ICT & innovation: a case of integration in a regional construction firm

Construction firms in regional areas face considerable challenges to their competitiveness. Logistics, availability of suitable personnel, unfamiliarity with trading partners, and the tyranny of distance conspire to obstruct profitable engagement beyond their local area. Electronic information and communication technology (ICT) such as web-based project management applications and other forms of collaborative data sharing have the potential to mitigate many of these obstacles, but have yet to gain widespread acceptance, particularly by smaller regional firms who question their cost effectiveness. The attitudes of decision-makers and the impact of their decisions on intra- and inter-firm culture lie at the heart of ICT-mediated innovation. This paper presents a case study of a specialist subcontractor located in regional New South Wales and its involvement in a New Zealand project, whose competitiveness arose from using ICT to integrate its own supply chain. It also provided additional value by triggering collaboration and integration in the broader project team. The case reveals that these outcomes were symptomatic of the organisational culture of the subcontractor, and were achieved through a combination of leadership, collaboration, flexibility and pragmatism, redolent of dynamic capabilities.

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The Promise of Information and Communication Technology in Volunteer Administration

Technology Adoption and Social Issues ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-5201-7.ch063 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1388-1407 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Kelly E. Proulx ◽

Mark A. Hager ◽

Denise A. Wittstock

Keyword(s):

Nonprofit Organizations ◽

Technology Acceptance ◽

Technology Use ◽

New Technology ◽

Volunteer Management ◽

Web Based ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Volunteer Programs ◽

Volunteer Administration ◽

The Impact

Traditional volunteer management is a bureaucratic process involving recruitment, screening, training, assignment, scheduling, recognition, retention, and reporting on volunteers. New workplace technologies provide ways to conduct these tasks with greater efficiency and increased accuracy, thereby enhancing both the volunteer experience and the impact of volunteers on organizational operations. This chapter reviews the literature regarding theories of technology acceptance and use, technology use in nonprofit organizations, and technology in volunteer programs. Three organizational case studies provide insights into both the promise and limitations of the adoption and use of Volgistics, a commonly used Web-based software designed for volunteer management in nonprofit organizations. The authors conclude by discussing what these cases suggest for the challenges and promise of adoption of new technology in the management of volunteers.

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Product diversification and large construction firm productivity: the effect of institutional environments in Malaysia

Engineering Construction & Architectural Management ◽

10.1108/ecam-05-2020-0288 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Mohd Azrai Azman ◽

Carol K.H. Hon ◽

Bo Xia ◽

Boon L. Lee ◽

Martin Skitmore

Keyword(s):

Firm Performance ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Product Diversification ◽

Content Type ◽

Construction Firms ◽

Unrelated Diversification ◽

Construction Firm ◽

Related Diversification ◽

Generalised Method Of Moments ◽

The Impact

PurposeMany large construction firms (LCFs) adopt product diversification (PD) to counter downturns and spread risks. However, no detailed information is available concerning the type of PD that improves their performance. In addition, it is still uncertain how much changes in institutional dimensions influence the effectiveness of PD. Therefore, the aim is to resolve this issue by establishing a model that shows the extent of this influence.Design/methodology/approachThe generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator is used to model the PD strategies of 86 LCFs in Malaysia over 14 years (2003–2016) and its impact on productivity and profitability performance.FindingsUnrelated diversification (UD) decreased firm performance in 2003–2016, while related diversification (RD) had a positive impact during the more liberal 2010–2016 phase. The models show that the impact of PD is highly dependent on changes in institutional dimensions.Practical implicationsFirstly, managers may adjust the type of PD and its level of diversification to improve firm performance. Secondly, they may devise PD strategies based on changes in institutional dimensions to maximise their effectiveness.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature by determining the optimal amount of PD (including RD and UD) and its impact on performance. Secondly, the study is the first to investigate the moderating relationship of the institutional dimensions of economic and regulatory institutions on PD-firm performance. Thirdly, the study is the first to explore the components of technical-scale-scope economies (movement towards and around the production frontier), this being crucial to the strategy that was only conjectured in previous studies.

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Interaction in Web-Based Learning

Encyclopedia of Distance Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-555-9.ch168 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1130-1139

Author(s):

Adams Bodomo

Keyword(s):

Digital Libraries ◽

Technological Development ◽

Local Area ◽

Digital Cameras ◽

Web Based ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Information Communications Technology ◽

Computer Mediated ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Word Processors

At the beginning of the 21st century, we are faced with an age of rapid technological development in information and communication. Issues of educational reform have never been more urgent than now. One of the major challenges is how to design our educational system, in general, and our methods of instruction, in particular, to produce graduates who are better prepared to take up jobs in a knowledge-based environment characterized by a pervasive use of information communications technology (ICT). ICTs, especially modern digital ones, include various types of computers; digital cameras; local-area networking; the Internet and the World Wide Web; CD-ROMs and DVDs; and applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, tutorials, simulations, e-mail, digital libraries, computer-mediated conferencing, videoconferencing, and virtual reality (Blurton, 1999). Four main features of these modern digital ICTs make them stand out as very useful educational tools. These are integration of multimedia, flexibility of use, connectivity, and interactivity (Blurton, 1999). The main focus

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The Use of New Digital Information and Communication Technologies in Psychological Counseling during the COVID-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17207663 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (20) ◽

pp. 7663

Author(s):

Artemisa R. Dores ◽

Andreia Geraldo ◽

Irene P. Carvalho ◽

Fernando Barbosa

Keyword(s):

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Online Survey ◽

Communication Technologies ◽

Professional Experience ◽

Digital Information ◽

Web Based ◽

Face To Face ◽

Information And Communication ◽

The Impact ◽

Positive Results

The use of digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) has enabled many professionals to continue to provide their services during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about the adoption of ICTs by psychologists and the impact of such technologies on their practice. This study aimed to explore psychologists’ practices related with the use of ICTs before and during the COVID-19 lockdown, to identify the main changes that the pandemic has brought and the impact that such changes have had on their practice with clients, and also identify the factors that potentially have affected such changes. The Portuguese Psychologists Association announced the study, and 108 psychologists responded to an online survey during the mandatory lockdown. The results showed that these professionals continued to provide their services due to having adopted ICTs. Comparing with face-to-face interventions, psychologists recognized that additional precautions/knowledge were needed to use such technologies. Despite the challenges identified, they described the experience with the use of ICTs as positive, meeting clients’ adherence, and yielding positive results. Psychologists with the most years of professional experience maintained their services the most, but those with average experience showed the most favorable attitudes toward the use of technologies and web-based interventions.

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Technology-Enabled Mental Health Service Reform for Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling: Participatory Design Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.13662 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Haley M LaMonica ◽

Tracey A Davenport ◽

Jane Burns ◽

Shane Cross ◽

Stephanie Hodson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Participatory Design ◽

New Technologies ◽

Personal Health Information ◽

Department Of Veterans Affairs ◽

Web Based ◽

South Wales ◽

Australian Defence Force ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The impact of mental ill-health on every aspect of the lives of a large number of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, their partners, and their families is widely recognized. Recent Senate inquiries have highlighted gaps in service delivery as well as the need for service reform to ensure appropriate care options for individuals who are currently engaged with mental health and support services as well as for those who, for a variety of reasons, have not sought help. To that end, successive Australian governments generally and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs specifically have prioritized veteran-centric reform. Open Arms is an Australia-wide service that provides counseling and support to current and former ADF personnel, and their family members, for mental health conditions. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to develop and configure a prototypic Web-based platform for Open Arms—Veterans & Families Counselling (formerly Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service) with the Open Arms community to enhance the quality of mental health services provided by Open Arms. METHODS The study aimed to recruit up to 100 people from the Open Arms community (current and former ADF personnel and their families, health professionals, service managers, and administrators) in regions of New South Wales, including Sydney, Canberra, Maitland, Singleton, and Port Stephens. Participants were invited to participate in 4-hour participatory design workshops. A variety of methods were used within the workshops, including prompted discussion, review of working prototypes, creation of descriptive artifacts, and group-based development of user journeys. RESULTS Seven participatory design workshops were held, including a total of 49 participants. Participants highlighted that the prototype has the potential to (1) provide the opportunity for greater and better-informed personal choice in relation to options for care based on the level of need and personal preferences; (2) ensure transparency in care by providing the individual with access to all of their personal health information; and (3) improve collaborative care and care continuity by allowing information to be shared securely with current and future providers. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the value of actively engaging stakeholders in participatory design processes for the development and configuration of new technologies.

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Towards Sustainable Base of Pyramid Market: Role of ICTs in Shared Innovation

Review of Applied Management and Social Sciences ◽

10.47067/ramss.v3i3.80 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 435-443

Author(s):

Muhammad Ilyas ◽

Sulaman Hafeez Siddiqui ◽

Rabia Rasheed

Keyword(s):

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Communication Technologies ◽

Base Of The Pyramid ◽

Web Based ◽

The People ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Bop Markets ◽

Base Of Pyramid ◽

The Impact

The purpose of this paper is to make a systematic review of the literature on role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in sustainability of the Base of the Pyramid (BOP) markets by studying the impact of ICT on innovation development at BOP. BOP markets are those segments of the global markets that have an income of about two to four dollars or less and are untapped fortunes for the business (Prahalad, 2002). BOP is fraught with dearth of infrastructure and resources which makes it hard for business firms to work out viable and sustainable strategies as the separations between the producers and end users are much wider in these markets compared with developed markets. Use of ICT helps reduce these separations by developing shared innovations with the people at BOP. Systematic literature review approach has been adopted to analyze the peer-reviewed journals for the period 2000 to 2019 using Google Scholar and Science Direct. BOP, ICT and Shared Innovations were the key words used in this search. Our findings suggest that ICT has significant role in development of shared innovations at the BOP markets as it bridges the physical market separation with its internet and web-based networks. This research has implications for busines managers, as it will guide them in making viable and sustainable strategies to run their businesses in these huge un-tapped markets.

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GDPR

Research Anthology on Privatizing and Securing Data ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-8954-0.ch085 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1769-1789

Author(s):

Tomáš Pikulík ◽

Peter Štarchoň

Keyword(s):

Personal Data ◽

Digital Economy ◽

Information Economy ◽

Customer Data ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Ict Infrastructure ◽

Additional Value ◽

The Impact ◽

Customer Centricity

Implementation of the GDPR changed the way how personal data of EU customers are processed. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the links between the rights of customers as a data subject and related aspects of customer satisfaction. Entities in modern economy (encompassing not only goods and services but also intellectual property) generate and process huge quantities of customer data. Information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure became a basis for the digital economy and society in the EU (settled by Eurostat as ISOC) that definitely replaced the previous era of the information economy that was based on the effective acquisition, dissemination, and use of information. Data-driven marketing puts data at the center of additional value creation and brings new insights and perspectives, included in the results of this research. The impact of GDPR on customer-centric ICT, stronger consumer awareness of data protection rights, creates new pathways to customer centricity and the legal and technical aspects of data processing within the digital economy ecosystem.

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GDPR

Personal Data Protection and Legal Developments in the European Union - Advances in Information Security, Privacy, and Ethics ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-9489-5.ch013 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 256-277

Author(s):

Tomáš Pikulík ◽

Peter Štarchoň

Keyword(s):

Personal Data ◽

Digital Economy ◽

Information Economy ◽

Customer Data ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Ict Infrastructure ◽

Additional Value ◽

The Impact ◽

Customer Centricity

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An Exploratory Study of the E-Government Services in Greece

Handbook of Research on Public Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-857-4.ch016 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 162-174

Author(s):

Dimitrios K. Kardaras ◽

Eleutherios A. Papathanassiou

Keyword(s):

Information And Communication Technologies ◽

Communication Technologies ◽

Web Based ◽

The Public ◽

Government Services ◽

Business Applications ◽

Information And Communication ◽

The Government ◽

Governmental Communication ◽

The Impact

The impact of “e-business” on the public sector is the main source of the government’s transformation towards “e-government,” which refers to the public sector’s efforts to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver government services and information to the public. E-government allows citizens to interact more directly with the government, transforming multiple operational and bureaucratic procedures and employing a customer-centric approach to service delivery; it allows intra-governmental communication; it also offers numerous possibilities for using the Internet and other Web-based technologies to extend online government services (Gant, Gant & Johnson, 2002). Governments evaluate the best practices of e-business applications worldwide and establish policies for the development of e-government applications. The aim of this strategy is to develop and provide faster and cheaper public services and contribute decisively to the new knowledgebased economy. The visions, goals, and policies that encompass e-government vary considerably among practitioners and users, while comparative indicators may not always be precise (U.N., 2001). As e-government consists of various aspects, perspectives and objectives there is not only one valid way for assessing its progress. A number of different methodologies for collecting and analyzing data have been applied to different reviews, depending on their evaluation objectives. The primary goal of the present study is to evaluate e-government services in Greece with a set of carefully chosen criteria, in a manner that can be used for evaluating e-government services world-wide.

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Interaction in Web-Based Learning

Encyclopedia of Distance Learning, Second Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-198-8.ch179 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1250-1258

Author(s):

Adams Bodomo

Keyword(s):

Digital Libraries ◽

Technological Development ◽

Local Area ◽

Digital Cameras ◽

Web Based ◽

Knowledge Based ◽

Information Communications Technology ◽

Computer Mediated ◽

Information And Communication ◽

Word Processors

At the beginning of the 21s t century, we are faced with an age of rapid technological development in information and communication. Issues of educational reform have never been more urgent than now. One of the major challenges is how to design our educational system, in general, and our methods of instruction, in particular, to produce graduates who are better prepared to take up jobs in a knowledge-based environment characterized by a pervasive use of information communications technology (ICT). ICTs, especially modern digital ones, include various types of computers; digital cameras; local-area networking; the Internet and the World Wide Web; CD-ROMs and DVDs; and applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, tutorials, simulations, e-mail, digital libraries, computer-mediated conferencing, videoconferencing, and virtual reality (Blurton, 1999). Four main features of these modern digital ICTs make them stand out as very useful educational tools. These are integration of multimedia, flexibility of use, connectivity, and interactivity (Blurton, 1999).

Download Full-text