scholarly journals An Action Research Case Study of the Facilitators and Inhibitors of E-Commerce Adoption

2009 ◽  
pp. 236-247
Author(s):  
Orla Kirwan
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Academic World ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Retail Business ◽  
Research Findings

This research has studied an established Irish retail business as it takes its first tentative steps into the e-commerce arena. Although the adoption of e-commerce is widely studied in the academic world, only a small percentage of these studies focus on the small to medium size enterprise (SME) retail sector. SMEs account for 97% of Irish companies and employ up to 800,000 people (Chamber of Commerce Ireland, 2006). While examining the SME’s adoption of e-commerce, the factors that affected the adoption process were specifically identified and understood. This was achieved by conducting an action research case study. Action research merges research and practice, thus producing exceedingly relevant research findings. This chapter demonstrates how the research was undertaken, and also discusses the justification, benefits, and limitations of using action research. The research concluded that the adoption of e-commerce within the SME sector tends to be slow and fragmented, the presence of a ‘Web champion’ is paramount to the success of the project, and Internet adoption is faster with the recognition of a business need. It also supported the evidence that a SME is more likely to adopt e-commerce when the SME owner has a positive attitude towards IT.

An evaluation of knowledge management tools: Part 2 – managing knowledge flows and enablers

2014 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 1101-1126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Massingham
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Organisational Change ◽  
Knowledge Flows ◽  
Organisational Performance ◽  
Learning Organisation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
And Performance

Purpose – This paper aims to evaluate a range of best practice knowledge management (KM) ideas used to manage knowledge flows and enablers. In total, four KM toolkits and 23 KM tools were tested over a five-year period (2008-2013), as part of a large-scale longitudinal change project. Each tool was assessed against an evaluative framework designed to test criticisms of KM: strategy, implementation and performance. The results provide empirical evidence about what KM tools work and which do not and why, and outcomes for practitioners, researchers and consultants. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents a summary of the findings of a large Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project grant in the period of 2008-2013. The case study organisation (CSO) was a large public sector department, which faced the threat of lost capability caused by its ageing workforce and knowledge loss. The project aimed to solve this problem by minimising its impact via achieving learning organisation capacity. The CSO participating in the study was selected because it was a knowledge-intensive organisation, with an ageing workforce. All 150 engineering and technical staff at the CSO were invited to participate, including management and staff. An action research methodology was used. Findings – The results provide empirical evidence that KM can be used to manage knowledge flows and enablers. The highest rating toolkit was knowledge preservation, followed by knowledge usage. The most value was created by using KM to provide “why context” to structural capital (e.g. reports, databases, policies) (meta-data) and to create opportunities to reflect on experience and share the learning outcomes (peer assists and after action reviews). The results tended to support criticism that KM is difficult to implement and identified the main barriers as participation located at the tactical action research level, i.e. why is this useful? Evidence that KM works was found in progress towards learning organisation capacity and in practical outcomes. Research limitations/implications – The action research cycle and learning flows provide opportunities to examine barriers to KM implementation. The research also presents opportunities for further research to examine the findings in other organisational and industry settings, for example, the relationship between the KM toolkits and organisational change and performance, presents an important area for further research. Researchers might also consider some of the toolkits which rated poorly, e.g. knowledge sharing, and challenge these findings, perhaps selecting different KS tools for testing. The paper has limitations. It is based on a single case study organisation, offset, to some degree, by the longitudinal nature of the empirical evidence. It is ambitious and the findings may be controversial. However, the depth of the study and its findings provide rare longitudinal empirical evidence about KM and the results should be useful for practitioners, researchers and consultants. Practical implications – For practitioners, the research findings provide management with an evaluative framework to use when making decisions regarding KM. The findings provide discussion of KM toolkits and tools that may be used to manage knowledge flows and enablers. In addition to the discussion of each tool, there is analysis of what works and what does not and why, barriers to implementation as well as explanation of their impact on organisational change and performance, and a scorecard to guide toolkit choices. This method should allow managers to make sensible decisions about KM. Originality/value – The paper addresses criticisms of KM by examining the KM toolkits within the context of whether knowledge can be managed, implementation barriers may be addressed and improved organisational performance can be demonstrated. This approach allows generalisability of the findings to enable others to apply the research findings in their organisational contexts. The outcome is three sets of guidelines: strategy: which KM tools work; implementation: addressing barriers; and organisational performance: how to measure value. In doing so, the paper provides a systematic framework for evaluating KM tools. It also provides a rare opportunity to present empirical evidence gathered over a five-year longitudinal study.

Informatics in Social Services

2015 ◽  
pp. 18-43
Author(s):  
Sirpa Kuusisto-Niemi ◽  
Kaija Saranto ◽  
Sari Rissanen
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Future Research ◽  
International Literature ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Development Phases ◽  
Working Practices ◽  
Areas Of Interest

The aim of the chapter is to describe and analyse the conception of ICTs for social services on the basis of previous international and national research and a case study of Finnish experiences. The authors describe the concept of ICTs for social services and identify the main areas of interest and research findings in relation to the paradigm of social services informatics. The data for this part was collected by an integrated literature review of ICT research. Next, the authors review and evaluate the development phases of Finnish social services informatics. On the basis of national and international literature, they compare the similarities and distinguishing elements in the evolution of social care ICT in research and practice. On the basis of these findings on the main issues, challenges, opportunities, and trends, some recommendations for future research as well as for working practices are briefly described.

scholarly journals Creating and Implementing Standardized Management Innovation in a Large Organization

2021 ◽  
pp. 227797792199194
Author(s):  
Esa Hiltunen ◽  
Outi-Maaria Palo-oja ◽  
Markus Perkkiö
Keyword(s):  
Change Agents ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Management Innovation ◽  
Large Organization ◽  
Large Company ◽  
Standard Level ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Telecommunications Company

Management innovation represents one of the most important and sustainable sources of competitive advantage due to its context-specific nature. Still, current academic literature on management innovation and standardization is slightly limited. This intensive case study explores management innovation in a large European telecommunications company with the focus on standardization in managerial practices. The research data were gathered through interviews with managers from different levels of the case company. The results show that highly standardized management innovation is effective for reaching a standard level of management in a large company; it is also a prerequisite for further systematic development. Research questions: The purpose of this study is to gain insight into how standardization emerges in management innovation in a large organization by studying the construction and conduction of a managerial toolkit in a European telecommunications company. Links to theory: The theoretical framework is based on a study of management innovations and related processes by Birkinshaw et al. (2008) and a standardization study by Wright, Wylie & Sturdy (2012) in which the tasks of an internal change agent were divided into “ standardizing agendas” and “ standardizing methods”. Phenomenon studied: Adoption process of a standardized management innovation in a large company. Case context: The case company is a large European telecommunications company which operates in a highly competitive market where organizational excellence is extremely beneficial. The case study focuses on the case company management innovation process for creating a “toolkit” for day-to-day management in the retail sales channel. Research findings: The research findings gathered through systematic combining approach show that standardized management innovation is an effective tool for implementing managerial best practices from management fashions into organizational standards. Through adapting these learnings systematically to managers’ individual work, the good “standard” level of managing can be achieved in a large-size company. Reaching these standards also appears as a prerequisite for a further systematic managerial development in the organization. Discussion: This study contributes to management innovation research by highlighting planning and coordination in introduction and successful adoption of standardized management innovation. Planning communications, setting achievable timeframes and choosing the right implementers are important aspects of implementation. Clear guidelines help employees understand the ideological background of management innovation, and close interaction between change agents and store managers promotes the adoption of management innovation. A standardized management toolkit is an effective tool for putting external leadership ideologies, known as management fashions, into practice in a large organization. However, practical implementation requires comprehensive communication and preferably internal recruitment of change agents.

THE USE OF DIARY WRITING TO IMPROVE STUDENTS RECOUNT TEXT

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Uray Ryan Hermawan ◽  
Clarry Sada ◽  
Yanti Sri Rezeki
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Chronological Order ◽  
Tenth Grade ◽  
Diary Writing ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Academic Year

The research was aimed to investigate the use of diary writing to overcome students’ problem in writing recount texts. The problems include writing a recount text in chronological order, writing correct verb changes and developing ideas. Classroom action research was conducted by applying diary as the technique to help students overcome their problem. There were two cycles conducted in this research. The data were taken from the students’ individual score, observation checklist, and field notes. The result showed that teaching writing through diary writing improved students’ writing recount text. Referring to the research findings, the data showed that diary writing improved students’ recount text, as seen in their score. These in terms of score, students’ improved from 71.96 to 76.03 and improving the motivation to the students which makes them eager to write also makes the teaching learning process better. In conclusions, students’ writing recount text of the tenth grade students of class IPS 1 of SMAN 4 Sungai Raya in academic year 2018/2019 improved by using diary.

The Effects of Teaching Reflection Diaries on In-Service High School Teachers in Japan

Relay Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 80-99
Author(s):  
Naoya Shibata
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Teachers ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Teaching Beliefs ◽  
Experienced Teacher ◽  
Female Teachers ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Illustrative Case Study

Although teaching reflection diaries (TRDs) are prevalent tools for teacher training, TRDs are rarely used in Japanese secondary educational settings. In order to delve into the effects of TRDs on teaching development, this illustrative case study was conducted with two female teachers (one novice, and one experienced) at a Japanese private senior high school. The research findings demonstrated that both in-service teachers perceived TRDs as beneficial tools for understanding their strengths and weaknesses. TRDs and class observations illustrated that the novice teacher raised their self-confidence in teaching and gradually changed their teaching activities. On the other hand, the experienced teacher held firm teaching beliefs based on their successful teaching experiences and were sometimes less willing to experiment with different approaches. However, they changed their teaching approaches when they lost balance between their class preparation and other duties. Accordingly, although teachers’ firm beliefs and successful experiences may sometimes become possible hindrances from using TRDs effectively, TRDs can be useful tools to train and help teachers realise their strengths and weaknesses.

scholarly journals Sustainability and Stakeholder Awareness: A Case Study of a Scottish University

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4186
Author(s):  
Abdulhakeem Raji ◽  
Abeer Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Signaling Theory ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Voluntary Exercise ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The University

This paper adopted a case study approach to investigate the sustainability practices of a Scottish university in order to understand if sustainability forms part of its central policy agenda. As such, the paper focuses on the levels of awareness and disclosure of their sustainable practices, measuring the impacts and effectiveness of those initiatives. This paper introduces signaling theory to explore the idea that appropriate communication via integrated thinking can close the gap between the organization and its stakeholders. We believe that the provision of this relevant information will lead to better communication between the organization and its stakeholders, supporting a signaling theory interpretation. Therefore, we are suggesting that integrated thinking is an internal process that organizations can follow to increase the level of disclosure as a communication tool with stakeholders. From the literature reviewed, four themes were identified (definition of university sustainability, sustainability awareness, disclosure framework within universities, and level of accountability). The research adopted a pragmatic view and conducted individual interviews with participants belonging to three stakeholder groups (members of the university’s senior management, the governing council, and the student union executive). Although this study focused on just one Scottish university, it should still provide some insight for the better understanding of the underpinning issues surrounding the sustainability accountability practices of Scottish universities in general. The research findings indicated that the university prioritized only two sustainability dimensions—economic and environmental—and that the university still perceived sustainability as a voluntary exercise. Additionally, it is evident that the university had no framework in place for measuring its sustainability delivery—and therefore had no established medium of communicating these activities to its stakeholders. Moreover, research findings showed that the social and educational context of sustainability was lacking at the university. The university has done little or nothing to educate its stakeholders on sustainability.

scholarly journals Monitoring Lakes Surface Water Velocity with SAR: A Feasibility Study on Lake Garda, Italy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 2293
Author(s):  
Marina Amadori ◽  
Virginia Zamparelli ◽  
Giacomo De Carolis ◽  
Gianfranco Fornaro ◽  
Marco Toffolon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Wind Waves ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Water Velocity ◽  
Surface Velocity ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Lake Garda ◽  
Marine Applications

The SAR Doppler frequencies are directly related to the motion of the scatterers in the illuminated area and have already been used in marine applications to monitor moving water surfaces. Here we investigate the possibility of retrieving surface water velocity from SAR Doppler analysis in medium-size lakes. ENVISAT images of the test site (Lake Garda) are processed and the Doppler Centroid Anomaly technique is adopted. The resulting surface velocity maps are compared with the outputs of a hydrodynamic model specifically validated for the case study. Thermal images from MODIS Terra are used in support of the modeling results. The surface velocity retrieved from SAR is found to overestimate the numerical results and the existence of a bias is investigated. In marine applications, such bias is traditionally removed through Geophysical Model Functions (GMFs) by ascribing it to a fully developed wind waves spectrum. We found that such an assumption is not supported in our case study, due to the small-scale variations of topography and wind. The role of wind intensity and duration on the results from SAR is evaluated, and the inclusion of lake bathymetry and the SAR backscatter gradient is recommended for the future development of GMFs suitable for lake environments.

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