A Multidimensional Model of Web-Induced Flexibility in Organisations

Abstract

Mechanisms for controlling and regulating business flexibility are no longer limited to adjusting the number of pieces or changing item output in production processes. Information infrastructures, systems and web technologies have become an important factor for flexible business alignment: The company’s scope of action comes along with communication and collaboration among their partners. This paper examines flexibility impacts of new forms of information and communication technology on daily business use, e.g. flexibility through social virtual platforms, blogs, wikis and other emerging web-based techniques. A model of flexibility for web-based communication and collaboration in a company’s context is introduced to address technical, organisational, operational, legal and social impacts of flexibility. For each aspect specific key indicators are analysed and their practicability verified by expert interviews. As an outcome an index for determining the level of web-induced flexibility for enterprises is presented.