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This thesis is concerned with the exploration of a framework for ICT adoption by ICT microsized companies in the West Midlands. The thesis evolved out of the author's sense of dissatisfaction with several cardinal aspects of traditional approaches to facilitating adoption of the latest technologies in small companies to enhance business performance. Four main weaknesses were identified: first, there is often a lack of a theoretical foundation for the approach taken with regard to interventions. Second, there is ample evidence to suggest that the environment of small companies is complex and volatile and fundamental to the economy and yet hitherto success of the support in this area is patchy. Third, the role of those working to support small companies is largely unsupported in terms of their understanding of the problems. Fourth, small companies themselves are often uninformed of the issues and unaware that simple changes will aid their approach to ICT adoption. Inspiration from three sources helped the author to develop the work behind this thesis and attempt to remedy weaknesses: first, the work of many researchers in ICT Evaluation methods and frameworks provided insights into the value placed on ICT within organisations and the subsequent impact of the perception of value. Second, developments in the study of SMEs provided new insights into the unique environment that exists within small companies and the issues that these organisations face on a daily basis. Third, research around the new field of EDI and eBusness adoption provided the basis for the exploration of frameworks and models that were applicable to the SME environment and could be developed to work with any technology adoption. This thesis is therefore the exploration of a new model for micro-companies, supported by a thorough grounding in these three areas, which was achieved by taking an exploratory research approach. The model will indicate to a small company the weaknesses in their environment regarding ICT adoption and what they need to do to increase the success rate of any proposed ICT adoption. The framework has been developed to incorporate the issues regarding the personal factors of the owner-manager, the firm, organisational readiness, external pressures, strategy and perceived value. The author describes the methodology behind the development of the framework and makes recommendations for improved ICT adoption initiatives. Application of the general methodology through exploratory research has resulted in new opportunities to embed the ethos and culture surrounding the issues in the framework into new projects developed as a result of Government intervention. The thesis proposes three main themes: first that an understanding of the issues inherent in small companies is necessary in order to work effectively in supporting them to make ICT adoption more successful in the future. Second, that a greater knowledge of these issues and the impact that adoption of technology has in small companies can assist those involved in intervention projects. Third, that by drawing together existing models this new framework can guide these companies in their own ability to adopt successfully and raise awareness regarding the need to address these factors. Taken together, these areas represent a new approach to ICT adoption. The thesis demonstrates originality in four key areas: 1. It extends and develops an understanding of the micro-company environment and the issues inherent when faced with the adoption of new technology. 2. It introduces a new model for use by micro-companies constructed from acknowledged academically grounded models, to develop and highlight their ability to adopt new technology successfully. 3. The exploration of the issues within the ICT sector gives unique insight to a vertical business sector. 4. Investigation of the sector within a UK sub-region gives new insights for that region giving an opportunity for intervention to be augmented by the findings.

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The Chinese auto sector has been developed under Government planning and control. In just one decade, the Country has become the largest marketplace in the global auto industry. Implementation of electronic business (EB) is essential for all global auto enterprises to succeed. For this reason, it is important to understand the development of EB within the Chinese automotive sector. The thesis is concerned with the implementation of electronic business within the Chinese automotive industry. It begins with a detailed study of the development of the Chinese automotive industry from 1953 to 2008 and highlights changes in the sedan (passenger vehicle) sector. This work has identified government control and planning as being the driving force making the sector the largest automotive market in the world. The thesis then focuses the need for and development of electronic business within the Chinese automotive sector. The work has identified how EB has been adopted and is being developed inside China. Information reported in the work was obtained in two ways, one by conventional literature studies, the other by interviews through personal contacts inside China. The research has shown that government strategies and industrial policies continue to be a major driver of the Chinese auto sector and as such cannot be ignored. The research suggests there has been no government policy to determine the choices of EB systems used inside China. It is shown that Chinese auto makers have followed the foreign partners' global experience and adopted their existing EB systems for use in Sino-Foreign joint ventures (JVs). This means some major Chinese automakers now operate multi-systems for their JVs.

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This research focuses on the changing role of requirements engineering, from one that not only considers functional and non-functional requirements, as has traditionally been the case, but also the interplay between business and system functionality. Whether a business wishes to exploit advances in technology to achieve new strategic objectives or to organise work in innovative ways, the process of requirements engineering can and should present opportunities for modelling and evaluating the potential impact that technology can bring to an enterprise through a process of co-development. (0- development aims to ensure alignment between enterprise and Information Systems goals and requirements. However a number of challenges are faced during codevelopment projects, emanating from the engagement of multiple stakeholders from differing organisations, subcontractors, divisions, etc, who have different experiences, skills and frequently competing goals. Stakeholders are faced with many different alternative future 'worlds', each potentially demanding different development strategies. Furthermore questions are raised about the potential structure of the new business system and how key variables in this structure could impact on the dynamics of the system. This thesis introduces and develops a framework to deal with the aforementioned issues. This framework called, the Requirements Elaboration Framework is proposed to enable the modelling and evaluation of the impact of reqUirements on the enterprise. The framework comprises System Dynamics, ontology, scenario and rationale modelling. Behaviour of the enterprise system is defined within the System Dynamics model. Invariant components of the physical and social world, in the enterprise and application domain, are formally defined within the ontology model. Scenario modelling is used to identify critical variables. Quantitative analysis of the effects of such variables through simulation enables a better understanding of the dynamic behaviour of possible future structures. Assumptions and reasoning behind key decisions are charted within the rationale model. This assists with collaborative stakeholder discussions during ontology and scenario modelling. A case study, which focuses on the liberalisation of electricity in the European Union, is used to illustrate the workings of the proposed framework.

The research contained in this thesis addresses a major industry-threatening problem where a complete change in methodology and technology was required to replace simple manual methodology developed more than fifty years ago. The problem was solved by the implementation of a high risk and complex high technology project in two phases. The thesis describes how research into the fundamental techniques available was utilised to develop the solution following the acquisition of the knowledge required to apply the techniques in a systematic manner. An holistic study of the inbound supply chain and conversion process was necessary to achieve the depth of process change needed. It was required to achieve a step change in the now unsafe working practices that had developed over the years since the start of the wet cast industry in the Cotswolds. Starting with an ergonomic study that uncovered the priority areas for automation, the study called on the use of a wide range of research techniques from: brainstorming; structured interviews; process mapping; to the invention and innovation associated with the introduction of leading edge technology combining linear motion devices with robots and introducing emerging radio frequency identification technology to initiate product changeovers. Radio data systems were used to introduce lean, Just-in-Time (JIT) concepts to the inbound supply chain By embarking on a review of the key techniques required to achieve success, each was evaluated to enable decisions to be made on their application to the prime objective of completing an automation project that eliminated health and safety issues and achieved a major reduction in conversion costs. The major cultural change required from the existing workforce was recognised at an early stage and the thesis describes the steps that were taken to minimise the impacts of inevitable job losses and social changes required to operate an automated plant over 24 hours without stopping for breaks. With a long history of operating only dayshifts, with occasional nightshifts in peak season, it was necessary to implement a new and unique shift operating system with variable shift lengths over the year to coincide with peak and low seasons. Mitigating the harmful effects from operating rotating shift systems was researched and a strategy for the `Social Project' running in parallel with the `Technology Project' was produced. Information associated with the social changes involved was completely transparent with full consultation taking place with the workforce and the trade union representing them. The social project underpinned the high-tech project to create the success achieved from the study. High-tech complex projects are known to carry a high degree of risk associated with them. In order to combat these risks it was necessary to apply a whole range of risk management techniques and to consider risk in an holistic manner. Incorporating financial, environmental, safety and completion time risks in the risk assessment/mitigation procedures applied. Many projects include the application of risk assessment and mitigation procedures before the project starts but few employ them in the dynamic manner over all phases of the project advocated in the thesis. The evaluation of the study outcome suggests further areas of risk management improvement to aid in the execution of further projects of the nature described in the thesis. A key element in the success of the automation project was the development of a detailed specification of the Phase 2 full automation project. This was possible after completion of the smaller Phase I project and was responsible for achieving the high degree of certainty demonstrated during the execution of the second phase. Having the opportunity of devising the automation innovation from first principles using prototype development techniques helped enormously in creating the new paradigm in wet cast manufacturing processes which eliminated the major health and safety issues and produced cost savings that enabled the company to compete successfully against low-cost Far Eastern imported products.

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