This is the third of a series of research volume of papers from the Business and Information Technologies global research network. The group includes 20 partners from 16 countries, who conduct studies on the impact of new information and communication technologies on business practice, industry structure, and economic change. The book presents a unique longitudinal and cross-sectional view of technology adoption and business practice across a diverse set of countries and economies. It appears that there are some commonalities with respect to patterns of technology adoption , but also significant differences across countries. Furthermore, innovative practices can arise in every country, and have the potential to be applied in other countries. The identical survey carried out in different countries enables benchmarking and accurate comparisons across those markets. It is also extremely broad in its coverage of business practice in terms of functions and performance.

The Practice of Quality Management presents the results of eleven ground-breaking research projects in quality management. It is the first collection of research papers by academics in this area. The projects are empirical studies on total quality management that suggest new ways to think about quality. The objective of the research found in this book is to develop theory and to assist practice. Thus, this volume is of interest to both academic researchers and practising managers. The chapters fall into four categories: `Performance', `Understanding TQM', `Organizations', and `Using TQM'. All of the chapters show that there are many different applications and research issues associated with quality. The chapters on `Understanding TQM' suggest that it is possible to develop and test theories of quality. The chapters on `Performance' demonstrate that studies of the operational and financial effect of quality can yield positive results. Many thinkers on quality consider that organizational impacts of quality are the most important drivers of the quality process. The chapters on `Organizations' present evidence on how quality programs affect human resource management, and organizational structure. Finally, the chapters on `Using TQM' present several studies of applications of quality management.

This is the fourth of a series of research volume of papers from the Business and Information Technologies global research network. The BIT network comprises 21 partners from 17 countries, and conducts studies on the impact of new information and communication technologies on business practice, industry structure and economic change. This volume contains papers from BIT partners in Taiwan, New Zealand, Chile, USA, Italy, South Korea, and Switzerland. The papers address a range of subjects including the diffusion of mobile apps in the health area, role of trust in e-commerce, impact of digital technology in the role and practice of product management in technology intensive companies, new digital business practices in Taiwan, social media marketing, social activities of a B2B community with the case of BTicino, product-service system, and information diffusion in social networks.

The Practice of Quality Management presents the results of eleven ground-breaking research projects in quality management. It is the first collection of research papers by academics in this area. The projects are empirical studies on total quality management that suggest new ways to think about quality. The objective of the research found in this book is to develop theory and to assist practice. Thus, this volume is of interest to both academic researchers and practising managers. The chapters fall into four categories: `Performance', `Understanding TQM', `Organizations', and `Using TQM'. All of the chapters show that there are many different applications and research issues associated with quality. The chapters on `Understanding TQM' suggest that it is possible to develop and test theories of quality. The chapters on `Performance' demonstrate that studies of the operational and financial effect of quality can yield positive results. Many thinkers on quality consider that organizational impacts of quality are the most important drivers of the quality process. The chapters on `Organizations' present evidence on how quality programs affect human resource management, and organizational structure. Finally, the chapters on `Using TQM' present several studies of applications of quality management.