PurposeThis paper provides a model for IS planning for building flexibility and success, by considering volatile environment and the possibilities for leveraging the user's cognitive capabilities.Design/methodology/approachA review of existing IS planning models is given to identify the shortcomings in building flexibility and success. A model is evolved by hypothesizing user involvement in IS planning leads to IS flexibility; and flexibility in IS enables organizational flexibility and IS success. The control variables were considered at the user, IS, and organizational levels. The proposed model was examined by a questionnaire survey, in which 296 users and planners from 42 organizations participated.FindingsThe study results validated the proposed model that IS success and organizational flexibility could be achieved through IS flexibility, which could be generated by involving users in IS planning. Also, the study results have shown that user expectations, perceived personal usefulness, and users' internal flexibility possess a high driver power for user involvement.Research limitations/implicationsThe variables included in the model are not exhaustive, and the validity of the model has not been tested in a real life situation.Originality/valueThis paper explains the ways of collaborating with users and top management to plan a flexible IS by studying the impending changes in the environment.

This paper examines the evaluation of search engines by developing a conceptual model based on the literature. The model identifies the key factors that influence user evaluation of search engines, effective and efficient criteria for evaluation by considering user satisfaction and usage as the search engine success variables. The model attempts to identify the attributes that determine a good search engine, why users repeatedly visit their favorite search engines, and why users switch between different search engines. The research issues are evolved out of the conceptual model; the implications for searchers and search engine providers are given.

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Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to understand the decision process of enterprise software acquisition. The research aims to focus on identifying significant influences on enterprise software acquisition decisions. Design/methodology/approach -As a research model and theoretical background, the organizational buying model (OBB) is proposed for the acquisition of enterprise systems. Influences on enterprise software acquisition decision processes were found by an empirical study carried out from a practitioner's perspective. The study collected data via a mail survey administered to information systems (IS) professionals involved in the acquisition of enterprise software (ES). The survey questionnaire was developed based on a previous research project and a literature review. Organizational buying behavior (OBB) models in the literature served as the basis for the influences included in the survey instrument. Factor analysis was carried out on the survey data to identify the most significant factors/influences. Findings -The following five factors emerged as significant influences on the acquisition decision process of enterprise software: ES strategy and performance; BPR and adaptability; management commitment and user buy-in; single vendor integrated solution; and consultants, team-location, and vendor's financing. These factors are discussed and managerial implications are extracted. Conclusions are derived from the study findings and guidelines for further research are suggested.Research limitations/implications -The present study provides a starting point for further research in understanding a more comprehensive list of influences on enterprise software acquisition. A bigger sample from more industries is required to examine whether the significance of the influences remains stable. Originality/value -Using OBB models has proven to be useful for organizations in making effective decisions on enterprise software acquisition.

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This paper presents an empirical study to examine the relationship between IS flexibility, organizational flexibility, and competitive advantage. The study presumes IS usage and organizational learning as the intermediate variables. The study used a questionnaire survey to obtain responses from IS users. The survey was carried out with 296 user-respondents from 42 organizations across eight industrial sectors. For the purpose of gaining more insight into a variable, its dimensions were considered. These dimensions were evolved from the literature. The qualitative scales for the dimensions were explained with a scale table. The scale table was constructed using fuzzy possibility values. Each respondent used this table as a guideline before responding to each item in the questionnaire. The data analysis validates the relationship between IS flexibility, organizational flexibility, and competitive advantage. The results of path analysis confirmed that organizational flexibility and competitive advantage could be achieved through IS flexibility.

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The organisation that wants to build competitive advantages has to create and leverage its capabilities. One of the central bases for achieving competitive advantage is the organisational capability to create new knowledge and transfer it across various levels and parts of the organisation. Because knowledge is central to strategy formulation and implementation, knowledge management has become a key strategic task facing managers for achieving success in today's complex and dynamic environments. A major challenge facing strategic management is engineering and managing the individual and group level knowledge that facilitates better strategies and invokes commitment. A knowledge management based model of strategy formulation process is presented. Traditional strategy frameworks are evaluated and a comprehensive cognition and learning centered strategy framework is suggested as a better model of strategy formulation and implementation for achieving competitive advantage. The implications of the knowledge-based approach for strategic management practice and research are highlighted.