Small Information Technology Research Articles

Assessment of the mediating effect of benchmarking workspace usage on portfolio optimization and client satisfaction: Indian information technology companies

PurposeMany corporates in India are constantly adapting real estate benchmarks to reduce the workspace maintenance cost. However, anecdotally benchmarking the experience of clients while designing the workspace maintenance policies is not adequately taken into consideration in India. The focus of this study is on benchmarking workspace usage based on client usability.Design/methodology/approachThe research is descriptive in nature. A structured questionnaire was sent to Information Technology (IT) companies in India to collect data through SurveyMonkey. Stratified sampling was used to collect a sample of 697 respondents which was also verified using G* software. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics and partial least square–structured equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to investigate the mediating effect of benchmarking the workspace usage on portfolio optimization and client satisfaction.FindingsThe structural model results obtained through the bootstrapping technique show that benchmarking workspace usage for real estate management positively impacts client satisfaction in the Indian IT workspace. The findings of this study support the full mediation effect (97%) and indicate that benchmarking practices are necessary for developing strategies for optimal portfolio asset utilization and are essential to survive in the current competitive business environment.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this study were influenced by the feedback from the top 100 IT clients in India. The research findings vary according to the cost-benefit analysis of adopting benchmarking measures in small and medium-sized IT companies which still benchmark the workspace usage based on cost-saving measures. Also, very sparse research has been conducted in the workspace management domain of IT firms, so the results of this study can further be used as a reference to explore this area.Practical implicationsThe study provides useful insights into how benchmarking in the workspace management domain of the CRE industry can be applied to address portfolio-related challenges, divergent client needs and improve workspace usability following energy-efficient policies. Practitioners can use this study as a guide to develop more effective workspace management policies.Social implicationsThis study may guide other firms to benchmark their current workspace usage and evaluate the impact of their workspace management policies based on the theoretical framework of value-added balanced benchmarking criteria.Originality/valueThis research adds value to the limited literature available on the impact of technology-enabled portfolio optimization techniques through benchmarking which can reduce workspace usage and enhance the usability of the workspace.

The impact of IT resources and strategic alignment on organizational performance: The moderating role of environmental uncertainty

Today, organizations make significant investments in information technology (IT) as a strategic resource to achieve their goals. If these investments are managed properly, they can create value for the organization. However, companies face problems in evaluating IT investment plans to gain value from them and improve organizational performance, which can be attributed to different reasons such as environmental uncertainty. Therefore, this study used a resource-based view and evaluated the impact of IT investment, IT management as two important IT resources, and strategic alignment on organizational performance by considering the moderating role of environmental uncertainty as one of the most important challenges of companies in IT usage. The quantitative approach was used and the required data was gathered using two questionnaires (one for IT managers and one for executives). The questionnaires were collected randomly from 70 IT managers, and 70 CIOs, and CEOs of small and medium-sized IT organizations (SMEs). Then data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling through using PLS software. Based on the results, strategic alignment and IT management are effective on organizational performance. Besides, environmental uncertainty moderated these relationships. The results of the study will help managers to nurture IT resources in their company to develop their strategies based on their perceived level of environmental uncertainty.

MODEL PENGEMBANGAN STRATEGI PEMASARAN BERBASIS TEKNOLOGI INFORMASI DALAM MENINGKATKAN DAYA SAING UMKM DI JEPARA

This study wanted to produce a model for developing marketing strategy based on Information Technology (IT) is a form of marketing strategy development model by taking into account and utilize Information Technology. The purpose of this study was to better efficiency at enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs through the use of Information Technology. Micro, Small and Medium cultivated IT base is expected will be increased competitiveness. Objective: 1) undescrebed conditions of SMEs that have used information technology. 2) completion of a development model of IT-based marketing strategies that can be applied practically. 3) application models empirically, and 4) unprovable floating model application of IT-based marketing strategy. To achieve these objectives do action research approach, is research activities continued with implementation. Therefore, the model-based marketing strategy information technology into solutions for marketing problems of SMEs and increasing competitiveness.

Stakeholder views on the drivers and inhibitors of performance of outsourced information technology employees

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically quantify the factors that are perceived to drive or inhibit performance of information technology (IT) outsourced employees from a range of information technology outsourcing (ITO) stakeholders in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachThe first phase was a qualitative study on 19 stakeholders focussed on the development of the constructs. The second phase was quantitative, with a sample of 116 ITO stakeholders of the largest IT company in South Africa.FindingsThe study revealed that the ITO stakeholders had misaligned perceptions on inhibitors and somewhat congruent perceptions with regards to drivers of performance. Managers and poor performers’ perceptions of inhibiting factors of performance were significantly different. The empirical evidence showed that the key drivers of performance were intrinsic factors and leadership, whilst the inhibiting factors were mainly related to poor leadership.Research limitations/implicationsThe major limitation was that the population was represented by one large organisation in the South African IT industry and its clients, thereby excluding the rest of the IT industry participants, specifically the medium and small IT companies. The quota sample resulted in a non-probability study, and thus, the results of this study may not necessarily be generalised to other populations. This study’s findings on differences between good and poor performers must be investigated in other industries.Practical implicationsFor outsourced employees to perform optimally, some key intrinsic factors must be fulfilled. Passion and pride, aligned to a meaningful job role, will unleash outstanding performance. Organisations need to ensure that there is regular feedback to managers on their performance and subsequent leadership development. Alignment of managers and poor performers’ perceptions on drivers and inhibitors could improve performance.Social implicationsThese findings demonstrate the large gap in perceptions about the key drivers and inhibiters of performance.Originality/valueThe study reveals that top performers tend to have higher order and intrinsic motivators, compared to poor performers, who have a mixture of extrinsic and intrinsic needs, and managers have a misaligned expectation of extrinsic motivators.

Academic FabLabs for industry 4.0: Experience at University of Naples Federico II

From FabLabs new and important business opportunities can emerge in the world of Adaptive Manufacturing and the Internet of Things (IoT), by leveraging the services provided by large information technology (IT) companies, such as cloud computing. FabLabs aim to foster the creation of small start-ups, able to survive in a global market with rising fierce competition. Therefore, governance action is needed to facilitate this migration to the market through regulatory measures (economic support for youth start-ups, business accelerators, co-working spaces, incubators, and so on). What is most important, and scarcely realized, is the specific training of young IT engineers intended to grow into makers. The experience gained at the University of Naples Federico II in Naples, Italy in this area is described in this paper. A new model of teaching for students pursuing the Master of Science Degrees in Electrical and Information Engineering was proposed, aimed at reproducing the aspects, the problems, and the interactions unique to small IT business, and later giving rise to a FabLAB.

Getting back on track: change management at AfrobitLink Ltd

Synopsis AfrobitLink Ltd was an information technology (IT) firm with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. AfrobitLink started as a very small IT firm with less than two dozen staff. Within a few years of its founding, AfrobitLink established itself as a dependable organization known for delivering high-quality IT services. However, starting in 2004, AfrobitLink experienced rapid growth as it expanded to serve the telecommunications firms taking advantage of the deregulated market. This rapid expansion resulted in many challenges for AfrobitLink. The firm rapidly expanded into all 36 states in Nigeria, hiring a manager to oversee the company’s operations in each of the states. Poor hiring practices, inadequate training, excessive spans of control, low accountability, a subjective reward system, and other cultural issues, such as a relaxed attitude to time, resulted in low motivation, high employee turnover, poor customer service, and financial losses. By 2013, the firm was operating at a loss and its reputation was in shambles. Generally, the culture was toxic: employees did not identify with the firm or care about its goals, there were no performance standards, employees were not held accountable, self-interest and discrimination prevailed. The organization was in a downward spiral. Consultants were hired to help sort out the firm’s problems but these efforts yielded few results. Ken Wilson, the founder’s son, was hired in 2014 as VP of Administration to help get the firm back on track. As a change agent, Ken had to decide how to address the issues facing the firm and how to achieve profitable growth. Research methodology Primary sources included interviews with the company CEO, his wife, his son, and a volunteer staff member. Secondary sources included the company website. The names of the people and the firm in the case have been changed to provide anonymity. Relevant courses and levels This case is intended for use in graduate courses (although it can also be used in upper level undergraduate courses) in change management/organization development, organizational behavior, leadership, or international management. For graduate courses, students may focus on application or integration of several theories or concepts. For upper level undergraduate courses, students may focus on application of a single theory or concept. Below are suggested texts or readings for each type of student by subject. Theoretical bases Change management theories (e.g. Lewin’s force field analysis (Schein, 1996), Kotter’s eight-step change management process (Kotter, 2007), The change kaleidoscope approach (Balogun and Hailey, 2008)), social identity theory (Tajfel, 1981), attribution theory (Kelley, 1972), leadership theories (e.g. Hersey and Blanchard, 1969), intercultural/international management theories (e.g. Hofstede, 1980, 1991).

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Cloud Computing (CC) is a paradigm that provides a range of both technological and economic benefits to organizations that work it as a way to solve their information technology (IT) needs. Various organizations around the world have adopted CC as pusher model of new business ideas, and small businesses technological support, enabling them to use IT resources through few or null financial resources. This has motivated a research in order to get the degree of acceptance and incorporation of CC in small IT companies from Bucaramanga, to provide decision-making tools to organizations wishing to offer CC-based services in that city.

Flexible Workplace Practices: Employees’ Experiences in Small IT Firms

This paper examines how employees experience flexible workplace practices (FWPs), such as flex-time, in the context of small firms. Past research consistently documents that employees’ experiences vary according to whether or not the workplace culture is supportive of FWPs and work-life balance needs. Studies, however, typically use individual level data or focus on large companies. Little research has focused on the experiences of employees of small firms. Possibly, employees of small firms have somewhat unique experiences of FWPs because of the workplace context. Like past research, this paper considers how gender and age relations structure the workplace. Also taken into account are the control strategies that management employs over the workforce. Data are taken from a Canadian study on small information technology (IT) firms that employed between four and 21 individuals. A multiple case study of 17 firms is conducted using web-surveys, semi-structured interviews, case study reports, field notes, and HR policy documents. Three different workplace contexts emerged among study firms based on their flexibility and workplace culture with respect to time. Some of these workplaces reproduced hegemonic gender, age, and class expectations, whereas others somewhat challenged them. The three firm-types did not vary according to firm-specific characteristics, such as business specialization, but patterns with regard to age and gender characteristics of the owners and employees were evident. Employees’ experiences varied according to where they worked. The findings suggest that similar and different processes occur in small firms compared to the large companies often studied in the literature. Like large firms, small firms are not neutral or based on a consensus. Small firm employees, however, may be considerably more vulnerable.

Quality performance of SMEs in a developing economy: direct and indirect effects of service innovation and entrepreneurial orientation

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine how innovation and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) affect organizational performance on quality in Asian small enterprise context.Design/methodology/approach– Drawing from the strategic management literature, we hypothesize and test the direct and indirect relationship between EO, innovation and quality performance in the context of small information technology (IT) firms in an Asian economy. Data analyses follow standard procedures for testing direct and mediating effects.Findings– Findings indicate a significant direct and indirect positive relationship between EO dimensions and three types of innovation and quality performance. Innovation mediates in the relationship of EO with quality performance.Research limitations/implications– The paper adds resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theories to extant strategic management literature. Poor representation of women-owned small firms in the study resulting from low participation of females in the IT business sector is a limitation which needs to be addressed in the future, as it hinders a clearer understanding of the perspectives of women business owners.Practical implications– The paper contributes to managerial practice by underscoring the need for owner-managers of small enterprises to pursue EO-focused and innovation enhancement strategies in an integrated manner.Originality/value– An integrated model of EO, innovation and performance, tested in small IT service firms in the context of a developing economy. Context does matter. The combination of a developing country context and the significance of IT enhance the contextual contribution of the paper.

TIME PRESSURE, SOCIAL WORK STRESSORS AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN A TEAM OF SEVEN IT-WORKERS DURING ONE WEEK OF INTENSE WORK

Background. In the field of information technology (IT) time pressure is common. Working with tight deadlines together on the same task increases the risk of social stressors referring to tensions and conflicts at work. Purpose. This field study tested both the association of time pressure and social stressors with blood pressure during work. Method . Seven employees ““ staff of a small IT enterprise ““ participated in repeated ambulatory blood pressure measurements over the course of one week. Time pressure and social stressors at work were assessed by questionnaire at the beginning of the study. Results. Multilevel regression analyses of 138 samples revealed higher levels of time pressure to be related to marginally significant increases in mean arterial blood pressure at noon and in the afternoon. In addition, higher levels of social stressors at work were significantly associated to elevated mean arterial pressure in the afternoon. Conclusion. Findings support the view that threats to the social self play an important role in occupational health.Â

Gestão Estratégica em Empresas de Tecnologia da Informação: Um Estudo de Caso

The Information Technology (IT) sector is regarded as strategic for national economy. In Brazil, this sector is formed mostly of micro and small businesses. This article aims at understanding how does the strategic management process occurs in a small IT company, according to the schools of strategy and the strategy-as-practice approach. The method applied was a single case study of a small IT company, located in Rio Grande do Sul. The analyzed data revealed that the company adopts an informal strategic management centered on its directors, which may be related to the entrepreneurial school of strategy. However, data also indicate the presence of features of other schools of strategy along the company trajectory. We analyzed the strategy as social practice at the strategic level and also at the tactical level of the organization, through the guidance of managers, their interactions with customers and suppliers, their decision-making processes, among other practices related to everyday life. The results of the article shed light on the process of strategic management in micro and small IT companies, generating insights that can be useful for managers of similar companies.

Strategic Management in Business Information Technology: A Case Study

The Information Technology (IT) sector is regarded as strategic for national economy. In Brazil, this sector is formed mostly of micro and small businesses. This article aims at understanding how does the strategic management process occurs in a small IT company, according to the schools of strategy and the strategy-as-practice approach. The method applied was a single case study of a small IT company, located in Rio Grande do Sul. The analyzed data revealed that the company adopts an informal strategic management centered on its directors, which may be related to the entrepreneurial school of strategy. However, data also indicate the presence of features of other schools of strategy along the company trajectory. We analyzed the strategy as social practice at the strategic level and also at the tactical level of the organization, through the guidance of managers, their interactions with customers and suppliers, their decision-making processes, among other practices related to everyday life. The results of the article shed light on the process of strategic management in micro and small IT companies, generating insights that can be useful for managers of similar companies.

Towards Good Governance Through Implementation of University Management Information System: Qafqaz University's Experience

Over the past few years, there has been increasing attention on how Information Technology (IT) supports good governance in Higher Education Institutions (HEI). It's obvious that communications and information technology provide ever-growing opportunities to improve institutional effectiveness and efficiency. The use of technology is driving significant changes in the way educational institutions meet their goals and objectives. With the rapid pace of technological change and amplified competition, good governance of HEI with the help of University Management Information System (UMIS) presents significant challenges. As it is well known from IT history, innovative technologies can start out as a relatively small issue and suddenly become vitally important, requiring immediate solutions. In the same way, small IT initiative within Qafqaz University which had limited purposes at the beginning has become the main pillar with a strong strategic value and a great asset to possibly achieve institutional strategic goals.

Understanding Small and Medium-Sized IT Firms' Partnership Development Practices

In the knowledge economy, demand for information technology services expanded in terms of scope and sophistication. Accordingly, information technology (IT) firms tend to focus on core specializati...

11.1.3 Identifying the Most Critical Documents and Reviews for Small Information Technology Projects

ABSTRACTManaging Information Technology projects has historically been a very difficult endeavor. For the project manager, there are many project management (PM), systems engineering (SE), and information technology (IT) standards, bodies of knowledge, process models, and management models to use to help manage a project. The wealth of information makes it difficult for project managers and systems engineers of small IT projects to filter through the information and determine the specific documents and reviews that are the most useful to effectively and efficiently manage the project. The goal of this research is to identify the documents and reviews that are most helpful for managing small IT projects.

Internet based job competency development system for small IT business

This paper designed and developed internet based competency developing system for small IT (Information & Technology) companies. The purpose of this system was to provide career development opportunities to small IT business workers for their longstanding employment and self-improvement job skills. This study analyzed job competencies based on job descriptions from two IT companies. The survey was conducted to analyze employees’ self-assessed current job competency level and effective ways of improving their current level of competencies. From the results of survey, most of subjects indicated their job competencies were in between mid-level to low level, and they required the need of training programs to improve their job knowledge and experience. Based on the interview from field experts about job competency development, this study designed and developed the internet based competency development system to provide effective and efficient way of improving job competencies and needed training programs for small IT business employees.

Green IT framework for small and medium scale Indian IT services companies

The information technology (IT) industry has a vital role to play in abating the threat of climate change and global warming. Green IT is defined for the purpose of this paper, as a specific set of initiatives that IT companies are taking to optimise their resource-utilisation, with the aim of becoming environmentally sustainable. The literature suggests that there are many Green IT frameworks available that can help companies to develop their Green IT strategies. It was also observed that Indian IT services companies, specifically that small and medium scale companies, operate in a different environment and that existing frameworks are not suitable for them. This paper proposes a more suitable Green IT framework using a sample of IT services companies in Bhubaneswar, India. The small and medium scale IT companies were defined as those which are not listed on any stock exchange – unlisted. An extensive framework was then developed and tested with six unlisted IT services companies in Bhubaneswar.

Value generation in e‐government from service‐based IT integration

PurposeUnderstanding how value is actually generated in e‐government projects is one of the most challenging, and relevant, issues in e‐government research. This paper aims to investigate the contribution of service‐based information technology (IT) integration for generating value in the public sector, proposing a theoretical framework based on the theory of IT conversion effectiveness.Design/methodology/approachThe paper illustrates this novel approach to electronic government evaluation with an exploratory case study of a service‐based IT integration project developed by the City of Genoa, showing how and why IT integration can substantially contribute to value generation in the public sector.FindingsContrarily to what one would expect according to the original theory of IT conversion effectiveness, value generation may happen even with no substantial growth in the pre‐existing IT asset portfolio. In fact, what is truly important is not only the availability of IT assets (policy output), but also their proper use (policy outcome) and their final effects on policy takers (policy impact). The case study shows how a low‐cost and small IT integration project based on agile information system development practices can significantly leverage the legacy systems, enhancing the overall degree of IT conversion effectiveness (first stage), with expected positive effects on policy outcomes (second stage) and policy impacts (third stage). The enabling effect of the web services technology has a central role in the overall value generation process.Originality/valueWhile addressing a literature void in the context of public sector, this theoretical approach is substantial as it can be used to evaluate and maximize the value generated by e‐government projects, with a special focus on service‐based IT integration projects.

Prolonging the careers of older information technology workers: continuity, exit or retirement transitions?

ABSTRACTThe article explores the ways in which older workers' career trajectories influenced their exit from or continuity of employment in the Australian information technology (IT) industry. The data were collected through qualitative interviews with 71 employees of 10 small and medium-sized IT firms as part of the cross-countryWorkforce Ageing in the New Economyproject (WANE), which was conducted in Canada, the United States, Australia and several European Union countries (the United Kingdom, Germany and The Netherlands). The analysis revealed that older IT workers' capacity to envisage careers beyond their fifties was constrained by age-based ‘normative’ capability assumptions that resulted in truncated careers, dissuaded the ambition to continue in work, and induced early retirement. The workers' constricted, age-bound perspectives on their careers were reinforced by the rapid pace of technological and company transformations. A structural incompatibility was found between the exceptional dynamism and competitiveness of the IT industry and the conventional age-staged and extended career. The analysis showed that several drivers of occupational career trajectories besides the well-researched health and financial factors predisposed ‘default transitions’ to exit and retirement. The paper concludes with policy and practice recommendations for the prolongation of IT workers' careers and their improved alignment with the contemporary lifecourse.

Study of information technology development for the Canadian construction industry

This paper studies the state of companies that develop information technology (IT) for the construction industry in Canada. The study collects survey results and other data about these companies. It explores the number and nature of companies; their products and markets; and their opinions about IT trends, opportunities and barriers, and collaboration with government and university resources. The study concludes that a small construction IT industry exists in Canada, with some established successful companies and a number of younger ventures. These companies offer some products on par with the best construction IT in other countries, but they fall somewhat behind other countries in forming an advanced construction IT community of practice.Key words: information technology, development, construction industry, survey, Canada.