, Kecheng Liu, Lily Sun

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The study of information requirements for e-business systems reveals that the level of detail, granularity, format of presentation, and a broad range of information types are required for the applications. The provision of relevant information affects how e-business systems can efficiently support the business goals and processes. This paper presents an approach for determining information requirements for e-business systems (DIRES) which will allow the user to describe the core business processes, whose specification maps onto a business activity space. It further aids a configuration of information requirements into an information space. A case study of a logistics company in China …

Theoretical And Pragmatic Framework For Outsourcing Of It Services, Haidar M. Fraihat

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Since previous research in the information technology (IT) field focused on successes and failures of IT outsourcing (ITO) by organizations, this paper investigates the critical success factors (CSF) for IT outsourcing in the existing global environment. It is intended to provide assistance for the consideration of business professionals and IT managers when they make, examine or evaluate ITO decisions. Fifty four IT outsourcing CSFs were identified through an extensive literature review research. Some of the factors were utilized more frequently than others, while some CSFs have been given more importance than other by IT researchers. A 2-part theoretical framework (conceptual …

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 …

Potential Added Value Of Psychological Capital In Predicting Work Attitudes, Milan Larson, Fred Luthans

Department of Management: Faculty Publications

Meeting the challenge of effectively managing human resources requires new thinking and approaches. To extend the traditional perspective of economic capital, increasing recognition is being given to human capital and more recently social capital, this article proposes and empirically tests the potential added value that psychological capital may have for employee attitudes of satisfaction and commitment. After first providing the background and theory of PsyCap, this article reports a study of manufacturing employees (N = 74) that found a significant relationship between PsyCap and job satisfaction (r=.373) and organization commitment (r=.313). Importantly, the employees’ PsyCap had a significant added impact …

Information Value Of Credit Ratings In Asia Ex-Japan Markets, Chen Zhou

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study investigates the information value of credit ratings by exploring the relationship between ratings and security price. Unlike previous studies, we concentrate on the major markets ex-Japan in Asia. We begin with an investigation of rating reclassification as well as credit watch placement events by three leading international rating agencies. We show that markets with differing level of sophistication behave differently. Specifically, South Korea and Hong Kong are found to respond in a similar manner. Indonesia shows possible ign of information leakage. In the cases of Malaysia and Thailand, significant and positive equity price responses exist for upgrades, suggesting …

The Information Efficiency Of The Corporate Bond Market, Cheng Ying

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The link between asset prices and information fundamentals as embodied in news announcement effects is an extremely, if not the most, important area amongst current research in market microstructure. The lack of adequate transaction data posts an obstacle in this research. In this thesis, based on a valuable intraday transaction-by-transaction dataset for U.S. corporate bonds, we first examine the impact of public information contained in the macro-economic news and firm-specific information contained in corporate earnings annoucements on the prices of both corporate bonds and stocks. We find that both bonds and stocks react significantly to public news and firm-specific information, …

Sense And Nonsense In Measuring Sponsorship Confusion, Jacob Jacoby

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Gibson V. Prs: The Applicability Of The Initial Interest Confusion Doctrine To Trademarked Product Shapes, Paul Anthony Marchisotto

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Sustainability And Company Annual Financial Reporting, Mirela Filipovic

Theses : Honours

This study had two mam objectives. Firstly to measure the level and type of sustainability reporting in companies using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Index. Secondly, to investigate the key characteristics of Australian listed companies that explain the extent of voluntary sustainability information within their annual reports. Based on the positive accounting theory framework and the review of literature six testable hypotheses were developed. The six directional hypothesis developed were related to two aspects of agency and political costs and included ownership diffusion, leverage, audit by big four audit firm, size, profitability and industry type. A stratified sample of 450 …

An Exploratory Study Of Executive Hubris And Its Effect On How Chief Executive Officers In Small To Medium Enterprises Make Strategic Management Decisions, A. S. Parker

Theses : Honours

This exploratory study examined the nature of the recently conceptualised notion of executive hubris; and in particular the effect it may have on how chief executive officers in small to medium sized enterprises make their strategic management decisions. It was designed to explore executive hubris and strategic decision making in a limited sample of executives. On this basis the results are limited to this study and are not generalisable. A core aim of the study however; was to test qualitatively and quantitatively in a fundamental, exploratory way; Hambrick and Hiller's (2005) propositions that executive hubris has an effect on how …

Impact Of Gender And Ethnic Composition Of South African Boards Of Directors On Intellectual Capital Performance, Jean-Luc Wolfgang Mitchell Van Der Zahn

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

This study examines the association between the gender and ethnic composition of boards of directors and firm performance in a transitional nation. In contrast to prior research that largely focuses on firm performance within a financial context, this study concentrates on intellectual capital performance. Using data collected from 84 South African, empirical results indicate a positive association between the percentage of female and non-white directors on the board and a firm’s intellectual capital performance. Additional analysis shows the designation of female directors as an insider has a negative effect of intellectual capital performance. Designation of female and non-white directors as …

The University Of Northern Iowa Honors Program And You, Eric Jacobs

Honors Program Theses

My project entitled, The University Northern Iowa Honors Program and You, was meant to be a promotional video for the honors program here at UNI. The purpose behind my project was twofold.

The first reason why I choose to make this my final thesis project was that I wanted to learn how to use the Avid Express editing system. The Avid is a widely used program throughout the video production industry and I thought that this presented me the perfect opportunity to get some real hands on experience using a system that is so widely used by professionals in the …

Asbestos Litigation And Indemnification, Paul Grammens

Honors Program Theses

Asbestos started out as an amazing product. It was not only easy to manufacture and easy to work with but also fire resistant and a great insulator, asbestos became one of the most common manufacturing products in the United States, especially after World War I. What the public did not know about asbestos at the time is that long-term exposure could lead to sickness. Because of this unforeseen liability, industrial companies and insurance companies were not able to properly prepare for the losses due to asbestos.

Aligning Employees Through "Line Of Sight", Wendy R. Boswell, John B. Bingham, Alexander J.S. Colvin

Faculty Publications

Aligning employees with the firm’s larger strategic goals is critical if organizations hope to manage their human capital effectively and ultimately attain strategic success. An important component of attaining and sustaining this alignment is for employees to have a bline of sightQ (LOS) with their organization’s strategic objectives. In this article, we illustrate how the translation of calculated firm goals into tangible results requires that employees not only understand the organization’s strategy, but also accurately appreciate what actions are aligned with realizing that strategy. Using recent empirical evidence, theoretical insights, and tangible examples of exemplary firm practices, we provide thought-leaders …