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Yes / Co-production and active participation of the consumers are considered to have enhanced the value co-creation activities that would ensure business benefits of a firm. The marketing literature available does not explicitly explain the philosophy that would motivate the consumers to help to increase values for co-creation activities. In this context, attempts have been made to identify the factors that would impact on co-production and consumers’ participation to co-create values. By studying literature and theories such as theory of co-creation, theory of value creation, information processing theory, marketing theory and expectancy value theory, a conceptual model called F-P-C-B (Future Participation (F) - Co-production (P) - Co-creation (C) - Business Benefit (B)) has been developed along with nine hypotheses. The data was from 362 respondents in India and the model was tested using PLS based analysis. The study shows that it is important for the firms to shift from product-oriented activities to customer-related strategies. It is also found that for obtaining more profitability and better business results, customers should be involved in business activities by way of involving in co-design, idea generation, and other relevant activities of the firms. Moreover, the study highlights that knowledge sharing between the customers and the firm authorities ensures better business values.

For over 30 years, organizations have engaged in programs to address the growing presence of diverse populations in their ranks, and researchers have attempted to identify and quantify a link between diversity and enterprise performance. The problem was a lack of understanding of how organizations benefit from increased diversity and the role of frontline managers in that process. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to address the research question aimed at the perceptions and lived experiences of frontline managers and to gain insights about how they are navigating the challenges of increased diversity to enhance their ability to produce high-performance outcomes. The three conceptual frames used were (a) diversity management, (b) managing people, and (c) team performance. The data collection process involved interviewing 12 frontline managers from a variety of industry sectors using a semistructured, conversational interviewing protocol. The open hand-coded analysis revealed patterns of thought and behaviors relating to managing individuals, managing the complexity of diversity, and managing diverse teams for high performance. The original concept of diversity management was in response to the growing diversity in the workplace and was intended to develop the capacity among managers to manage the resulting diversity mix. The study findings indicated that a common definition of diversity management is possible, that managing diversity requires a competence with all dimensions of diversity, and that there are a set of management skills that can yield better performance with teams of diverse composition. The results of my study can have positive impact on theory, practice, and general social acceptance of diversity.

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) interventions such as User Experience, Usability and Accessibility are widely accepted as great milestones in the developmental process of computer-based system applications – be it web-based, PC-based or ubiquitous. However, there is still a need for an understanding of the critical benefits – both tangible and intangible – that HCI interventions may bring within business. It is still necessary to investigate and clearly understand how the issues that emanate from the usability and accessibility problems affect business as well as what value HCI techniques contribute to the profitability of implementing and using computer-based systems. A case study approach was undertaken within a Travel Management Company (TMC) on a computer-based system used for both back-end and front-end activities, such as invoicing as well as Management Information System (MIS) reports. The aim was to ascertain how the incorporation of HCI interventions (Usability and Accessibility) in evaluating the design and the development process of software applications can impact on the usefulness of such computer application systems. The investigation in areas such as the redefining business processes in order to generate a competitive advantage, enhancing user skills, improving user productivity, user satisfaction and retention, reducing training costs, and quality service provision were of particular interest. The end results of the study affirm an important and significant role that specific and focussed HCI interventions make in the successful implementation of contemporary computer-based systems. However, for businesses to gain most of the potential benefits from HCI interventions, both the software development houses and business practitioners should make use of the HCI techniques and place greater priority and emphasis on the awareness and use of HCI (Usability) standards in the development process / Computing / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:40:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ERNANE ROSA MARTINS.pdf: 1268329 bytes, checksum: a59d0be60c28e25e34e7a3de4567d9f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-11 / Globalization has caused significant organizational changes in recent decades. Increased competition and the uncertainty of economic markets caused the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) opted for cooperation, joining forces and making possible improvements to reduce risks, threats and better seize opportunities, to become more competitive through Network Business Cooperation (NBCs) and Local Production Arrangements (APLs). In this scenario, the present study has the objective to verify the competitive gains that occur in NBC also occur in clusters. This study aims to broaden the understanding of earnings and benefits provided by them. This research is characterized by being a multiple case study, descriptive, involving literature and documentary, conducted through semi-structured interviews with qualitative approach, developed from the content analysis technique, in which they were. Analyzed four NBCs and two clusters in the State of Goiás as a result, between competitive gains identified in the studied organizations, stand out: bargaining power, market power, training, shared marketing, shared activities, socialization of information and experience, and new products and services. Note that bargaining power, market power and shared activities were identified in all NBCs and in all the studied clusters. The relevant differences between NBCs and clusters were identified legitimacy and productivity in all clusters, not on NBCs and exploration opportunities, complementarity and transactional ease identified in all NBCs and not in clusters. The result of this research shows that competitive gains provided by the studied NBCs were also not identified in clusters. / A globalização provocou significativas mudanças organizacionais nas últimas décadas. O aumento da concorrência e a incerteza dos mercados econômicos fizeram com que as Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PMEs) optassem pela cooperação, unindo esforços e viabilizando melhorias para reduzir riscos, ameaças e aproveitar melhor as oportunidades, para se tornarem mais competitivas através de Redes de Cooperação Empresarial (RCEs) e Arranjos Produtivos Locais (APLs). Neste cenário, a presente pesquisa tem por objetivo geral verificar se os ganhos competitivos que ocorrem nas RCEs também acontecem nos APLs. Este estudo visa ampliar o entendimento sobre os ganhos e benefícios proporcionados por estas. A presente pesquisa caracteriza-se por ser um estudo de múltiplos casos, de natureza descritiva, envolvendo levantamento bibliográfico e documental, realizada por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas, com abordagem qualitativa dos dados, desenvolvida a partir da técnica de análise de conteúdo, nas quais foram analisadas quatro RCEs e dois APLs localizados no Estado de Goiás. Como resultados, entre os ganhos competitivos identificados nas organizações estudadas, destacam-se: poder de barganha, força de mercado, capacitação, marketing compartilhado, atividades compartilhadas, socialização de informações e experiências, e novos produtos e serviços. Vale destacar que poder de barganha, força de mercado e atividades compartilhadas foram identificados em todas as RCEs e em todos os APLs estudados. As diferenças relevantes encontradas entre as RCEs e APLs foram: a legitimidade e produtividade identificadas em todos os APLs e não nas RCEs e prospecção de oportunidades, complementaridade e facilidade transacional identificadas em todas as RCEs e não nos APLs. O resultado desta pesquisa comprovou que os ganhos competitivos proporcionados pelas RCEs estudadas não foram igualmente identificados nos APLs.

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) interventions such as User Experience, Usability and Accessibility are widely accepted as great milestones in the developmental process of computer-based system applications – be it web-based, PC-based or ubiquitous. However, there is still a need for an understanding of the critical benefits – both tangible and intangible – that HCI interventions may bring within business. It is still necessary to investigate and clearly understand how the issues that emanate from the usability and accessibility problems affect business as well as what value HCI techniques contribute to the profitability of implementing and using computer-based systems. A case study approach was undertaken within a Travel Management Company (TMC) on a computer-based system used for both back-end and front-end activities, such as invoicing as well as Management Information System (MIS) reports. The aim was to ascertain how the incorporation of HCI interventions (Usability and Accessibility) in evaluating the design and the development process of software applications can impact on the usefulness of such computer application systems. The investigation in areas such as the redefining business processes in order to generate a competitive advantage, enhancing user skills, improving user productivity, user satisfaction and retention, reducing training costs, and quality service provision were of particular interest. The end results of the study affirm an important and significant role that specific and focussed HCI interventions make in the successful implementation of contemporary computer-based systems. However, for businesses to gain most of the potential benefits from HCI interventions, both the software development houses and business practitioners should make use of the HCI techniques and place greater priority and emphasis on the awareness and use of HCI (Usability) standards in the development process / Computing / M. Sc. (Information Systems)

Affärssystem har blivit ett betydelsefullt verktyg för verksamheter som vill upprätthålla konkurrenskraft på marknaden. Affärssystem som stöd gör det möjligt att digitalisera och automatisera affärsprocesser, vilket ger utrymme att fokusera på mer ändamålsenliga processer och skapa tillväxt. Trots betydande investering i form av tid och pengar, är det ett utbrett problem att affärssystemet inte genererar de långsiktiga affärsnyttorna som förväntas. En vanlig missuppfattning är att affärssystemsprojektet är avslutat efter implementationen är slutförd. I själva verket är det är först när affärssystemet används i sin rätta miljö som dess brister går att identifiera, vilket gör förvaltningsarbetet mycket viktigt för att motverka lägre matchningsgrad mellan affärssystem och affärsprocesser. Syftet med denna kandidatuppsats i informatik är att identifiera, beskriva och förklara kritiska framgångsfaktorer under post-implementeringsfasen i ett affärssystemsprojekt för att uppnå långsiktiga affärsnyttor genom användandet av ett affärssystem ur ett kund–systemimplementatörsperspektiv i en mellanprojektsrelation. I denna studie har fallstudiemetoden tillämpats och en litteraturstudie genomförts. Baserat på litteraturstudien har en analysmodell utformats. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts för att samla in primära empiriska data. Vissa semistrukturerade intervjuer har varit personliga och vissa utförts via Teams. Fyra intervjuer med projektmedlemmar har genomförts, tre med företrädare från fallföretaget Two och en med företrädare från kundföretaget Grandpa. Studiens viktigaste slutsatser är; att systemimplementatörens projektgrupp har kompetensbredd, särskilt i form av teknisk kunskap och verksamhetskunskap. Att kommunikationen inom dyaden är ändamålsenlig, vilket är viktigt för att skapa förståelsemellan varandra. Dessutom är det viktigt att kundens projektgrupp arbetar med de interna affärsprocesserna: dels för att förbättra de processer som inte fungerar, dels för att uppnå en högre förståelse för vilka behov som finns och dels för att optimera passformen till affärssystemet. Slutligen är det viktigt att det finns utbildade superanvändare som stöttar och sprider kunskap till användarna av affärssystemet. Kunskapsbidraget från denna studie är två indikatorer som adderats i den modifierade analysmodellen, vilka är Grad av stöd från superanvändare och Ökad kontroll.

<p>No organisation has an endless and unlimited supply of money, especially in a recessive economy, and therefore decisions have to be made as to which areas an organisation will invest in. As organisations, such as YZ1 financial services organisation, are focused on seeing returns on investment (ROI), implementing software that is not being used&nbsp / will not render any benefits to the organisation. Research problem: Project Managers (PMs) in YZ organisation&rsquo / s IT department need to perform mandated processes, as&nbsp / defined in their centralised repository. PMs need to use Financial and Planning Software (FPS)2 software to perform certain project management activities, as required by their&nbsp / job function. However, it was found that MPP3 software, another tool, was used for more detailed project schedules, as well as activities that were not strictly enforced by&nbsp / management, the Project Office or the Quality Assurance team. Therefore, from this discovery, it was not clear whether the intended benefit of implementing this mandatory&nbsp / software (FPS) was being realised &ndash / since implementing software that is not being utilised fully would not deliver the intended benefits to the IT department (Devaraj &amp / Kohli&nbsp / 2003), even if the software is termed &lsquo / mandatory&rsquo / . Objective: The primary objective of this research was to explore and optimise the key success factors for an effective&nbsp / implementation of mandatory software in a department, in order to derive the intended business benefits. Literature Review: Literature was reviewed in the search for models or&nbsp / theories that explore the relationship between the use of mandatory software and the achievement of business benefits. The Information Management Body of Knowledge&nbsp / (IMBOK) was selected as this framework defines the relationship between IT and the realisation of business benefits, and ultimately the achievement of any business strategy. The literature review focused predominantly on the level of user involvement, change management, as well as factors that influence the usage of mandatory software by&nbsp / individuals. 1. The name of the organisation utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical Consideration 2. The name of the tools utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical&nbsp / Consideration and list of acronyms 3. The name of the tools utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical Consideration and list of acronyms. Focus was given to organisational factors affecting usage, such as top management support and organisational processes. A model was compiled using unique constructs in the Technology Acceptance Model&nbsp / (and TAM2), the Motivational Model (MM) and the Model of PC Utilisation (MPCU) &ndash / in order to test user acceptance of mandatory software. The literature study concludes with a&nbsp / review of an approach to benefits management including five stages, namely: identifying and structuring benefits, planning for the realisation of benefits, executing the plan, in&nbsp / addition to the evaluation and the review. Research design and methodology: A case study was used in this research, as it examined the phenomenon in its natural setting,&nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / employing multiple methods of data collection to gather information from a few entities (groups and data sources). In this way, it was not limited to only qualitative or quantitative&nbsp / approaches, but utilised mixed methods instead. A mixed methods approach was used in order to elaborate, enhance and clarify the results from the qualitative research&nbsp / through the results of the quantitative analysis. Findings: The main finding, based on the compilation of three models of user acceptance, proved that FPS was not being utilised&nbsp / as intended. There was also no evidence of an improvement in business operations. Therefore, benefits management was negatively impacted. Organisational processes were&nbsp / dentified as the most important organisational factor, influencing the usage of FPS software. Own technological capability was considered to be the least important factor,&nbsp / as respondents believed that they had sufficient IT skills in order to learn how to use FPS software. Change management was rated negatively / and as a result, it impacted the&nbsp / usage of FPS, as users were not involved in the decision to implement, and had limited interaction in the implementation process. In addition, there was no evidence found that&nbsp / benefits management was conducted in the IT department / and therefore, the impact of using alternative software could not be quantitatively assessed. Recommendations: In concluding this research, it is recommended that the &ldquo / best practice&rdquo / , derived from the pertinent literate should be followed more diligently if YZ organisation is to benefit from the&nbsp / implementation of mandatory software. For example, in this research, it was found that top management&rsquo / s support of FPS (second most important organisational factor influencing use) was lacking, despite the literature suggestion that senior management involvement in changing technology is crucial for organisational commitment. It is&nbsp / suggested that a more formal approach to benefits management should be implemented. It is also recommended that further study should be conducted &ndash / in order to explore&nbsp / the applicability of the Japanese framing (achieving benefits from IT software through the concept of strategic instinct, rather than strategic alignment) in the context of a&nbsp / developing country (such as South Africa).</p>

<p>No organisation has an endless and unlimited supply of money, especially in a recessive economy, and therefore decisions have to be made as to which areas an organisation will invest in. As organisations, such as YZ1 financial services organisation, are focused on seeing returns on investment (ROI), implementing software that is not being used&nbsp / will not render any benefits to the organisation. Research problem: Project Managers (PMs) in YZ organisation&rsquo / s IT department need to perform mandated processes, as&nbsp / defined in their centralised repository. PMs need to use Financial and Planning Software (FPS)2 software to perform certain project management activities, as required by their&nbsp / job function. However, it was found that MPP3 software, another tool, was used for more detailed project schedules, as well as activities that were not strictly enforced by&nbsp / management, the Project Office or the Quality Assurance team. Therefore, from this discovery, it was not clear whether the intended benefit of implementing this mandatory&nbsp / software (FPS) was being realised &ndash / since implementing software that is not being utilised fully would not deliver the intended benefits to the IT department (Devaraj &amp / Kohli&nbsp / 2003), even if the software is termed &lsquo / mandatory&rsquo / . Objective: The primary objective of this research was to explore and optimise the key success factors for an effective&nbsp / implementation of mandatory software in a department, in order to derive the intended business benefits. Literature Review: Literature was reviewed in the search for models or&nbsp / theories that explore the relationship between the use of mandatory software and the achievement of business benefits. The Information Management Body of Knowledge&nbsp / (IMBOK) was selected as this framework defines the relationship between IT and the realisation of business benefits, and ultimately the achievement of any business strategy. The literature review focused predominantly on the level of user involvement, change management, as well as factors that influence the usage of mandatory software by&nbsp / individuals. 1. The name of the organisation utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical Consideration 2. The name of the tools utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical&nbsp / Consideration and list of acronyms 3. The name of the tools utilised has been changed. Refer to Ethical Consideration and list of acronyms. Focus was given to organisational factors affecting usage, such as top management support and organisational processes. A model was compiled using unique constructs in the Technology Acceptance Model&nbsp / (and TAM2), the Motivational Model (MM) and the Model of PC Utilisation (MPCU) &ndash / in order to test user acceptance of mandatory software. The literature study concludes with a&nbsp / review of an approach to benefits management including five stages, namely: identifying and structuring benefits, planning for the realisation of benefits, executing the plan, in&nbsp / addition to the evaluation and the review. Research design and methodology: A case study was used in this research, as it examined the phenomenon in its natural setting,&nbsp / &nbsp / &nbsp / employing multiple methods of data collection to gather information from a few entities (groups and data sources). In this way, it was not limited to only qualitative or quantitative&nbsp / approaches, but utilised mixed methods instead. A mixed methods approach was used in order to elaborate, enhance and clarify the results from the qualitative research&nbsp / through the results of the quantitative analysis. Findings: The main finding, based on the compilation of three models of user acceptance, proved that FPS was not being utilised&nbsp / as intended. There was also no evidence of an improvement in business operations. Therefore, benefits management was negatively impacted. Organisational processes were&nbsp / dentified as the most important organisational factor, influencing the usage of FPS software. Own technological capability was considered to be the least important factor,&nbsp / as respondents believed that they had sufficient IT skills in order to learn how to use FPS software. Change management was rated negatively / and as a result, it impacted the&nbsp / usage of FPS, as users were not involved in the decision to implement, and had limited interaction in the implementation process. In addition, there was no evidence found that&nbsp / benefits management was conducted in the IT department / and therefore, the impact of using alternative software could not be quantitatively assessed. Recommendations: In concluding this research, it is recommended that the &ldquo / best practice&rdquo / , derived from the pertinent literate should be followed more diligently if YZ organisation is to benefit from the&nbsp / implementation of mandatory software. For example, in this research, it was found that top management&rsquo / s support of FPS (second most important organisational factor influencing use) was lacking, despite the literature suggestion that senior management involvement in changing technology is crucial for organisational commitment. It is&nbsp / suggested that a more formal approach to benefits management should be implemented. It is also recommended that further study should be conducted &ndash / in order to explore&nbsp / the applicability of the Japanese framing (achieving benefits from IT software through the concept of strategic instinct, rather than strategic alignment) in the context of a&nbsp / developing country (such as South Africa).</p>