Strategies for Growth in SMEs: The Role of Information and Information Sytems
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Contentsv
- Dedicationvi
- Forewordvii
- 1 Introduction1
- Why research strategic information systems in SMEs1
- Researching SMEs3
- Background to the research4
- Case studies: primary research approach5
- Data collection6
- Problems of case research7
- Case background7
- Structure of the book11
- Chapters12
- Part 1 Concept of the SME17
- 2 Background to SMEs19
- Introduction19
- Defining SMEs19
- Influences on SMEs20
- Market21
- Independence21
- Personal22
- Flexibility and innovation22
- Birth, death and growth22
- Entrepreneur25
- Strategy26
- Firm27
- Growing the business28
- Organizing and managing SMEs31
- Systems implications in managing SMEs33
- Conclusions33
- 3 Information and IS in SMEs35
- Introduction35
- Nature, role and value of information36
- Importance of management IS37
- IS strategy and planning in SMEs43
- Owner’s role in introducing IS44
- Sourcing IT45
- IS adoption issues46
- Introduction of management IS in SMEs47
- Conclusions on IS investment in SMEs48
- 4 Flexibility in IS51
- Introduction51
- Flexibility issues51
- SMEs and flexibility54
- Planning for flexibility through IS55
- IS and IT56
- Understanding flexibility in SMEs: the cases57
- IS in the SMEs61
- Organization of IS in the SMEs62
- IS development in the SMEs63
- Influence of customers on IS63
- Flexibility: the SME response65
- Discussion66
- Implications for managers67
- Implications for research67
- Conclusions68
- 5 Evaluating IS in SMEs69
- Introduction69
- Evaluation of IS and IT69
- Approaches to evaluation70
- Evaluation practice71
- SMEs and evaluation: the issues73
- Business and IS/IT strategy74
- Limited access to capital76
- Emphasis on efficiency77
- Influence of major customers78
- Limited IS skills78
- Effects on evaluation practice: SMEs and large firms79
- Discussion79
- Capital resources80
- Opportunities from an organizational approach to evaluation81
- Investment issues in SMEs83
- Conclusions85
- Part 2 Issues of IS strategy planning87
- 6 Understanding IS strategy in SMEs89
- Introduction89
- Nature of ISS89
- Strategic IS frameworks91
- Background to the cases93
- Framework analysis93
- Awareness frameworks94
- Conclusions on use of awareness frameworks96
- Opportunity frameworks97
- Use of opportunity frameworks101
- Positioning frameworks102
- Towards a framework of frameworks for ISS in SMEs106
- Conclusions108
- 7 An organizational approach to IS strategy109
- Introduction109
- ISS in SMEs109
- Approaches to ISS110
- A multi-paradigm approach to ISS111
- A multi-paradigm model for ISS in SMEs114
- Business context114
- Business processes117
- Strategic content120
- Background to the case SMEs122
- Outcomes from the ISS125
- Operational focus to IS125
- Competitiveness126
- Owners127
- Organizational culture131
- Resources133
- Review of the ISS approach134
- Conclusions135
- 8 Case example of ISS: Heath Springs137
- Introduction137
- Case background137
- Business context137
- Market137
- Customers138
- Suppliers138
- Substitutes and entry barriers139
- Other competitive issues140
- Cost leadership140
- Differentiation140
- Focus141
- Achieving business strategy141
- Business process142
- Information needs of managers147
- Existing IS and IT148
- Attitudes and organization of IS150
- Recommendations151
- Discussion153
- Conclusions154
- Part 3 Strategic resource: attitudes to information157
- 9 Strategic context of IS investment159
- Introduction159
- Developing the focus-dominance model159
- Management IS in SMEs160
- SMEs and competitiveness160
- Focus-dominance model161
- Efficiency quadrant162
- Co-ordination quadrant163
- Collaboration quadrant163
- Repositioning quadrant163
- Exploring the focus-dominance model163
- Non-strategic IS169
- Implications for research170
- Implications for managers173
- Conclusions175
- 10 Strategic IS dynamics177
- Introduction177
- Stages of growth178
- IS adoption and business growth179
- Investigating IS adoption and growth179
- Case analysis181
- Strategic positions181
- Current growth paths181
- No change184
- Efficiency to co-ordination185
- Co-ordination to repositioning186
- Efficiency to collaboration187
- Collaboration to repositioning188
- Efficiency to repositioning188
- Long-term growth paths189
- Structural differences on IS adoption189
- Industry sector influences190
- Industry clusters190
- Strategic intent191
- Informal network relations, sub-contracting and IS/IT suppliers195
- Discussion196
- Implications for research197
- Implications for managers198
- Conclusions199
- 11 Exploring business transformation through IS201
- Introduction201
- Business transformation through IS201
- Analysing business transformation204
- Localized exploitation205
- Moving to internal integration206
- Moving to business process redesign207
- Moving to business network redesign207
- Moving to business scope redefinition208
- Discussion209
- Implications for research213
- Implications for managers214
- Conclusions215
- 12 Strategic alignment217
- Introduction217
- Alignment issues217
- Opportunities for strategic alignment218
- Alignment paths in SMEs222
- Alignment issues in cost-focused SMEs223
- Efficiency alignment path224
- Co-ordination alignment path225
- Alignment issues in strategic focus SMEs226
- Collaboration alignment path226
- Repositioning alignment path228
- Differences in alignment229
- Implications for research230
- Implications for management232
- Conclusions234
- Part 4 Knowledge and development of IS235
- 13 IS role in co-opetition and knowledge sharing237
- Introduction237
- Defining knowledge237
- Knowledge management in SMEs239
- Towards a theory of knowledge exchange240
- Managing knowledge in SMEs: role of IS242
- Cost-focus on managing knowledge243
- Value-added focus on managing knowledge244
- Managing knowledge transfer246
- Exploring knowledge transfers247
- Analysis247
- Knowledge sharing in efficiency-focused SMEs248
- Knowledge sharing in co-ordination-focused SMEs253
- Knowledge sharing in collaboration-focused SMEs256
- Knowledge sharing in repositioning-focused SMEs259
- Implications for research261
- Implications for management262
- Discussion and conclusions263
- 14 Role of core competencies in developing ISS in knowledge-based SMEs265
- Introduction265
- SMEs, ISS266
- Limitations of structural analysis267
- IS and knowledge-based SMEs268
- Tools for competence-based analysis for ISS269
- Existing tools270
- New tools270
- Using IS/IT to support learning processes271
- SISP process in Housing Consultancy272
- Data gathering273
- Core competence analysis275
- SSM analysis in Housing Consultancy277
- Relating core competences to business themes280
- Matching information needs to business themes280
- SISP recommendations282
- Recommendations for IS/IT developments in Housing Consultancy283
- Communications283
- Control and planning283
- Operations Management284
- Marketing Support284
- Knowledge Base284
- Summary284
- ISS implementation285
- Operations Management285
- Knowledge Base285
- Marketing Support285
- The Internet286
- Discussion286
- Limitations of value chain analysis287
- Competence-based view of strategy288
- Tools for competence-based SISP288
- Role of SSM289
- Business themes as competence leveraging/building290
- Conclusions290
- 15 Exploring business process re-engineering in SMEs293
- Introduction293
- Nature of BPR294
- BPR framework for SMEs296
- Culture296
- Structure297
- Resources298
- IS and IT298
- Research background299
- Case analysis301
- Culture301
- Innovation301
- Empowering employees302
- Top management commitment302
- Strategic perspective303
- Structure304
- Process304
- Teams305
- External relationships305
- Resources306
- Financial resources306
- People skills307
- Quality management307
- Technology307
- IS/IT infrastructure307
- IS expertise308
- IS investment309
- Success and failure factors for case firms309
- BPR as an ongoing effort towards a learning organization309
- Implications for management311
- Implications for research312
- Conclusions314
- Part 5 Future: Internet adoption and strategy315
- 16 Exploring e-business in SMEs317
- Introduction317
- Defining e-business317
- E-business and SMEs319
- Influencing factors320
- Research approach321
- Growth, competitiveness and the Internet322
- Business growth and the Internet327
- Brochureware327
- Business opportunity331
- Business support333
- Business network336
- Discussion337
- 17 Strategic intent and e-business339
- Introduction339
- SMEs and strategic intent339
- Drivers and inhibitors of e-business in SMEs341
- Research approach344
- Data collection and analysis344
- Dimensions of analysis345
- Strategic intent patterns345
- Current use of the Internet346
- Importance of the Internet in achieving business growth346
- Importance of e-business347
- Drivers for e-business348
- Inhibitors of e-business adoption351
- Discussion and conclusions353
- 18 E-business influencers355
- Introduction355
- Potential influences on Internet adoption356
- Competitive environment356
- Influence of government policies on SME Internet adoption358
- Research approach359
- Data collection361
- Case analysis361
- Expert network363
- Industry support network364
- Customer-led network365
- ICT support network366
- Novice network367
- Discussion368
- Conclusions371
- 19 Managing IS: the future373
- Introduction373
- SMEs – a vibrant community373
- IS and SMEs374
- IS strategy – the way forward?374
- Strategic perspective on IS in growing firms375
- Business transformation377
- Managing knowledge378
- Are SMEs excited by the Internet?379
- Lessons for SMEs and researchers379
- References381
- Index405
- A405
- B405
- C405
- D406
- E406
- F406
- G407
- H407
- I407
- J408
- K408
- L408
- M408
- N409
- O409
- P409
- Q409
- R409
- S409
- T411
- V411
- W411
Strategies for Growth in SMEs explores for the first time the role of information and information systems (IS) concepts in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Most IS research focuses on large firms, yet the majority of firms in most economies are SMEs. The book considers the applicability of IS theory and practice to SMEs and develops new theories that are relevant to these firms.
Composed of 6 sections, it covers, amongst other things; the nature of SMEs, the background to IS, and SMEs' use of IS, issues of IS strategy and planning in SMEs, the way that firms can transform through use of IS, evaluation, IS flexibility, business process re-engineering, resource-based strategy and knowledge management, the appropriateness of existing theories and the development of new models to address SME-specific issues. The final section of the book reviews the learning in the previous chapters and poses future agendas for research.
Written by two of the leading figures in the field, this book will be essential reading for researchers in IS and SMEs, students on entrepreneurship or IS courses, and others that focus on SMEs.
* A unique text relating IS theory to SMEs
* Benefit from the authors' years of experience in the field
* Familiarise yourself with this growth area for research and courses
Composed of 6 sections, it covers, amongst other things; the nature of SMEs, the background to IS, and SMEs' use of IS, issues of IS strategy and planning in SMEs, the way that firms can transform through use of IS, evaluation, IS flexibility, business process re-engineering, resource-based strategy and knowledge management, the appropriateness of existing theories and the development of new models to address SME-specific issues. The final section of the book reviews the learning in the previous chapters and poses future agendas for research.
Written by two of the leading figures in the field, this book will be essential reading for researchers in IS and SMEs, students on entrepreneurship or IS courses, and others that focus on SMEs.
* A unique text relating IS theory to SMEs
* Benefit from the authors' years of experience in the field
* Familiarise yourself with this growth area for research and courses