Deliberate and Emergent Changes on a Way Towards Electronic Document Management

A unit of Fortum Service Ltd. operates and maintains the Rauhalahti power plant in Central Finland. In 1996-97, the unit launched a project pursuing coordinated organizationwide electronic document management (EDM). This case follows deliberate and emergent changes related to document management in the organization since the initiation of the project until February 2000. New information technologies were adopted, and responsibilities for continuous improvement of EDM were assigned. The continuous improvement was implemented as an extension of the ISO 9002 quality system earlier adopted for process improvement. The case shows that a shift from the paper-based era towards organizationwide EDM is a comprehensive change both affecting and affected by several components in the organization. EDM development in the organization was part of organization recursive dynamics where the quality system supported both planning for deliberate changes and reacting to emergent changes.

On-Line Analytical Processing at Washtenaw Mortgage

In an ever-changing, competitive marketplace, executive information systems (EIS) promise the ability to simultaneously assess factors in both the internal and external environment, enabling a timely competitive response. EIS are enjoying a renaissance due to the recent emergence of on-line analytical processing (OLAP) capabilities. OLAPs power, flexibility and ease of use supports mental model (knowledge) creation better than traditional executive information systems. This case study allows you to examine the usefulness and ease of use of OLAP technology for strategic market analysis at Washtenaw Mortgage Company, a firm in the mortgage wholesale industry. The key to improving competitive performance is not the technology, but rather, how the technology is utilized to focus managements analysis. Gaining strategic insights requires three ingredients people, process, and technology. A three-stage process used for implementing an OLAP strategic market analysis application is presented. OLAP technology marks an evolutionary improvement in EIS software. The potential of this technology, however, is not likely to be realized without a better understanding of the process for achieving management focus.

Norwel Equipment Co. Limited Partnership (L.P.) Internet Upgrade

Norwel Equipment Co. Limited Partnership (L.P.) is a Louisiana business retailer of construction equipment specializing in John Deere heavy-equipment and has secured exclusive John Deere rights for most of the State of Louisiana. Founded in 1972, Norwel is the sixth largest John Deere construction equipment dealer in the United States. This case illustrates business and technology issues facing Norwel. In mid-1999, the October 1st deadline for John Deeres requirement to communicate by e-mail was approaching and the response time of the Norwels primary computers system, an AS/400, was increasing to the point where users were not satisfied with performance. Also users were requesting new computing services such as e-mail, document sharing, and Internet access. For example, the Parts Operations Manger suggested selling parts online and the Manager of the Used Equipment Division suggest supporting the sales staff through Internet connections. Managing Partner, Richard Hevey decided an upgrade to the networks and a connection to the Internet were needed. He is faced with both short-term and long-term decisions about Norwels infrastructure.

Comparative Study of the Usefulness of Online Technologies in a Global Virtual Business Project Team Environment

Lifelong learning is quickly becoming an integrated part of todays working life because of the demand for keeping up to date with latest developments due to rapid change in technology and business. To maintain flexibility and quality, online technology is often used as a medium of educational service delivery. In this chapter, we examine a case where online technology has been used to coordinate virtual project teams (in an educational setting) around the world. The experience from the case study is that although online technology promises to offer an independent learning environment anytime and anywhere, only some aspects of the technology are useful depending on the nature of the task. In addition, there are behavioural and cultural issues, which can be exacerbated by underdeveloped personal relationships due to constraints imposed by online technology. The case study also shows that synchronous communication is not necessarily a better means to coordinate than its asynchronous counterpart. A challenge faced by online education providers is to find the right mix and how to come up with a framework that will provide optimal results.

Information Systems Redesign in a State Social Services Agency

Successful implementation of information systems (IS) is an essential part of executing new business strategies. Yet, IS development projects are most susceptible to fail. According to a report by the Standish Group 42% of IS projects are canceled before completion. This case addresses many of the causes of IS project failure. It is based on an information system redesign project undertaken by a state social services agency. The Project aims at automating the welfare system and providing mission-critical applications to the social workers in the field and federal subsidies distribution. The case is written from the perspective of an actual participant on the project during the time that is documented. Although most of the players recognized that they needed automation to conduct their business in a radically different and superior way, the project failed, wasting $32 million of taxpayers money. A number of problems such as lack of proper planning, underestimating the size and complexity of the endeavor, and organizational and cultural issues surrounding government agencies contributed to the project failure.

Telemedicine and Business Process Redesign at the Department of Defense

This case is designed to relate the rationale used by the Department of Defense and the Test and Evaluation (T&E) Integrated Product Team, in order to determine the military utility of the Joint Medical Operations Telemedicine Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (JMO-T ACTD). The paper also develops Critical Operational Issues (COI) and Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) as methodologies for investigating military utility of telemedicine. In order to meet increasing global crises, the U.S. military must find ways to more effectively manage manpower and time. Joint Medical Operations Telemedicine (JMO-T) has been developed by the Department of Defense (DOD) to collect and transmit near-real-time, far-forward medical data and to assess how this improved capability enhances medical management of the battlespace. JMO-T has been successful in resolving uncertain organizational and technological military deficiencies and in improving medical communications and information management. The deployable, mobile Telemedicine Teams are the centerpieces of JMO-T. These teams have the capability of inserting essential networking and communications capabilities into austere theaters and establishing an immediate means for enhancing health protection, collaborative planning, situational awareness, and strategic decision-making.

Life After a Disastrous Electronic Medical Record Implementation

The majority of users of an electronic medical record (EMR) at a family medicine clinic located in a small city in the western United States are currently quite dissatisfied with the system. The practice experienced a disastrous implementation of the EMR in 1994 and has not recovered. Although the level of dissatisfaction varies among the practice employees, several influential physicians are pushing to pull the plug and start over with a brand new system. The authors of this case studied this practice during a more comprehensive qualitative study of the impact of an EMR system on primary care. The practices negative experience was particularly noteworthy, because the other four practices in the larger study were satisfied with the EMR system. As with most system failures, there are multiple organizational and other factors that have contributed to the frustrations and dissatisfactions with the use of EMR within this practice.

Information Systems & Technology Outsourcing

This case concerns an information systems and technology (IS/IT) action research intervention into a train operating company in the newly privatized rail industry in the United Kingdom. Having operated for many years as a nationalized industry under government control, but outside the strictly commercial sector, the new company found itself in the position of having many of its important IS/IT systems being run by separate companies it was outsourced without ever having made an outsourcing decision. The project involved information management in the maintenance wing of the company. After the event, analysis of the problem situation revealed the extent of the companys IS/IT management difficulties. Many of these problems were directly attributable to privatization and the outsourcing arrangements imposed upon the new company. The lessons from the case cast serious doubts upon the long-term benefits of outsourcing key systems and are believed to represent a significant learning vehicle relating to IS/IT adoption and exploitation.

Canon Financial Services, Inc.

Canon Financial Services, Inc. (CFS, www.cfs.canon.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of CANON USA. Originally, an independent office products leasing company, CITILEASE, founded by Albert Smith who remains the president, CFS has grown to be an important financial arm for the U.S. Canon copier and office products business. Since CITILEASE was acquired in 1990, the operation has grown dramatically. In 1996, CANON USA recognized CFS as one of its premier divisions. A key success factor for this growth has been the strategic management of information within a corporate framework of outstanding customer service. The strong leadership of Smith and his organization as well as the commitment to information technology resources has fueled this explosive growth. In this case study we will first examine the structure of the copier and office products leasing industry. Few businesses find it desirable to purchase copiers, fax machines and other computer equipment. There are several reasons for this, not the least of which is the flexibility of capital in light of rapidly changing technological capabilities of the products being leased. The complex relationships of CANON dealers, independent dealers and service organizations, customers, credit reporting agencies, banks and CFS will be described, especially with respect to the complex flows of information necessary to complete the leasing application and contract tasks.

ACEnet

With the advent of Web-based electronic commerce (e-commerce), businesses of all sizes rushed to take advantage of the potential of e-commerce technologies. While large organizations often have ready access to the resources necessary to implement e-commerce strategies, smaller organizations may lack some or all of these resources. Conversely, the increased reach facilitated by e-commerce may allow some small businesses to be viable in areas where limited access to customers might otherwise prevent success. This increased reach may be particularly beneficial in economically depressed rural areas, which may stand to gain greatly from the economic development potential of small businesses. Small businesses in general, and rural small businesses in particular, face a number of hurdles that must be overcome if they are to benefit from e-commerce. This case describes how a not-for-profit agency, the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet), facilitates the use of e-commerce by rural small businesses as a part of an overall strategy for spurring economic development through small businesses. ACEnet provides a number of resources that help small businesses take advantage of e-commerce, including computer labs, Web site hosting, consultative services, and technical and business training. This case illustrates how these services help rural small businesses overcome many of the barriers to successful implementation of e-commerce.