Throughout the centuries, business lives have been changing and modifying. Each era in history brought new needs, demands and requirements. During the Agricultural era land and tools played important roles, while during the Industrial era machines and factories played a dominant role in shaping the organisational and social structures. Today, we find ourselves in the Information era where Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has a crucial role and has become an integral business component. Survival of businesses nowadays depends strongly on how well they can use ICT to enhance their business processes. Successful electronic transformation is determined by how well companies can identify and implement the eTransformation requirements and with it adjust to the demands of the Information era. Previous research indicates that Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in particular are struggling to find the optimal way in which to track, guide and measure their eTransformation journey. In order to identify this, the following research question was proposed: "How can SMEs guide, track and measure the progress made along the eTransformation journey? The Researcher identified that to conduct this investigation the Cynefin framework would be the most suitable methodology. The framework provides techniques and methods to move the problem from one domain to the other until the solution is found. Furthermore, the methodology is based on the concept that each problem and the difficulty of solving it, can be classified into one of the Cynefin domains namely: Chaos, the extreme of the unknown, Complex, Knowable and Known, the solution. When conducting the literature review and studying the eTransformation of the SMEs today the Researcher identified that the problem that requires the identification of "How SMEs can guide, track and measure the progress made along the eTransformation journey" is in the Cynefin domain of Chaos as at that time there is no known solutions to the problem. To find out the best way to move the problem from unknown closer to the solution, in this case from Chaos to Complex, the Researcher studied currently known data. The study helped identify issues and challenges of eTransformation and reasons why companies throughout the history wanted to undertake transformation and change. Moreover, the study helped the Researcher understand the situation SMEs were facing and has allowed the Researcher to identify new pattern formations. This brought the problem into the Complex domain where now patterns were emerging and desirable ones required stabilisation. Therefore, to understand the patterns better the Researcher studied models of Organisational Change and eTransformation. The studies identified that the eTransformation Road Map assesses eTransformation along the Dimension of IT Tools and Systems the most comprehensively. Furthermore, the study revealed that eTransformation is a staged process and that it is influenced not only by the ICT factors, but also by other non- ICT factors, therefore that it is multidimensional. To identify other dimensions the Researcher, through case studies, pinpointed Key Features of eTransformation as well as that Tasks and Processes are one of the other dimensions playing a role in eTransformation. While studying eTransformation models the Researcher also reviewed models used to measure the effectiveness of ICT within the organisations (Valuations Model) where it was identified that eTransformation cannot be measured in monetary values. Therefore, to identify possible measurement criteria, the Researcher continued to study Characteristics of eTransformation through case study narratives, which helped pattern stabilisation. Conducted narrative analysis identified that to pinpoint dimensions, which influence eTransformation, dimensions of the 7 S Model would need to be studied. The investigation was conducted through interviews. Data analysis of the interviews allowed the Researcher to identify four Dimensions crucial for eTransformation. Firstly, eTransforming SMEs are required to identify their Strategy - business goals and values, following by Structure - business departments and functions, then business Tasks and Processes - essential activities for business operations so that an SME can achieve their set goals and objectives, and finally IT Tools and Systems - business technology essential to complete set activities quickly and smoothly. Following the above finding the Researcher studied eTransforming SMEs with the aim of identifying characteristics of companies for each of the eTransformation dimensions across eTransformation stages. Following the identification of eTransformation Dimensions and their Characteristics, questions, abilities and recommendations for the model, eT Guide, that can be used to track, guide and measure eTransformation were tested and applied to 30 SMEs. The study resulted in the production of eT Reports which SMEs could now use to track, measure and guide their eTransformation journey. This led to the identification of the eT Guide requirements which brought this research closer to the solution and moved the problem from the Complex domain into Knowable where an expert, here the Researcher, had the solution to the problem. Next step for the Researcher was to move the problem from the Knowable domain into Known and design and develop an online eT Guide System that SMEs could use themselves. As a result of this research, the problem has been moved from the Chaos domain into a solution of the Known domain which is accessible to the SMEs. The solution, eT Guide, can now be used by all eTransforming SMEs themselves. By answering a series of yes / no questions, SMEs can identify their current eTransformation stage, their abilities - what they can do with the resources they currently have and their recommendations - what they could do in order to improve in the form of an eT Report. Furthermore, the system allows organisations to regularly track and measure their progress through features of eT History and eT Position. In the years to come, it is expected that the eT Guide will help assist eTransforming businesses and provide them with the essentials that would help them sustain pressures of the Information era.
| Date of Award | 2009 |
|---|
| Original language | English |
|---|