1,721,080 research outputs found
Reshaping the organizational structure in the global economy: Evidence from the U.S. furniture industry
No full textThe increasing forces of globalization and competition are forcing developed-country firms to review their boundaries and organizational structure. Gereffi (2005) identified three main aspects of modern world trade relevant to the analysis of global organization of production. These are: 1) the increase of intra-industry trade in intermediate inputs; 2) the ability of producers to “slice up the value chain” (Krugman 1995) ; 3) the rise of a number of global production networks that points out the change in the governance structures and the distribution of gains in the global economy.
In recent years, the analysis of the social and organizational structure of the global economy and its dynamics has been at the core of an emerging discipline, named global value chains (GVCs). This perspective, whose formal conceptualization is generally attributed to Gereffi’s 2001 and Gereffi, Humphrey and Sturgeon’s 2005, aims at addressing the complexity of evolving global industries by investigating the distribution of roles, commitments and gains along global production networks. According to the original means, the adoption of a distinct typology of governance––out of the 5 the authors hypothesized––depends on the interaction between three transaction variables, namely: i) the complexity of transactions; ii) the ability to codify transactions; iii) the capabilities available in the supply-bas
INNOVATION AND FLEXIBILITY IN SECOND GENERATION ERP SYSTEMS
No full textIt is well known that ERP systems (Enterprise Resource Planning) are a very complex type of software, which aim at automating business processes and codifying organisational procedures and routines. This paper examines the nature, consequences and some possibilities for solving ERP system “rigidity" and the relative “organisational freezing” caused by information process and flow coding. Such rigidity makes traditional ERP systems suitable for the more stable areas of organisations (technical core, back-office) than for areas that are now “emerging” i.e. those with a higher rate of change and innovation (buffers, front-office). In order to give ERP systems a greater capacity of adaptation and innovation, the characteristics of a new technology, Web Services, have been suggested which virtually allow the functions of any compatible application to be extended by using a standard component software accessible through the Web. The Authors of this contribution are carrying out research aimed at examining a series of concrete cases where this technology is currently being adopted
How does GVC’s governance take shape when no big players are involved?Two SMEs face international cooperation
No full textThe elaboration of the global value chains (GVCs) model (Gereffi, Humpherey, Sturgeon 2005) provided a meaningful theoretical framework to better comprehend the organization of international industrial processes and the dynamic affecting the way global inter-firm relationships are coordinated. Although this approach have inspired studies in different disciplines, not much has been said on how small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) can participate in the coordination of global value chains.
Using the GVC approach, this paper focuses on the dynamics of defining the governance of an international cooperation involving two SMEs located in different geographical areas (Italy and USA), following different institutional logics but competing in the same industrial sector (industrial truck equipment). Our contribution provides evidence of firms’ attempt to extend their current activities through the establishment of an international cooperation. As part of this process, the definition of a suitable type of governance will represent a crucial step to the feasibility of such an alliance, as well as to the genesis of an emerging global value chain
ERP AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE INDIVIDUALS AND DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRATED INFORMATION SYSTEMS
No full textERP systems are one of the most important subjects in the Information Systems sciences. The organizational implications of their use have widely been dealt with in literature.
The purpose of this work is to analyze the events occurring from the moment when a system is designed to the moment when it is being implemented.
Using data gathered from an empirical research, this work presents a useful model to better comprehend and, therefore, manage the phenomenon of the designed vs. implemented ERP deviation, considering such drift as neutral in terms of value and introducing, as a critical variable, the time factor
Enhancing SMEs' international competitiveness through cross-border relationships: a GVC perspective
No full textOver the last two decades the international activity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have captured the attention of scholars researching in international business, entrepreneurship and strategic management. More recently, the international entrepreneurship discipline has paid specific attention to the internationalization of SMEs through the participation to dispersed production networks. Although network relationships are recognized to be fundamental in entrepreneurial activities’ global opening, not much has been explained on the dynamics underpinning the setting up and coordination of inter-firm linkages. Using the global value chains (GVCs) theoretical framework, this paper presents and discusses a case study describing the endeavor of two SMEs to establish a cross-border alliance. As part of this process, the implementation of a right type of governance represents a crucial step in the establishment of the international partnership, as well as in the genesis of an emerging global value chain
The strategic mediator: a paradoxical role for a collaborative e-marketplace
No full textThe last 10 years have witnessed the emergence of electronic marketplaces as players that leverage new technologies to facilitate B2B internet-mediated collaborative business. Nowadays these players are augmenting their services from simple intermediation to include new inter-organizational relationships. The interest of this paper is to investigate the shift in the role and evolution of services proposed by e-marketplaces in response to the demands of the market participants. We carried out a longitudinal qualitative field study of an e-marketplace providing the outsourcing of the procurement process. Through the study of services evolving over time we show that, as marketplaces support increasingly complex business processes, the market participants begin to privilege the well connected small number to the convenience of the openness to the entire market. The participants see the marketplace as an exclusive club, the belonging to which provides a strategic advantage. The technology brought forth by the marketplace participates in shaping the strategic demands of the participants which in turn request the marketplace to redesign its own strategy. Profiting from this unintended demand, the e-marketplace assumes the paradoxical role of strategic mediator: an agent who upholds and heightens the fences of the transactions instead of leveling them. The results have implication in shaping how we see the role of technology as strategic or commoditized
I processi di cambiamento organizzativo derivanti dall'adozione di una Intranet aziendale
No full textIl presente lavoro ha lo scopo di verificare gli effetti derivanti dall’introduzione delle tecnologie Intranet - nel contesto di un Istituto di Credito di grandi dimensioni - sui costi di coordinamento. In particolare, l’analisi è stata svolta alla luce della teoria dei costi di transazione, misurati dalla riduzione della complessità che una organizzazione può ottenere grazie all’introduzione ed utilizzo di uno strumento come una Intranet aziendale. . La ricerca effettuata consiste nell’analisi di un caso di una banca Italiana di grandi dimensioni. Sulla base dei risultati elaborati nel corso della ricerca (tuttora in fase di evoluzione) è possibile sostenere che nonostante l’Intranet non possa essere considerata particolarmente efficace nel ridurre i costi di coordinamento, in una struttura caratterizzata da alto grado di gerarchia e di accentramento decisionale, essa tenta comunque di raggiungere l’obiettivo di trovare un giusto bilanciamento tra collegamenti verticali, indirizzati verso il controllo e i collegamenti orizzontali che tendono invece ad agevolare la cooperazione
Digitalizing sales channels in wine business SMEs: the role of internal and external factors between opportunities and risks
No full textPurposeWe investigated the factors influencing the intention to adopt an e-commerce strategy for sales channels in the direction of digital transformation. Our research questions then focus on the strategic relevance of ICT, the intention to adopt e-commerce as one of a company's sales channels and their determinants.Design/methodology/approachTo study the factors that promote or hinder his adoption, leveraging the UTAUT theory, we ran a quantitative study among 114 SMEs during the 2022-2023 period. Using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsWe propose three main findings: First, we highlight the importance of e-commerce strategy for SMEs in the wine business. Second, starting from the UTAUT theory to interpret the intention to use e-commerce, we extend the model by highlighting the relevance of external factors, such as the social influence by customers and stakeholders and government actions such as NextGenerationEU (PNRR - National Program for Resistance and Resilience in Italy). Third, we identified other variables connected to the relationship between the company and the outside world that could favour e-commerce adoption in SMEs, such as firm image and risk control.Research limitations/implicationsOur study has some limitations. The first is about the sample that could have been larger and more representative of wineries and SMEs, also referring to other countries. Second, our survey period lasts around one year to enhance the response rate. Third, the statistical analysis could have been expanded by analysing the influences exerted by other variables or moderation and mediation effects. Fourth, the number of variables considered was quite limited. Further extensions of this study could implement a longitudinal analysis in different contexts and other countries or extend the study period.Practical implicationsThe practical implication for managers, entrepreneurs and policymakers. The data show the relevance of external factors, such as the impact of the image in terms of the expectations of clients and stakeholders as well as the availability of public funding to support the financial efforts required. This insight can be used by policymakers when designing large innovation campaigns such as the Next Generation. According to our findings, it will help to first develop and share the meaning and necessity of the innovation among the public to increase the expectations for the change. Then, specific funding programs will support the financials.Originality/valueWe do believe that our study represents an original study in the wine industry and contributes to the existing literature that posits direct sales to consumers offer better control over brand image and direct communication (Williams and Spielmann, 2019) and enhance time-to-market, service levels, and efficiency by reshaping relationships between buyers and sellers in virtual e-chains (Adaileh and Elrehail, 2018; Lewin, 2009; Manthou et al., 2004; Obal and Lancioni, 2013). Additionally, we emphasize that an e-commerce initiative inherently reinforces brand and firm image, as it is interpreted as a sign of modernization
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