“The adoption and implementation of performance measurement process in Italian public organisations: the influence of political,cultural and rational factors”

One of the main challenges in the field of performance measurement and management in public organisations is about how to use and manage performance measures effectively. This study aims to examine the stages involved in the process of utilisation of performance measures, i.e. adoption and implementation, and to investigate the political, cultural and rational factors that affect this process. For this purpose, a theoretical model from the literature has been extended and tested by using the data gathered through a survey involving the managers of several departments of Italian regions and municipal districts. The final sample has included 201 usable observations. The data analysis has been conducted using structural equation modelling. A significant cause-and-effect relationship was found between the stages of adoption and implementation. Moreover, it was found that adoption is driven significantly by rational factors. Otherwise actual implementation is influenced by factors addressed both by political considerations, such as external interest groups and by rational evaluations such as resources. The effects of other rational and cultural factors on implementation stage are mediated by adoption.     

Innovativeness: Redefining the concept

The main objective of this research is to highlight the need to reconceptualize the theoretical construct of innovativeness. There is a large body of research on the adoption of innovations. Although research studies in this area are motivated by fundamentally different objectives, there is a common thread that runs through all of them—the identification of innovative firms.In order to identify innovative firms, a variety of unidimensional measures of innovativeness have been employed in past research. Thus, innovation diffusion research studies have used the time of innovation adoption as a measure of a firm's innovativeness. Other studies have assessed innovativeness on the basis of the number of innovation adoptions. This research contends that the conceptualization of innovativeness as a unidimensional construct is incomplete. Innovativeness, we believe, is an enduring trait that is consistently exhibited by innovative firms over a period of time. In other words, a valid measure of innovativeness must represent this temporal dimension. This study proposes and tests the validity of a multidimensional measure of innovativeness.     

Modelling the factors that influence the acceptance of digital technologies in e-government services in the UAE: a PLS-SEM Approach

Abstract

The digital technologies such as Internet play a crucial role in the management of operations of organisations in both public and private sectors. Such technologies support the implementation of effective digital business strategies. By reviewing the extant literature, this paper aims to identify factors that influence the intention to use digital technologies in order to develop a theoretical model which is then tested empirically using the PLS-SEM approach. While many studies have focused solely on the importance of social influence, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, awareness, perceived trust in technology, perceived trust in government, perceived cost and perceived risk, this article brings them together to explain their linkage, and quantifies the relationship. This study is the first empirical attempt to explore the factors influence e-government services adoption in the UAE. Most specifically, this article emphasises the role of social influence, perceived ease to use and perceived trust in technology as the important determinants of the intention to digital technology adoption. The paper expands the traditional discussion by incorporating six variables in a model that acts as facilitator or barrier in the intention to use digital technologies. This article helps practitioners to understand of which factors should be given emphasis in enhancing the intention to use digital technologies. The model developed in this paper is not only a response to the need to understand what causes the variation in the intention to use digital technologies from the operation management perspective, it is also a response to practitioner needs to use an appropriate construct to ensure the effective operation and use of the digital technologies in e-government services. The paper will help to identify the key issues surrounding the digital technologies adoption that may lead the successful operations of e-government.     

From Intended to Actual and Beyond: A Cross‐Disciplinary View of (Human Resource Management) Implementation

Despite increasing interest in human resource management (HRM) implementation as an explanation for the association between HRM and firm performance, considerable confusion remains about what implementation means. In order to develop conceptual definitions of HRM implementation and implementation effectiveness, this study builds on three different literatures outside the HRM field (strategy, innovation, and change management), which have addressed this topic extensively. As a result, implementation is characterized as a dynamic process, involving the interaction among multiple actors, starting with the adoption of a new practice and ending with its routinization. This is distinguished from implementation effectiveness as an outcome of that process. The study helps to achieve construct clarity, hence providing a more solid basis for future research and allowing for a better consolidation of findings. The authors also develop an agenda for further research by reviewing a number of theoretical and methodological approaches that have been used in implementation research across fields, including HRM. Overall, the study aims to establish implementation research as a highly relevant academic and practical quest not only in HRM, but also in other management literatures.     

The dynamics of local and interactive effects on innovation adoption: The case of electronic commerce

Innovation adoption is determined not only by the opportunities and constraints resulting from organizations’ characteristics (local effects), but also by reaction to the adoption of their interdependent and referable others (interactive effects). This study examines the dynamics of innovation adoption by considering both local and interactive effects in early adopters relative to later adopters, and then investigates the electronic commerce adoption as an empirical example. Analysis results show that the crucial stimulating effects in the early market are focused on the nature of innovations, while those in the later market are concentrated on the practical implementation issues of innovations.     

Technology Acceptance Model 3 and a Research Agenda on Interventions

Prior research has provided valuable insights into how and why employees make a decision about the adoption and use of information technologies (ITs) in the workplace. From an organizational point of view, however, the more important issue is how managers make informed decisions about interventions that can lead to greater acceptance and effective utilization of IT. There is limited research in the IT implementation literature that deals with the role of interventions to aid such managerial decision making. Particularly, there is a need to understand how various interventions can influence the known determinants of IT adoption and use. To address this gap in the literature, we draw from the vast body of research on the technology acceptance model (TAM), particularly the work on the determinants of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and: (i) develop a comprehensive nomological network (integrated model) of the determinants of individual level (IT) adoption and use; (ii) empirically test the proposed integrated model; and (iii) present a research agenda focused on potential pre‐ and postimplementation interventions that can enhance employees' adoption and use of IT. Our findings and research agenda have important implications for managerial decision making on IT implementation in organizations.     

The propagation of lean thinking in SMEs

Abstract

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a pivotal role in economic growth, industrial output, and employment creation. However, SMEs are often ignored by researchers as far as the adoption of lean is concerned in comparison to Large Enterprises (LEs). Therefore, the literature regarding lean implementation in SMEs is not conspicuous, and many SMEs have only a limited understanding and awareness of lean. This paper offers a comprehensive literature review with a focus on the implementation of lean in SMEs and explores the applicability of lean thinking in such environments. An attempt is made to provide an analysis of lean practices that have been applied in SMEs and critical success factors for lean transformation in SMEs. It also contributes to the field of lean implementation research by proposing a framework for lean in SMEs and identifies the scope of future research.     

The (non-)application of blockchain technology in the Greek shipping industry

The implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) is gaining traction in supply chain networks, revolutionising the operation of contemporary supply chains and reshaping the potential of business relationships. Empirical studies on blockchain adoption are scant because implementation across networks is in fairly early phase of development, yet evidence from empirical studies is highly desirable. This is one of the first studies of blockchain adoption in the Greek shipping industry, which has not so far been examined by the literature, in direct comparison to early adopters in other European countries such as Norway. The research examined eight Greek shipping companies using workshops with experienced supply chain personnel. Qualitative analysis identified the current position of these organisations in terms of blockchain adoption, by considering possible benefits and inhibitors to implementation. Despite benefits of automated processes and reduced paperwork as a result of smart contracts, findings show a reluctance to adopt BCT. That is, enterprise resource planning (ERP) transformations have left organisations fatigued and disinclined towards further systems development and resistant to subsequent change. Also, the exposure of shared information in the shipping nexus is considered to cause a threat to competitive survival.     

New manufacturing technology implementation: a study of the Thai automotive industry

The purpose of this study is to develop the conceptual framework for new manufacturing technology (NMT) implementation. Scales representing management activities within four stages (adoption, pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation evaluation) of the framework were developed. Data from the survey of 149 Thai automotive manufacturers were used to test for content validity and reliability of those scales. Then, factor analysis was applied to validate and confirm the construction of the framework of each stage. The result of data analysis indicates four stages of NMT implementation, consisting of (a) determining reasons for NMT adoption, (b) monitoring and justifying whether a certain NMT should be adopted, (c) adapting an existing organisational culture while implementing proper project management approach, and (d) evaluating an effectiveness of NMT implementation. This finding can be adopted by the manufacturers to assist them in the adoption and implementation of NMT in their manufacturing environment.     

Telework: What Does it Mean for Management?

This article develops the first resource-based analysis of telework impacts on large organizations. We adopt an ‘integrative’ approach that goes beyond the immediate and easily quantifiable effects of telework adoption. This approach takes into account both top-down considerations (managerial preoccupations with strengthening the organization’s competences) and bottom-up demands (employee needs). We identify several telework impacts on a variety of resource-domains, including effects on the strategic development and operational functioning of the human capital resource-base, the organization’s broader productive efficiency, the external linkages of the organization, and finally, a number of externalities. We observe that the teleworkers themselves do not experience the negative effects on job satisfaction observed in earlier research, with the exception of a reduction in professional interaction. Broader human resource management practices appear to have adjusted well to the specific requirements of telework adoption.We also observe a strong divergence between the views of adopters and non-adopters, with the latter having less positive expectations across the board, as compared to the former. We thus demonstrate that broader strategic considerations, beyond immediate impacts on the bottom-line, do influence the choice to adopt this practice. The difference in employee perceptions between adopters and non-adopters suggests that the latter lack confidence in their firm’s broader HRM practices to adapt appropriately to the requirements of effective telework implementation.     

Demographic and Attitudinal Correlates of Employee Satisfaction with an ESOP

A firm's adoption of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) has been hypothesized to increase employee productivity. Resulting employee productivity is hypothesized to improve firm profitability and thus ultimately improve stock performance. Most studies to date have tested potential relationships between the mere presence of an ESOP and changes in employee productivity and firm profitability. Few studies have attempted to identify the variables that are associated with employee satisfaction with an ESOP. In order to maximize the productivity gains associated with the adoption of an ESOP, researchers must first identify the relationships and variables most likely to positively affect employee attitudes and subsequently their satisfaction toward an ESOP. The purpose of this paper is to identify the demographic and attitudinal correlates of employee satisfaction with an ESOP. This exploration will provide a more substantive foundation for future research efforts in the area. Correlation and regression results indicated that employees' perceived influence on decision-making, perceived pay equity and perceived influence on stock performance, when examined separately, were each significant correlates of ESOP satisfaction. When combined with the modelled employee demographics in a step-wise regression model, only employees' perceived influence on stock performance, perceived influence on decision-making and age explained a statistically significant amount of variance in ESOP satisfaction.     

A Field Study of RFID Deployment and Return Expectations

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology promises to transform supply chain management. Building on previous research in information systems and supply chain management, this paper proposes a theoretical framework for RFID adoption and benefits, and tests the framework using data on u. s. firms. Our analysis suggests that there is a positive association between information technology (IT) application deployment and RFID adoption. We find that RFID implementation spending and partner mandate are associated with an expectation of early return on RFID investment, and a perceived lack of industry‐wide standards is associated with an expectation of delayed return on RFID investment. These results suggest that firms with broad IT application deployment and a critical mass of RFID implementation spending are more likely to report early returns from RFID deployments. This paper extends previous research to understand the relationship between organization characteristics and adoption and expected benefits of the emerging RFID technology.     

Implementing human resource development best practices: Replication or re-creation?

Abstract

Firms increasingly introduce HRD ‘best practices’ developed somewhere else, but results often fall short of expectations. Much of existing theory fails to guide the implementation of HRD best practices because it does not recognize how introduced practices interact with existing practices in the firm. In this paper, we contrast the dominant perspective ‘Implementation as Replication’ with a perspective of ‘Implementation as Re-creation’. Through four stages of the implementation process, we identify and discuss how these contrasting perspectives yield different implications for how firms go about introducing HRD best practices. First, when firms take up a practice, is this a process of adoption or translation? Second, is it assumed that new knowledge can be implanted directly and lead to new behaviour, or is active experimentation a necessary precondition to gain new knowledge? Third, are deviations from the intended plan considered errors to be corrected or sources for learning? Fourth, are introduced best practices treated in isolation or as integral parts of the firm's management system? We argue that implementation efforts guided by the re-creation perspective increase the prospects of HRD best practices succeeding as a useful tool in the receiving firm.     

An Empirically Derived Model for the Adoption of Customer-based Interorganizational Systems*

Information systems (IS) researchers are now calling for the need to draw from the empirically rich field of organizational innovation. As the impact of strategic systems is increasingly being felt by organizations, the view that these systems are innovations or innovative uses of technology is becoming prevalent. Customer based interorganizational systems (CIOS) represent one of the most prominent types of such systems. This research investigates CIOS adoption. A model is constructed based on significant studies in innovation to identify factors facilitating the adoption decision of a CIOS. Data are gathered from 226 senior executives. Discriminant analysis is used to identify factors that distinguish adopters from nonadopters. Factor analysis of significant variables yielded a parsimonious model of CIOS adoption. The five factor model includes (1) a proactive technological orientation and (2) an internal push for the system as the two most significant sets of facilitators. Implications for research and practice are then discussed.     

High Performance Work Practices and Firm Performance: A Longitudinal Case Study

Accumulating research suggests that the adoption of high performance work practices (HPWPs) is related to organizations' performance. The evidence base is limited by its reliance on retrospective survey reports. This study uses an intervention, including longitudinal interview and survey reports, of the implementation and outcomes of the introduction of HPWPs alongside time series data of objective performance metrics recorded before and after the intervention. The results showed that the implementation of HPWPs was associated with subsequent and sustained increases in productivity and safety performance. The study suggests that a specifically designed intervention involving HPWPs can have beneficial effects both on productivity and safety, but other intermediary variables associated with the implementation process may be critical in mitigating potentially detrimental worker welfare effects arising from work intensification.     

Examining the Impact of Pre‐Implementation Expectations on Post‐Implementation Use of Enterprise Systems: A Longitudinal Study

This article builds upon the technology acceptance model and theories of technology sensemaking to explore pre‐enterprise system adoption expectations and post‐enterprise system adoption outcomes in a longitudinal setting. Building on the exploitation and exploration paradigm, we propose that task productivity and task innovation expectations are the key drivers of users’ pre‐adoption enterprise system usage intention. Further, we argue that the enterprise system facilitates generation of a common knowledge base that may encourage a more integrated organizational culture and promote shared understanding among employees. Considering the distinction between mandatory and voluntary contexts, we propose that user acceptance of the enterprise system at the pre‐ and post‐adoption stages will mediate these relationships in a mandatory context. The results show that the influence of pre‐adoption expectations regarding task productivity and task innovation on intention to use an enterprise system is mediated by user acceptance of the enterprise system. Intention to use an enterprise system is positively related to actual use. At the post‐adoption stage, the influence of actual use on shared understanding is mediated by user acceptance of an enterprise system and enterprise system use has a direct negative impact on task efficiency in the initial period after implementation. Overall, the results highlight that user acceptance at both pre‐ and post‐adoption stages are critical factors when usage is mandatory. These findings suggest a number of important implications for research and for managerial action.     

Sensitisation of SMEs towards the implementation of Lean Six Sigma – an initialisation in a cylinder frames manufacturing Indian SME

This article suggests the adoption of a model on Lean Six Sigma for successfully implementing it in small and medium engineering enterprises (SMEs). This model is given the name Deficiency Overcoming Lean Anchorage Define Measure Analyse Improve Control Stabilise (DOLADMAICS). The DOLADMAICS model has been designed to lift up an SME through the implementation of Lean Six Sigma in five levels. The implementation study on first level of DOLADMAICS model conducted in an Indian SME, manufacturing a component called ‘cylinder frames’, has been reported in this article. After conducting this implementation study, it was found that the first level of DOLADMAICS model would act as a catalyst and guide for sensitising the management of SMEs to successfully implement Lean Six Sigma.     

Additive manufacturing technology adoption: an empirical analysis of general and supply chain-related determinants

Despite experiencing immense growth in the past decade, additive manufacturing (AM) technologies—colloquially known as 3D-printing—are still rarely used in industrial fabrication. Being at the interface between technology, innovation, behavioral science and operations management research, this paper identifies multifaceted factors that determine the decision to adopt AM technologies for the production of industrial parts. A review of the relevant literature revealed eight potential factors. These can be classified into four interdisciplinary categories: technology-related factors, firm-related-factors, market structure-related factors, and supply chain-related factors. Special focus is placed on the impact of supply chain-related issues, because there are indicatives that these aspects have an influence on the decision to adopt AM technologies since AM may offer distinct opportunities for both, the supply- and demand-side of a firm’s operations. No work in the field of manufacturing technology adoption has examined the role of such inter-organizational factors before. The results of an empirical study among 195 firms indicate that demand-side benefits and compatibility are the main determinants of AM technology adoption. This suggests that not only intra- but also inter-organizational factors should be considered when investigating the adoption of technological innovations. Furthermore, it is carved out that the adoption of AM technologies has an interdisciplinary nature.     

Research on global strategy

This paper reviews the extant literature on global strategy. We argue that the literature has developed along three major directions, namely: (1) the literature identifying the emergence of a global village; (2) the literature identifying the advantages to a firm following a global strategy; and (3) the literature addressing the management challenges and the implementation issues faced by an international firm. We find that the literature has arrived at a number of important conclusions, namely: (1) the global environment places conflicting demands on participating firms; (2) there is no one strategy called global strategy, firms adopt different strategies to compete in the global arena; (3) the benefits accruing from a global strategy are contingent on the industry environment; (4) it is imperative to have multidimensional capabilities in the global arena; (5) matrix structures are becoming increasingly vital in implementing global strategies; and, finally, (6) the actual benefits of adopting matrix structures are contingent on the adoption of appropriate management processes. We identify the trends in the literature and suggest some directions for further research on the topic.     

Brainstorming Revisited: A Question of Context

This paper reviews the extant literature on global strategy. We argue that the literature has developed along three major directions, namely: (1) the literature identifying the emergence of a global village; (2) the literature identifying the advantages to a firm following a global strategy; and (3) the literature addressing the management challenges and the implementation issues faced by an international firm. We find that the literature has arrived at a number of important conclusions, namely: (1) the global environment places conflicting demands on participating firms; (2) there is no one strategy called global strategy, firms adopt different strategies to compete in the global arena; (3) the benefits accruing from a global strategy are contingent on the industry environment; (4) it is imperative to have multidimensional capabilities in the global arena; (5) matrix structures are becoming increasingly vital in implementing global strategies; and, finally, (6) the actual benefits of adopting matrix structures are contingent on the adoption of appropriate management processes. We identify the trends in the literature and suggest some directions for further research on the topic.