Search results

The study explores the potential barriers to data science (DS) implementation in organizations and identifies the key barriers. The identified barriers were explored for their interconnectedness and characteristics. This study aims to help organizations formulate apt DS strategies by providing a close-to-reality DS implementation framework of barriers, in conjunction with extant literature and practitioners' viewpoints.

The authors synthesized 100 distinct barriers through systematic literature review (SLR) under the individual, organizational and governmental taxonomies. In discussions with 48 industry experts through semi-structured interviews, 14 key barriers were identified. The selected barriers were explored for their pair-wise relationships using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and fuzzy Matriced’ Impacts Croise's Multiplication Appliquée a UN Classement (MICMAC) analyses in formulating the hierarchical framework.

The lack of awareness and data-related challenges are identified as the most prominent barriers, followed by non-alignment with organizational strategy, lack of competency with vendors and premature governmental arrangements, and classified as independent variables. The non-commitment of top-management team (TMT), significant investment costs, lack of swiftness in change management and a low tolerance for complexity and initial failures are recognized as the linkage variables. Employee reluctance, mid-level managerial resistance, a dearth of adequate skills and knowledge and working in silos depend on the rest of the identified barriers. The perceived threat to society is classified as the autonomous variable.

The study augments theoretical understanding from the literature with the practical viewpoints of industry experts in enhancing the knowledge of the DS ecosystem. The research offers organizations a generic framework to combat hindrances to DS initiatives strategically.

Sustainable entrepreneurship education (SEE) is a field, which mingles two imperative fields of research, sustainable entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education. This emerging area has gained momentum in recent years, and various quantitative and qualitative studies are carried upon to explore its diverse dimensions, literature remains scattered. This paper aims to explore the holistic picture of SEE by compiling the research articles, through a systematic literature review of prior research studies.

Two prominent databases are considered, and these databases then are searched with appropriately designed search strings. Based on an exclusion and inclusion criteria developed by the authors, 59 research papers are selected for further investigation. These research papers are then studied rigorously for review and qualitative content analysis.

A conceptual framework comprising of the areas of these research contributions is proposed as an outcome. This framework provides insights about the existing state and areas of SEE research namely: (1) Institutional framework, (2) Teaching/learning approaches and (3) External interactions and provides further direction for research.

The present study makes a significant contribution both in theoretical and in practical sense. (1) Compiled the extant literature on sustainable entrepreneurship education; (2) Developed a protocol to conduct the systematic review of literature on sustainable entrepreneurship education; (3) Reported the status of research on sustainable entrepreneurship education, and proposed a framework on existing work; (4) Presented the emerging topics, issues and challenges that need to be addressed in future research.

This article seeks to present a systematic literature review of the research field on sustainable entrepreneurship education. A review of existing literature in this field would certainly help to advance future research efforts as it presents a comprehensive picture of the status quo of this research field.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices are gaining momentum globally but their implementation becomes problematic due to the presence of barriers. So, this study aims to identify the barriers to CSR implementation among manufacturing enterprises, develop their classification and establish relationships among the barriers.

An exhaustive list of barriers was identified from the literature, and following surveys and expert opinions, 19 critical barriers were extracted. Interpretive structure modelling was used to understand the hierarchal and contextual relationships among barriers of CSR implementation.

The results show that are no autonomous variables present in the study. The proposed conceptual framework presents the hierarchy and interlinkage of barriers to CSR implementation in manufacturing enterprises. The results also indicate that rigidity in culture and corruption in the system and within the governance system of the country are the two most influential barriers that impede CSR implementation in manufacturing enterprises.

The interactions among CSR barriers provide policymakers, industrial practitioners and managers with a framework to recognise and evaluate mutual relationships and interlinking among barriers. CSR training and undertaking CSR in collaboration can help medium enterprises overcome these barriers and prepare strategies to mitigate their impact.

Understanding Strategic Information Systems (SIS) implementation is an important challenge to organizations. It is considered important because Information Technology (IT) decisions about investment are made worldwide and these decisions have the impact on the survival and growth of the organizations. In this context, SIS should be implemented very carefully so that right, timely and accurate information should be available to the managers, who are responsible for taking strategic decisions. Review of literature indicated the clear gaps existing in the implementation of Strategic Information Systems in general and in the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) of India in particular. Keeping the research gaps in this area in mind, we have undertaken this study in Indian PSUs so as to investigate the factors affecting the implementation of SIS. Organizational Culture, High Turnover of Professionals, Management Involvement, Collaboration, Systems Standards, Resources Implementation, Resources Availability, Market Competitition, Organizational Bureaucracy and Organizational Autocracy are emerged as the successful factors which must be taken care of while impelemnting SIS in Indian PSUs.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate critical success factors (CSFs) for the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system from a user perspective.

The research was conducted in two successive steps. First, a literature review was conducted to derive CSFs for ERP system implementation. Second, a survey was conducted to evaluate the importance of these CSFs from a user perspective. Data were collected through a questionnaire that was distributed within a German manufacturer and was developed based on the CSFs found in the literature. Gray relational analysis (GRA) was used to rank the CSFs in order of importance from a user perspective.

The findings reveal that users regard 11 of the 13 CSFs found in the literature as important for ERP system implementation. Seven of the CFSs were classified as the most important from a user perspective, namely, project team, technical possibilities, strategic decision-making, training and education, minimum customization, software testing and performance measurement. Users regarded 2 of the 13 CSFs as not important when implementing an ERP system, including organizational change management and top management involvement.

One limitation of this study is that the respondents originate from one organization, industry and country. The findings may differ in other contexts, and thus, future research should be expanded to include more organizations, industries and countries. Another limitation is that this study only evaluates existing CSFs from a user perspective rather than identifying new ones and/or the underlying reasons using more qualitative research.

A better understanding of the user perspective toward CSFs for ERP system implementation promises to contribute to the design of more effective ERP systems, a more successful implementation and a more effective operation. When trying to successfully implement an ERP system, the project team may use the insights from the user perspective.

Even though researchers highlight the important role users play during ERP system implementation, their perspective toward the widely discussed CSFs for ERP system implementation has not been investigated comprehensively. This study aims to fill this gap by evaluating CSFs derived from the literature from a user perspective.

Metabolic syndrome contains metabolic disorders that have association with other chronic diseases. Melatonin is a bioactive compound which is found in plants and also produced in the body. The purpose of this paper is to assess the effect of melatonin supplement on metabolic syndrome components, also leptin and adiponectin blood concentrations in patients with metabolic syndrome.

A double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was conducted on 70 subjects with metabolic syndrome. Participants received 6 mg/day melatonin or placebo before bedtime for 12 weeks. At the beginning and end of treatment period, blood samples were collected and biochemical parameters were measured. In addition, blood pressure and anthropometric indices were examined before and after the supplementation. Independent sample t-test was used to compare changes in metabolic syndrome components between the two study groups.

Results showed a significant reduction in waist circumference (−1.54 vs −0.04 cm; p = 0.036), systolic blood pressure (−3.52 vs 0.79 mmHg; p = 0.020), diastolic blood pressure (−1.50 vs 1.73 mmHg; p = 0.014), serum leptin concentration (−2.54 vs 0.27ng/ml; p = 0.041) and an elevation in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2.19 vs −0.79 mg/dl; p = 0.038) in the melatonin group compared to the placebo.

If insulin concentration had been measured, it might have revealed better interpretation of melatonin effect on fasting blood glucose.

This study showed that melatonin as a nutritional supplement improved most metabolic syndrome components and concentration of leptin in the melatonin group compared to the placebo.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, which has became a buzzword in the late 1990, are the most integrated information systems that cut across various organizations as well as various functional areas. Small and medium enterprises, competitor’s behavior, business partner requirement are the identified and established dimensions that affect ERP systems. Further it has been observed that ERP systems prove to be a failure either in the design or its implementation. A number of reasons contribute in the success or failure of an ERP systems. Enterprise resource planning systems inherently present unique risks due to tightly linked interdependencies of business processes, related databases, and process reengineering, etc. Knowledge of such risks is important in design of system and program management as they contribute to success of overall system. In this paper an attempt has been made to study the design and implementation risks factors for ERP systems in Indian organizations. For this two public sector companies namely PUNCOM and PTL located in northern India have been selected. Based on the model used to study ERP risks and thus the findings, various recommendations have been put forward to suggest a strategy so as to mitigate and manage such risks.

The ever increasing challenges of business environment in the recent past has taught the practitioners of data mining and customer relationship management (CRM) much about delivering high‐return and efficient results. Many service sector organizations including banks are now using data mining techniques to analyze the performance of service/customer relationships. The scope of data mining in business is enormous and thus the organizations including banks are applying data mining techniques to gain competitive advantages in their business. They are maintaining customer data in data warehouses and apply data mining software to uncover trends in the customer behaviour and understand their true business value. The organizations need an evaluation model to select the right data mining tools so as to avoid wrong decision. However, from the survey of literature, it is found that there is a gap in research in the design of an evaluation model for data mining software. In view of the importance of the subject and the existing gaps in reseach, this paper proposes a model for evaluating the data mining software with special reference to one of the leading banks in India, which have successfully implemented the data mining for CRM systems. The thus proposed model would provide a framework to evluate and to select the right data mining software which can be used by the service industry in general and the banking industry in particular.

In view of the changing business environment, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems have come to signify a never before opportunity for oganizations to gain a clear edge over their competitors. A review of related literature reveals a gap in research pertaining to evaluation model for ERP Systems. Moreover, being cross‐functional & enterprise level, these systems are not only high investment decisions; rather ERP implementation is regarded as a total transformation projects in the organizations. Keeping such a high importance and the gaps in research, the reseachers have undertaken an empirical study in Indian organizations with an objective to design an evaluation model for the ERP systems. Based on the empirical study, an integrated evaluation model has been designed. The thus designed model would provide a general framework which can help organizations evaluating their ERP systems and would go a long way in the successful maintaining and controlling of these systems.

Despite general awareness and acceptance of the benefit of strategic planning/alignment of IS strategy with business strategy, few efforts have been made to define and study the relationship. A review of literature has revealed that past studies have largely neglected the specific consideration of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) especially IT/software developing SMEs in India. The purpose of this research is to investigate the prevalence of strategic planning activity in Indian IT SMEs and its decisive influence on business performance.

A survey‐based approach was adopted to understand the prevalence of strategic planning activity in Indian IT SMEs and its crucial influence on business performance at all three levels of management. A short survey instrument was designed by reviewing the literature on strategic planning activity in software developing SMEs. A sample of 23 software developing SMEs in India was used.

A response rate of 88.8 per cent was achieved and included respondents at senior management, middle management, and lower level management across the software developing SMEs in India. The results indicate that the alignment of IS/IT strategy with corporate strategy has significant effect on performance of IT SMEs besides the general awareness of importance of strategic alignment in SMEs at all three levels of management.

The limited number of software developing SMEs will affect the generalizability of the study to the entire SME population. To negate the limitations of this study, multiple multi‐level case studies will be conducted in SMEs in the next phase of research. This research would contribute by indicating some of the implications, for both decision makers and academia, of an extended IT capabilities viewpoint on strategic planning activity. Future study should focus on performing a global survey on strategic alignment practices in SMEs.

The novelty of the paper lies in conducting a comparative study on the strategic alignment practices at all three levels of management in Indian SMEs and measuring its impact on the performance of the firm.