Internet Incidence on SME’s Sales

The purpose of this paper is to determine how much is the “bonus” or “prize” to the sales per worker of Internet-using firms compared to not Internet-using firms. The authors employ some matching techniques based on an Argentinean database. The authors first present a binary logit model, in which the dependent variable is a dichotomous variable equal to 1 if the firm adopted Internet and 0 otherwise, to evaluate the factors that influence a firm’s probability of adopting Internet. A propensity score matching (PSM) model is then used to assess the impact of using Internet on the sales per worker. The authors find statically significant differences in the sales average between firms that are similar in many dimensions such as location, size, and sales market except for the Internet adoption decision. By probing that Internet access improves SME’s sales, the chapter is validating the Public Sector ICT modernization programs for SME. The contribution of this paper consists of using a well known technique as PSM to analyze a recent field of research which is the contribution of Internet adoption to the firm’s sales per worker.

Online Brand Expansion towards the Offline Setting

Brand extension and brand alliances are two possible strategies to expand the brand towards different product categories. In this chapter, the authors focus on brands that are well-known for their online services launching offline products. They analyse the results of these strategies in terms of their effects on parent brand image and under different conditions of initial brand image and perceived fit. In order to meet these aims, an empirical study was conducted to 407 undergraduates in a Spanish University. Data are analysed through multivariate analysis of variance. Main results lead us to conclude that: (1) the effects of extensions and alliances are mainly negative on the online brand image, (2) the impact is focused specially on the functional and emotional dimensions of brand image, (3) the effect is more negative for online brands with higher image than for online brands with lower image, and (4) the effect is more negative in the case of an alliance with an offline brand with low image than in the case of an alliance with an offline brand with high image or in a brand extension. This work covers some gaps in the previous literature in online branding. The authors apply concepts and theories used in brand extensions and alliances literature in an offline setting by delving into the differences of these effects on the brand image dimensions. The results obtained in this work may help brand practitioners expand their brands towards different product categories.

A Case Study for Business Integration as a Service

This chapter presents Business Integration as a Service (BIaaS) to allow two services to work together in the Cloud to achieve a streamline process. The authors illustrate this integration using two services, Return on Investment (ROI) Measurement as a Service (RMaaS) and Risk Analysis as a Service (RAaaS), in the case study at the University of Southampton. The case study demonstrates the cost-savings and the risk analysis achieved, so two services can work as a single service. Advanced techniques are used to demonstrate statistical services and 3D Visualisation services under the remit of RMaaS and Monte Carlo Simulation as a Service behind the design of RAaaS. Computational results are presented with their implications discussed. Different types of risks associated with Cloud adoption can be calculated easily, rapidly, and accurately with the use of BIaaS. This case study confirms the benefits of BIaaS adoption, including cost reduction and improvements in efficiency and risk analysis. Implementation of BIaaS in other organisations is also discussed. Important data arising from the integration of RMaaS and RAaaS are useful for management and stakeholders of University of Southampton.

Examining the Impact of Web 2.0 Applications on Knowledge Management Performance

There has been an increasing interest in the use of Web 2.0 applications to enhance the effectiveness of internal communication and improve knowledge management within the organization. However, extant Web 2.0 research has focused on the implementation, adaption patterns, and benefits, and little has been done to empirically examine the determinants of continuance use of Web 2.0 within the organization and its impact on knowledge performance. The objective of this study is to empirically examine the impact of both hedonic and utilitarian performance on the intention of knowledge workers to continue to use Web 2.0 applications within an organization, and then investigate the influence of the continuance use decision on knowledge management performance. The proposed model is tested using a survey of knowledge workers using Web 2.0 applications in their organizations. The results of the PLS analysis empirically validate the relationship between antecedents, continuance use, and knowledge management performance. Research and managerial implications of our findings are presented.

Mobile Commerce Adoption in Organizations

This chapter comprehensively reviews research conducted on mobile commerce adoption in organizations. From the literature, a number of factors from adoption theories such as the diffusion of innovation theory, the technology acceptance model, and so forth are identified, analyzed, and tabulated together with a set of research propositions in order to demonstrate areas in need of further research. The chapter proposes 15 adoption factors that may affect the intention to adopt mobile commerce in organizations. These factors are categorized into 3 groups, namely environmental and organizational, technological, and managerial and other factors, and explored through a qualitative study to shed light on their veracity. The authors conclude the argument by presenting a proposed adoption model and showing potential areas of interest to future researchers.

From Integration to Social Media

EMs as trade tools have been the subject of several disruptive changes during the past few decades. The chapter discusses the importance of EM integration and market knowledge management as today’s main concerns affecting the effectiveness and efficiency of EMs. After explaining the concerns regarding EM integration at intra- and inter-organizational levels, the chapter mentions the role of social media as an example of new technological tools that affect EMs. By highlighting the importance of understanding EMs this paper proposes a four level analytical tool for differentiating B2B EMs.

An Update on the Use of Facebook as a Marketing Tool by Private Educational Institutions in Singapore

With social network sites growing in popularity, many organisations have started to use this new platform to market themselves. However, marketing on social network sites is different from traditional marketing. Its value lies in engaging members of the social network and generating shared cultural meaning of the advertised brand rather than promoting awareness of the brand to a large number of people. This is not apparent to marketers and as such, many organizations are not leveraging on this new media tool effectively. This chapter is an update on an earlier paper which examined the use of Facebook as a marketing tool by private educational institutions offering degree programmes in Singapore. The findings in the earlier paper have suggested that marketing on social network sites remained in its infancy. In this update, it was found that three years later, there has been an increase in the use of social network sites by educational institutes in Singapore. There is also evidence that there is greater engagement and the building of a virtual community on the social network sites. This suggests that the use of social network sites as a marketing tool by educational institutes in Singapore is maturing as the organisations are beginning to understand how to leverage on social network sites to market themselves more effectively.

Improving Network-Based Marketing by Personalized Recommendation

Social networks, which are a newfound phenomenon, have gained much attention. These networks, which are based on Web 2.0, provide a free and flexible environment for users and organizations to make diverse contents and, based on it, absorb users. Marketing is one of the main activities done in social networks for incoming purpose. Organizations and companies are trying to attract potential and actual customers by targeted advertising in these networks. Variety and diversity of advertising and marketing methods in social networks has made users confused and uncertain. To solve this problem, in this chapter, the authors propose a group recommender system, which is based on data mining techniques, information theory, and user preferences. This system, despite other existing methods, could yet support users who are not in relation with the others or their activity history is not available. Each group can be fans of a company or one or more products of it. The results show the superiority of this chapter’s proposed model rather than the other.

Beneficial E-Personalization and Related Technological Innovations Applied to E-Tailing

The numerous advancements in electronic-personalization communication have generated both benefits and challenges as online retailers try to regain competitive advantages in the current global recession. A literature review of personalization strategies was used to generate a survey instrument to examine the important characteristics of such programs from business professionals. Through appropriate multivariate analyses and data-reduction techniques, the basic elements e-personalization, namely online purchasing behaviors, personalized communications, information retrieval services, degree of personal Web presence, quality assurance of customer service, and the promotion of customization services, were found to be conceptually and statistically related to retailer benefits of e-personalization (increased buying and creates customer loyalty) from the viewpoint of managers for a large goods and services chain store headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Online Corporate Reputation Management and IT

According to the Resource-Based View, the Corporate Reputation (CR) is seen as a core resource and a major factor in gaining competitive advantage. Thanks to the development of Web-based technologies, stakeholders can easily spread their own perspective about an organization, its products, services, brands, members and so forth, affecting its online CR. This work focuses on “online corporate reputation” and the exploitation of IT (Online Reputation Management Systems) to support the related management practices. Taking a pragmatic approach, the authors develop a case-study based on the experience developed by an Italian leading e-service provider.