Title : eTransformation of Western Sydney SMEs
Status : ongoing
Researchers : Athula Ginige, Robyn Lawson, Ana Hol, Shiromi Arunatileka
Summary :To be successful in the globally competitive marketplace which is emerging due to advances in IT, enterprises need to significantly change the way in which they carry out their businesses processes and their interaction with suppliers and customers. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) stand to gain substantially by transforming themselves into e-businesses. However they lack the time, budget and resources of large businesses to successfully strategise for and take full advantage of the capabilities of e-business. Furthermore, the technology costs can be prohibitive for businesses whose core competence lies outside of Information Technology. This project is aimed at perfecting a methodology and associated technology framework specifically to assist the SMEs transform from a traditional business model to an e-business in a systematic way. Supported by NSW Department of State and Regional Development e-transformation projects involving a number of regional SMEs are in progress. In 2004/2005 a series of interactive workshops are being presented to regional SMEs, with the assistance of hosting organisations (for example, Austool Limited, Bankstown City Council, Innovative Technology Network, Penrith Valley Economic Development Board and Department of State and Regional Development at Parramatta). Feedback has been very positive, and a number of SMEs have expressed interest in joint projects with AeIMS. Title : eCollaboration Models for Small and Medium sized Enterprises
Status : ongoing
Researchers : Athula Ginige, Robyn Lawson, Ana Hol, Shiromi Arunatileka, Buddhima de Silva, J Anupama Ginige, Makis Marmaridis, Danny Liang
Summary : This project is a collaborative research project on eTransformation in the Toolmaking Industry. Four toolmakers and the industry organisation, Austool Limited, have provided funding. The overall aim is to conduct a pilot project over one year to investigate how the Toolmaking Industry can benefit from advances in information and communication technology. Specific objectives are to use Action Research Methodology to analyse the industry, identify the eReadiness of the participating toolmakers, develop a research methodology to validate the eTransformation strategy. In addition identified IT strategies will be implemented within the SMEs and the outcomes evaluated. This project was developed following one of the workshops of the eTransformation of Western Sydney SMEs (described above). Title : IT in Western Sydney: Status and Potential
Status : ongoing
Researchers : Shiromi Arunatileka, Kamini Bajaj, Joanne Curry, Athula Ginige, Mahesha Kapurubandara, Vijay Khandelwal, Yi-chen Lan, Liwan Liyanage, Tony Pollard, Ron Schmid
Summary : This project aims at investigating the state of adoption and use of IT in the Western Sydney region. The outcome of this work, and vital information and insights gained are of great use to government, businesses and industries in the region in developing their strategic directions in IT for gaining competitive advantage. The project also aims at identifying how readily the regional small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are able to take advantage of IT and E-commerce. It endeavours to determine IT needs of the Western Sydney region and also to identify the issues in adoption of IT for various functions and operations. Further, it provides recommendations that would contribute to the continued growth and enhanced competitiveness of the business and industries in the region through effective use of IT. This project is supported by the NSW Department of IT and Management, Western Sydney Economic Development Board, and the Office of Western Sydney. Title: Critical Success Factors for Quality IT Management
Status : ongoing
Summary : The objective of this investigative project carried out periodically since 1992 is to identify the key management issues of IT managers in Australia that need to be addressed for business advantage, and map the changing pattern of critical success factors for quality IT management. The latest study of 2002 updates the earlier surveys carried out since the last ten years, and establishes the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) technique as a quality management tool for the measurement and control of critical IT issues. The benefits of this project are that it, · Provides an assessment of the effectiveness with which the power of IT is currently realised and identify suitable actions to optimise the investment in IT · Raises awareness of managers regarding current issues that would enable them to develop suitable plans to align business and IT strategies · Provides feedback to assist institutions of advanced education to develop research programs and course curricula and to train students to meet the challenges currently faced by industry · Provides vital information necessary for the administrators and policy planners to develop suitable IT policies at a national level. Title: eTransformation Road Map
Status : Completed
Researchers:Athula Ginige, San Murugessan, Phillip Kazanis
Summary: Major outcomes of this project were, a road map and a process for a successful eTransformation that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can use to survive and grow in the new eBusiness world. This process advocates a holistic approach and supports a step-by-step, evolutionary methodology for eBusiness transformation through which an organisation can identify where it is and where it should be heading in terms of becoming an eBusiness. The transformation process needs to be gradual, visible and facilitates assessment of resulting changes. Further, the project provided recommendations that would contribute to awareness of the need to transform businesses, identification of business goals, processes, operations and information flow across the organisations. This work was an extension of the IT Survey 2000. IT Survey 2000 was sponsored by the New South Wales Department of Information Technology and Management, the Office of Western Sydney, the Greater Western Sydney Economic Development Board and the University of Western Sydney. Title: A Strategic eTransformation Model
The Seven Es in E-Transformation
Status: Ongoing
Researchers: Shiromi Arunatileka, Athula Ginige
Summary: This project aims at developing and describing a new model for eTransformation and applying it to a Small to Medium Sized Enterprise (SME). The project outlines the need to introduce and use IT as a strategic business tool, to gain competitive advantage and to achieve the company?s business goals in a global context. To achieve this, priority is being given to analysing the external environment the company works in, and the eReadiness of the company and it?s external partners. The model incorporates the new approaches to business thinking, business models in the e-economy and highlights the importance of analysing the external environment, reengineering the business, business-IT alignment, implementing and managing systems, restructuring, change management, eSystems maintenance and policy issues. Further, it aims to provide recommendations that would enable clients to plan their eTransformation path using the road map as the guideline and applying it successfully. This project is supported by the Asian Development Bank, via a PhD Scholarship. Title: Business Process Modelling
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: Phillip Kazanis, Athula Ginige
Summary : This project aims at helping Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) transform existing traditional structure to an eBusiness structure. The University of Western Sydney (UWS) has developed and designed a prototype Asynchronous Collaborative Exchange for Business Process Modelling system (ACE for BPM) which allows BPM to be conducted collaboratively over the Web. ACE is created to empower employees, investigate feasibility and functionality requirements. The project is focusing on a development of a new approach capturing BPM by interlinking the Internet, Web discussion forums and VISIO drawing tool. The project also addresses issues related to visualising business processes, planning improvements and communicating the changes. One of the most successful strategies that could be used to create an accurate ACE for BPM prototype is to consult the front line people who are working on the process and give them ownership of the redesigned process. Further, it provides recommendations that allow SMEs to make use of ACE for BPM prototype. This project is supported by the University of Western Sydney (UWS) establishment grant. Title: Component based E-applications for automation of business workflows of SMEs
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: J. Anupama Ginige, Athula Ginige
Summary : This project is researching in the area of E-applications and platforms that could be used by SMEs to automate their business workflows. There are many workflow systems available ranging from web based open source systems to vendor-supported systems. However, these systems do not fully cater the needs of business workflows of SMEs; where, the processes, organisational structures and even their core business focus could change very rapidly. Therefore this project is aimed at investigating these special needs of SMEs’ business workflows and designing and developing an architecture to support, the automation and maintenance of business workflows of SMEs. Title: Performance Indicators and Modified ROI for eTransforming Organisations
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: Ana Hol, Athula Ginige
Summary: This project aims at developing performance indicators that will allow SMEs to measure and monitor effectiveness of eTransformation. The study will help and guide SMEs which are working on the implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to decide how best to make the investment. Today’s society is very complex and not everything can straight forwardly be represented in monetary values. Therefore, for the transformation to be successfully measured, it is anticipated that properties of currently known ICT Return of Investment (ROI) will need to be revisited. Furthermore, this project will help organisations particularly SMEs to look at ICT investments beyond its Tangible returns. It is expected that in turn this will allow businesses to understand value of Intangible benefits and help them comprehend and understand ICT investments. Title: Context data modelling for web-based applications of SMEs
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: Xufeng (Danny) Liang, Athula Ginige
Summary : The project aims at developing a flexible data modelling framework for user-driven web-based application developments for SMEs. Nowadays, business processes in the SME sector, evolve faster than business application can be created or modified. In order to compensate these dynamic business processes, web-based applications must be extremely flexible. Additionally, there is a need for business data stored in various ad hoc business applications to be integrated in real-time. An example would be the implementation of a web-based workflow system, where routing decision data and the organisational model must be resolved with zero latency from heterogeneous context data sources for routing or work assignment. In order to develop configurable, user-driven web-based applications, a generic, pluggable, business-oriented data modelling framework is required. The proposed framework will be adopted as a part of the CBEADS core framework. Title : Transformation Methodologies for SMEs in Developing Countries Status : ongoing Researchers : Mahesha Kapurubandara, Vijay Kandelwal, Athula Ginige Summary : The aim of this research project is to investigate constraints and problems associated with the e-transformation of organizations coming under SME category in the developing world. THe objective is to analyze the findings and come up with a methodology for the successful e-transformation of SMEs in countries that are developing
Status : ongoing
Researchers : Athula Ginige, Robyn Lawson, Ana Hol, Shiromi Arunatileka
Summary :To be successful in the globally competitive marketplace which is emerging due to advances in IT, enterprises need to significantly change the way in which they carry out their businesses processes and their interaction with suppliers and customers. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) stand to gain substantially by transforming themselves into e-businesses. However they lack the time, budget and resources of large businesses to successfully strategise for and take full advantage of the capabilities of e-business. Furthermore, the technology costs can be prohibitive for businesses whose core competence lies outside of Information Technology. This project is aimed at perfecting a methodology and associated technology framework specifically to assist the SMEs transform from a traditional business model to an e-business in a systematic way. Supported by NSW Department of State and Regional Development e-transformation projects involving a number of regional SMEs are in progress. In 2004/2005 a series of interactive workshops are being presented to regional SMEs, with the assistance of hosting organisations (for example, Austool Limited, Bankstown City Council, Innovative Technology Network, Penrith Valley Economic Development Board and Department of State and Regional Development at Parramatta). Feedback has been very positive, and a number of SMEs have expressed interest in joint projects with AeIMS. Title : eCollaboration Models for Small and Medium sized Enterprises
Status : ongoing
Researchers : Athula Ginige, Robyn Lawson, Ana Hol, Shiromi Arunatileka, Buddhima de Silva, J Anupama Ginige, Makis Marmaridis, Danny Liang
Summary : This project is a collaborative research project on eTransformation in the Toolmaking Industry. Four toolmakers and the industry organisation, Austool Limited, have provided funding. The overall aim is to conduct a pilot project over one year to investigate how the Toolmaking Industry can benefit from advances in information and communication technology. Specific objectives are to use Action Research Methodology to analyse the industry, identify the eReadiness of the participating toolmakers, develop a research methodology to validate the eTransformation strategy. In addition identified IT strategies will be implemented within the SMEs and the outcomes evaluated. This project was developed following one of the workshops of the eTransformation of Western Sydney SMEs (described above). Title : IT in Western Sydney: Status and Potential
Status : ongoing
Researchers : Shiromi Arunatileka, Kamini Bajaj, Joanne Curry, Athula Ginige, Mahesha Kapurubandara, Vijay Khandelwal, Yi-chen Lan, Liwan Liyanage, Tony Pollard, Ron Schmid
Summary : This project aims at investigating the state of adoption and use of IT in the Western Sydney region. The outcome of this work, and vital information and insights gained are of great use to government, businesses and industries in the region in developing their strategic directions in IT for gaining competitive advantage. The project also aims at identifying how readily the regional small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are able to take advantage of IT and E-commerce. It endeavours to determine IT needs of the Western Sydney region and also to identify the issues in adoption of IT for various functions and operations. Further, it provides recommendations that would contribute to the continued growth and enhanced competitiveness of the business and industries in the region through effective use of IT. This project is supported by the NSW Department of IT and Management, Western Sydney Economic Development Board, and the Office of Western Sydney. Title: Critical Success Factors for Quality IT Management
Status : ongoing
Summary : The objective of this investigative project carried out periodically since 1992 is to identify the key management issues of IT managers in Australia that need to be addressed for business advantage, and map the changing pattern of critical success factors for quality IT management. The latest study of 2002 updates the earlier surveys carried out since the last ten years, and establishes the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) technique as a quality management tool for the measurement and control of critical IT issues. The benefits of this project are that it, · Provides an assessment of the effectiveness with which the power of IT is currently realised and identify suitable actions to optimise the investment in IT · Raises awareness of managers regarding current issues that would enable them to develop suitable plans to align business and IT strategies · Provides feedback to assist institutions of advanced education to develop research programs and course curricula and to train students to meet the challenges currently faced by industry · Provides vital information necessary for the administrators and policy planners to develop suitable IT policies at a national level. Title: eTransformation Road Map
Status : Completed
Researchers:Athula Ginige, San Murugessan, Phillip Kazanis
Summary: Major outcomes of this project were, a road map and a process for a successful eTransformation that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can use to survive and grow in the new eBusiness world. This process advocates a holistic approach and supports a step-by-step, evolutionary methodology for eBusiness transformation through which an organisation can identify where it is and where it should be heading in terms of becoming an eBusiness. The transformation process needs to be gradual, visible and facilitates assessment of resulting changes. Further, the project provided recommendations that would contribute to awareness of the need to transform businesses, identification of business goals, processes, operations and information flow across the organisations. This work was an extension of the IT Survey 2000. IT Survey 2000 was sponsored by the New South Wales Department of Information Technology and Management, the Office of Western Sydney, the Greater Western Sydney Economic Development Board and the University of Western Sydney. Title: A Strategic eTransformation Model
The Seven Es in E-Transformation
Status: Ongoing
Researchers: Shiromi Arunatileka, Athula Ginige
Summary: This project aims at developing and describing a new model for eTransformation and applying it to a Small to Medium Sized Enterprise (SME). The project outlines the need to introduce and use IT as a strategic business tool, to gain competitive advantage and to achieve the company?s business goals in a global context. To achieve this, priority is being given to analysing the external environment the company works in, and the eReadiness of the company and it?s external partners. The model incorporates the new approaches to business thinking, business models in the e-economy and highlights the importance of analysing the external environment, reengineering the business, business-IT alignment, implementing and managing systems, restructuring, change management, eSystems maintenance and policy issues. Further, it aims to provide recommendations that would enable clients to plan their eTransformation path using the road map as the guideline and applying it successfully. This project is supported by the Asian Development Bank, via a PhD Scholarship. Title: Business Process Modelling
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: Phillip Kazanis, Athula Ginige
Summary : This project aims at helping Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) transform existing traditional structure to an eBusiness structure. The University of Western Sydney (UWS) has developed and designed a prototype Asynchronous Collaborative Exchange for Business Process Modelling system (ACE for BPM) which allows BPM to be conducted collaboratively over the Web. ACE is created to empower employees, investigate feasibility and functionality requirements. The project is focusing on a development of a new approach capturing BPM by interlinking the Internet, Web discussion forums and VISIO drawing tool. The project also addresses issues related to visualising business processes, planning improvements and communicating the changes. One of the most successful strategies that could be used to create an accurate ACE for BPM prototype is to consult the front line people who are working on the process and give them ownership of the redesigned process. Further, it provides recommendations that allow SMEs to make use of ACE for BPM prototype. This project is supported by the University of Western Sydney (UWS) establishment grant. Title: Component based E-applications for automation of business workflows of SMEs
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: J. Anupama Ginige, Athula Ginige
Summary : This project is researching in the area of E-applications and platforms that could be used by SMEs to automate their business workflows. There are many workflow systems available ranging from web based open source systems to vendor-supported systems. However, these systems do not fully cater the needs of business workflows of SMEs; where, the processes, organisational structures and even their core business focus could change very rapidly. Therefore this project is aimed at investigating these special needs of SMEs’ business workflows and designing and developing an architecture to support, the automation and maintenance of business workflows of SMEs. Title: Performance Indicators and Modified ROI for eTransforming Organisations
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: Ana Hol, Athula Ginige
Summary: This project aims at developing performance indicators that will allow SMEs to measure and monitor effectiveness of eTransformation. The study will help and guide SMEs which are working on the implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure to decide how best to make the investment. Today’s society is very complex and not everything can straight forwardly be represented in monetary values. Therefore, for the transformation to be successfully measured, it is anticipated that properties of currently known ICT Return of Investment (ROI) will need to be revisited. Furthermore, this project will help organisations particularly SMEs to look at ICT investments beyond its Tangible returns. It is expected that in turn this will allow businesses to understand value of Intangible benefits and help them comprehend and understand ICT investments. Title: Context data modelling for web-based applications of SMEs
Status : Ongoing
Researchers: Xufeng (Danny) Liang, Athula Ginige
Summary : The project aims at developing a flexible data modelling framework for user-driven web-based application developments for SMEs. Nowadays, business processes in the SME sector, evolve faster than business application can be created or modified. In order to compensate these dynamic business processes, web-based applications must be extremely flexible. Additionally, there is a need for business data stored in various ad hoc business applications to be integrated in real-time. An example would be the implementation of a web-based workflow system, where routing decision data and the organisational model must be resolved with zero latency from heterogeneous context data sources for routing or work assignment. In order to develop configurable, user-driven web-based applications, a generic, pluggable, business-oriented data modelling framework is required. The proposed framework will be adopted as a part of the CBEADS core framework. Title : Transformation Methodologies for SMEs in Developing Countries Status : ongoing Researchers : Mahesha Kapurubandara, Vijay Kandelwal, Athula Ginige Summary : The aim of this research project is to investigate constraints and problems associated with the e-transformation of organizations coming under SME category in the developing world. THe objective is to analyze the findings and come up with a methodology for the successful e-transformation of SMEs in countries that are developing