Editorial

Citation

Irani, Z. and Ghoneim, A. (2008), "Editorial", Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol. 21 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeim.2008.08821baa.001

Editorial

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the second issue of the 21st volume of the Journal of Enterprise Information Management. This issue covers a variety of topics bearing both theoretical and practical implications.

Motivated by the contradiction between the high penetration rate of mobile devices and the low adoption of m-commerce, in the first paper of this issue Mohamed Khalifa and Kathy Ning Shen strive to understand the specific drivers pertaining to the individual adoption of B2C transactional mobile commerce. In their paper they develop a comprehensive framework that integrates well-established theories such as the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with a set of hypotheses that arise from the literature and the intersection of the TAM and TPB models. In doing so, Khalifa and Ning Shen identify five expected benefits that are perceived to be important by potential m-commerce adopters, namely:

1. 1.

   cost;

2. 2.

   convenience;

3. 3.

   privacy;

4. 4.

   efficiency; and

5. 5.

   security.

To test the research model they conducted a cross-sectional survey study in Hong Kong, which has one of the most vibrant mobile telecommunications markets in the world with a mobile phone service penetration of 96 per cent in 2003. The survey focused on m-commerce services such as m-retailing and m-auctions. The partial least squares (PLS) procedure was used to analyse the data and the developed model explained 61.7 per cent of the variance in m-commerce adoption intention, providing a good explanatory power. The results indicate the important role of perceived usefulness and self-efficacy in influencing intentions to adopt m-commerce. The paper concludes by highlighting important theoretical and practical implications, suggesting that there is room for improvement to the proposed models in the form of replicating the study in different contexts to further validate and explore possible moderating effects.

The second contribution in this issue is a paper by Vivienne Waller, Robert B. Johnston and Simon K. Milton, who examine the differences in epistemological underpinnings of conventional information systems analysis and design (ISAD) approaches (such as structured system and analysis design methodologies) and a recently developed situated ISAD approach. As part of a long-term funded research project to develop a new information systems analysis and design methodology, this empirical investigation involved constructing a simulated field situation to allow a conventionally trained IS analyst to analyse the same case as had been previously analysed by applying the situated ISAD methodology. The investigation was based on the analysis of what the conventional analyst and the situated analyst did in terms of collecting data about the system, analyzing the data and redesign. In addition it showed that, in analysis and design, the different epistemological underpinnings affect what is identified as a problem, and hence the type of solution proposed. Although the investigation is based on a single case, the fact that it is a real-world problem gives it external validity. The study shows that in application, the situated methodology and the conventional methodology involve quite different approaches to gaining knowledge about work practices to be supported by the system, identifying opportunities for improvement and finding an appropriate solution. Both the research method and framework presented are novel and valid ways to compare the epistemological underpinnings of other systems analysis and design methodologies. The work makes a significant contribution to the theoretical foundations of IS, because there has been little previous work comparing epistemological commitments of alternative ISAD methodologies as they are played out in actual application.

In their paper, Shahneel Baray, Shafqat Hameed and Atta Badii address the challenges in ERP adoption faced by typical business units through a case study of five major large-scale printing organisations in Pakistan and explore possible advantages that ERP systems can bring to this industry. They highlight one previous attempt in Pakistan to re-structure the largest printing press by introducing SAP, which failed due to lack of technical expertise and the absence of a well-planned training support regime. This was due to the fact that traditional methods of doing business are too slow for this sector, which is trying to compete with electronic publishing. Hence the authors suggest that the sector can be a good candidate for re-engineering through ERP adoption. They draw on the approaches deployed in ERP implementations in other sectors which have been successful, and examine the extent to which they can be adapted for the printing industry. An inductive reasoning approach is used denoting a qualitative analysis base whereby every attempt is made to discover what benefits accrued from ERP for printing companies in Pakistan. The research shows that all the functional categories identified in the literature for ERP can be introduced in the printing industry. However, within each category, not all its modules can be adopted for this industry.

Exploring TQM adoption in different cultures is important for understanding the spread of TQM globally and whether different cultural contexts lead to different adoption rates, as Jarrod M. Haar and Chester S. Spell state in their paper. They aim to provide an insight into firm adoption of total quality management (TQM) in New Zealand and the role that organisational size plays in determining adoption rates. Jarrod M. Haar and Chester S. Spell present the outcome of a survey of 997 randomly assigned New Zealand companies that measures TQM adoption, organizational size, workplace autonomy, performance standards, use of teams and group problem solving as dependent variables. The analysis of the 228 usable responses shows that 33 per cent of firms in New Zealand used TQM, with an additional 5 per cent no longer using TQM, indicating strong TQM adoption rates by international standards. The analysis also indicats that firms with higher levels of workplace autonomy, use of performance standards, use of teams, and use of group problem solving were more likely to have adopted TQM, and this was more likely for larger firms than smaller firms. As a result, strong support was found for the interacting effect of organisational size. The results show that TQM adoption rates are much higher in New Zealand than suggested in the international literature. An interesting aspect of this study is the focus on firms of all sizes, rather than being limited to only large-sized firms.

Suling Zhang and Jerry Fjermestad express that little research has been done investigating instant messaging (IM) in the small business context, while the platform-independent IM may allow small businesses with limited financial and technical resources to communicate and collaborate internally and externally. In their paper, they address this research gap and investigate how small businesses respond to and actively exploit the opportunities brought by IM. Two comparative case studies are conducted with two US small businesses selected based on the companies’ IM usage pattern. Multiple data collecting methods are used, including observation, interview, and IM transcripts. Open coding and qualitative data analysis are employed to get rich descriptive findings about IM usage. The analysis shows IM to be beneficial to small businesses in several ways. It also expresses that IM usage management is more a managerial issue than a technical one. The study also results in the identification of a set of organisational and managerial factors critical to the achievements of these benefits. The comparative study method employed by this study also identifies situations where the utility of IM usage could be limited. The findings of this study provide guidance to IM researchers and small business practitioners as to how small businesses can manage IM to exploit its benefits.

The last contribution in this issue is the paper by Dothang Truong and Thawatchai Jipaiboon, who examine the extent of e-marketplace usage from the buyer’s perspective through comparing three types of e-marketplace:

1. 1.

   third party exchange;

2. 2.

   consortium exchange; and

3. 3.

   private exchange.

The study also evaluates the impact of buyer’s information-technology (IT) purchasing preparedness on the extent of e-marketplace usage. In doing so, a web-based survey of 359 purchasing professionals in the USA was used in the analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the extent of e-marketplace usage among the three e-marketplace types. Multiple regression methodology was also used to test the impact of IT-purchasing preparedness on the extent of e-marketplace usage. The results indicate that there is no significant difference among three types of e-marketplace in regard to the extent of current e-marketplace usage and planned e-marketplace usage. Additionally, IT purchasing preparedness appeared to have a positive impact on e-marketplace usage. This research adds value to the current literature by hypothesising and confirming empirically the influence of buyers’ IT purchasing preparedness, a factor that has not been adequately considered. The results of this research are consistent with the literature, indicating the reluctance of buyers in using e-marketplace by a low percentage of e-marketplace users.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue, and hope to receive your valuable contributions for the following issue.

Zahir IraniEditorAhmad Ghoneim Editorial Assistant