‘Factors Affecting Intention to Adopt Cloud-Based ERP from a Comprehensive Approach’ by Byungchan Ahn and Hyunchul Ahn focuses on the cooperation of enterprises’ resource planning and the change to cloud-based systems from prior on-premise strategies. Such a modification is connected to an enhancement of sustainability throughout a business’s operation as is seen through empirical evidence collected throughout the study. The study’s methodology consists of a comprehensive analysis with the use of a technology-organization- environment, a model of innovation resistance frameworks, and the diffusion of innovation.
Evidence gathered from the empirical analysis provided a number of recurring factors that act as major influences on cloud-based ERP. These included organizational culture, relative advantages, trialability, a regulatory environment, and vendor lock-in. Similarly, the study discovered that communication technology skills, observability, data security, complexity, and customization did little to affect the ways in which cloud-based ERP was intended or actively adopted. The study is able to offer meaningful information that guides firms that aim or are considering adopting cloud-based ERP. It is similarly relevant to governmental organizations that support the digitalization of enterprises and vendors who specialize in the sales of cloud-based ERP technology.
The method of the article focused on the use of a unique research model that designated all related factors into three distinct categories. The technology-organization-environment framework incorporated the technological, environmental, and organizational contexts for firms intending on implementing ERP. The diffusion of innovation theory attributed the influence of additional factors of technology in the business including complexity, trialability, observability, and relative advantage. The relative advantage was revealed to be the most likely influence on the intention of adopting cloud-based technology as it provided firms with numerous benefits such as lower costs, improved communication, and efficient collaboration.
The model of innovation resistance outlined the process by which firms may be obstructed by the complexities or incompatibilities of certain technology. As such, a shorter period of resistance suggests a more well-received system of technology. The factors that are most influential on innovation resistance include cognitive resistance and the perception of risk. While the study provides that the elimination of these factors does not indicate low innovation resistance, it is the period during which such obstacles can be overcome that allows deciphering whether the technology will be received positively. Overall, the research model utilized throughout the study connects the overarching themes related to the intent to adopt cloud-based ERP among firms.
The research methodology process consisted of measurements and data collection. The measurements portion included the survey of already existing research regarding resistance characteristics and factors of technology-organization-environment contexts. A five-point Likert scale was used in order to address the severity of the influence of each distinct feature. The validity of the survey was also reviewed by two professional information systems researchers. Other data collection was taken from chief executive officers of each Korean company that intended to adopt the cloud-based ERP model. The reason chief executive officers were selected as the primary target for data collection was due to the fact that they had organizational power to decide to implement cloud-based ERP. 159 companies participated in the survey with the size of the firms varying from small businesses to large enterprises. Eleven responses had to be removed due to missing answers in some parts of the questionnaire.
The study’s findings provided three distinct areas of practical application. First, cloud-based ERP adoption is substantially relevant during COVID-19. This is largely due to the fact that cloud-based technology encourages and maintains company sustainability, especially during time periods where more traditional methods endanger and make a firm vulnerable. Second, the role of both the firm and the government in the transition to cloud-based ERP is significant. The regulation was identified as an influential factor of the technology-organization-environment framework. By extension, it suggested that the role of the government in the expansion of cloud-based technology is inevitable and essential. Third, the acquired data provides frameworks for ERP-technology vendors. Innovation resistance characteristics found in the study can directly contribute to the improvements made by vendors to address the needs and risks of their potential and current customers. As the data has been ranked in validity and influence, vendors can directly incorporate it into their sales strategies and further maintenance of their products. As such, the means by which the research was conducted has provided practical application methods for groups and individuals involved in the use and sales of ERP and cloud-based technology. As the study suggests, further research into the effects of already applied cloud-based ERP can provide significant to the future of firm performance.
Article 2
An Analysis of Motivational Factors Affecting Employee Performance’ by Pooja Dangol analyzes motivational factors affecting employee performance. The author utilized a descriptive research design, which entailed the data collection process via questionnaires of the 130 employees of 30 companies of Nepal Data (Dangol, 2020). The research aims to obtain insights into the employees’ perception of motivational factors and their impact on performance. Later, the data was analyzed via statistical tools such as frequency distribution, mean score, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The motivational factors in question include goal-setting, monetary rewards, recognition programs, and training. Overall, the findings of the study emphasize the importance of personal growth as a motivational factor for employees.
Besides data collection and the research, the article contains the introduction of study objectives and the literature review. Some of the key ideas overviewed in the secondary sources include theories of motivation, human resource management practices, and the theoretical background of the research. Theories of motivation assert that non-monetary incentives lead to greater job satisfaction than monetary ones. Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation asserts that motivational factors such as recognition, opportunities for personal and professional growth and development, meaningful work, and increased responsibility are inherent to work, yield positive satisfaction, and are intrinsically rewarding. Motivators are similar to Maslow’s social and esteem needs.
Hygiene elements, including fringe benefits, pay, supervision, job security, and physical job conditions are essential for the facilitation of motivation throughout a workplace. However, they do not generate positive satisfaction in the long term. Hygiene factors are extrinsic to the labor activities, and their lack in the work environment leads to negative responses. They are similar to Maslow’s physiological needs, which employees want and seek to fulfill (Dangol, 2020). Employees have an intrinsic need for motivation, respect, autonomy, meaningful work, motivation, and greater challenge, which constitute compelling reasons for staying in the organization or looking for new job opportunities. Therefore, organizations should strive to achieve a proper balance between the two types of rewards to enable employers to allow their reward strategy to appeal more to employees and encourage them to stay in the organization.
Secondly, the informational role occurs when the managers spend time communicating with people within and outside the business environment. The communication process involves gathering, processing, and dissemination of information. When performing the informational role, a manager assumes the functions of a monitor, disseminator, and spokesperson. As a monitor, he gathers information within and outside the business environment. The data is then analyzed to understand the internal and external factors impacting the business. Furthermore, as a disseminator, they share information with other staff through an approved channel of communication. Lastly, the spokesperson role entails communicating with people outside the company or department.
Human resource is the most vital resource in an organization set-up whose efficient management is critical for the success of an organization. It is hence a sensitive department in the organizational management structure, which entails the strategic handling of employees of an organization in a way that gives the business a competitive edge. Primarily, it encompasses employees’ recruitment processes, including selection, induction, and employee training. Once the employees are absorbed, the human resource department caters to their welfare by offering appraisals based on performance, offering benefits, and motivating employees. The proper management of the human resource is hence vital for the success of an organization and is dependent on proper human resource planning.
As the article uses quantitative research that utilizes a questionnaire, a lot of attention has to be paid to the questionnaire itself and the procedure of the survey. According to the article, the questionnaire was developed by the researcher himself after thorough studying of a secondary source. In addition, the Likert scale was utilized to identify the four constructs and the question related to them (Dangol, 2020). Each of the employees’ resources was treated as an individual data source. Such a method allowed the researcher to investigate the topic more broadly by creating separate categories and evaluating survey data as a quantitative one.
However, upon reading the descriptive statistics provided under the ANOVA tables, it is evident that the analysis of the data was superficial and simply summarized the results of the survey. The hypothesis testing and the regression analysis provide a more decent insight into the research question as it supports the hypothesis and shows that the null hypothesis cannot be accepted. Overall, the findings of the study show that personal growth is a significant motivational factor for employees. However, the limitations of the article include the superficial descriptive statistics and lack of generalization of the research to other companies due to the relatively small sample size.
References
Dangol, P. (2020). An analysis of motivational factors affecting employee performance. Journal of Business and Social Sciences Research, 5(1), 63-74.
Ahn, B., & Ahn, H. (2020). Factors affecting intention to adopt cloud-based ERP from a comprehensive approach. Sustainability, 12(1), 1-26.