Using the Web for Enhancing Decision-Making

The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the use of the Internet to improve the reliability of information supplied to the United Nations (UN) from official sources in Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). The focus of the chapter is that aid project failures in SSA need efficient project management, effective communication, and information openness to achieve socio-economic growth. The use of the Internet’s potential(s) in a way that will benefit society at large and in particular vulnerable groups needs critical examination within a wider framework of the actual needs and existing facilities of these communities. An interpretive evidence data collection method is used through questioning and interviews with stakeholder groups, validated by observation where possible. The importance of aid project performance, assessment, and monitoring in SSA is emphasised. The significance of public participation in decision-making processes is explored. This research also highlights the pragmatics of giving local people an international voice.

The Internationalization Efforts of Small Internet Retailers

For the Internet retailers that have managed to dominate through the dot.com fallout, the next step for many is to leverage the technology to expand their operations to a regional or global customer base. However, the internationalization of e-tail differs significantly from traditional retail because of the compounding effect of the Internet, and empirical studies are deficient in the field. This chapter studies the internationalization efforts of three small Internet retail enterprises, highlighting the issues they faced in expanding their operations to service an international customer base. The study reveals their insights and experiences in terms of access to foreign markets, infrastructure considerations, and localization strategies. Through an understanding of these issues, it is hoped that further research will shed light into the intricate relationship between internationalization and Internet retail and the factors that influence it.

Interorganizational Relationships, Strategic Alliances, and Networks

This chapter deals with roles and ways of interorganizational communication systems. Prior to the subject, author refers to three topics related to the subject: what are interorganizational relationships, strategic alliances, and interorganizational networks. In order to understand interorganizational networks, the author utilizes Barnard’s theory of cooperative system and formal organization, in which communication plays a significant role to formulate and to maintain interorganizational networks as organization of organizations. Furthermore, there are some problems for effective interorganizational communication systems – both human and machine: standardization of communication systems, impact of IT development, and interorganizational strategy using IT.

An Analysis of Factors that Influence the Ability of SMEs to Derive Benefit in Four Phases of Electronic Commerce

This paper builds on research presented by the authors at IRMA 2001. Previous research by Chau and Turner (2001b) adapted the work of Venkatraman (1994) to explore the relationship between the degree of SME organisational transformation and potential benefits derived from e-commerce. The qualitative data explored reveals various factors that influence SME’s ability to derive benefit from conducting Web-based e-commerce. A preliminary review suggests that these factors can be distinguished into internal factors (organisational and technological) and external factors (nature of supply chain, level of service provided by third party organisations, industry influence, and government assistance). This paper discusses these factors and their implications for modelling e-business organisational transformation.

Maintaining the Own Responsibility

This chapter introduces an alternative concept against the dominating trend of a complete outsourcing of IT services, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). It argues that the undiscriminating adoption of this trend tends to reduce IT on a cost factor and neglects the importance of specific IT knowledge for the continuous improvement of business processes. Also, it neglects the importance of a “communication interface” between the IS users on the one hand and the software development and IT production on the other hand. In opposition to leading management trends, this chapter will present an approach that bases on an internal competence centre for IS and that demands a steady communication between the IT staff and the various departments. In this approach, only selected IT services are externalized and the continuing growth of specific IS knowledge is essential. This approach was developed since the end of the 1990s at the building society, with about 100 employees, in which the author is working.

Adopting the Entrepreneurial Process in the Study of Information Systems and Small Business

This document suggests the adoption of the Theory of Entrepreneurship by researchers who investigate the use of information systems by small businesses. The majority of existing research into this area tends to adopt results determined from investigations of larger businesses. Thus, the uniqueness of small business is not considered. Concepts such as strategic orientation, decision-making, and resource poverty contribute to the unique situation and approach taken by small business managers. The Theory of Entrepreneurship responds to these concepts. The framework suggests that organizations evolve and that entrepreneurs throughout this evolution face various challenges. The components of the Theory of Entrepreneurship are described here, in concert with the challenge to researchers to consider adopting this framework when conducting investigations into how information systems may be employed to support small business.

Concerns and Solutions on Electronic Voting Systems Adoption

Electronic voting has become a viable form of e-government due to the rapid advances in technologies and communication networks. The United States and most European and Asian Countries, like Japan, have taken the first step towards electronic elections. The unique features of electronic voting systems bring advantages to the public as well as resulting in concerns about electronic voting system (EVS) implementation. In this chapter, we examine those advantages of EVS and the principal obstacles in its implementation: privacy, security and accessibility. By investigating the current technology and government efforts to overcome these problems, some recommendations are proposed to gain voters’ trust on EVS and further increase their participation by using EVS.

Using Spreadsheets as a Decision Support Tool

This chapter discusses a model that has been set up to assist small businesses in the decision-making processes associated with setting up a Web site by which they can interact with their customers. Specifically, the chapter addresses the use of a spreadsheet to support decision-making processes in relation to the level of capital needed to devote to the Web site and who should be used to develop it. The chapter describes the process followed, from the initial SWOT analysis used to collect information about the business to the decision-making process modelled in the spreadsheet.

Creating Intranets for Management and Collaboration in Federal Agencies

This chapter briefly examines government interest in intranets, describes the experiences of six federal government agencies in developing agency-wide intranets, and identifies and analyzes trends in intranet use, sources of growth, and impediments to further development. The six agencies are: the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency, the General Services Administration, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Justice. The case studies reveal six overall trends in intranet use and development including the importance of upper management support in planning and launching and the importance of marketing in ensuring staff use. The authors conclude that intranets offer more potential for enhancing communication and management and that further development of intranets is likely.

SME Barriers to Electronic Commerce Adoption

In this chapter we look into earlier empirical research on the barriers to e-commerce (EC) adoption and diffusion for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We explore research conducted in the context of information and communications technologies (ICT) in general, as well as EDI and Internet-based e-commerce. What we are interested in is whether these barriers are something new created by the new wave of Internet based technologies. We divide the barriers, inhibitors, or factors slowing down the diffusion of new technologies found in previous literature into those internal to an organization and those imposed by external forces. The basic premise of this chapter is that technologies advance or change, but the barriers for SMEs to adopt them do not. The authors hope that understanding this will help researchers, small companies, and policy makers to move on and do something active to reduce such barriers.