Information Technology Projects by International Logistics Services Providers: The Case of Canada's Small Customs Brokers

Abstract

This study explores the motives and effects of information and communication technology (ICT) investments made by some of Canada's small customs brokers. Like other providers of support services for global supply chain operations, customs brokers have been implored to recognize the significant rewards of effectively deployed ICT. Using qualitative data on eight small Canadian customs brokers, this study determines the extent to which expectation of those rewards motivated the workers' ICT investments. Drawing on institutional theory to complement the analysis, the study finds that the motives transcend belief in ICT projects' inherent utility. This and related findings on the impact of ICT projects on the brokers, extend knowledge concerning the study of important ICT investment decisions in the context of trans‐border goods movement. Résumé Cette étude examine les motifs et les effets des investissements rélisés dans la technologie de l'information et de la communication (ICT) par de petits agents en douane canadiens. Comme d'autres fournisseurs d'abonnement de maintenance des opárations de chaîne d'approvision‐nements, ces agents étaient invités à identifier les récompenses considérables liées au déploiement efficace de l'ICT. À partir de données qualitatives portant sur huit agents, l'étude s'attelle à déterminer dans quelle mesure l'espérance des récompenses motive les investissements. S'inspirant de la théorie institutionnelle pour compléter l'analyse, l'étude constate que les motifs dépassent la croyance en l'utilité intrinsèque des projets ICT. Cette conclusion et l'impact des projets sur les agents, s'inscrit dans le prolongement des études sur les décisions d'investissement en ICT dans le contexte du commerce transfrontalier.

The Diffusion and Use of Institutional Theory: A Cross-Disciplinary Longitudinal Literature Survey

“…The theory offers a good conceptual basis for studying transformational change in new environments such as the public sector (e.g. as shown in the studies by Haughton, 2006;Currie and Guah, 2007;and Davidson and Chismar, 2007). These studies offer insights into relatively new and large-scale change initiatives that are complex and difficult to study.…”

“…Examples (2001), Chatterjee et al (2002), Dill and Anderson (2003), Teo et al (2003), Cavalluzzo and Ittner (2004), Miranda and Kim (2006), Salmeron and Bueno (2006), Ituma and Simpson (2007), Liang et al (2007), Nevo et al (2007), Soares-Aguiar and Palma-Dos-Reis (2008) Descriptive/Conceptual/ Theoretical (4) Robey and Boudreau (1999), Cannon and Woszczynski (2002), Chismar & Davidson (2005), Mark (2007) Interpretive (11) Lyytinen (1998, 2001), Butler (2003), Ramiller and Swanson (2003), Tingling and Parent (2004), Sawyer et al (2005), Haughton (2006), Bala and Venkatesh (2007), Davidson and Chismar (2007), Hu et al (2007), Miscione (2007), Hayes (2008) Research methodology: Empirical vs non-empirical Empirical (24) Lyytinen (1998, 2001), Sandberg (2001), Chatterjee et al (2002), Butler (2003), Dill and Anderson (2003), Ramiller and Swanson (2003), Teo et al (2003), Cavalluzzo and Ittner (2004), Tingling and Parent (2004), Sawyer et al (2005), Haughton (2006), Miranda and Kim (2006), Salmeron and Bueno (2006), Bala and Venkatesh (2007), Davi...…”

“…They develop and test a theoretical model to investigate the (2003) Multi-method (3) Ramiller and Swanson (2003), Sawyer et al (2005), Ituma and Simpson (2007) Field study (1) Davidson and Chismar (2007) Ethnography (1) Miscione (2007) Technology and research issues studied Role of collaborative workflow technology (Hayes, 2008); e-procurement systems adoption (Soares-Aguiar and Palma-DosReis, 2008); Computerized Physician Order Entry (Davidson and Chismar, 2007); career anchors that exist in IT workers (Ituma and Simpson, 2007); IO Business Process Standards (Bala and Venkatesh, 2007); Improving IS Security ; technology adoption in health care organisations (NHS) (Currie and Guah, 2007;Mark, 2007); telemedicine introduction in Peru (Miscione, 2007); adoption of Internet business solution (Nevo et al, 2007); assimilation of enterprise systems (Liang et al, 2007); Outsourcing (Currie, 2004;Miranda and Kim, 2006); Effects of IT/IS on SMEs (Salmeron and Bueno, 2006); impact of IT investments on SMEs (Haughton, 2006); industry in IS research (Chismar & Davidson, 2005); role of ICT in residential real estate industry (Sawyer et al, 2005); enterprise technology selection and evaluation (Tingling and Parent, 2004;Liang et al, 2007); implementing performance measures innovation (Cavalluzzo and Ittner, 2004); ethics of ICT use in educational institutions (Dill and Anderson, 2003); Organising vision for IT (Ramiller and Swanson, 2003); developing and implementing intranet-and internet-based IS (Butler, 2003); adoption of IO linkages (Teo et al, 2003); crises and revolutions in IT (Cannon and Woszczynski, 2002); shaping up e-commerce (Chatterjee et al, 2002); diffusion of EDI (Teo et al, 2003;…”

“…For instance, in their article, Dill and Anderson (2003) explore the diffusion of ethics-related technology policies in US schools using neo-institutional theory as a means to explain why some schools are establishing such policies while others are not. Haughton (2006) uses institutional theory to analyse what institutional isomorphic pressures might be influencing the Canadian customs brokers' ICT projects. In doing so, the author reasons that the motives for an organisation's decision to undertake an ICT project transcend belief in the project's inherent utility.…”

ICT implementation process model for logistics service providers

“…Studies conducted by Bienstock and Royne (2010), Iskandar and Saadah (2010), Lao et al (2012) and Wang et al (2008) demonstrate that ICT is a critical and determining factor of LSP performance and competitiveness, and explain that the LSPs with the best combination of performance and efficiency are those that deploy the most advanced ICT, which directly affects activity synchronization and supply chain coordination. Other benefits of using ICT in LSP operations which have been identified in the literature include greater order processing flexibility, increased productivity, greater flexibility in service offerings, service level increases, better resource management and use, minimization of errors and problems in daily operations, lead‐time reduction, and reductions in administration, raw material, inventory, and transactional costs (Haughton, 2006; Lao et al , 2012; Pokharel, 2005; Wang et al , 2008).…”