From IT Leveraging Competence to Competitive Advantage in Turbulent Environments: The Case of New Product Development

Abstract

A burning question for information systems (IS) researchers and practitioners is whether and how IT can build a competitive advantage in turbulent environments. To address this question, this study focuses on the business process level of analysis and introduces the construct of IT leveraging competence—the ability to effectively use IT functionalities. This construct is conceptualized in the context of new product development (NPD). IT leveraging competence is shown to indirectly influence competitive advantage in NPD through two key mediating links: functional competencies (the ability to effectively execute operational NPD processes) and dynamic capabilities (the ability to reconfigure functional competencies to address turbulent environments). Environmental turbulence is also shown to moderate the process by which IT leveraging competence influences competitive advantage in NPD. Empirical data were collected from 180 NPD managers. Through the construct of IT leveraging competence, the study shows that the effective use of IT functionalities, even generic functionalities, by business units can help build a competitive advantage. The study also shows that the strategic effect of IT leveraging competence is more pronounced in higher levels of environmental turbulence. This effect is not direct: It is fully mediated by both dynamic capabilities and functional competencies. Taken together, these findings suggest that IS researchers should look beyond the direct effects of firm-level IT infrastructures and focus their attention on how business units can leverage IT functionalities to better reconfigure and execute business processes. In turbulent environments, focusing on these aspects is even more vital.

L'innovation en PME et son accompagnement par les TIC : quels effets sur la performance ?

“…Différentes TIC peuvent renforcer la capacité d'innovation des entreprises ou en renforcer les retombées. Dans le contexte de l'innovation produit, Pavlou et El Sawy (2006) identifient trois situations dans lesquelles les compétences de développement de nouveaux produits peuvent être renforcées par les TIC : l'usage des systèmes de gestion de projet et gestion des ressources, l'usage des systèmes de gestion de connaissance, l'usage des systèmes de travail collaboratif. Concernant cette dernière activité, Banker et al (2006) montrent que l'utilisation des outils et logiciels collaboratifs renforce effectivement la collaboration entre les personnes chargées de l'innovation.…”

“…Notre investigation confirme et élargit donc les résultats des travaux portant sur l'utilisation de certaines technologies spécifiques comme soutien aux activités d'innovation (Pavlou et El Sawy, 2006 ;Banker et al, 2006 ;Tambe et al, 2012). Sans restreindre notre étude à des technologies déterminées ou des types d'innovations spécifiés, nous mettons en évidence un effet positif de l'innovativité des PME sur leur performance, dès lors qu'elles mobilisent des TIC pour accompagner leurs innovations, que ce soit en produits ou en procédés.…”

“…Appréhender les TIC comme levier des bénéfices retirés de l'innovativité des entreprises constitue la préoccupation centrale de notre recherche. Concrètement, ce rôle des TIC comme levier provient de leur capacité à accélérer le processus d'innovation ou à favoriser la capitalisation des savoirs R&D de l'entreprise (Pavlou et El Sawy, 2006) ou bien encore de leur capacité à mieux identifier les besoins émergents du marché (Tambe et al, 2012). Plusieurs travaux ont cherché à expliquer comment la propension des entreprises à associer leur capacité d'innovation à leur usage des technologies de l'information pouvait affecter leur performance (Huang et Liu, 2005 ;Dibrell et al, 2008 ;Kmieciak et al 2012 ;Raymond et al, 2013).…”

Performance Perspectives for Small and Medium Enterprises in Cameroon: Innovation and ICTs

“…Also, it is admitted that they could contribute more to the economic growth of Cameroon if they managed to find better combinations of information and communication technologies (ICT) and innovation in order to increase their produ ctivity and ensure a better performance. In a more general manner, the use of ICT as lever of the benefits of the innovativeness of the companies originates from their capacity to accelerate the process of innovation (Pavlou and Sawy, 2006) or their capacity to better identify the emergent needs of the market (Tambe et al, 2012). Many studies are of the opinion that the problems involved in the use of ICT tools in business practices and the separate or joint adoption of the various types of innovation are the first obstacles to the development of SMEs, rather in front of the problems of corruption, deficiency of the infrastructures or excess taxation (Huang and Liu, 2005;Dibrell et al, 2008).…”

The Effects of Mobile Service Quality and Technology Compatibility on Users’ Perceived Playfulness

“…Table 1 presents these first order factors. Services Quality [20] nature ships am -order fact utually reinforcing [21]. These factors c ntribute r-order structure, which can more rsimoniously explain a complex construct.…”