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Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2021) | Viewed by 133608

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Information Systems & Analytics, Farmer School of Business, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, United States
Interests: Cybersecurity; Digital Business Strategy; Predictive Modeling; Enterprise Systems; IT adoption; Business Analytics; Social Media Strategy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The current business landscape is witnessing a radical transformation triggered by the emergence of digital technologies. Digital technologies, which refers to the combination of information, computing, communication, and connectivity technologies (Bharadwaj et al., 2013), are viewed as key imperatives for firms seeking to remain competitive and retain market positions (Yoo et al., 2012). More recently, many innovations in products, services, and business models have been attributed to the enabling roles of new digital technologies, such as social media, mobile platforms, the cloud, embedded devices, big data, analytics, and artificial intelligence (Nwankpa and Datta 2017; Vial 2019; Castagna et al., 2020). As a result, digital business strategy has emerged as an important phenomenon both for researchers and practitioners. Unsurprisingly, during this period of an unprecedented global lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, societies, government agencies, and businesses alike have been forced to build and leverage digital platforms to communication, trace, track, and coordinate efforts aimed at minimizing the impact of COVID-19. Our society is increasingly transforming and deploying digital innovations to areas such as telehealth, education using remote learning video-conferencing platforms, retail and services using mobile devices, and various digitally enabled payment platforms. Such radical changes inevitably require different theoretical and practical understanding as managers grapple with developing and deploying effective digital business strategy.  

Despite the burgeoning research on these emerging digital technologies, many important questions remain unanswered (Vial 2019; Davenport and Westerman 2018). It is still unclear how businesses, societies, government agencies, and various stakeholders can effectively develop and deploy digital business strategies across various segments of society. Furthermore, there is dearth of research on how digital technologies and strategies are shaping firm’s sustainability efforts. Indeed, little research exists on the boundary conditions that foster the development and implementation of digital business strategies needed to drive digital innovation initiatives and enterprise-wide transformation (Nwankpa and Datta 2017). Therefore, this Special Issue intends to expand this emerging work and drive a research agenda on information systems and digital business strategy. We invite papers that address interesting questions around digitization and digital business strategy. We seek a wide range of interdisciplinary research in content, theory, perspectives, and methods.

Dr. Joseph K. Nwankpa
Guest Editor

References

  1. Bharadwaj, A., El Sawy, O. A., Pavlou, P. A., & Venkatraman, N. (2013). Digital business strategy: toward a next generation of insights. MIS Quarterly, 471-482.
  2. Castagna, F.; Centobelli, P.; Cerchione, R.; Esposito, E.; Oropallo, E.; Passaro, R. (2020) Customer Knowledge Management in SMEs Facing Digital Transformation. Sustainability, 12, 3899.
  3. Davenport, T. H., & Westerman, G. (2018). Why so many high-profile digital transformations fail. Harvard Business Review, 9, 15.
  4. Nwankpa, J. K., & Datta, P. (2017). Balancing exploration and exploitation of IT resources: the influence of Digital Business Intensity on perceived organizational performance. European Journal of Information Systems, 26(5), 469-488.
  5. Vial, G. (2019). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28, 118-144.
  6. Yoo, Y., Boland Jr, R. J., Lyytinen, K., & Majchrzak, A. (2012). Organizing for innovation in the digitized world. Organization Science, 23(5), 1398-1408.

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Digital Business Strategy
  • Digital Transformation
  • Digital Innovation
  • Sustainability

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 2798 KiB  
Article
The Impact of EA-Driven Dynamic Capabilities, Innovativeness, and Structure on Organizational Benefits: A Variance and fsQCA Perspective
by Rogier van de Wetering, Tom Hendrickx, Sjaak Brinkkemper and Sherah Kurnia
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5414; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105414 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4310
Abstract
Enterprise Architecture (EA) allows firms to create value on the firm and operational levels. This paper argues that firms’ EA-driven dynamic capabilities lead to innovative value-creating actions and, ultimately, improve organizational benefits. Hence, we propose a theoretical model that explains how these dynamic [...] Read more.
Enterprise Architecture (EA) allows firms to create value on the firm and operational levels. This paper argues that firms’ EA-driven dynamic capabilities lead to innovative value-creating actions and, ultimately, improve organizational benefits. Hence, we propose a theoretical model that explains how these dynamic capabilities enable the innovativeness of firms. Moreover, we explain the contingent role of an organic firm structure and its relation to firm innovativeness. Data within this study is collected from 299 CIOs and IT managers. This study uses a variance-based approach and a complementary fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze the model’s hypothesized relationships. Our study outcomes demonstrate a positive relationship between EA-driven dynamic capabilities and firms’ innovativeness as well as between innovation and organizational benefits. Our post-hoc analyses using fsQCA reveal various circumstances in which organic firm structure and valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutional (VRIN) firm resources are particularly relevant for firms to obtain high levels of firm innovativeness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy)
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24 pages, 745 KiB  
Article
Role of Government to Enhance Digital Transformation in Small Service Business
by Chun-Liang Chen, Yao-Chin Lin, Wei-Hung Chen, Cheng-Fu Chao and Henry Pandia
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1028; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031028 - 20 Jan 2021
Cited by 179 | Viewed by 41188
Abstract
In the digital economy era, small service business struggle to compete in a rapidly changing and dynamic market. Therefore, through digital transformation (DT), small service business seek to increase their competitive advantage, improve business performance, and achieve business growth. Having limited resources and [...] Read more.
In the digital economy era, small service business struggle to compete in a rapidly changing and dynamic market. Therefore, through digital transformation (DT), small service business seek to increase their competitive advantage, improve business performance, and achieve business growth. Having limited resources and capabilities, small service business must deal with several barriers and challenges. This study aims to discover the barriers, and the roles of government, for digital transformation in small service business. This study applied a qualitative approach involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with top management of small service business. Then, we employed the content analysis method to examine interview data and construct a model. This research reveals four main barriers to digital transformation in small service business: lack of funding, lack of digital capability, lack of human resources, and technical barriers. We found there are four government roles for supporting digital transformation in small service business: build a digital platform for small service business, promote mobile/digital payment, provide digital training, and build a digital collaboration ecosystem. Additionally, based on this study’s findings, a model for barriers and government support of digital transformation in small service business is presented. This study contributes to the conceptual framework and management implications in the digital transformation field. The study’s findings provide insights to practitioners and suggest that the government could alter the current policies and programs to support digital transformation in small service business. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy)
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17 pages, 1709 KiB  
Article
Digital Identity Management on Social Media: Exploring the Factors That Influence Personal Information Disclosure on Social Media
by Joseph Kwame Adjei, Samuel Adams, Isaac Kofi Mensah, Peter Ebo Tobbin and Solomon Odei-Appiah
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9994; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239994 - 30 Nov 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 14427
Abstract
A number of social media platforms have emerged as dominant medium for societal discourse, enabling significant user involvement in creation and shaping of social media contents. However, the phenomenon raises the challenge of digital identity management on such platforms in order to maintain [...] Read more.
A number of social media platforms have emerged as dominant medium for societal discourse, enabling significant user involvement in creation and shaping of social media contents. However, the phenomenon raises the challenge of digital identity management on such platforms in order to maintain reputations and ensure information privacy preservation. This study examined the factors that influence users’ decision to disclose personal information on Social Media and their antecedents. We employed a mixed-methods approach based on analysis of data of 250 respondents from tertiary institutions in Ghana, and 8 focus group discussions comprising 86 participants. The results revealed a lack of user awareness and appreciation of the limitations of the privacy settings on social media platforms. Secondly, we observed that users’ ability to establish the legitimacy of parties to social media interactions are fundamental requirements in how individuals engage social media. Finally, there is a disparity between information privacy concerns and actual privacy practices of users on social media. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy)
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27 pages, 2502 KiB  
Article
Organizational Governance, Social Bonds and Information Security Policy Compliance: A Perspective towards Oil and Gas Employees
by Rao Faizan Ali, P.D.D. Dominic and Kashif Ali
Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8576; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208576 - 16 Oct 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5684
Abstract
Information security attacks on oil and gas (O&G) organizations have increased since the last decade. From 2015 to 2019, almost 70 percent of O&G organizations faced at least one significant security breach worldwide. Research has shown that 43 percent of security attacks on [...] Read more.
Information security attacks on oil and gas (O&G) organizations have increased since the last decade. From 2015 to 2019, almost 70 percent of O&G organizations faced at least one significant security breach worldwide. Research has shown that 43 percent of security attacks on O&G organizations occur due to the non-compliant behavior of O&G employees towards information security policy. The existing literature provides multiple solutions for technical security controls of O&G organizations. However, there are very few studies available that address behavioral security controls, specifically for O&G organizations of developing countries. The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive framework for information security policy compliance (ISPC) for the O&G sector. A mixed-method approach is used to develop the research framework. Semi-structured interviews from O&G specialists refined the developed framework. Based on qualitative study a survey questionnaire was developed. To evaluate the research framework, structural equation modeling was applied to a sample of 254 managers/executives from 150 Malaysian O&G organizations. The obtained test results confirmed the proposed research model, according to which good social bonding among employees plays a critical role in improving ISPC. However, there was less support for the notion that all organizational governance factors significantly improve the social bonding of Malaysian O&G organizations employees. This paper contributes to the current information system (IS) literature by exploring the interrelationships among organizational governance, social bonding, and information security policy compliance (ISPC) in Malaysian O&G organizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy)
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26 pages, 664 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Effect of Digital Investment on IT Innovation
by Joseph K. Nwankpa and Jeffrey W. Merhout
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7374; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187374 - 8 Sep 2020
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 7774
Abstract
Using the technology-organization-environment framework, this study examines three antecedents of digital investment as well as the influence of digital investment on IT innovation. The empirical evidence from a sample of Chief Information Officers (CIO)from US firms suggests that IT competence, competitive pressure and [...] Read more.
Using the technology-organization-environment framework, this study examines three antecedents of digital investment as well as the influence of digital investment on IT innovation. The empirical evidence from a sample of Chief Information Officers (CIO)from US firms suggests that IT competence, competitive pressure and organizational agility are key factors that influence digital investment. Furthermore, the findings confirm the positive relationship between digital investment and IT innovation. Contrary to prior research, IT competence did not have a significant relationship with IT innovation. However, the results revealed that digital investment mediated the relationship between IT competence and IT innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy)
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17 pages, 1023 KiB  
Article
Does Social Media Marketing and Brand Community Play the Role in Building a Sustainable Digital Business Strategy?
by Ching-Wei Ho and Yu-Bing Wang
Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6417; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166417 - 10 Aug 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 11587
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of customer relationships on a brand’s social network website (BSN) for virtual and physical retail channels in the digital business environment. The authors also further explore the sustainable customer relationships with virtual and physical retail channels (i.e., consumer–community [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effects of customer relationships on a brand’s social network website (BSN) for virtual and physical retail channels in the digital business environment. The authors also further explore the sustainable customer relationships with virtual and physical retail channels (i.e., consumer–community identification, CCI; and consumer–retailer love, C-R Love) and customer attitudinal/behavioral loyalty toward a retailer (re-purchase and word of mouth, WOM). The authors develop a framework to describe and examine the connections among customer relationships for BSN, CCI, C-R Love, and user loyalty for a retailer. Furthermore, it tests the mediating effects of virtual (i.e., CCI) and physical (i.e., C-R Love) channels on the correlation between BSN relationships and customer loyalty. The model and hypotheses in this study employ structural equation modeling with survey data. The study shows that partial customer relationships in BSNs directly or indirectly influence CCI and C-R Love, and both CCI and C-R Love positively influence re-purchase intentions and WOM communications. This study contributes a unique model for a process by which the customer relationships in BSNs can affect a sustainable retail loyalty through the virtual/physical channels. This finding can be viewed as pioneering and as setting a benchmark for future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy)
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Review

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18 pages, 1078 KiB  
Review
The Effect of Blockchain Technology on Supply Chain Sustainability Performances
by Arim Park and Huan Li
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 1726; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041726 - 5 Feb 2021
Cited by 276 | Viewed by 46873
Abstract
Improving supply chain sustainability is an essential part of achieving the UN’s sustainable goals. Digitalization, such as blockchain technology, shows the potential to reshape supply chain management. Using distributed ledger technology, the blockchain platform provides a digital system and database to record the [...] Read more.
Improving supply chain sustainability is an essential part of achieving the UN’s sustainable goals. Digitalization, such as blockchain technology, shows the potential to reshape supply chain management. Using distributed ledger technology, the blockchain platform provides a digital system and database to record the transactions along the supply chain. This decentralized database of transactions brings transparency, reliability, traceability, and efficiency to the supply chain management. This paper focuses on such novel blockchain-based supply chain management and its sustainability performances in the areas of environmental protection, social equity, and governance efficiency. Using a systematic literature review and two case studies, we evaluate whether the three sustainability indicators can be improved indirectly along supply chains based on blockchain technology. Our study shows that blockchain technology has the potential to improve supply chain sustainability performance, and we expect blockchain technology to rise in popularity in supply chain management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Information Systems and Digital Business Strategy)
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