Editorial

Citation

Irani, Z. and Kamal, M. (2015), "Editorial", Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol. 28 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-12-2014-0123

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Volume 28, Issue 2.

It gives us great pleasure to welcome our readers to the second issue of the 28th volume of Journal Enterprise Information Management (JEIM), and express our appreciation to all our readers and contributors over the past year.

The second issue of Volume 28 commences with a research paper by Mohammed Tubigi and Sarmad Alshawi, entitled “The impact of knowledge management processes on organisational performance: the case of the airline industry”. In this paper, Mohammed and Sarmad aim to answer the following research question:

RQ1. What is the impact of knowledge management (KM) processes (creation, acquisition, knowledge modification, immediate use, archiving, transfer, translation, user access, and disposal) on organisational performance within the context of airline industry (AI)?

The authors assert that regardless of the potential benefits that can be gained from utilising KM in the workplace, and the relatively large number of studies relating to the KM concept, there is a lack of research that analyses the ways in which organisational performance (OP) can be influenced by KM processes within AI. To bridge this gap in the literature, this research proposes a conceptual model for the interaction between a comprehensive set of KM processes and a set of OP measurements within AI. To this end, this study seeks to provide an in-depth examination into the practices and implications of KM within a specific AI context. Mohammed and Sarmad assert that the overall importance of this study lies within the importance of KM as a strategic organisational tool and the potential impact of KM processes on overall organisational performance. This research adopts an inductive qualitative research paradigm. The use of this research paradigm is justified based on the need to collect in-depth data that are necessary to derive the adjusted model. This research study exhibits that knowledge usage is the most influential aspect of KM in terms of the impact on OP. Moreover, the study revealed that knowledge transfer is a common KM process employed by organisations.

Thereafter, we have another research paper by Martin Aruldoss, Miranda Lakshmi Travis, and V. Prasanna Venkatesan, entitled “A reference model for business intelligence to predict bankruptcy”. This paper report that businesses and/or large enterprises equivalently rely on the steadiness of their financial capability. A self-financial status prediction analysis may help an organisation to plan its business activities for the smooth running of the business. On the other hand, bankruptcy has shown unanticipated consequences to global economy. Its impact leads to financial failure, recession, unemployment and poor economic situations. As according to Cho et al. (2010), it can produce substantial loss to banks, suppliers, shareholders, and to the whole community. Literature indicates several different kinds of bankruptcy prediction techniques (e.g. credit scoring and statistical techniques). But the authors claim that the extant techniques are restricted in predicting the bankruptcy and not addressing the associated activities like acquiring the suitable data and delivering the results to the user after processing it. Nevertheless, this situation demands the need for a comprehensive solution for predicting bankruptcy with intelligence. In order to model business intelligence (BI) solution for bankruptcy prediction the concept of reference model is used. As a result, a Reference Model for Business Intelligence to Predict Bankruptcy (RMBIPB) is designed by applying unit operations as hierarchical structure with abstract components. This reference model exhibits the non-functional software qualities intended for the appropriate unit operations. This research is an attempt to provide a comprehensive solution for bankruptcy prediction. To realise the comprehensive model, BI solution is applied and reference model is designed using unit operations to predict bankruptcy.

Vinod Yadav and Milind Kumar Sharma present their research entitled “An application of hybrid data envelopment analytical hierarchy process approach for supplier selection”. In this research, Vinod and Milind argue that the problem of supplier selection gets intricate when an organisation has to focus on numerous criteria to assess different suppliers. On the other hand, the decision criteria used for supplier selection process can be different for different organisations due to a number of different factors (such as demographics, size of buyer organisation, preferred sourcing strategy, types of products/services). Based on the latter argument, the authors signify supplier selection as a multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem. Moreover, after scanning literature, the authors identified the following gaps in the literature:

• the literature lacks essential elements to recognise some of the elements of long-term relationships between buyer and supplier;

• limited research studies have proposed MCDM approach based on data envelopment analytical hierarchy process (DEAHP) methodology for supplier selection;

• very few researchers reported on flexibility criteria, one of the most crucial factors in today’s competitive manufacturing environment, for supplier selection; and

• lack of case applications in the developing region.

The objective of this paper is to propose a hybrid DEAHP approach to solve the supplier selection problem for an automobile company. The authors adopt DEAHP methodology in which data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach is embedded into analytical hierarchy process (AHP) methodology for supplier selection process. The authors assert that the proposed MCDM model can provide the guidelines and directions for the decision makers to effectively select suppliers in the present-day competitive environment.

The above DEAHP-based research is followed by another research paper by Sue Abdinnour and Khawaja Saeed, entitled “User perceptions towards an ERP system: comparing the post-implementation phase to the pre-implementation phase”. This research paper examines users’ perceptions towards an ERP system, namely SAP, after it went live at a large complex aircraft manufacturing company in the midwest of the USA. The academic literature endorses the need to focus on the post-implementation stage to optimise the use of the ERP system, which is the focus of this study. In Orlikowski and Gash’s (1994) words, at the post-implementation stage the users develop a deeper understanding of the ERP system features and its capabilities, thus initial perceptions are reassessed and revised based on actual user experience. As a result, the authors conduct a comparative analysis of users’ post-implementation perceptions to their pre-implementation perceptions in order to understand if opinions changed considerably. Moreover, this research studies if users’ involvement in the ERP implementation process and their position at the company has an impact on the changes in pre- and post-implementation users’ perceptions. Based on the literature findings, the authors propose the following two hypotheses:

H1. User perceptions of an ERP system’ capability, value, timing, and acceptance will decrease significantly in the post-implementation phase as compared to the pre-implementation phase.

H2. User involvement in the ERP pre- implementation phase will have significant interaction with longitudinal user perceptions of an ERP system’ capability, value, timing, and acceptance.

To examine the above hypotheses, data were collected from a large aircraft manufacturing company in the midwest, where there is a major competitor in the aerospace industry. Based on the empirical findings, the authors report that the company employees were not very positive about the ERP system in the pre-implementation phase but they were even less positive about it in the post-implementation phase. Thus, the results clearly indicate that in the post-implementation phase, employees’ perceptions of the ERP system’ capability, value, and timing dropped significantly, whereas perceptions of employees’ acceptance of the ERP system did not change much.

Then we have Alp Ustundag and Aysenur Budak with case study based research, entitled “A web-based DSS for fuzzy distribution network optimization”. Distribution network design (DND) is considered as a major problem faced by the supply chain managers (e.g. Costantino et al., 2013; Farahani et al., 2014). According to Michelle (2005) DND is an important strategic decision that companies must make to ensure that required raw materials and components can be distributed efficiently from their suppliers to their manufacturing plants and warehouses as well as the final products to their customers. In this paper, Alp and Aysenur propose a web-based decision support system (DSS) using fuzzy linear programming model in order to solve DND problem under uncertainty and a framework is created to optimise a distribution network. From the research design perspective, this paper addresses the fuzziness in distribution network optimisation. Fuzzy linear programming is used in a DSS to consider the uncertain and imprecise data. Furthermore, as an application, distribution network optimisation is conducted for a company in the ceramics industry. Based on the empirical findings, the authors assert that DSS facilitate a wide variety of decision tasks including information gathering and analysis, model building, sensitivity analysis, collaboration, alternative evaluation, and decision implementation in daily business activities. They are increasingly integrated into business processes and information systems. Since the progress of internet technology enhances the capability and usability of DSSs, these systems are much more adopted by the managers in different industries.

Following the above case study paper, we have another case study based research paper by Noel Carroll and Markus Helfert presenting their research, entitled “Service capabilities within open innovation: revisiting the applicability of capability maturity models”. The authors argue that open innovation is an emerging paradigm which exposes organisations to networked capabilities and competencies through collaboration relationships. Moreover, it is a concern that much of the debate on open innovation is orchestrated by IT companies who focus on technical aspects which supposedly differentiates service delivery. While much of the effort still lies in understanding the benefits of its technical infrastructure, the fundamental concern comes down to whether it can add business value from open innovation. More importantly, one of the biggest challenges facing organisations (e.g. IT vendors) is developing a mechanism to assess the business value of harnessing open innovation to avail of newfound capabilities. The traditional view of the organisational environment raises concerns regarding the mismatch in the methods used to assess business value and understanding service process maturity. However, this papers aims to address the latter literature gap. In so doing, the authors conduct a systematic literature review to present a state-of-the-art literature review with particular focus on the applicability of capability maturity models (CMM) within an open innovation context. The systematic literature search focused on the following key variables:

• service capabilities;

• open innovation;

• capability maturity models; and

• methods of assessing the value of IT.

To provide a unique contribution of this research, an exploratory search was also conducted to identify weaknesses in capability maturity models, assessing value in service technology and outsourcing technologies, e.g. cloud computing. The authors assert that the research conducted in this paper offers insights on the development of a new service maturity framework whereby maturity models can guide the development of our revised service maturity sourcing model.

Finally, we have Bahadur Ali Soomro and Naimatullah Shah and with their longitudinal base research paper, entitled “Developing attitudes and intentions among potential entrepreneurs”. This paper explores the attitudes and intentions of individuals towards entrepreneurship with the support of theory of planned dehaviour (TPB) and personal and environmental factors and tests the reliability of data instrument. As this is a longitudinal study, the authors proposed to adapt a survey questionnaire for data collection from sample of business, economics, and engineering students of public and private higher educational institutions of a developing country. For data analysis, SPSS 2.0 version was used to test the hypotheses through descriptive, Pearson’s correlations and multiple regression analysis techniques. Empirical findings demonstrate that all variables are reliable and valid, where all independent variables were found positively and significantly related to dependent variable except personal control. Moreover, the results indicate that that TPB theory factors such as attitudes towards the behaviour, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control and personal and social attitudinal characteristic like achievement, self-esteem, and innovation are important for the development of entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions.

We would very much like to thank our contributors for their excellent high quality contributions to this regular issue and hope JEIM readers will find the papers stimulating, original, and valuable.

Zahir Irani and Muhammad Kamal

References

Cho, S., Hong, H. and Ha, B.-C. (2010), “A hybrid approach based on the combination of variable selection using decision trees and case-based reasoning using the Mahalanobis distance: for bankruptcy prediction”, Expert Systems with Applications, Vol. 37 No. 4, pp. 3482-3488

Costantino, N., Dotoli, M., Falagario, M., Fanti, M.P., Mangini, A.M., Sciancalepore, F. and Ukovich, W. (2013), “A hierarchical optimization technique for the strategic design of distribution networks”, Computers & Industrial Engineering, Vol. 66 No. 4, pp. 849-864

Farahani, R.Z., Rezapour, S., Dreznar, T. and Fallah, S. (2014), “Competitive supply chain network design: an overview of classifications, models, solution techniques and applications”, Omega, Vol. 45, pp. 92-118

Michelle, C.L.F. (2005), “New models in logistics network design and implications for 3PL companies”, PhD dissertation, Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA) Office, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Orlikowski, W.J. and Gash, D.C. (1994), Technological frames: making sense of information technology in organizations”, ACM Transactions on Information Systems, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 174-207