This book examines the interplay between IT solutions and specific management methods in organizations. In particular, it assesses the impact of IT reliability on factors like employees' commitment and organizational performance. After developing the necessary theoretical foundation, the book presents a framework for aligning IT solutions with a number of specific management methods in organizations. In addition, it demonstrates the extent to which IT reliability can be an indicator for this alignment, and discusses the impact on employees' commitment and organizational performance under various management methods. Case studies from organizations in Switzerland and Poland help to illustrate the findings. In closing, the book presents roadmaps for improving IT and business alignment so as to achieve higher commitment and better results.

Grain boundaries are important structural components of polycrystalline materials used in the vast majority of technical applications. Because grain boundaries form a continuous network throughout such materials, their properties may limit their practical use. One of the serious phenomena which evoke these limitations is the grain boundary segregation of impurities. It results in the loss of grain boundary cohesion and consequently, in brittle fracture of the materials. The current book deals with fundamentals of grain boundary segregation in metallic materials and its relationship to the grain boundary structure, classification and other materials properties.

In an intensely competitive global economy marked by the rapid emergence of new players, products, and services, there's more pressure than ever on information services organizations to provide low-cost, rapidly developed systems to meet the complex, changing needs of their companies. These greater expectations come at a time when the usefulness of current information systems has been severely questioned and the ability of IS organizations to respond more effectively has been hampered by sharp reductions in money and manpower. This latest volume in the groundbreaking Ernst & Young Information Management Series demonstrates how IS managers and other key personnel can create a more productive IS environment by applying the principles of "development effectiveness" to information technology strategies. Development Effectiveness shows how this new cost-effective approach ultimately wins the support of even the most resistant IS personnel. It allows for a successful transition from the current problematic state of most IS organizations to a desired future state in which IS becomes a full partner in helping users meet today's business challenges. Development Effectiveness first details the problems common to IS environments and it also highlights the leading practices of those organizations that are setting new standards for information systems development performance. Development Effectiveness helps lay the foundation for making IS organizations more productive. The book shows how TQM and business process reengineering can be applied within IS and how TQM and organizational change management principles support an appropriate planning framework. It also discusses the process of designing ahigh-performance IS development organization that gets essential work done while providing enough flexibility to meet changing work needs. The book tackles two of the thorniest obstacles to an effective transition - the strong resistance to change within the organization and the hard task of justifying the costs of the new IS environment. Without blinking, it offers surefire methods designed to overcome barriers to change and management techniques to help sustain change initiatives. Development Effectiveness describes the overall transition framework - preparing for, planning, and managing actual transition projects. It provides an organization with the tools to assess its current position and its readiness and ability to change, as well as a model that incorporates the essential features of an effective and continuously improving development environment. Development Effectiveness doesn't provide any easy answers or "silver bullets". What it does offer today's IS organization is a solid, realistic framework for ensuring that companies are constantly armed with the information they need to prevail in a rapidly changing global environment.

This publication is in collaboration with the University of Buckingham and is the result of a combined research and review process carried out by the three Editors who belongs to the University of Ferrara, Italy, the University of Buckingham, UK and Swansea University, UK. The book deepens the debate about the lean enterprise from both an academic and a professional management perspective. It thus provides the reader with a sound understanding of the modern lean enterprise and its current evolution. A range of innovative topics are covered, with individual chapters addressing the combinations of lean with hoshin kanri, green management, IT, organizational learning, flow accounting, system thinking, problem solving, internationalization aspects, luxury industry, and product innovation. Since the term "lean" first entered contemporary operations management language in 1990 to describe a set of practices proven to deliver superior performance over mass production systems, the lean approach to waste reduction and value generation has moved from vehicle production to other manufacturing sectors. It has reshaped the support functions of manufacturing businesses and has evolved from private industry into the public sector. Lean thinking is now a dominant model of operations management and has brought with it a new language and toolbox.

Written primarily for information systems managers, systems analysts, and end users who interface with them, this volume explores the group approach to decision support systems. As Thierauf points out, group decision making enhances the effectiveness of overall organizational decision making by eliminating some of the shortcomings--particularly the potential for uncorrected error--of individual decision making. When the collective expertise of the group is combined with the objective findings from a computerized mode of operation designed to help the decision making process, group decision support systems are the result. Thierauf explains the principles of group decision support systems, demonstrates their practical applications, and describes methods that can be used to design effective group decision support systems.

The book begins by presenting the underlying framework for group decision support systems and examining the characteristics of decision making in the group environment. There follows two chapters which offer a comprehensive treatment of the hardware and software necessary and one devoted to work redesign and the development of group decision support systems. The final section addresses the applications of group decision support systems to strategic planning, marketing, manufacturing, accounting, and personnel. Numerous figures illustrate points made in the text. An important contribution to the MIS literature, this book both delineates the need for more widespread use of group decision support systems and clearly explains how to implement such systems in every area of business operations.

This book presents an in-depth study of how the drive to optimize organizational performance can be significantly improved by investigating the causal relationships between profitability, productivity, and sustainability (PPS). This is presented through an assessment of a triple combined therapy that studies the interplay between Organizational DNA, Strategic Alignments for Value, and their implications for Sustainability. Through this approach, this volume seeks to answer critical mind-searching questions and provide useful guides as to how some firms are able to sustainably create higher value or wealth, especially through corporate entrepreneurship, or via the creation of new business models than others. In tackling the three elements of profitability, productivity, and sustainability, this book also provides greater insight through an in-depth study of the pervasively unresolved and disturbing issues surrounding the prospects of increasing the chances of success for entrepreneurial start-off ventures, making it of value to researchers, academics, and students in the fields of organizational studies, strategy, and sustainability.

1) This is a comprehensive book on creative industries in India. 2) The book contains essays with recent data and multiple crucial case studies from across India. 3) This book will be of interest to departments of development studies, South Asian studies and cultural studies across UK.

The only up-to-date introductory textbook on sport entrepreneurship and innovation. Entrepreneurial skills are essential for anybody working in sport management, particularly in the face of COVID-related challenges. Introduces key theory and focuses on best practice, based on real world scenarios. Includes practitioner voices throughout.

This book highlights the opportunities and risks of digitalization and digital transformation for our global economy at both the micro and macro level. Experts from various fields, presenting both scientific and practice-oriented perspectives, identify and critically analyse areas of tension and development potential in connection with new business models and sustainability efforts in our society. It is divided into four parts, the first of which highlights new technological advances in areas such as blockchain, cryptocurrencies and fintechs, and discusses the challenges they pose for public regulation. The second part illustrates digitalization's effects on and potential advantages for public welfare, focusing on key areas such as education, health and smart cities. The third part focuses on challenges for corporate and public management, particularly for leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, while the fourth part discusses new dimensions for analysis based on big data. The contributions gathered here are partly an outcome of the International Conference on Digitalization, Digital Transformation and Sustainability held in Budapest in October 2020 and generously supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

Provides the reader with a real-life holistic view of what is actually required to make it happen and deliver successful business growth. Other books on innovation are written by academics and consultants, people who sit on the side lines and observe. This book is unique in that it is written from the perspective of two professionals who have led, founded and grown multiple businesses over the last 30 years, and so know the practical reality of what works and what doesn't. Includes case studies of leading organizations, such as: As the book contains contributions from senior leaders in Google, BCG, Google, Hexcel, Johnson Matthey, Kennametal, Naluri, IE University, Amcor, Quaker Houghton, Novartis, CeramTec, Alvarez & Marsal.

Trust and Digital Business: Theory and Practice brings together the theory and practice of trust and digital business. The book offers a look at the current state, including a comprehensive overview of both research and practical applications of trust in business. Readers will gain from this book in the following areas: knowledge across disciplines on trust in business, theoretical underpinnings of trust and how it sustains itself through digital dissemination, and empirically validated practice regarding trust and its related concepts. The international team of authors from seven countries (Finland, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Poland, Turkey, and the U.S.) ensures the diversity and quality of the content. The intended audiences of this book are professionals, scholars, and students.

* International approach, with examples and cases from the US, Europe and Africa * Each chapter contains objectives, case studies, discussion questions and further reading suggestions. * PPT slides and data sets available as digital supplements

1) What to do when you get hacked 2) A guide to incident response 3) Incident response and cybersecurity for small businesses

Corporate governance is not just about models of best practice organisation or prescriptions following laws or social conventions. Corporate governance is also about persons of power seeking performance, and they do so in ways that transcend structures and pre-conceived notions of the structural set-up of the business. This book emphasises the decision-making dimensions of corporate governance, placing it right in the messy middle of the ever-changing world of capitalism, focussing on the interplay between professional managers and shareholders. This book aims to bring together several fresh perspectives on the development of capitalism seen through the lens of corporate governance. It illustrates the role of intentionality and persons, both as a method with which to understand processes of change, but also as a principle with which to seek a deeper understanding of the corporate governance choices made. It will be of interest to researchers, academics and students in the fields of corporate governance and entrepreneurship, as well as practitioners and other audience interested in the evolution of capitalism and corporate culture.

This book examines and critiques classical approaches to strategic analysis, whilst exploring alternative methods which utilise ecosystem and platform concepts, as well as chaos and complexity theories. The innovative study provides a critique of the neoclassical Newtonian school of strategy, and proves it to be largely inappropriate as a decision-making methodology in today's internet-based market. By developing a new biological hydrothermal vent model in which analogical comparisons are made with the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector, the chapters challenge existing paradigms of competitive advantage and analyse the extent to which the Internet can be considered to be an ecosystem in its own right. The Internet as a Technology-Based Eco-System offers a range of alternative models and analytical frameworks for the analysis of internet-based technology companies in the twenty-first century, creating a valuable tool for students and academics undertaking research in strategy, technology and electronic engineering.

The actionable guide for driving organizational innovation through better IT strategy With rare insight, expert technology strategist Peter High emphasizes the acute need for IT strategy to be developed not in a vacuum, but in concert with the broader organizational strategy. This approach focuses the development of technology tools and strategies in a way that is comprehensive in nature and designed with the concept of value in mind. The role of CIO is no longer "just" to manage IT strategy instead, the successful executive will be firmly in tune with corporate strategy and a driver of a technology strategy that is woven into overall business objectives at the enterprise and business unit levels. High makes use of case examples from leading companies to illustrate the various ways that IT infrastructure strategy can be developed, not just to fall in line with business strategy, but to actually drive that strategy in a meaningful way. His ideas are designed to provide real, actionable steps for CIOs that both increase the executive's value to the organization and unite business and IT in a manner that produces highly-successful outcomes. * Formulate clearer and better IT strategic plans * Weave IT strategy into business strategy at the corporate and business unit levels * Craft an infrastructure that aligns with C-suite strategy * Close the gap that exists between IT leaders and business leaders While function, innovation, and design remain key elements to the development and management of IT infrastructure and operations, CIOs must now think beyond their primary purview and recognize the value their strategies and initiatives will create for the organization. With Implementing World Class IT Strategy, the roadmap to strategic IT excellence awaits.

The fourth edition of this classic textbook provides major updates. This edition has completely new chapters on Big Data Platforms (distributed storage systems, MapReduce, Spark, data stream processing, graph analytics) and on NoSQL, NewSQL and polystore systems. It also includes an updated web data management chapter that includes RDF and semantic web discussion, an integrated database integration chapter focusing both on schema integration and querying over these systems. The peer-to-peer computing chapter has been updated with a discussion of blockchains. The chapters that describe classical distributed and parallel database technology have all been updated. The new edition covers the breadth and depth of the field from a modern viewpoint. Graduate students, as well as senior undergraduate students studying computer science and other related fields will use this book as a primary textbook. Researchers working in computer science will also find this textbook useful. This textbook has a companion web site that includes background information on relational database fundamentals, query processing, transaction management, and computer networks for those who might need this background. The web site also includes all the figures and presentation slides as well as solutions to exercises (restricted to instructors).

This book introduces readers and students to the entrepreneurial process. It is important as evidence has suggested that the probability of entrepreneurs' success enhances when they thoroughly appreciate the components of the entrepreneurial process as well as how to effectively use them. The fact that nearly 33 percent of new firms fail within the first two years while twenty percent fail within four to five years of their existence makes it evident that while many people are highly motivated to start new firms, motivation alone is not sufficient, rather it should be coupled with relevant information, a strong business idea, a well-crafted business plan, and sound execution to maximize chances for success. This work offers an insightful and a practical guide to the process of launching and growing an entrepreneurial organisation with success. It will therefore serve as an important resource to students of Entreprenuership and to anyone interested in the field, academically or practically.

Industrialisation has brought great benefits to humankind but now, after 200 years of fossil fuel use, land clearance and pollution, the planet's boundaries are being stretched to their limits. Going beyond these confines would have severe consequences for humankind. To prevent this from happening, government, corporate and community initiatives must focus on reducing the environmental impact of approximately 400 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), given that they produce approximately 70% of the world's pollution, 60% of carbon emissions and have a significant impact on land. To date, research shows that SMEs have been environmental laggards and more needs to be understood to improve sustainability in the SME sector. Broadening the researcher's methodological focus, beyond traditional singular approaches, improves knowledge generation and better informs policy and practice. This book paves the way by showing the reader that a mixed method research design is able to provide a deep, diverse and holistic understanding of sustainability and SMEs. Importantly, the book also provides an in-depth mapping of mixed method sustainability and SME research at a regional level. As this book is about environmental sustainability framed in a business context, it will be of interest to researchers, academics, students and those in industry who are enquiring about the environmental sustainability of SMEs.

Who will lead your organization into the future? Have you created the systems to properly implement required succession transitions? Have you put the financial tools in place to fund the transition? Do you want a plan that connects with your personal and company core values? When do you include timely planning related to strategy and talent issues? What are the appropriate communication strategies for sharing your plan? What legal issues need consideration related to the strategy, financial, and people aspects of succession? So, what is preventing you from starting this effort tomorrow? Small and family businesses are the bedrock of all businesses. More people are employed by small and family-owned businesses than by all multinational companies combined. Yet the research on small and family businesses is bleak: fewer than one-third of small business owners in the United States can afford to retire. Only 40% of small businesses have a workable disaster plan in case of the sudden death or disability of the owner, and only 42% of small businesses in the United States have a succession plan. Fewer than 11% of family-owned businesses make it to the third generation beyond the founder. Lack of succession planning is the second most common reason for small business failure. Many organizations often wonder where to start and what to do. Succession Planning for Small and Family Businesses: Navigating Successful Transitions presents a comprehensive approach to guiding such efforts. Small and family-owned businesses rarely employ first-rate, well-qualified talent in human resources. More typically, business owners must be jacks-of-all-trades and serve as their own accountants, lawyers, business consultants, marketing experts, and HR wizards. Unfortunately, that does not always work well when business owners embark on planning for retirement or business exits. To help business owners avert problems, this book advises on some of the management, tax and financial, legal, and psychological issues that should be considered when planning retirement or other exits from the business. This comprehensive approach is unique when compared to the books, articles, and other literature that currently exist on the market. This book takes on a bold and integrated approach. Relevant research combined with the rich experiences of the authors connects this thorough, evidence-based approach to action-based approaches for the reader.

1) This is a comprehensive book on creative industries in India. 2) The book contains essays with recent data and multiple crucial case studies from across India. 3) This book will be of interest to departments of development studies, South Asian studies and cultural studies across UK.

This book intends to provide a reference manual to assist professionals and academics on further insights regarding: the impact of digital technologies in business, how to implement digital technologies, solutions for specific digital technologies barriers, and much more. Digital transformation marks a rethinking of how an organization uses technology, people, and processes in pursuit of new business models and new revenue streams, driven by changes in customer expectations around products and services. For many enterprises that build traditional goods, this means building digital products, such as a mobile applications or an ecommerce platform. To do so, they must use and integrate digital technologies. The pace of change is increasing. Organizations need to adapt or risk to disappear under innovators entrance in the market. With new digital technologies growing in an exponential rate in the last few decades, organizations are facing even more complex contexts. Managers are now pressed to take efficient decisions. The editors encourage the use of research methods such as Systematic Literature Review (SLR) or Multivocal Literature Review (MLR) (since many new technologies are usually evolved first by practitioners). However, other research methods can also be appreciated as case studies or experiments.

Is your enterprise architecture making a difference? Does it contribute to the goals of your company? Are the architects your best paid employees? If you are striving for a full-hearted yes to these questions, this is the book for you.

Building an Enterprise Architecture Practice provides practical advice on how to develop your enterprise architecture practice. The authors developed different tools and models to support organizations in implementing and professionalizing an enterprise architecture function. The application of these tools and models in many different organizations forms the basis for this book. The result is a hands-on book that will help you to avoid certain pitfalls and achieve success with enterprise architecture.

A lot of organizations nowadays have a team of enterprise architects at work but struggle with questions like:

a [ How do I show the added value of enterprise architecture?

a [ How do I determine what specific architectures are necessary for my organization?

a [ What steps do I need to take to improve my enterprise architecture practice?

a [ How do I fulfill the role of enterprise architect?

These questions are answered in this book and illustrated with a lot of best practices.

After reading the book the reader will have a better understanding of what makes enterprise architecture successful and will possess the tools to analyse his own situation and build an enterprise architecture practice accordingly.

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This book clearly describes how to establish an architecture practice that delivers value for an organization. The authorsdemonstrate a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the multifaceted nature of this challenging task and they provide sound advice on how to avoid the many pitfalls that may be encountered along the way.

Recognising that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach, they show how to deploy a range of practical tools and approaches that will enable each organization to create its own road map to success. In particular, their Maturity Matrix is invaluable for balancing architecture priorities and targeting improvements. The book makes a significant contribution to the professionalization of the architect role.

Sally Bean, Enterprise Architecture Consultant

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Too many books on enterprise architecture leave one in a state of mental fuzziness: After reading them, the reader has learned a lot of impressive words but still does not know how to design an enterprise architecture. This step by step guide to DYA is different.

It provides pragmatic guidelines for developing enterprise architecture and presents a maturity model that helps the users of DYA to state realistic goals and to outline feasible steps to achieve these goals. Particularly useful is the emphasis on a coherent enterprise architecture vision, including the value added by the architecture. I warmly recommend this book to practicing enterprise architects.

Prof. Dr. Roel Wieringa, Universiteit Twente

* Describes the principles of capitalism and how they can be used in the space industry to maximize creation of value for humanity. * Develops pragmatic criteria for readers to use in assessing value to humanity of initiatives and business decisions in the space industry. * Describes the world's greatest problems and how space systems may help address them with emphasis placed on how the space industry supports sustainability of humanity and the planet. * Provides all of the above in an integrated format that is accessible to readers, whether coming from technical, business, or policy backgrounds.

Original ideas start in a persons mind, but the environment where they operate is crucial for the capture and development of these ideas. Equally important is the interaction with others in developing and evaluating ideas, as a brilliant idea only influences the world if it is put into use. This book hopes to inspire the team leader, innovation manager or research group leader. It deals with the delicate balance of managing and controlling intellectual property in a collaborative environment. Insights on how new inventions can be evaluated are offered. Following the whole cycle of innovation from a creative idea to where a product or service can be put on the market, examples illustrate how an innovative environment can be created and maintained. Strategies and solutions based on the science of team development are presented and leadership models for the different phases of group development are provided. The book will be of interest to researchers, academics, product developers, entrepreneurs, and advanced students in the fields of technology and innovation management and entrepreneurship and small business management but also for leadership.