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The general-purpose engine lathe is the most basic turning machine tool. As with all lathes, the two basic requirements for turning are a means of holding the workpiece while it rotates as well as a means of holding cutting tools and moving them relatively to the workpiece. In this paper, we present the results of finite element analysis (FEA) performed to investigate nature of stress and their distribution at optimum point along the two turning tables of a micro-controller based versatile machine tool desktop learning module. Commercial Autodesk Inventor was used to create both three-dimensional (3D) and 2D models as well as performing simulation. Dynamics simulation generated the motion load expected to act on the tables when used for real-life operation which were in turn used to perform the FEA. The motion of the DC stepper motor driving the tables and other parts of the module is designed to be controlled by programmable chips. Before creating FEA simulation for the tables, numerical divergence were prevented by varying the mesh settings to obtain the settings at which the results of the analyses converges which was obtained at 0.03 average element size and 0.04 minimum element size. Finite element analysis carried out on the tables shows that aluminium alloy 4032-T6 chosen will serve in the fabrication of physical prototype. FEA revealed the nature and level of stresses that will be experienced on the tables, it also revealed region where these stresses will concentrate on them. The analysis also estimated the expected weight of the turning tables 1&2 to be 1.23536 and 0.257182 kg respectively and show that the minimum factor of safety was constantly 15 ul within the tables which means that they will not fail during operation.

A number of recent studies have suggested that many small businesses are opting to become members of strategic alliances with other firms in order to minimise the perceived barriers to adoption of electronic commerce (E‐commerce). This study compares the perception of barriers to E‐commerce adoption between a sample of Swedish small to medium enterprises (SMEs) that have become members of some form of strategic alliance and those that have remained outside such arrangements. The results show that, in general, SMEs that are part of a strategic alliance perceive barriers as less applicable than their counterparts that are not part of a strategic alliance.

Founded on IT diffusion and assimilation theory, a survey study of 54 Canadian travel agencies has allowed us to identify various factors determining the assimilation of electronic commerce by small enterprises in the form of informational, transactional, and strategic implementation of a Web site. The results indicate that informational implementation and transactional implementation are determined by the environmental context (business partners’ influence and environmental uncertainty), whereas strategic implementation is determined by the travel agencies’ marketing strategy (in terms of distribution and communication), the organizational context (type of ownership, nature of business), and the characteristics of electronic commerce (perceived advantages and technology attributes).

Digital business models are often designed for rapid growth, and some relatively young companies have indeed achieved global scale. However, despite the visibility and importance of this phenomenon, analysis of scale and scalability remains underdeveloped in management literature. When it is addressed, analysis of this phenomenon is often over-influenced by arguments about economies of scale in production and distribution. To redress this omission, this paper draws on economic, organization, and technology management literature to provide a detailed examination of the sources of scaling in digital businesses. We propose three mechanisms by which digital business models attempt to gain scale: engaging both non-paying users and paying customers; organizing customer engagement to allow self-customization; and orchestrating networked value chains, such as platforms or multi-sided business models. Scaling conditions are discussed, and propositions developed and illustrated with examples of big data entrepreneurial firms.

The purpose of this paper is to attempts to provide further insight into IS adoption by investigating how 12 factors within the technology-organization-environment framework explain small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) adoption of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

The approach for data collection was questionnaire survey involving executives of SMEs drawn from six fast service enterprises with strong operations in Port Harcourt. The mode of sampling was purposive and snow ball and analysis involves logistic regression test; the likelihood ratios, Hosmer and Lemeshow’s goodness of fit, and Nagelkerke’s R² provided the necessary lenses.

The 12 hypothesized relationships were supported with each factor differing in its statistical coefficient and some bearing negative values. ICT infrastructures, technical know-how, perceived compatibility, perceived values, security, and firm’s size were found statistically significant adoption determinants. Although, scope of business operations, trading partners’ readiness, demographic composition, subjective norms, external supports, and competitive pressures were equally critical but their negative coefficients suggest they pose less of an obstacle to adopters than to non-adopters. Thus, adoption of ERP by SMEs is more driven by technological factors than by organizational and environmental factors.

The study is limited by its scope of data collection and phases, therefore extended data are needed to apply the findings to other sectors/industries and to factor in the implementation and post-adoption phases in order to forge a more integrated and holistic adoption framework.

The model may be used by IS vendors to make investment decisions, to meet customers’ needs, and to craft informed marketing programs that would appeal to actual and potential adopters and cause them to progress in the customer loyalty ladder.

The paper contributes to the growing research on IS innovations’ adoption by using factors within the T-O-E framework to explains SMEs’ adoption of ERP.

This paper investigates the reasons underpinning the diverging adoption rates of different types of inter‐organisational systems (IOS) amongst small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). It explores the evolution of IOS from traditional proprietary and closed systems to Internet‐based open, flexible systems. It illustrates, through the study of 25 SMEs, that the emergence of new Internet‐based IOS provides SMEs with a rich set of technologies that may fundamentally change the technological perspective of SMEs from reluctant, reactive, slow implementers of technology to enthusiastic, proactive, rapid innovators of technology. The paper suggests that positive experiences by SMEs of Web‐based electronic commerce and the continued desire of larger firms to achieve full compliance with their IOS will dramatically increase the adoption rate of Web‐enabled IOS.

Studies in performance measurement systems (PMS) seem to receive little attention in the information system (IS) literature. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to contribute to the stream of research in the fields of performance measurement and ISs.

The paper examines how IS sophistication is linked to PMSs by investigating the use of performance measures in the Malaysian financial services industry. Data were collected from 140 financial institutions through self‐administered questionnaire survey of top‐level executives. A component‐based structural equation modelling, partial least squares, was used to test the research model.

The results indicate that IS sophistication is a determinant of performance measures. The results also indicate that different dimensions of IS sophistication affect different dimensions of performance measures usage.

The paper significantly extends prior research on performance measures by establishing IS sophistication links to the different types of performance measures. Further, the findings clarify the distinct and important roles of each IS dimension's influence on performance measures.

This paper aims to propose and test a ten-factor framework of four contexts from technology-organization-environment (T-O-E) theory and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to provide insight(s) that complements and extends extant inquiries on technology adoption.

Survey data were collected from small service enterprises with strong operations in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and the mode of sampling was purposive and snow ball, whereas analysis involved structural equation modeling.

The results show that factors in the technological, organizational and environmental contexts have direct statistically significant relationship with adoption; thus, adoption is more driven by T-O-E factors than by individual factors. For individual context, social factor equally was statistically supported, whereas hedonistic drive was not.

The study is limited by its scope of data collection and phases; therefore, extended data are needed to apply the findings to other sectors/industries/countries and to factor in the implementation and post-adoption phases and business to business (B2B) adoption to forge a more holistic framework.

Implicit is that the findings encourage vendors and policy makers to recognize the strength of interpersonal and group relationships in addition to T-O-E contexts in developing investment decisions.

The paper contributes to the growing research on innovation adoption by using factors within the T-O-E and UTAUT frameworks to explain SMEs’ adoption of technologies.

Strategic alignment remains a key area of focus among business executives. Methods exist with which to determine the type of alignment a firm is following and there has even been research into the factors which aid and hinder the achievement of alignment. What is currently lacking is a financial performance metric with which a firm can benchmark itself against its competition controlling for industry classification or similar alignment perspective. This paper explores the financial performance and alignment of over 500 firms over the past five years. From these data, a regression equation to measure performance controlling for alignment perspective and industry classification is proposed. Such an equation provides firms with an idea of where they stand, on average, within their respective industry and among firms following the same alignment perspective. Implications for managers are also discussed as well as general strategies for managers to facilitate and enhance information technology investment.

Increased requirements for competitiveness, innovation, quality, flexibility and information processing capability has led a number of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to implement advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT). Seeks to explore this.

Using a contingency theory perspective, a survey study of 118 Canadian manufacturers was made to determine the performance outcomes of the “fit” or alignment between the critical success factors (CSFs) of operations management in SMEs and their level of proficiency in the use of AMT.

It was found that while increased CSF and AMT assimilation levels directly impact operational performance in terms of increased productivity, cost reductions, flexibility, quality, and integration, a mismatch between the two significantly reduces performance. From an information processing view of the firm, it was also found that increased uncertainty in the SMEs' environment leads to increased CSF levels but not to increased assimilation of AMT.

Common to survey studies, the nature of the sample and perceptual nature of certain measures impose care in generalizing the results of the study.

Provides information showing that enterprises must increase their ability to manage both manufacturing and information technologies.