This paper, selected for the category “Best papers from 1959 to 2008”, was first published in WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK 43(4)2001:339–350 and has been revised for reprint. The paper examines the situation of information systems (IS) outsourcing in a business sector intrinsic to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). A survey among German SMEs in a specific manufacturing industry yielded the fol...

The theory of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) has been developed almost exclusively from the study of large deals by large firms. In this paper we argue that the behaviour and success of M&As by small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) may be significantly different. Accordingly, we revisit established M&A theories, and develop a theoretical framework, and several testable hypotheses, regardin...

SMEs (smallto medium-sized enterprises) in the manufacturing industry are impacted by enormous changes in their business processes. E-commerce-related developments have reduced the importance of physical branches and moved it toward more sophisticated and e-commerceenabled supply chains for products and services. This article analyzes the differences among SMEs in the manufacturing sector in fo...

Enterprise architecture (EA) is used to improve the alignment of different facets of a company. The recognition for the need of EA in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has recently risen as a means to manage complexity and change [1]. Due to the specific problems and characteristics of SMEs, a different approach is necessary. CHOOSE was therefore developed as an EA approach focused on a...

The goals of this paper are to 1) examine the current practices of diagnostics, prognostics, and maintenance employed by United States (U.S.) manufacturers to achieve productivity and quality targets and 2) to understand the present level of maintenance technologies and strategies that are being incorporated into these practices. A study is performed to contrast the impact of various industry-s...

The purpose of this research is to evaluate to which degree small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use process management techniques and methods. The findings result from 20 interviews that were conducted in 11 smalland medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing and service sector in Austria. The information retrieved from the interviews was used to rate the overall process management per...

Nowadays, rapid changes in information technology (IT) force enterprises to adapt new developments. IT is critical to the success of most businesses especially small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). In recent years, the information technologies are started to be used frequently by SMEs in Turkey but unfortunately the usage has not reached to desired levels yet. The aim of this study is to i...

This paper empirically investigates whether information technology (IT) strategies, business strategies, and divisions are aligned to meet overall business goals for Korean Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), based on structure based Strategic Alignment Model, and make comparison with those of Japanese SMEs. Using 2,869 valid responses of Korean Human Capital Corporate Panel survey, a re...

SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) make a vital contribution to the economic and social well being of most European nations. Many SMEs have invested in an e-commerce presence on the Internet. They are motivated by the potential benefits, which include increased competitiveness and efficiency. In the U.K. there are many examples of entrepreneurial SMEs that have successfully embraced e-co...

This paper provides key results from an exploratory research study aimed at understanding the current landscape in smalland medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa with regard to their appetite for, and use of, open innovation. The survey, which was conducted within a contained group of SMEs that belong to business network groups on LinkedIn, explored the current use and perception of o...