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Information technology (IT) plays an important role in contemporary organisations and this role continues to expand in scope and complexity and affects business operations dramatically. Advances in the IT industry have caused major changes in every industry sector. The banking industry is no exception and it has undergone a dramatic change over the past few decades. With the coming of the information age, IS investments are becoming increasingly important to banks` survival, growth and prosperity. IS managers are under increasing pressure to justify the value and contribution of IS expenditure to the productivity, quality and competitiveness of the organisation. This study aims to propose a model which investigates the success of information systems in the banking industry in order to help bank managers to evaluate the success of their IS, to be able to develop these systems and to improve the performance of bank managers and employees. Given that the ultimate dependent variable for this research is individual impacts, DeLone and McLean (2003) updated IS success model is leveraged and extended in this research. The study proposes a research model which is guided by the decision to select a suitable number of key potential demographic and situational variables, in addition to the adoption of DeLone and McLean (2003) updated model. This model proposes that a variety of factors were found to affect IS success in general, however, from the socio-technical viewpoint, IS success should capture both technological and human elements. Therefore, an effective Banking Information System (BIS) typically requires an appropriate combination of both. As such, Thus, the technological dimensions (i.e. system, service and information quality) and the human dimensions (e.g. user satisfaction, perceived system benefits, user involvement, user training, age, education and system use) can be a good starting point when considering suitable constructs for measuring BIS success. The research methodology of this study involved interviews with BIS practitioners and professionals to shape and refine the research model. Further, questionnaire survey was employed to collect data from bank managers in Egyptian banks. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using Partial Least Square (PLS) was used to test the research model. Three research models were proposed according to age groups and initial results from PLS analysis reported different results in each research model. Findings indicated that system, information and service quality, level of training, age, length of system use, user involvement and top management support were the main predictors (success constructs) of user satisfaction and individual impacts in the three proposed research models. However, the relationships between these constructs varied according to each age group of managers. The study offers important academic and practical contributions. Firstly, as a contribution to research, the study serves to extend the DeLone and McLean (2003) IS success model by introducing some key human and situational dimensions and confirming certain links in that model with the context of banking industry. The contribution to practice is especially relevant for bank CIOs, software designers and developers looking for ways to improve BIS developments by providing them with directions regarding the BIS success dimensions that should be considered to encourage bank managers to adopt and be more satisfied with BIS which in turn influence their job performance.

Information technology (IT) plays an important role in the daily operation of the modem business organization. The implications for, and influences on organizational structure from the deployment of IT have long been recognized. One of the most important, recent innovations, in the world of information technology, has been the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Because of its wide reach, sophistication and highly integrated nature, it is potentially far more powerful and advanced than any of its predecessors, and thus has the potential to greatly influence organizational practices and design. However, the understanding of the organizational impact of IT in general, and ERP in particular, is rather limited. Due to the shortcomings of past studies, no clear consensus has been reached with respects to the structural impact of IT Moreover, though there 4ave been a large number of studies focusing on the implementation of EPR, very few empirical works have explicitly and systematically explored the influence of ERP on a range of different structural dimensions. This study aims to fill these gaps in the literature, and in so doing, generate a more comprehensive understanding of the organizational impacts of ERP To this end, it adopted a mixed method in order to deliver a more balanced and richer set of conclusions. The outcomes of the quantitative data analysis confirmed the general influences of ERP on a range of different structural dimensions. More specifically, it has been shown that the deployment of ERP can lead to a flatter, more decentralized, more standardized and a more tightly integrated organizational structure. Furthermore, the qualitative data provided meaningful insight into the structural impact of ERP, in Chinese context. In addition,, the various analyses found important associations amongst the corporate strategy, organizational structure, ERP deployment and organizational flexibility constructs, and in so doing, demonstrated that the relationship between ERP deployment and organizational structure is not independent of its organizational context. Indeed, it is shown that the results of this study provide support for the 'configurational' view of organizational strategy and behaviour. Finally, this study's results have been strengthened by modelling the technological artefact using a more balanced set of measures than had been employed in previous studies. Indeed, it was demonstrated that the use of ERP success, rather than the scale of its adoption, to model the independent variable, was a more effective indicator of changes to structural design, and ultimately also to the realization of organizational flexibility.

Comment et pourquoi les médias de masse peuvent-ils contribuer à secourir et à interroger l’oralité propre aux sociétés africaines ? Pour répondre à cette interrogation, il conviendra à coup sûr d’effectuer une sorte d’état des lieux sur la parole et les actes de langages qui participent aux modes de communication et d’information. Le champ d’investigation privilégié concerne les pays du Sahel et de manière spécifique les populations Bwa du Mali. C’est dans cette aire géographique que nous chercherons à assurer l’hypothèse selon laquelle la radio participe à la conservation et à la valorisation du patrimoine immatériel ; elle constitue une des passerelles du développement social, culturel, économique et politique des pays africains et des publics qui la reçoivent. Il s’agit ainsi de mettre en lumière les manières dont les sociétés de tradition orale s’approprient les médias de médias. En prenant l’exemple des contes à la radio, on peut découvrir des modes d’appropriation spécifiques. À partir d’entretiens avec les conteurs-teuses, les acteurs des médias, la consultation des rapports de l’Unesco et de textes législatifs au Mali, des ouvrages en sciences de l’information et de la communication, mais également d’anthropologie, de linguistique, l’enjeu consiste à comprendre que davantage de communication médiatique peut aussi engendrer du commun entre les hommes. / How and why mass media can contribute to help and to question the orality that belongs to African societies? To answer this question, we are bound to carry out some sort of survey of speaking and language activities pertaining to modes of communication and information. The chosen field of investigation concerns the countries of Sahel, specifically the Bwa populations of Mali. It is in this geographical area that we try to check the hypothesis according to which the radio contributes to valorise and to save the oral, immaterial patrimony and constitutes one of the bridges of social, cultural, economic and political development of the African countries that receive it. The aim is to shed light on the ways in which mass media can invest societies characterised by oral tradition. Taking the example of tales which are told on the radio we can discover specific modes of appropriation. By interviewing storytellers, feeling of how media actors perform and questioning the way local radios work, by consulting reports from UNESCO and other associations, documents in information and communication sciences, but also anthropological and linguistic documents, it is at stake to understand that more media communication may lead to more common ground between human beings.

[pt] Inseridas em um ambiente turbulento, as organizações necessitam conhecer suas competências essenciais e capacidades organizacionais, e o seu papel no ambiente externo para sobreviver. Enquanto os ganhos da organização e sua demanda por TI aumentam, o investimento nos recursos de TI não cresce na mesma proporção, justificando a busca pela eficiência e a eficácia na sua utilização. O processo de Planejamento Estratégico deve considerar essa dinâmica e complexidade e, por isso, deve ser capaz de detectar os sinais fortes e fracos desse ambiente. A estratégia deve funcionar como diretriz para a governança de TI. Esse alinhamento deve ser estabelecido por meio de algumas iniciativas para estruturação que garantirão a gestão eficaz e eficiente desses recursos de TI. Para analisar esse alinhamento, discute-se aqui a estratégia e o planejamento estratégico nas organizações. São também apresentados os alicerces que devem ser construídos para o alinhamento da governança de TI com a estratégia. Com o intuito de analisar as observações feitas nessa fundamentação teórica sobre estruturação organizacional, um estudo de caso foi realizado em uma empresa prestadora de serviços de TI da região Sudeste do Brasil, resultado da fusão de outras duas. Após analisar a situação da organização em abril de 2006, um ano após a fusão, algumas iniciativas são planejadas e executadas com o objetivo de estruturar a organização para promover o alinhamento. O andamento de cada iniciativa e as mudanças estruturais que aconteceram até fevereiro de 2007 são analisados. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, as próximas etapas da estruturação são sugeridas. / [en] Inserted in a turbulent environment, organizations need to know not only their core competencies and organizational capacities, but also their role in the external environment to survive. While revenue growth and the demand for IT are increasing, the IT budget increases in a lower rate, justifying the pursuit for effectiveness and efficiency. The strategic planning process must consider this dynamics and complexity and, therefore, must pay attention to the strong and weak signals from the environment. The strategy should work as a line of direction to the IT governance. This alignment must be established by some initiatives to build the organizational structure that will guarantee the effectiveness and efficiency pursued. To analyze this alignment, the organizational strategy and the organizational strategic planning are discussed. The foundations that must be built to establish the alignment between the IT governance and the organizational strategy are also discussed. To analyze the observations from the theoretical framework about the construction of the organizational structure, a case study was conducted in an information technology service provider which was created from the merger of two other information technology service providers from the southeast region of Brazil. After analyzing the organization´s situation in April of 2006, some actions are planned and executed to structure the organization for the alignment. The follow-up of each initiative and the structural changes that happened until February 2007 are also discussed. Considering these, the following steps to build the organizational structure are suggested.

One of the major challenges of MIS activities is the difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of delivered systems. The principal purpose of my research is to explore this field in order to develop an instrument by which to measure such effectiveness. Conceptualisation of Information System (IS) Effectiveness has been substantially framed by DeLone and McLean's (1992) Success; Model. But with the innovation in Information Technology (IT) over the past decade, and the constant pressure in IT to improve performance, there is merit in undertaking a fresh appraisal of the issue. This study built on the model of IS Success developed by DeLone and MeLean, but was broadened to include related research from the domains of IS, Management and Marketing. This analysis found that an effective IS function is built on three pillars: the systems implemented; the information held and delivered by these systems; and, the service provided in support of the IS function. A common foundation for these pillars is the concept of stakeholder needs. In seeking to appreciate the effectiveness: of delivered IS applications in relation to the job performance of stakeholders, this research developed an understanding of what quality means in an IT context I argue that quality is a more useful criterion for effectiveness than the more customary measures of use and user satisfaction. Respecification of the IS Success Model was then proposed. The second phase of the research was to test this model empirically through judgment panels, focus groups and interviews. Results consistently supported the structure and components of the respecified model. Quality was determined as a multi-dimensional construct, with the key dimensions for the quality of delivered IS differing from those used in the research from other disciplines. Empirical work indicated that end-user stakeholders derived their evaluations of quality by internally evaluating perceived performance of delivered IS in relation to their expectations for such performance. A short trial explored whether, when overt measurement of expectations was concurrent with the measurement of perceptions, a more revealing appraisal of delivered IS quality was provided than when perceptions alone were measured. Results revealed a difference between the two measures. Using the New IS Success Model as the foundation, and drawing upon the related theoretical and empirical research, an instrument was developed to measure the quality/effectiveness of delivered IS applications. Four trials of this instrument, QUALIT, are documented. Analysis of results from preliminary trials indicates promise in terms of business value: the instrument is simple to administer and has the capacity to pinpoint areas of weakness. The research related to the respecification of the New IS Success Model and the associated empirical studies, including the development of QTJALIT, have both contributed to the development of theory about IS Effectiveness. More precisely, my research has reviewed the components of an information system, the dimensions comprising these components and the indicators of each, and based upon these findings, formulated an instrument by which to measure the effectiveness of a delivered IS.

<p>Strategy and IT research has been extensively discussed during the past 40 years. Two scientific disciplines Management Science (MS) and Management Information Science (MIS) investigate the importance of IT as a competitive factor. However, although much research is available in both disciplines, it is still difficult to explain how to manage IT to enable competitive advantages. One reason is that MS research focuses on strategies and competitive environments but avoids the analysis of IT. Another reason is that MIS research focuses on IT as a competitive factor but avoids the analysis of the competitive environment. Consequently, there is a gap of knowledge in the understanding of the strategic management of information technology (SMIT).</p><p>The strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor is important for achieving the competitive advantages of IT. This thesis explores factors related to strategy and IT that should be considered for the strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor, and proposes a framework for SMIT. The research is conducted by means of a qualitative analysis of theoretical data from the disciplines of MS and MIS. Data is explored to find factors related to SMIT.</p><p>The results of the analysis show that the strategic management of information technology is a continuous process of evaluation, change, and alignment between factors such as competitive environment, competitive strategies (business and IT strategies), competitive outcome, and competitive factors (IT). Therefore, the understanding of the relationships between these factors is essential in order to achieve the competitive advantages of using IT.</p><p>This thesis contributes to strategic management research by clarifying the relationships between strategic management, competitive environment, and IT as competitive factor into a holistic framework for strategic analysis. The framework proposed is valuable not only for business managers and for IT managers, but also for academics. The framework is designed to understand the relationship between competitive elements during the process of strategic analysis prior to the formulation of competitive strategies. Moreover, it can also be used as a communication tool between managers, in order to achieve alignment among company strategies. To academics, this thesis presents the state-of-the-art related to strategic management research; it can also be a valuable reference for strategic managers, as well as researchers interested in the strategic management of IT.</p> / Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic.2006:53.

Strategy and IT research has been extensively discussed during the past 40 years. Two scientific disciplines Management Science (MS) and Management Information Science (MIS) investigate the importance of IT as a competitive factor. However, although much research is available in both disciplines, it is still difficult to explain how to manage IT to enable competitive advantages. One reason is that MS research focuses on strategies and competitive environments but avoids the analysis of IT. Another reason is that MIS research focuses on IT as a competitive factor but avoids the analysis of the competitive environment. Consequently, there is a gap of knowledge in the understanding of the strategic management of information technology (SMIT). The strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor is important for achieving the competitive advantages of IT. This thesis explores factors related to strategy and IT that should be considered for the strategic analysis of IT as a competitive factor, and proposes a framework for SMIT. The research is conducted by means of a qualitative analysis of theoretical data from the disciplines of MS and MIS. Data is explored to find factors related to SMIT. The results of the analysis show that the strategic management of information technology is a continuous process of evaluation, change, and alignment between factors such as competitive environment, competitive strategies (business and IT strategies), competitive outcome, and competitive factors (IT). Therefore, the understanding of the relationships between these factors is essential in order to achieve the competitive advantages of using IT. This thesis contributes to strategic management research by clarifying the relationships between strategic management, competitive environment, and IT as competitive factor into a holistic framework for strategic analysis. The framework proposed is valuable not only for business managers and for IT managers, but also for academics. The framework is designed to understand the relationship between competitive elements during the process of strategic analysis prior to the formulation of competitive strategies. Moreover, it can also be used as a communication tool between managers, in order to achieve alignment among company strategies. To academics, this thesis presents the state-of-the-art related to strategic management research; it can also be a valuable reference for strategic managers, as well as researchers interested in the strategic management of IT. / <p>Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic.2006:53.</p>

[pt] O crescimento do setor de Tecnologia da Informação tem demandado a contratação de consultores dos quais são pretendidos elevados desempenhos e dedicação intensa ao trabalho. A satisfação no trabalho afeta diretamente a qualidade dos serviços prestados por estes consultores de TI. Desta forma, este estudo objetiva analisar a satisfação dos consultores do setor de TI de empresas brasileiras com algumas das dimensões do trabalho. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa quantitativa (survey) baseada no modelo Job Descriptive Index (SMITH et al., 1969) e coletados 158 questionários de empregados de consultorias de TI no Brasil. Concluímos que os consultores de TI no território brasileiro não estão satisfeitos com os salários que recebem nem com as oportunidades de promoção que as empregadoras oferecem. Por outro lado, eles sentem-se satisfeitos com as atividades laborais que exercem e com seus companheiros de equipe, mas são indiferentes quanto aos seus supervisores (incapazes de alimentar qualquer sentimento positivo ou negativo). Por fim identificamos também que não há evidências de que a satisfação com o salário e com as oportunidades de promoção interfira na satisfação com os supervisores e com a natureza do trabalho; e também não podemos afirmar que a satisfação com os companheiros de equipe afete a satisfação com as atividades laborais. / [en] The growth of the Information Technology sector has demanded the hiring of consultants from whom high performance and intense dedication to work are desired. Job satisfaction directly affects the quality of services provided by these IT consultants. In this way, this study aims to analyze the satisfaction of consultants in the IT sector of Brazilian companies with some of the work dimensions. A survey was conducted based on the Job Descriptive Index (SMITH et al., 1969) and 158 questionnaires were collected from IT consultants in Brazil. We conclude that IT consultants in Brazil are not satisfied with the salaries they receive, nor with the promotion opportunities offered by employers. On the other hand, they feel satisfied with the work activities they do and with their coworkers, but they are indifferent to their supervisors (unable to feed any positive or negative feelings). Finally, we also identify that there is no evidence that satisfaction with salary and promotion opportunities interferes with satisfaction with supervisors and the nature of work; And we cannot say that satisfaction with teammates affects satisfaction with work activities.