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PublicationMore Applicable Environmental Scanning Systems Leveraging "Modern" Information Systems(Springer, 2013-12-01)With Ansoff's article about weak signals as a flagship example, a substantial body of knowledge about environmental scanning systems exists. However, these concepts often go unused in practice. The 2008/2009 economic crisis provided a strong, ongoing impulse for redesigning such information systems (IS). This article develops six guidelines for the conceptual design of environmental scanning systems that are more applicable than those specified by previous research. We start with literature research, which reveals three gaps in existing approaches. Then we develop design guidelines to fill these gaps with the help of modern IS. To address the lack of sound requirements analysis, our first design principle proposes 360-degree environmental scanning systems for executives and suggests how to select the most important scanning areas. Three further findings cover weaknesses in the IS model perspective, focusing on more effective implications of weak signals. In terms of method, we propose incorporating scanning results more closely into executives' decision-making processes. Applying the design guidelines at a raw materials and engineering company, we arrive at a prototype we call the corporate radar. It includes an IS-based tree with economic value added at risk on top. The resulting lessons learned help to evaluate our findings and the research method presented here, as well provide concrete starting points for future research.Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 17 -
PublicationImproving Environmental Scanning Systems Using Bayesian Networks(VHB Verband der Hochschullehrer, 2013-11-01)As the environment for companies becomes increasingly volatile, scanning systems gain in importance. We propose a hybrid process model for such systems information gathering and interpretation tasks that combines quantitative information derived from regression analyses and qualitative knowledge from expert interviews. For the latter, we apply Bayesian networks. We derive the need for such a hybrid process model from a literature review. We lay out our model to find a suitable set of business environment indicators to forecast a companys key financials. Deriving lessons learned from a prototype in the industrial sector, we evaluate the utility of our model following the design science research paradigm. We find our model to especially convince in completeness, transparency and transportability when compared with pure mathematical models.
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PublicationA Maturity Model for Management Control Systems : Five Evolutionary Steps to Guide Development(Springer Gabler, 2012-08-01)The ‘right' configuration of Management Control Systems (MCSs) is still challenging. Aligning reporting, planning, and consolidation from a functional, organizational, and IT perspective needs systematic guidance. The empirically grounded MCS maturity model guides such a development by outlining an evolution from a basic, mandatory/external-driven MCS (level 1), to a balanced MCS (level 2), and a comprehensive MCS (level 3). Ultimately, MCSs show a strong strategic focus (level 4) and leverage the potentials of modern IT (level 5).Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 38 -
PublicationEin Reifegradmodell für Unternehmenssteuerungssysteme(Springer Gabler, 2012-08-01)Corporate management in today's international companies has become increasingly complex. To cope with these growing challenges, information technology (IT)-based management control systems (MCSs), reporting, planning, and consolidation systems have been deployed. Despite their tradition in management research, the right configuration of MCSs is still challenging. Maturity models (MMs) are an established instrument to identify strengths and weaknesses of certain domains. As existing MMs focus on single MCSs, neglect an IT perspective and miss a sound methodical foundation, this paper outlines an empirically and algorithmically constructed MCS-MM. The model consists of three partial MMs for reporting, planning, and consolidation, which are integrated into one holistic MCS MM. The five levels of the MCS MM guide MCS evolution from a financial and corporate center-centric MCS (level 1) to a basic corporate MCS (level 2), and a comprehensive corporate MCS (level 3). Additionally, the MCS recommends a strong strategic orientation (level 4) and the leverage of potentials of modern IT support (level 5).Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
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PublicationExtending Traditional EIS Use to Support Mobile Executives Online and Offline(Kelley School of Business, 2012-02-01)
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PublicationProaktive Kapitalmarktkommunikation - Gestaltungsempfehlungen für ein Corporate Portfolio(Fachverl. der Verl.- Gruppe Handelsblatt, 2012-12-03)Type:Journal:Issue:
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PublicationSituational Management Support Systems : Accommodating the Growing Range of Working Styles, Use Cases, and Access ModesDigital natives increasingly populate organizations management. This new generationof managers more naturally accepts management support systems (MSS), but also hashigher expectations about how information systems (IS) should accommodate their individualuser preferences. As a result, they question MSS that have been developed without configurationmechanisms to accommodate their working style, at a time relevant MSS use cases,and different MSS access modes. This article proposes a configuration model for tailoringMSS to managers different use situations, which are defined as distinct classes of user-grouppreferences. We first apply findings from a literature review to cluster managers user preferencesinto 36 use situations. Second, we propose that the selection of appropriate end-userdevices can serve as a main lever for MSS configuration. Third, we complete the configurationwith a MSS user-interface design that accommodates both managers use situation andselected end-user devices. To avoid incoherent single-case solutions, configuration mechanismstailor generic MSS to managers user-group preferences and, thus, generate situatedMSS designs. Finally, we show the utility of our configuration model by presenting andevaluating a prototype.Keywords: Management Support Systems; Digital Natives; IS Analysis and Design; User-Group Preferences; Use Factors in IS Design; Requirements Analysis; IS ConfigurationType:Journal:Volume:Issue:
Scopus© Citations 21 -
PublicationSituative Managementunterstützungssysteme : Berücksichtigung zunehmend unterschiedlicher Arbeitsstile, Nutzungsfälle und ZugangsmöglichkeitenDigital natives increasingly populate organizations’ management. These new-generation managers more naturally accept management support systems (MSS), but also have higher expectations about how they should accommodate their individual user preferences. As a result, managers question MSS that have been developed without configuration mechanisms to accommodate their working style, relevant MSS use cases, and different MSS access modes. The objective of this article is to reveal managers’ different MSS use situations and propose levers for tailoring (conceptual) MSS design to them. Use situations generalize classes of similar user-group preferences. We first apply findings from a literature review to cluster managers’ user-group preferences into 36 MSS use situations. Second, we propose that the selection of end-user devices can serve as a main lever for MSS configuration. Third, we complete the configuration with a MSS user-interface design. Finally, we demonstrate utility of our configuration model by presenting and evaluating a prototype.Type:Journal:Volume:Issue:
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