Search results

This paper seeks to understand how strategic information systems (IS) alignment takes place in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs).

The paper employs a qualitative and quantitative analysis of data from 27 cases.

A contingent model allows re‐interpretation of earlier findings that appear to be inconsistent. First, benefit realisation depends on alignment between IS and business strategies. Second, IS investment is frequently limited to supporting operations and transactions. Third, organizations with more sophisticated IS tend to perform less successfully than those with less complex systems, the greatest alignment and highest performance are reported for systems to improve efficiency, and organizations that adopt a low‐cost approach are unlikely to use IS strategically.

The paper extends understanding of the contingent nature of SMEs' investment in, and use of, IS, and of the effect of market position on IS management. It provides guidelines by describing the dominant paths to alignment. The limitations are that the SME sample is not random, the scoring protocols rely on author coding, whether the research identifies cycles of alignment, alternative interpretations of path hierarchy, and if an SME's location uniquely defines its alignment path.

Performance is a function of the alignment between IS strategy and other business domains. However, prior research has focused on outcomes, rather than the processes by which alignment is developed. Using multiple case data, this paper investigates alignment in SMEs, explaining why different SMEs follow different paths to alignment. Four paths are identified, with the path chosen contingent on an SME's market position.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the contribution of digitalisation, channel integration and sustainability to the improvement of industrial small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)' international performance.

Based on a review of the literature, the authors developed a research model that included six hypotheses about the relationships between the constructs studied: digitalisation, channel integration, sustainability and international performance. The structural equation model was tested with data from a survey answered by 200 exporting industrial SMEs, by means of partial least squares regression.

The digitalisation of SMEs contributes positively to channel integration and sustainability, while channel integration is positively related to their international performance. Although a direct relationship between digitalisation and international performance was not observed, a mediated relationship through channel integration was confirmed. Additionally, the multi-group analysis according to the level of internationalisation revealed that sustainability positively influences the international performance of companies with a high degree of internationalisation.

This study is original insofar as it examined the role of digitalisation in the international performance of industrial SMEs, considering the mediating role of sustainability and channel integration.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the reasons and drivers for academic libraries affecting university strategy with regards to shaping and developing learning spaces in response to changing pedagogic behaviours.

A review of available literature within the context of academic libraries and their position to influence and lead institutional strategic change. This theory and practice is addressed and evidenced by four case studies of university libraries in the UK.

Many UK academic libraries find themselves able to lead on and influence their institution's strategic direction with regards to teaching, learning and research. This is particularly the case in the design and development of learning spaces within the university. Academic libraries are in a unique position within a university with a view to observing student behaviours, being responsive to ever changing demands from academics and students, spotting trends and benchmarking against comparative institutions. These practices make it possible for academic libraries to advise, guide and lead on teaching and learning strategy and lead on learning spaces developments within their institutions.

Academic libraries can use existing quality assurance, responsiveness and benchmarking frameworks to influence university strategy and decision making.

This paper focuses on the concept of academic libraries influencing change, rather than responding to change, within their university. The case studies provide examples of where this has been the case, and suggest ways and frameworks which can be adopted by other academic libraries.

As Gonedes and Dopuch point out, there are many alternative approaches to the allocation of financial accounting information which might be viewed as competitors to ASC, FASB and other extant processes. Even if one begins with the ethical premise that “individual preferences are to count” and it is assumed that some sort of regulatory approach is needed, there are still at least three basic types of standards‐setting processes worthy of consideration: (1) “representative or expert body” processes; (2) “voting” processes; and (3) “demand‐based” (i.e. “willingness‐to‐pay”) processes. While the first type relies on the delegation of decision making authority to a body of “representative” or “expert” parties, the latter two types base their respective decisions on ordinal preference and demand information elicited directly from the affected parties themselves.