Navigating paradigm shifts and transitioning challenges for Customer Success: Learning from SaaS business models

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Iqbal, Taskeen; Gogulapati, Raji; Iqbal, Kiram

Abstract: Achieving Customer Success (CS) has become the primary goal for Anything as a s ... Expand

Abstract: Achieving Customer Success (CS) has become the primary goal for Anything as a service (XaaS) vendors with recurring revenue models to provide continuous value to their customers. This article attempts to present the theoretical insights on the key drivers of CS Management and proposes a conceptual framework based on 32 in-depth interviews with CS Practitioners. First, this article analyses the theoretical foundations and customer value management challenges for the newly emerging field of CS for subscription-based business models. Second, this article outlines three key drivers (prevent churn, increase success, ensure usage continuance from the conceptual framework) for CS from the voices of practicing CS professionals using the Grounded Theory Method (GTM). Third, this article analyzes the key drivers along with root cause analysis for churn and recognizes the practical implications of operating model shifts involved in moving to subscription models for XaaS vendors. Collapse

Topics: business model software as a service business-to-business value creation LinkedIn

Methods: qualitative interview grounded theory constant comparative analysis personal interview literature study

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory

How software as a service simultaneously affords organizational agility and inertia

2023 | Journal of Strategic Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Khalil, Sabine; Winkler, Till J.

Abstract: Although cloud computing is associated with organizational agility, anecdotal ev ... Expand

Abstract: Although cloud computing is associated with organizational agility, anecdotal evidence points to resistance to cloud computing by employees in information technology (IT) units. We explored the links between software as a service (SaaS) and organizational agility by conducting two stages of interviews with key informants in large organizations, and by employing affordance and inertia-theoretical lenses. Two basic affordances emerged from the retroductive data analysis –implementing quickly and sourcing independently – which in turn yielded two higher-level affordances: trialing alternatives and self-organizing business teams. We developed a model that explains how and why these four affordances enhance agility by accelerating the sensing-toacting process of organizations. We also describe how five categories of organizational inertia in IT units hinder agility. Our main contribution is how adopting SaaS applications enables orga­ nizational agility while highlighting the role of IT unit inertia in SaaS affordance actualization processes. Collapse

Topics: software as a service affordance cloud computing user experience usability

Methods: qualitative interview field study personal interview theoretical contribution longitudinal research

Theories: theory of affordance

The Impact of Cloud Computing on Firm Performance through Operational Capability

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Mohammed, Niaz; Yoo, Chul Woo

Abstract: Previous literature has shown that the adoption of cloud computing improves the ... Expand

Abstract: Previous literature has shown that the adoption of cloud computing improves the firm performance. However, the path through which cloud computing creates firm performance is not adequately answered in the literature. Adopting the Resource-Based View (RBV), we propose that cloud computing adoption creates operational capability for the firm, which will drive superior firm performance. We will use a two-stage econometric model to test our chain hypothesis to understand better the impact of operational capability creation of cloud computing on the firm's performance. Moreover, we will investigate whether the presence of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the Top Management Team (TMT) moderates the operational capability of cloud computing. Collapse

Topics: cloud computing Chief Information Officer organizational productivity database system infrastructure as a service

Methods: econometric modeling Compustat statistical hypothesis test Capital IQ literature study

Theories: resource based view of the firm

IIoT platforms’ architectural features – a taxonomy and five prevalent archetypes

2022 | Electronic Markets | Citations: 0

Authors: Arnold, Laurin; Jöhnk, Jan; Vogt, Florian; Urbach, Nils

Abstract: In the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital platforms have recently rec ... Expand

Abstract: In the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital platforms have recently received significant attention. Although IIoT platforms revolve around similar business objectives, they address various use cases and, thus, differ considerably in their architectural setup. While research has already investigated IIoT platforms from a business or design perspective, little is known about their underlying technology stack and its implications. To unveil different IIoT platform configurations and better understand their architectural design, we systematically develop and validate a taxonomy of IIoT platforms’ architectural features based on related literature, real-world cases, and expert interviews. On this foundation, we identify and discuss five IIoT platform archetypes (Allrounder, Device Controller, Data Hub, Service Enabler, Connector). Our findings contribute to the descriptive knowledge in this ambiguous research field while also elucidating the interplay of IIoT platforms’ architectural setup and their purpose. From a managerial viewpoint, our results may guide practitioners in comparing and selecting a suitable IIoT platform. Collapse

Topics: mobile system internet of things digital platform business model application programming interface

Methods: qualitative interview cluster analysis hierarchical clustering machine learning computational algorithm

Estimating the impact of cloud computing on firm performance: An empirical investigation of listed firms

2022 | Information & Management | Citations: 17

Authors: Chen, Xi; Guo, Ming; Shangguan, Wuyue

Abstract: This study empirically investigates the economic impact of cloud service adoptio ... Expand

Abstract: This study empirically investigates the economic impact of cloud service adoption on firm performance. We exploit the difference-in-differences models coupled with propensity score-based matching to estimate the per­ formance effect of cloud computing on worldwide listed firms that adopted cloud service during 2010–2016. The results indicate that cloud computing has a significant and positive impact on the profitability and market value of listed firms with varying degrees in both short and long time periods. In addition, the magnitude of the performance effect varies with firm size and industry type. This research contributes to empirical examination on the economic values of IT investments. Collapse

Topics: cloud computing organizational productivity IT investment accounting software as a service

Methods: experimental group propensity score method longitudinal research autocorrelation analysis quasi experiment

A Deeper Look at Cloud Adoption Trajectory and Dilemma

2022 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 1

Authors: Hsu, Pei-Fang

Abstract: Different from previous cloud adoption studies that focus on the benefits and co ... Expand

Abstract: Different from previous cloud adoption studies that focus on the benefits and concerns of cloud computing from a technology point of view, this study takes a deeper look at two additional firm-specific forces that could better explain firms’ cloud adoption trajectory and dilemma: Path dependency and Institutional forces. Path dependency theory argues that if a firm has invested intensively in traditional IT, it may be more capable of adopting and utilizing new IT since it has accumulated knowledge. However, the firm could also be trapped in its previous path and reluctant to migrate to cloud to avoid sunk costs and switching costs. On the other hand, institutional theory provides an external view and posit that a firm facing more institutional forces from its trading community will have more incentives, as well as pressure, to adopt cloud. We developed a cloud adoption model that features benefits, concerns, path dependency, and institutional forces as prominent antecedents to understand their competing and complementary effects, and empirically tested the proposed model using 177 firms. The results show that, path dependence is indeed an important factor affecting firms’ cloud adoption behaviors; a firm with a better IT position and more satisfying IT outsourcing experiences will have greater cloud adoption intention. Institutional forces do not directly affect cloud adoption intention. Instead, institutional forces increase perceived benefits, through which, indirectly influence cloud adoption intention. The findings delineate the trajectory and dilemma that firms face when migrating to cloud and provide insights to cloud vendors in choosing their target market. Collapse

Topics: cloud computing outsourcing IT job platform as a service software as a service

Methods: survey partial least squares regression PLS tool factor analysis case study

Theories: institutional theory

In Cloud We Trust? Co-opting Occupational Gatekeepers to Produce Normalized Trust in Platform-Mediated Interorganizational Relationships

2022 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Karunakaran, Arvind

Abstract: Interorganizational trust plays an important role in facilitating business relat ... Expand

Abstract: Interorganizational trust plays an important role in facilitating business relationships, especially for the organizational adoption of new services. Prior research suggests that interorganizational trust develops when the trustor has adequate confidence in the reliability of the trustee’s services. Nevertheless, reliability breakdowns are also an inevitable part of service provisioning. Such breakdowns are especially prominent and visible in the context of platform-based services. Yet platform-based services continue to be adopted and used by organizational customers. This increased adoption and use of such services despite their inconsistent reliability pose the following question. How is trust produced in platform-mediated interorganizational relationships? To examine this question, I conducted a 20-month field study of a cloud computing platform provider and its customers, focusing on the practices of trust production in the wake of reliability breakdowns. Here, I describe customer concerns about the platform’s inconsistent reliability that hampered the development of interorganizational trust. I then identify four practices of trust work enacted by the platform provider to address some of these concerns and to co-opt the occupational gatekeepers in customer organizations who are responsible for technology adoption decisions. Following this, I describe how and why these occupational gatekeepers performed justification work to rationalize the continued use of the platform despite its inconsistent reliability. Together, trust work and justification work facilitate the coproduction of interorganizational trust through normalizing reliability breakdowns as “business-as-usual” events. Synthesizing these findings, I developed a normalization model of trust production, and discuss the implications of normalized trust for platform-mediated interorganizational relationships in the digital economy. Collapse

Topics: cloud computing interorganizational relationship IT manager electronic mail digital economy

Methods: field study qualitative interview archival research ethnography qualitative coding

Organizational agility through outsourcing: Roles of IT alignment, cloud computing and knowledge transfer

2021 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Deng, Chun-Ping; Wang, Tao; Teo, Thompson S.H.; Song, Qi

Abstract: This study introduces the concept of outsourcing appropriation based on adaptive ... Expand

Abstract: This study introduces the concept of outsourcing appropriation based on adaptive structuration theory (AST) to explore how organizations attain IT-dependent organizational agility through outsourcing appropriation. It ex­ amines the mediating role of IT alignment and the moderating roles of the adoption of cloud computing and knowledge transfer. The proposed model was tested using survey data from a sample of 170 IT executives. Our results indicate that the consensus of appropriation (COA) and faithfulness of appropriation (FOA) are positively associated with IT-dependent organizational agility, and the relationships are partially mediated by IT align­ ment. When adoption of cloud computing is high, the positive relationship between IT alignment and ITdependent organizational agility becomes stronger than when it is low. Interestingly, results also show that the moderating roles of the transfer of explicit knowledge and transfer of tacit knowledge in the relationship between outsourcing appropriation and IT-dependent organizational agility vary significantly. The transfer of explicit knowledge negatively moderates the relationship between COA and agility. The transfer of tacit knowledge positively moderates the relationship between FOA and agility. These findings deepen our under­ standing of how organizations gain IT-dependent organizational agility in the context of IT outsourcing. Collapse

Topics: outsourcing IT alignment cloud computing implicit knowledge explicit knowledge

Methods: survey statistical hypothesis test data transformation descriptive statistic cross sectional research

Theories: structuration theory adaptive structuration theory agency theory

Towards an Implementation of Blockchain-based Collaboration Platforms in Supply Chain Networks: A Requirements Analysis

2021 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Herm, Lukas-Valentin; Janiesch, Christian

Abstract: The competitiveness and speed of international markets have created significant ... Expand

Abstract: The competitiveness and speed of international markets have created significant pressure from competitors, forcing companies to collaborate with foreign companies. To address this situation, companies use supply chain networks (SCN) to concentrate on their core competencies while sourcing the remainder of (pre-)products or services. This situation often causes a lack of trust as the application of hard-to-trace illegal practices through complex SCN is a threat. The blockchain provides a solution for chaining data, enabling trust in its tamper-proof storage, even if there is no trust between business parties. Using blockchain also provides the opportunity to automate and monitor processes within digital SCNs in real-time. This paper aims to identify requirements for a blockchain-based collaboration platform in SCNs. We define the requirements based on a literature review and expert interviews. We use an additional survey to validate and prioritizes these 45 requirements. Collapse

Topics: blockchain smart contract cloud computing Ethereum requirements analysis

Methods: qualitative interview literature study survey structured literature research synthesis

Blockchain out of the Box – Where is the Blockchain in Blockchain-as-a-Service?

2021 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Kernahan, Alan; Bernskov, Ulrik; Beck, Roman

Abstract: Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) is increasingly discussed as a way for companies ... Expand

Abstract: Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) is increasingly discussed as a way for companies to get started with blockchain projects. Different BaaS offerings are available, but a systematic categorization of what BaaS comprises is missing. In this research, we analyze the service offerings of BaaS providers based on available online information and identify a number of common characteristics in the BaaS offerings related to the use of service types, distributed ledger technology (DLT) systems, consensus mechanisms, and pricing models. These characteristics are then further analyzed in the light of available literature on BaaS, as well as conducted expert interviews. The objective of this research is to provide an overview of the BaaS landscap,e as well as a taxonomy that provides guidance for researchers and practitioners alike interested in BaaS. Collapse

Topics: blockchain price management Hyperledger Ethereum Oracle database

Methods: qualitative interview computational algorithm desk research personal interview literature study