Home-Based Telecommuting

This chapter examines the role of technology in home-based telecommuting (HBT), and the implications of this role for organizational IT departments and for managers of telecommuting employees. Specifically, it addresses the question: Does technology both facilitate and hinder home-based telecommuting? Although technology enables HBT, it has also been blamed for HBT’s slow growth. To clarify the role that technology currently plays when employees telecommute, we describe a recent study that investigated the relationship between different forms of organizational support (classified as technology-related, somewhat technology-related and non-technological) and employees’ reactions to HBT. Two technology- related support variables and manager’s trust (a non-technological support) were found to have broad impact on employees’ reactions to HBT; so, while technology plays a crucial role and thus could be a major factor in HBT’s slow growth, we argue that HBT is better understood within a multi-factor rather than a single-factor framework. Other implications are that organizations should emphasize providing IT support and appropriate technology for telecommuters, as well as HBT-related training for non-telecommuting co-workers and managers of the telecommuters.

A Lag Effect of IT Investment on Firm Performance

This chapter discusses the positive effects of IT investment on firm financial performance when a distinct range of characteristics is examined. The relationship between IT investment and firm performance considering the information intensity of the industry is explored using a distributed lag model. Findings indicate both a positive effect and a positive lag effect of IT investment. The effects of IT investment in the high information-intensive industry are significantly larger than in the low information-intensive industry. Furthermore, a lagged effect of IT investment is larger than an immediate effect, regardless of the information intensity of the industry. We conclude that firms in the high information-intensive industry need to be more cognizant of performance factors when investing in IT investment than in the low information-intensive industry. Moreover, it is necessary to consider the time lag between IT investment and firm performance.

Perceptions in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has received increasing research attention owing to advances in e-learning technology and paradigmatic shifts in the educational arena. Owing to the growing diversity in student population in terms of nationality, the role of cultural diversity becomes greatly pronounced, and must be addressed. In this study, a laboratory experiment with a 2×2×2 factorial design was conducted, to investigate the interaction effects of perceived cultural diversity, group size, and leadership, on learners’ performance and satisfaction with process. Contrary to an expected negative relationship between perceived cultural diversity and performance, a positive relationship emerged as a result of leadership. Leadership lowered learners’ satisfaction with the process in perceived homogeneous groups (as compared to perceived heterogeneous groups) and smaller groups (as compared to larger groups).

Understanding the "Mommy Tracks"

Despite the recent growth in the number of women in the American labor force, women are still underrepresented in the IT workforce. Key among the factors that account for this under-representation is balancing work-family issues. This article presents a framework for analyzing work-family balance from a field study of women employed in the American IT workforce. The findings are examined through the lens of the individual differences theory of gender and IT to show the range of ways in which work-family considerations influence women’s IT career decisions. The framework is used to support the theoretical argument that women exhibit a range of decisions regarding career and parenthood: the non-parent, the working parent, the back-on-track parent, and the off-the-track parent. These findings illustrate an identifiable theme that crosses geographical regions and timeframes; societal messages are complex and difficult to digest and are processed in different ways by different women, yet they contribute to the decisions women make about their professional and personal lives.

Fit Between Strategy and IS Specialization

As organizations implement enterprise systems, the issues of whether to “build or buy” new IT modules, and if buying, how much to customize, continue to be key concerns. In this chapter, we develop a framework in order to better understand effective information system module choice and customization from a strategy perspective. Analysis of the strategic importance of the IS module can provide general guidance for the amount of specialization that is appropriate. To illustrate these ideas we apply them to four case examples.

Improvement in Operational Efficiency Due to ERP Systems Implementation

ERP systems are expected to provide many benefits, including improved business efficiency. However, they are also blamed for several business problems and failures. Past studies have analyzed investments in ERP systems based on net income, return on investment, new present value or change in market value of a firm. We argue that an analysis of more direct measures—intangible or tangible—would enhance confidence in the efficacy of ERP systems. We investigate the impact of ERP systems implementation on operational efficiency of medium sized firms in the pharmaceutical and chemicals industry. Our analysis of the data indicates that for a majority of the firms improvement of operational performance expected due to ERP systems did not materialize.

ERP Usage in Practice

This study presents the results of an exploratory study of Fortune 1000 firms and their enterprise resource planning (ERP) usage, as well as benefits and changes they have realized from ERP. The study empirically examines ERP in these organizations to provide insight into various aspects that firms can use to evaluate how they are managing their ERP systems. Findings provide information about functionality implemented, extent to which benefits are realized, extent of ERP-related organizational changes firms have realized, and the way firms measure ERP success. The study also addresses the extent to which various types of ERP software have been implemented and whether there is a relationship between type of software and benefits. Finally, it examines ERP-enabled change in light of organizational configuration.

Relevance and Usefulness of Corporate Web Site Disclosure Practices

We investigate whether corporations are following the “best disclosure practices” when presenting business reports on their Web sites. As a benchmark, we use the recommendations made by the Jenkins Committee (1994) to evaluate disclosures on corporate Web sites for value, relevance, and quality of information. We compute a disclosure score using 26 items recommended by the Jenkins Committee and Meek, Roberts, and Gray (1995) as indicators of best reporting practices. Our findings reveal that most corporations do not follow “best disclosure practices” when reporting information on their Web sites. Only about half of the 26 disclosure items recommended by the Jenkins Committee are reported, and less than 50% of the sample firms in our study make such disclosure. Some of the items that the Jenkins Committee recommends as essential for improving quality and relevance of reporting, such as forward-looking information (e.g., plans, opportunities and risks, forecasts, critical success factors), nonfinancial items (e.g., changes in operating performance, research and development activities), or offbalance-sheet financing, are least often reported. The findings suggest that corporations must improve their Web site disclosures for investors to find them valuable, relevant, and useful.

Consumer Perceptions of Mobile Advertising

A two-stage approach is employed to examine the influencing factors of consumer behaviors in the context of mobile advertising. The first stage of the study evaluates the correlation relationship of consumer motives for receiving mobile advertising and their attitudes toward mobile advertising. The relationship between consumer intentions for receiving advertisements on their cellular phones and their subsequent actions upon receiving the mobile advertising is also investigated. A negative sentiment was revealed of cellular phone users toward mobile advertising. This represents a warning signal indicating that current practices of mobile advertising generally are ineffective and are in need of a careful reevaluation on the part of mobile commerce firms.The second stage of the research applies Fishbein and Ajzen’s theory of reasoned action model to examine consumer behavior regarding mobile advertising. We found that positive actions on the received advertisements are significantly influenced by strong intentions, strong intentions are significantly influenced by favorable attitudes, and favorable attitudes are significantly influenced by strong motives. Implications for e-commerce application developers and marketers are discussed.

The Progression of Client-Vendor Relationships in Offshored Applications Development

This chapter presents an evolutionary framework for the establishment and progression of client-vendor relationships in the context of offshored applications development. It is argued that such a relationship typically begins as a cost-reduction exercise, with the client contracting out simple, structured applications to one or more offshore vendors. Over time, the client assigns increasingly complex applications to selected vendors, and cultivates loose, trust-based, network-like relationships with them. As offshored applications continue to evolve and become business-critical, the client may seek to regain control by establishing a command-based hierarchy. This may be achieved through part- or full-ownership of a vendor organization, or by starting a captive offshore subsidiary. Thus, the initial client objective of cost reduction is ultimately displaced by one pertaining to risk control. Pertinent prior research is used to justify the proposed framework. This is followed by a case study that describes how a specialty telecommunications company is pursuing just such an evolutionary path.