Aligning Information Technology, Organization, and Strategy

✍ Scribed by Ferdinand Mahr

• Publisher: Gabler
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 200
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Information technology (IT) has the potential to substantially enhance firm performance. However, not all firms possess the complementary factors that unlock the full value of IT. Ferdinand Mahr develops an integrative theoretical model of IT complements such as organizational structure, human resource management, and corporate strategy. Further, he analyzes two unique datasets gathered through 1,500 telephone interviews with managers. He examines how the organization and management required to enable IT's positive performance effects differ with respect to a firm's strategic orientation toward efficiency or innovation. He also shows that the use of a specific mix of IT can outweigh the usually detrimental performance effects of hybrid strategies that mix efficiency- and innovation-orientation. This book shows that IT does indeed matter if adequately aligned with organization and strategy.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Markt- und Unternehmensentwicklung /
Markets and Organisations......Page 3
Aligning Information
Technology, Organization,
and Strategy......Page 4
ISBN 9783834925411......Page 5
Foreword Prof. Dr. Dres. h.c. Arnold Picot......Page 6
Foreword Prof. Dr. Tobias Kretschmer......Page 8
Preface......Page 10
Contents......Page 12
List of tables......Page 15
List of figures......Page 16
1.1 Motivation......Page 18
1.2 A summary of the three studies......Page 21
1.3 The datasets employed in the two empirical studies......Page 25
2.1 Introduction......Page 36
2.2 An overview of the empirical research on IT complements......Page 38
2.2.1.1 Resource-centered perspective......Page 39
2.2.2 Studies on internal and external IT complements......Page 40
2.2.3 The need for an integrative model of IT complements......Page 41
2.3 Toward an integrative model of IT complements......Page 43
2.3.1 Fit and complementarity......Page 44
2.3.2 Organizational information processing and IT......Page 46
2.3.3 An integrative model of IT complements......Page 47
2.4 Horizontal fit between IT and IT complements......Page 50
2.4.1.1 Centralization......Page 51
2.4.1.2 Decentralization......Page 52
2.4.1.3 A richer definition of the degree of centralization......Page 53
2.4.2 Standardization......Page 55
2.4.3 HRM practices......Page 57
2.4.4 Information technology......Page 59
2.4.5 Two ideal configurations of organization design......Page 61
2.5.1 Environment......Page 63
2.5.2 Corporate strategy......Page 65
2.5.3 Organizational culture......Page 67
2.5.4 Two ideal ways to achieve vertical fit......Page 69
2.6 Conclusion and implications......Page 70
3.1 Introduction......Page 74
3.2.2 The information processing view of organizations and information technology......Page 77
3.2.3 Information technology, decentralization, and centralization......Page 79
3.2.4 The role of organizational learning......Page 80
3.2.5 Hypotheses......Page 82
3.3.1 Empirical models......Page 83
3.3.2 Data......Page 85
3.3.3.1 Production function inputs and outputs......Page 87
3.3.3.2 Organizational learning and organization design......Page 88
3.3.3.3 Control variables......Page 92
3.4.1 Discussion of the results......Page 94
3.4.2 Robustness of the results......Page 97
3.5 Conclusions......Page 102
4.1 Introduction......Page 105
4.2.1 Hybrid strategy, organizational architecture, and firm performance in theory......Page 108
4.2.2.1 Summary of empirical studies......Page 110
4.2.2.3 Organizational ambidexterity as a moderator of the hybrid strategy-performance relationship......Page 112
4.2.3 Organizational ambidexterity......Page 115
4.2.3.1 Individual ambidexterity......Page 116
4.2.3.2 Technological ambidexterity......Page 118
4.2.4 Hypotheses......Page 121
4.3.1.1 Moderation effects model......Page 123
4.3.1.2 Effects-coding model......Page 124
4.3.1.3 Dummy-coding models......Page 125
4.3.2 Sample......Page 127
4.3.3.1 Firm performance......Page 130
4.3.3.2 Corporate strategy......Page 131
4.3.3.3 Individual ambidexterity......Page 132
4.3.3.4 Technological ambidexterity......Page 135
4.3.3.5 Group indicator variables......Page 137
4.3.3.6 Control variables......Page 138
4.4.1 Moderation effects models......Page 141
4.4.2 Effects- and dummy-coding models......Page 144
4.4.3 Robustness test: Porter's definition of the performance impact of a strategy......Page 148
4.4.4 Pure strategies......Page 152
4.5 Discussion and conclusions......Page 153
4.5.1 Implications for research......Page 154
4.5.3 Limitations and future research......Page 155
5.1 Summary and contributions......Page 158
5.2 Suggestions for future research......Page 163
References......Page 166
Appendix 3.1: Survey instrument for the corporate learning variable (LEARN)......Page 188
Appendix 3.2: Survey instrument for the decentralization of decision rights variable (DR)......Page 189
Appendix 3.3: Survey instrument for the HRM practices variable (HR)......Page 190
Appendix 4.1: Survey instrument for the corporate strategy variables......Page 192
Appendix 4.2: Survey instrument for the decentralization variable......Page 193
Appendix 4.3: Survey instrument for the standardization variable......Page 194
Appendix 4.4: Survey instruments for the HRM practices variables......Page 195
Appendix 4.5: Survey instrument for the ICT use variables......Page 198
Appendix 4.6: Survey instrument for the environmental dynamism variable......Page 199
Subject index......Page 200