Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Despite near saturation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations in both Fortune 500 and medium-to-large organizations, little is known about issues related to ERP in the phase subsequent to implementation and stabilization, hereafter referred to as post-implementation. This research proposes that exploiting the significant investment in ERP requires developing organizational capabilities to enhance fit between system functionality and business needs. Achieving this capability is predicated on effectively leveraging multiple knowledge sources from throughout the organization. Using the knowledge-based view of the firm as a theoretical lens, this research suggests that post-implementation customizations are the result of integrating specialized knowledge held by ERP-technical and functional business subject matter experts, and that achieving fit between the ERP and the functional business units that utilize the system represents an organizational capability. Survey data from 69 organizations that have implemented SAP and are in the post-implementation phase of the ERP lifecycle are examined to determine the effects of specialized common knowledge, liaison mechanisms and work unit structure on ERP post-implementation customizations, and the resulting effects of customizations on ERP – business fit. Results indicate that specialized common knowledge and liaison mechanism play a more pronounced role in ERP post-implementation customizations than do work unit structure, and that customizations aimed at achieving operational and strategic improvements have greater impacts on ERP – business fit than do those aimed at managerial or IT infrastructure improvements. The findings suggest that common knowledge and liaison mechanisms are more critical to knowledge integration than are structural arrangements, and that knowledge integration is more important for organizational capabilities aimed at achieving change and innovation, rather than compliance and control. For practitioners, the findings suggest that creating an environment where ERP-technical and functional business resources can communicate increases the scope and magnitude of ERP post-implementation customizations that have the greatest impact on achieving ERP – business fit. Moreover, given limited resources, managers should focus on those ERP post-implementation customizations that are aimed at achieving operational and strategic improvements, as these customizations have the greatest impact on ERP – business fit. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Management Information Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2008. / Date of Defense: June 26, 2008. / Alignment, Knowledge Based View, Enterprise Systems, Knowledge Integration / Includes bibliographical references. / Molly M. Wasko, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; David Paradice, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Gregory J. Gerard, Outside Committee Member; Deborah J. Armstrong, Committee Member.

Organizational interest in user-generated content (UGC) websites is growing, as organizations face highly competitive markets, uncertain economic environments, and a growing user base accustomed to active engagement rather than passive acceptance of products and services. Organizations are now exploring ways to provide a platform (website) through which users generate and contribute content, resulting in a co-created experience between users and organizations. However, organizations interested in leveraging UGC websites are facing a new challenge – getting users to actively engage through content contribution, retrieval, and exploration. Thus, the research questions guiding this dissertation are: what factors influence an individual's user experience in UGC websites and to what extent does a positive user experience impact individual engagement behavior? This manuscript develops a theory of co-created value to examine how social interactions, operationalized as perceived dialogue, transparency, social accessibility, and risk, and technical features, operationalized as the perceived granularity, extensibility, integration, and evolvability, of a UGC website influence an individual's user experience and subsequent engagement behaviors. Results suggest initial support for a socio-technical perspective of user engagement. The social interactions, critical mass and transparency, had a direct impact on a user's engagement within a UGC website, while critical mass also had a direct impact on a user's experience. The technical features, granularity and evolvability, had direct impacts on a user's experience within a UGC website. Surprisingly, extensibility had a negative impact on a user's experience. Lastly, a positive user experience positively influenced a user's engagement behavior. Based on the results of this study, implications for research and practice are discussed and future directions for researchers are outlined. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2010. / Date of Defense: April 30, 2010. / Socio-technical System, Co-created Value, User-generated Content Websites / Includes bibliographical references. / Molly Wasko, Professor Directing Dissertation; Gerald Ferris, University Representative; Deborah Armstrong, Committee Member; David Paradice, Committee Member.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (viewed Feb. 8, 2007). PDF text: 85 p. : ill. UMI publication number: AAT 3216340. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche format.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Arlington, 2009.

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Tech. Business Information Systems)-- Tshwane University of Technology 2011. / The services of many academic libraries have remained stagnant for many years. They have not been responding to rapid technology change. As a result, some of these libraries have become reactive in the services that they provide to their users. The reactive approach has impact on the activities and processes of the consumers. The impacts are associated to the overall performance of the institution. These challenges have triggered innovation for change in some institutions of higher learning in many countries including South Africa. The technological solutions include the adoption of Mobile Technology to improve and enhance library's services. The study investigated how Mobile Technology could be adopted to enhance the services of academic library, this include investigation on the factors which influence and impact technology adoption. Factors influencing the adoption of Mobile Technology were identified from the findings, and a Framework was developed. The primary aim of the Framework is to guide adoption and use of Mobile Technology for an improved and enhanced service which are provided by library.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems Tshwane University of Technology 2011. / Mergers and acquisitions have increased in the post 2006 recession as corporations attempt to develop their competitiveness during the upturn process. Previous research has suggested that information systems' capability, during the pre- and post-merger implementation, is critical. In most rapid mergers and acquisitions, strategies for integrating information systems and conducting technical due-diligence, do not often follow widely understood approaches. This study explored the importance of considering and addressing, strategically, information systems' integration during the merger of the Technology Innovation Agency. It further highlighted the importance of dealing with systems integration issues before, during, and after the merger. Previous studies indicate that information systems integration is the main challenging assignments in the merger process. The present study focused on the dynamics of starting the information systems scope from the "Greenfield situation" instead of adopting the organizations existing and aligned tooling, before creating a shared cost management model. This study will contribute towards formulating South African literature on pre-merger information systems. At the moment, most literature covering pre-merger information systems planning is dominantly USA and Europe based.

M. Tech. Business Information Systems Tshwane University of Technology 2011. / In the last decade, the deployment of information technology artefacts to enable and support processes and activities in organisations has increased tremendously. Organisations deploy information technology artefacts in different ways, but primarily for competitive advantage. Hence emphasis and resources (human included) are invested on information technology by many organisations. The deployment information technology artefacts are often carried out through projects. Irrespective of the size of the information technology project, there are potential risks associated to it. Risks associated to information technology projects are often not technical. Some of the risks are relative to the context in which the project is initiated and deployed. Over the years, the challenge to identify, assess and manage risk in information technology projects has become an increasing concern for many organisations. Many approaches and methods have been employed to address this challenge of risks identification, assessment and management. Unfortunately, the challenge persists. This could be attributed to the fact that there has been more focus on the technological aspect of the deployment. The research was aimed at understanding the sources of risks, and how they manifest themselves in the deployment of information technology projects in organisations. The research focused on how risk factors impact and influence information technology projects. This was done through examining how risk is identified, monitored and managed in information technology projects in organisations.