The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the practice of IT cost benchmarking using IT managerial control ratios. First, numerous reliability and validity issues that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the practice of IT cost benchmarking using IT managerial control ratios. First, numerous reliability and validity issues that this practice is plagued by are discussed. Second, recommendations on addressing some of these reliability and validity issues are also proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper that draws on literature utilizing IT managerial control ratios to discuss various reliability problems associated with these measures and also makes use of IT strategy theory to challenge the validity of common interpretations of IT managerial control ratios.
Findings
This study explains that IT managerial control ratios are subject to numerous reliability and validity issues. The reliability issues arise from the inherent volatility of some of the variables used in these ratios and difficulties that executives have in providing a reliable estimate of those variables when they are approached by market research firms. The validity issues arise from the fact that high and low values of these ratios are subject to different and, at times, somewhat orthogonal theoretical interpretations.
Practical implications
IT managerial control ratios are often at the heart of important capital allocation decisions as well as studies which form important stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the business value of IT. These important uses of IT managerial control ratios should not be carried out without understanding the reliability and validity issues discussed in this paper.
Originality/value
While IT managerial control ratios are used extensively in benchmarking and research, very few researchers and practitioners possess a full understanding of the reliability and validity issues associated with these measures. This can potentially lead to sub-optimal capital allocation decisions and erroneous findings in studies. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of these issues and recommends possible remedies.
Details
Keywords
Nader Asaad Bin Taher, Vlad Krotov and Leiser Silva
– The purpose of this paper is to guide managers on business process reengineering (BPR) and automation projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public sector context.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to guide managers on business process reengineering (BPR) and automation projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public sector context.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper relies on a literature review and synthesis in the areas of leadership, BPR, change management, user resistance and power to propose a change management framework.
Findings
The paper argues for attention to be paid to the power relationships among various stakeholders. Stakeholder impact analysis is recommended to understand how change will impact stakeholders and shift power balances. It proposes that leadership and communication are essential for implementing change, especially given the particular cultural conditions of the UAE. Moreover, change should be a continuous process supported by communication.
Research limitations/implications
As power and authority are very important elements of the UAE culture, future research should further examine the role of power in implementing organizational change in the UAE context.
Practical implications
This paper proposes a ten-step change management framework that adopts the latest thinking on change management to the UAE context.
Originality/value
Although change management is a well-established field, the body of knowledge that concentrates on the UAE organizational context is scant. This paper translates the latest thinking on change management to the UAE context (characterized by sensitivity to power issues and stakeholder impact) and proposes a practical framework for leading change in the UAE public sector context.