Information Technology Firms Research Articles

EXPLORING THE BENEFITS, CHALLENGES AND GUIDELINES OF DEVOPS ADOPTION: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW AND AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

This study aims to explore the benefits and challenges of DevOps adoption in the rapidly evolving landscape of DevOps and Information Technology (IT) firms. DevOps is a software development approach that emphasises communication and collaboration between software developers and IT operations teams, aiming to streamline processes and enhance software delivery. Despite the growing popularity of DevOps, there are several challenges to its adoption, including stakeholder confusion, a lack of clear processes and guidelines, and a lack of empirical studies that discuss the challenges of DevOps. To establish a foundation of understanding and provide insights into the benefits, challenges, and guidelines for DevOps adoption, this study uses a two-fold approach, including a systematic literature review and conducts semi-structured interviews involving six organisations of various sizes. The interviews aimed to obtain evidence of DevOps adoption in practice and to detail real scenarios and explain the role of each category during DevOps adoption. The study provides insights into the challenges faced by software organisations in adopting the DevOps culture and the benefits of DevOps adoption. The study also proposes DevOps adoption guidelines based on the findings. The findings contribute to the existing literature on DevOps adoption and provide valuable recommendations for software organisations.

The Performance Implications of Management Control Systems and Dynamic Capabilities: Evidence from Vietnam

Drawing on the resource-based view and dynamic-capability view, this study examines the relationship between the interactive use of management control systems, dynamic capabilities, and firm performance in the Vietnamese information and communication technology industry. The research model and hypotheses have been tested by partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with 240 survey samples obtained from managers working in Vietnamese information and communication technology firms. The results indicate that the interactive use of management control systems has a positive effect on dynamic capabilities. Additionally, both the interactive use of management control systems and dynamic capabilities have direct positive effects on firm performance. The results reveal that dynamic capabilities complementary mediate the relationships between the interactive use of management control systems and firm performance. This study provides theoretical and managerial implications for Vietnamese information and communication technology firms that are striving to develop management control systems and dynamic capabilities for enhancing firm performance.

CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF LISTED INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FIRMS IN NIGERIA

This study seeks to examine the effect of capital structure on financial performance of the listed information and communications technology firms in Nigeria. This study adopted correlation and ex-post facto research design. The population of this study consists of all listed information and communications technology firms in Nigeria. Census sampling technique was employed. Multiple regression model based on pooled ordinary lease square, robust test was adopted in analyzing the panel data obtained from audited financial statement of the listed sampled information and communications technology firms for the periods of 10 years between (2013- 2022). The study reveals that both long term debt financing ratio short term debt financing, and debt to equity financing ratio have positive and significant influence on return on assets of the listed information and communications technology firms in Nigeria. On the other hand, equity financing ratio has a positive but insignificant effect on performance of listed information and communications technology companies in Nigeria. Therefore, it is recommended that the management of the listed information and communications technology firms in Nigeria should initiate coherent and integrated financial policies towards encouraging long-and short-term debt financing and debt to equity financing to ultimately improve the financial performance of the list information and communications technology firms in Nigeria.

Mediating Effect of Transformative Learning Process on the Psychological Safety and Transformative Learning Outcome among Information Technology Firms in Beijing, China

This paper investigates the mediating effect of transformative learning processes on the relationship between psychological safety and transformative learning outcomes among information technology firms in Beijing, China. With the rapid evolution of the technology industry, fostering a conducive learning environment becomes essential for employee development and organizational success. Drawing on a sample of information technology firms in Beijing, this study explores how psychological safety influences transformative learning outcomes, and whether transformative learning processes mediate this relationship. The research employs a structured questionnaire survey to collect data from employees, focusing on variables related to psychological safety, transformative learning processes, and transformative learning outcomes. Preliminary findings indicate a significant positive association between psychological safety and transformative learning outcomes. Moreover, transformative learning processes, including social support, attitude toward uncertainty, and criticality, demonstrate a mediating effect on this relationship. Specifically, employees who perceive higher levels of psychological safety are more likely to engage in transformative learning processes, leading to enhanced transformative learning outcomes. These results underscore the importance of promoting psychological safety and facilitating transformative learning processes within information technology firms. By fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment, organizations can empower employees to embrace change, cultivate innovative thinking, and ultimately drive organizational success in the dynamic technology landscape of Beijing, China.

Digital and Green Transitions and Automotive Industry Reconfiguration: Evidence From Japan and China

Digital and green transformations are causing a reconfiguration of the automotive industry. Exploring the factors that cause this is the first aim of this article. This is achieved by examining the evolving automotive industry in East Asia from three different perspectives, each of which offers insights into the implications of this reconfiguration for the states, industries, and companies involved. Having reviewed the debate on the role of institutions and factors affecting the global value chain (GVC) reconfiguration, a descriptive analysis of trends in the Japanese and Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) industries and the related dynamics of the traditional automotive value chain is conducted. An in-depth analysis of Toyota and Honda shows how partnerships with Chinese information and communications technology and NEV firms contribute to the greening and hence reconfiguration of their industry. This analysis provides insight into how the state’s “external” role in the process of GVC formation is being challenged by economic security vulnerabilities related to the emerging NEV industry, thereby inviting further discussion on new dimensions of state–business co-operation.

How the Locus of Uncertainty Shapes the Influence of CEO Long-term Compensation on Information Technology Capital Investments

Firms must allocate resources effectively to cope with uncertainty, which can manifest as a disruption and an opportunity. Although information technology (IT) is a means to cope with uncertainty, chief executive officers (CEOs) may not always support IT investments due to the risky nature of IT, especially when facing uncertain conditions. While prior research suggests that CEO long-term compensation positively incentivizes IT investments, little is known about how different loci of uncertainty impact this relationship. To address this research gap, we study how firm-specific uncertainty and competitive uncertainty shape the influence of CEO long-term compensation on a firm’s IT capital investment. Drawing on agency theory and prospect theory, we develop two hypotheses. First, we hypothesize that firm-specific uncertainty and competitive uncertainty positively moderate the influence of CEO long-term compensation on firm IT capital investment. Second, we hypothesize that competitive uncertainty has a stronger positive moderating effect than firm-specific uncertainty on the influence of CEO long-term compensation on firm IT capital investment. Our analysis of secondary longitudinal data from 2000 to 2007 of 357 public firms in the United States supports our hypotheses. In exploratory analyses, we found that CEO long-term compensation results in a higher risk-oriented dominant logic in the firm, particularly in conditions of firm-specific uncertainty and competitive uncertainty, with competitive uncertainty having a stronger positive moderating effect. These findings uncover risk-oriented dominant logic as a theoretical mechanism that explains how CEO long-term compensation positively influences firm IT capital investment in uncertain conditions. We also conducted exploratory analyses using a different secondary dataset of 286 U.S. public firms from 2004 to 2019 to consider firm investments in transformative IT applications and found support for our theory. This finding triangulates our results across different time periods and different types of IT investments. This study contributes to theory and practice by providing a nuanced understanding of boundary conditions surrounding CEO long-term compensation, and decisions CEOs make vis-à-vis IT capital investments.

Information Technology Skills and Firm Performance of Kenya Tea Producers Companies

The study sought to examine the influence of information technology skills on performance of Tea Producers companies in Kenya. The study reviewed theoretical and empirical literature relevant to the role of Information Technology skills on performance of Tea Producers companies in Kenya. The conceptual framework was discussed to show the relationship between Information Technology skills and firm performance (dependent variable). Positivism philosophy guided this study. Positivism philosophy emphasizes the importance of empirical evidence and scientific methods in understanding the world and acquiring knowledge. The study used cross-sectional survey design to establish the role of Information Technology strategic alignment on performance of Tea Producers companies in Kenya. In this study, the target population was identified as tea producer companies that are members of the East Africa Tea Trade Association (EATTA) in Kenya. This choice was made on the premise that these entities are likely to possess pertinent and accurate information relevant to the research. Specifically, the population encompassed all 29 tea producer members of EATTA. Respondents’ population comprised of six top managers from each organization translating to 174 top managers. The sample size was 121 top managers. They were targeted because top managers of organizations mostly handle strategic management issues. The research employed purposive sampling to select respondents and primarily relied on gathering primary data. A questionnaire with a diverse set of questions was utilized to collect responses from participants. Prior to the main study, a pilot study was conducted to ensure the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. The findings of the study indicate that information technology skills exert a positive and statistically significant influence on the performance of tea producer companies in Kenya. Findings revealed that cross-training, encouraging innovation and providing employment opportunities influences performance of Tea Producers companies in Kenya. This implies that a unit improvement in information technology skills would lead to improvement in performance of Tea Producers companies in Kenya. Based on the findings, this study recommends that the management of tea Producer companies should formulate and implement effect employee training programs to improve their IT skills.

Carbon Emissions and the Search for Renewable Energy Technology: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Firms’ Environmental Responsibility

The literature in sustainability has emphasized external pressures as a main driver of firms’ environmental responsibility. However, under similar external pressures, some firms search for environmental technology, while others do not. By focusing on information and communication technology (ICT) firms, we try to answer the question of when firms are motivated to search for renewable energy technology. Drawing on the framework of the behavioral theory of the firm, we propose that a mismatch between ICT firms’ CO[Formula: see text] emissions performance and their aspiration to a certain level of emissions induce firms to evaluate their environmental performance status—whether they are aligned well with environmental requirements and their peer firms—and their technology status—whether they possess sufficient technologies to reduce emissions—which in turn affects their search for renewable energy technology. We corroborate our hypotheses using data on CO[Formula: see text] emissions and renewable energy patents of U.S. ICT firms from 2010 to 2018. When we compare two groups of firms—one group whose emissions performance is poor and the other group whose emissions performance is good compared to their own past emissions—we find that the former is more likely to search for renewable energy technology compared to the latter. When we focus on each of the two groups, we find that firms decrease their search for renewable energy technology as the degree of poor emissions performance exacerbates (firms’ emissions increase above aspiration) or the degree of good emissions performance increases (firms’ emissions decrease below aspiration). Our findings have implications for public policy as well as firms’ environmentally sustainable operations.

Cloud-Based Accounting Information Systems and Financial Reporting Quality of Listed Information and Communication Technology Firms in Nigeria

The confluence of cloud-based Accounting Information Systems (AIS) adoption and financial reporting quality within Nigeria's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is explored in this study. Given the dynamic landscape of the ICT industry characterized by technological advancements, evolving market dynamics, and regulatory shifts, ICT firms are increasingly turning to cloud-based AIS to streamline their accounting processes and adapt to changing business requirements. The population of the study consists of all eight (8) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enterprises that are listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group as of 31st December 2022. As a result, this study delves into the impact of Cloud-Based AIS adoption on the Financial Reporting Quality of Listed ICT Firms in Nigeria over a decade-long period from 2013 to 2022. Utilizing a Panel Regression Technique (Random Effect Model), the study identifies a significant overall effect of Cloud-Based AIS on the Financial Reporting Quality of Listed ICT Firms in Nigeria. Moreover, it highlights the significant influence of Cloud Security Investment on financial reporting quality among ICT firms in Nigeria, while Cloud Expenditure Growth is found to have no statistically significant effect. The study emphasizes the need for strategic resource allocation and exploration of cost optimization opportunities, given that cloud expenditure growth may not directly impact financial reporting quality. However, the study recommends for prioritizing cloud security investments to safeguard financial data integrity, mitigate cybersecurity risks, and enhance trust in financial reporting practices, thereby bolstering investor confidence.

Influence of Career Orientation on Career Self-Management of Information Technology Firms in Rivers State, Nigeria

Influence of Career Orientation on Career Self-Management of Information Technology Firms in Rivers State, Nigeria

Satisfaction with human resource practices, job dedication and job performance: the role of incentive gamification

PurposeWhile the potential of human resource practices (HRPs) for promoting performance is widely recognized, even though crucial, employees’ assessment of HRPs remains under-researched, especially in emerging economies. Hence, the purpose of this research is to examine the influence of employee satisfaction with HRPs on job performance through the mediating role of job dedication (JD) and the moderating role of incentive gamification.Design/methodology/approachThe current research adopts a quantitative method. Specifically, using a questionnaire survey, 418 valid responses collected (through purposive sampling) via cross-sectional method from the employees of Nigerian Information and Communication Technology (ICT) firms were used to test the research hypotheses empirically.FindingsThe results revealed that satisfaction with HRPs has a positive influence on job performance. Satisfaction with human resource practices has a positive influence on job dedication. Job dedication has a positive influence on job performance. The link between employees’ satisfaction with human resource practices and job performance is mediated by job dedication. The link between satisfaction with human resource practices and job dedication is moderated by incentive gamification, that is, the positive link is stronger when incentive gamification is high. The link between satisfaction with human resource practices and job performance is moderated by incentive gamification, that is, the positive link is stronger when incentive gamification is high.Originality/valueThe current study highlights the importance of employees’ assessments of human resource practices, which may be used to promote employee dedication, which in turn results in improved performance. The findings are helpful to open the black box of the impact of satisfaction with HRPs on job performance. The results also offer important new valuable guidance for practitioners and will aid the management of human resource practice design, audits, and communication.

Research on the relationship between CEO career variety, digital knowledge base extension, and digital transformation in the context of digital merger and acquisition: The case of China's new generation of information technology firms.

This study examines the relationship between CEO career variety, digital knowledge base extension, and digital transformation in a digital M&A context. An empirical test was conducted using regression analysis with the digital M&A events of the new generation of information technology firms in China as the research sample. The results reveal that CEO career variety has a positive effect on digital transformation in the digital M&A context and that digital knowledge-base extension plays a mediating role. Moreover, the heterogeneity impact analysis indicated that the moderating effects of geographical distance, knowledge disparity, and cultural difference between target and acquirer firms on the above relationships vary greatly: geographical distance has a negative moderating effect, cultural difference has a positive moderating effect, and the moderating effects of both geographical distance and cultural difference are realized through mediating effects, but none of the moderating effects of knowledge disparity are significant.

Does surveillance capitalism trigger the financial performance of information technology firms? A reflection from FAANG business models

Does surveillance capitalism trigger the financial performance of information technology firms? A reflection from FAANG business models

Towards better IT governance: A comprehensive IT internal control model for information technology firms

Purpose- The primary objective of this study is to enhance IT governance within the information technology sector by developing a comprehensive IT Internal Control Model. This model is designed to address the unique and evolving challenges in IT internal control processes, providing a structured approach to risk optimization, resource optimization, and benefit management. By introducing this model, the study aims to offer IT firms a robust internal control model that can be adapted to their specific operational needs, promoting a more effective, efficient, and resilient IT governance structure. Methodology- A thorough literature review, incorporating a wide array of international sources, forms the foundation of this study. The research involved designing an IT Internal Control Model, informed by the processes observed at THY Technology. This model was then applied across 12 distinct operational processes, and feedback from stakeholders was systematically gathered through surveys to evaluate its practicality and impact. Findings- The feedback from stakeholders was predominantly positive, underscoring the model’s efficacy in bolstering IT governance. The model was praised for its thoroughness and adaptability, successfully addressing a broad spectrum of IT internal control issues while remaining flexible enough to be tailored to various IT environments. Conclusion- This study highlights the importance of dynamic and adaptable IT internal control model in the fast-paced technology sector. The developed IT Internal Control Model opens new avenues for research into effective governance practices and provides a valuable blueprint for IT firms seeking to enhance their governangfce and control mechanisms in a digitally-driven world. Keywords: IT internal control model, internal control, IT governance, IT compliance, continuous improvement JEL Codes: M15, M19, M42

Subverting or preserving the institution: Competing IT firm and foundation discourses about open source

The data economy depends on digital infrastructure produced in self-managed projects and communities. To understand how information technology (IT) firms communicate to a volunteer workforce, we examine IT firm and foundation employee discourses about open source. We posit that organizations employ rhetorical strategies to advocate for or resist changing the meaning of this institution. Our analysis of discourses collected at three open source professional conferences in 2019 is complemented by computational methods, which generate semantic clusters from presentation summaries. In terms of defining digital infrastructure, business models, and the firm-community relationship, we find a clear division between the discourses of large firm and consortia foundation employees, on one hand, and small firm and non-profit foundation employees, on the other. These divisions reflect these entities’ roles in the data economy and levels of concern about predatory “Big Tech” practices, which transform common goods to be shared into proprietary assets to be sold.

Collaborative innovation, strategic agility, & absorptive capacity adoption in SMEs: the moderating effects of customer knowledge management capability

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between collaborative innovation and the financial performance of information technology (IT) firms through the mediating role of strategic agility and absorptive capacity. Customer knowledge management capability (CKMC) is also explored as a potential moderator.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 300 respondents working in different small to medium IT enterprises operating in different cities around Portugal. The simple random sampling method was used for data collection, and Smart partial least squares-structural equation modeling (Smart PLS-SEM version 3.2.8) was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that collaborative innovation contributes significantly to the financial performance of IT firms in Portugal. The results also indicate that absorptive capacity and strategic agility both positively and significantly affect the relationship between collaborative innovation and firms’ financial performance. However, while the moderating role of CKMC has a positive and significant effect on the relation between collaborative innovation and strategic agility, CKMC insignificantly moderates the relation between collaborative innovation and absorptive capacity.Originality/valueFew studies have explicitly connected collaborative innovation with firms’ financial performance; this study attempts to fill that gap. Moreover, this research investigates the mediating role of strategic agility and absorptive capacity in the relationship between collaborative innovation and financial performance. Finally, by discussing the moderating effect of CKMC, which leads to enhanced financial performance, this study proposes that when complex and unpredictable situations occur, managers should focus on customer-oriented strategies and innovation at the same time to outpace their competitors.

More vocal when satisfied: the effect of need satisfaction on employees' voice to coworkers

PurposeThis study aimed to explore the effects of the satisfaction of employees' need for autonomy, relatedness and competence on their voice behavior through the mediation of self-efficacy for voice and perceived risk for voice.Design/methodology/approachThe theoretical model is tested using survey data collected from 209 employees of information technology (IT) firms located in five major cities in China.FindingsThe study found that satisfaction of employees' need for autonomy, relatedness and competence facilitated their self-efficacy for voice and inhibited perceived risk for voice. Self-efficacy for voice was positively related to voice, whereas perceived risk for voice was negatively related to it. Perceived risk for voice hampered self-efficacy for voice.Practical implicationsThe findings indicate that organizations can boost employees' voice behavior by making them feel that they have autonomy in their work, by helping them maintain good relationships with others in the workplace and by enabling their competence in accomplishing their job.Originality/valueThis study highlights that satisfying employees' psychological needs plays a pivotal role in facilitating their voice behavior. The authors provide new insights into the relationship between need satisfaction and voice behavior and into the mediating roles of self-efficacy for voice and perceived risk for voice.

An adoption of sustainable business model: An empirical study identifying the success factors of IT service sector organizations

Being competitive has become essential to surviving in the current, rapidly evolving and highly dynamic corporate climate. Companies must streamline their operations if they want to remain competitive. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that have been applied successfully give businesses better practices and procedures. The article uses past literature to illustrate a new conceptual framework considering strategic, organizational, technological and environmental aspects for the effective implementation of ERP system in the information technology (IT) service sector. The primary focus is to find out the effectiveness of ERP deployment from the users’ perspective. For this analysis, information was gathered from 152 Indian IT companies that had already installed an ERP system. Factor analysis, both exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, was used in the present study to find out the factors from the mentioned four perspectives. Structural equation modelling allows researchers to observe the relationships between the emerged factors. The findings suggest that end users of IT firms have recognized the value of emerging constructs for successful ERP implementation leading to sustainable firm growth, underscoring the significance of the suggested framework in their quest to become more competitive in the market.

Securing IoT networks: A fog-based framework for malicious device detection

Ensuring device security is a significant obstacle to effectively implementing the Internet of Things (IoT) and fog computing in today's Information Technology (IT) landscape. Researchers and IT firms have investigated many strategies to safeguard systems against unauthorized device assaults, often known as outside device assaults. Cyber-attacks and data thefts have significantly risen in many corporations, organizations, and sectors due to exploiting vulnerabilities in safeguarding IoT gadgets. The rise in the variety of IoT gadgets and their diverse protocols has increased zero-day assaults. Deep Learning (DL) is very effective in big data and cyber-security. Implementing a DL-based Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) on IoT devices with constrained resources is unfeasible due to the need for substantial computational power and robust storage capacities. This study introduces an IoT-based Malicious Device Detection (IoT-MDD) that is dispersed, resilient, and has a high detecting rate for identifying various IoT cyber-attacks using deep learning. The suggested design incorporates an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) on fog nodes because of its decentralized structure, substantial processing capabilities, and proximity to edge gadgets. Tests demonstrate that the IoT-MDD model surpasses the performance of the other models. The study found that the cybersecurity architecture effectively detects malicious gadgets and decreases the percentage of false IDS alarms.

The moderating role of perceived environmental uncertainty in the impact of corporate governance on strategy implementation: An agency theory perspective

The study delves into how governance, environmental unpredictability and strategic management intersect, with agency theory offering a framework to comprehend this connection. It is evident how the structure of governance can influence the actions of managers and the results of organizations, amidst evolving conditions. Descriptive analytical approaches were used, and utilized an electronic questionnaire, as the main tool for gathering data. It involved 254 individuals randomly selected from Information and Communication Technology companies in Amman, Jordan including both managers and non-managers. Various statistical techniques, such as inferential methods using SPSS version 26 for Windows were employed to explore research questions and test hypotheses. The study discovered that the perceived uncertainty in the environment plays a role in influencing how corporate governance affects strategy implementation, in information technology firms. The findings suggest. Studying the environment to better grasp and respond to uncertainties. Additionally, it is advised to tailor governance practices and strategies to manage risks and obstacles resulting from shifts.