The effect of information technology assimilation on firm performance in B2B scenarios

PurposeThe spread of the Internet in the business world has led to the development of new business-to-business (B2B) settings. Although a large number of companies have adopted B2B strategies, many of these fail to implement such strategies effectively. The most common barriers encompass the technology assimilation by users. This study investigates how IT assimilation can encourage potential and realised absorptive capacity and how these can, in turn, facilitate organisational agility and performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted in Spanish companies that make use of Editran, a platform to support B2B strategies. In total, 110 valid responses were obtained. Advanced analytical methods of PLS-SEM as fit measures and prediction procedure recently developed by Shmueli et al. (2019) were used.FindingsThe results show that there is a positive relationship between the three preceding constructs (IT assimilation, potential and realised absorptive capacity) and organisational agility. This study also finds support for a direct relationship between organisational agility and firm performance.Originality/valueThis study provides a further understanding and forecasting through the theoretical development and empirical investigation of the role of IT assimilation on firm performance in a B2B scenario by: (1) examining the link between IT and the firm's absorptive capacity and, more specifically, with the two subsets of potential and realised absorptive capacity, which have not received much attention from previous literature; and (2) exploring how an improvement in potential and realised absorptive capacity may place firms in a better position to develop their organisational agility.

INNOVATION-ORIENTATED TECHNOLOGY ASSIMILATION STRATEGY AND KOREAN SMES’ ENHANCING INNOVATION CAPABILITY, COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND FIRM PERFORMANCE

This research explores the effects of innovation-orientated technology assimilation strategy on Korean SMEs’ enhancing innovation capability, competitive advantage and firm performance. The results of this paper demonstrate that an innovation-orientated technology assimilation strategy enables SMEs to cultivate innovation capability, a crucial capability for catching-up to advanced firms and developing new products. In addition, innovation-orientated technology assimilation strategy significantly contributes to SMEs’ developing competitive advantages, leading to enhanced market share and sales growth. This study provides empirical evidence of SMEs employing innovation-orientated technology assimilation strategy to enhance innovation capability and to gain competitive advantage, and provides an empirical measurement for the execution of an innovation-orientated technology assimilation strategy.

Technology Policies and Practices in Higher Education

This chapter investigated the personal technology policies practiced and modeled in teacher preparation courses at a teaching-intensive university in the Rocky Mountain region. Both explicit and implicit classroom policies were revealed for teacher preparation classes to determine support for the allowance of technology by preservice teachers during their coursework. These teacher preparation classrooms are filled with digital learners who are mandated to integrate technology into their future teaching. But, how is personal technology assimilation being demonstrated to preservice teachers? Syllabi from all teacher preparation classes were reviewed, revealing that 45% contained an explicitly stated technology policy. Teacher education instructors were then surveyed with primarily open-ended questions to further investigate technology policies and use in the classroom. Overall integration of smart devices is not being modeled in teacher preparation classrooms at this teaching-intensive university.

Technology Policies and Practices in Higher Education

This study investigated the personal technology policies practiced and modeled in teacher preparation courses at a teaching intensive university in the Rocky Mountain region. Both explicit and implicit classroom policies were revealed for teacher preparation classes to determine support for the allowance of technology by preservice teachers during their coursework. These teacher preparation classrooms are filled with digital learners who are mandated to integrate technology into their future teaching. But, how is personal technology assimilation being demonstrated to preservice teachers? Syllabi from all teacher preparation classes were reviewed, revealing that 45% contained an explicitly stated technology policy. Teacher education instructors were then surveyed with primarily open-ended questions to further investigate technology policies and use in the classroom. Overall integration of smart devices is not being modeled in teacher preparation classrooms at this teaching intensive university.