Non‐enforceable implementation of enterprise mobilization. An exploratory study of the critical success factors
| Pages | 786-814 |
| Published date | 01 August 2005 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02635570510607003 |
| Date | 01 August 2005 |
| Author | Pin Luarn,Tom M.Y. Lin,Peter K.Y. Lo |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
Non-enforceable implementation
of enterprise mobilization
An exploratory study of the critical
success factors
Pin Luarn, Tom M.Y. Lin and Peter K.Y. Lo
Department of Business Administration,
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
Abstract
Purpose – Enterprise mobilization refers to the provision by an enterprise of the means for its
employees to update information at any time and any place through the use of a wireless network
system and related equipment. The implementation of enterprise mobilization can be separated into
two main methods, non-enforceable and enforceable. Non-enforceable implementation refers to those
situations where, although an enterprise encourages its employees to use a mobilized system, it does
not enforce such use, whereas the reverse is true in the case of enforceable methods. Aims to examine
this situation.
Design/methodology/approach – Since this is a relatively new research topic with very little
previous research having been undertaken in this area, this paper employs a triangulation. This
method enables integration of both quantitative and qualitative data, to investigate the critical success
factors (CSFs) for the implementation of non-enforceable mobilization by enterprises. The data were
collected by means of in-depth interviews with corporate managers and specialists from 29 enterprises
and comprise 126 samples of employees currently using mobilization systems.
Findings – The study reveals a total of six CSFs for the implementation of non-enforceable mobilization
by enterprises, comprising: cooperation with a good solution “value added reseller”; appropriate planning
and the support of senior management; user participation and minimization of any resistance to the
installation of the system; open communication channels; enhancement of the understanding of
mobilization itself and of employee requirements; and effective mobilization equipment.
Originality/value – This paper will be of interest to organizations looking to implement a wireless
network system. The results provided can be used as references for industry and businesses in
general, to support their decision-making processes concerning the introduction of mobilization.
Keywords Critical successfactors, Learning, Telecommunications
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
In 1997, at a time when the mobilization trend was not yet apparent, Chander (1997)
suggested that the mobility afforded by wireless communications could greatly
increase the applicability and value of enterprise information access. Today, the types
of information technology (IT) system required by enterprises are those who will allow
the acquisition of information at any time, from anywhere and on any device. Such
systems arrived with the appearance of mobile devices, which provided users with the
ability to acquire information instantly from any location (Clarke, 2001); and as
Robinson (2001) argued, the application of wireless communications is set to become
the mainstream of the next wave of enterprise “electronization”. Indeed, according to
data released by the International Data Corporation (IDC), by the year 2006, the
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
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IMDS
105,6
786
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 105 No. 6, 2005
pp. 786-814
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/02635570510607003
number of people using mobile equipment will have reached 715 mil lion (Drake, 2002).
Through the use of such equipment, enterprises can achieve total implementation of
mobilization and subsequently increase their efficiency, effectiveness and integration
capabilities (Kalakota and Robinson, 2001). Thus, it is clear that the era of enterprise
mobilization has now arrived.
There are currently two methods by which mobilization is implemented within the
business world, namely, enforceable and non-enforceable implementation. Enforceable
implementation refers to the adoption by an enterprise of compulsory means of
ensuring the usage of the system by employees, as seen in the methods adopted by
many material distribution industries and convenience stores. Non-enforceable
implementation refers to the adoption by enterprises of means of encouraging
employees to self initiate the use of mobilization, as seen in the majority of companies
in the insurance industry and in real estate agencies. In comparison with the relative
ease of enforceable implementation, non-enforceable implementation faces many
questions of transitional uncertainty, such as ways of selecting appropriate people and
ways in which employees can be encouraged to adopt the use of such systems. These
questions, which can create enormous obstacles to the successful implementation of
mobilization, serve as the inspiration for this study.
The implementation of enterprise mobilization is a relatively new topic, which explains
why there is currently a distinct lack of specific research into this field. This study
therefore employs exploratory methods, integrating both qualitative and quantitative
research data. The article begins with relevant literature review, followed by a description
of in-depth interviews with professional employees of the case corporation. Information
gathered from the interviews was analyzed and then used as a basis for developing the
research questionnaire. Finally, factor analysis was used in an attempt to discover the
critical success factors (CSFs) for the implementation of enterprise mobilization.
Literature review
Enterprise mobilization defined
According to the SYBASE (2001) definition, mobilization is the use by an enterprise of
a wireless network which will enable its employees to complete a synchronized
instantaneous data exchange process at anytime, and from any place, using portable
terminal devices and the company’s entire information system. In the application of
electronic commerce (e-commerce) by enterprises, the current status of wireless
communications relies primarily on the extension of existing internet capabilities to
wireless terminal equipment. Haxne (2001) noted that through wireless
communications, the traditional process of electronic commercialization has become
a process of mobile commercialization, with the mobilization process allowing users to
browse and gain interactive access to the internal enterprise information process
through WAP/web servers. Mobilization, in the future, will not only extend the
existing Internet services to the domain of wireless communications, but may also lead
to the design of specific business activities capable of being dealt with by means of
wireless communication systems. Such designs will eventually not only provide
enhanced strategic capabilities, but also the ability for business employees and
corporate managers to deal externally with company affairs or strategic decisions.
Typical wireless communications in current commercial use include those adopted by
the banking and insurance industries, telecommunications, manufacturing and
Enterprise
mobilization
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