International Journal of Business and Systems Research http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=206&year=2012&vol=6&issue=1 Inderscience Publishers Ltd en-uk International Journal of Business and Systems Research 1751-200X 1751-2018 © 2012 Inderscience Publishers Ltd editor@inderscience.com https://www.inderscience.com/images/files/coverImgs/ijbsr_scoverijbsr.jpg http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=206&year=2012&vol=6&issue=1 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44020 Marketing through advertising is the conventional mechanism for launching of most products. However, direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs is permissible in only a few countries and wherever permissible, is subject to regulations. Therefore, the need to understand how consumers search for prescription drug information is of critical importance for development of decision systems in advertising and marketing. The internet is a powerful media for dissemination of information. Moreover, national DTCA regulations have little control over communication through the internet. In this research, we investigate individuals’ online information seeking behaviour for prescription drugs. Specifically, we identify if individuals with certain demographic profiles, risk perceptions, health concerns have different likelihoods for information seeking. Given the growth in the amount of internet spam, we are particularly interested in investigating if exposure to prescription drug spam motivates individuals to go to the internet to seek further information about prescription drugs. Online information seeking for prescription drugs
Vikas Lachhwani; Sanjoy Ghose
International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 1 - 17
Marketing through advertising is the conventional mechanism for launching of most products. However, direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs is permissible in only a few countries and wherever permissible, is subject to regulations. Therefore, the need to understand how consumers search for prescription drug information is of critical importance for development of decision systems in advertising and marketing. The internet is a powerful media for dissemination of information. Moreover, national DTCA regulations have little control over communication through the internet. In this research, we investigate individuals’ online information seeking behaviour for prescription drugs. Specifically, we identify if individuals with certain demographic profiles, risk perceptions, health concerns have different likelihoods for information seeking. Given the growth in the amount of internet spam, we are particularly interested in investigating if exposure to prescription drug spam motivates individuals to go to the internet to seek further information about prescription drugs.

]]> 10.1504/IJBSR.2012.044020 International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 1 - 17 Vikas Lachhwani; Sanjoy Ghose Trusanga Educational Services Private Limited, 3F-27, Aditya Garden City, Warje, Pune 52, Maharashtra, India ' Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, P.O. Box 742, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA direct-to-consumer advertising DTC advertising DCTA pharmaceutical industry medicines prescription drugs information searching online behaviour consumer behaviour online information world wide web marketing product launches decision systems information dissemination national regulations demographic profiles risk perceptions health concerns internet spam business systems research. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 6 1 1 17 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44021 Virtual community was designed to organise different communities and getting people involved in creating and sharing knowledge. It was also called e-information exchange system. Bock et al. argued that the research perspectives of knowledge sharing should be classified into economics, social psychology and sociology perspectives. We present a conceptual framework based on economic, social psychology and social ecology perspective and propose a set of propositions for knowledge sharing in virtual community. Finally, we introduce punctuated equilibrium as third theoretical perspective to understand whether the factors affecting knowledge sharing may change with time. Developing a theoretical model on knowledge sharing behaviour in e-communities: integrating the economics, social psychology and social ecology perspectives
Szu-Yuan Sun; Meng-Hsiang Hsu; Chang-Yao Wu
International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 18 - 35
Virtual community was designed to organise different communities and getting people involved in creating and sharing knowledge. It was also called e-information exchange system. Bock et al. argued that the research perspectives of knowledge sharing should be classified into economics, social psychology and sociology perspectives. We present a conceptual framework based on economic, social psychology and social ecology perspective and propose a set of propositions for knowledge sharing in virtual community. Finally, we introduce punctuated equilibrium as third theoretical perspective to understand whether the factors affecting knowledge sharing may change with time.

]]> 10.1504/IJBSR.2012.044021 International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 18 - 35 Szu-Yuan Sun; Meng-Hsiang Hsu; Chang-Yao Wu Department of Information Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Rd, Yanchao, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan ' Department of Information Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Rd, Yanchao, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan ' Institute of Management, National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology, 1 University Rd, Yanchao, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan agency theory social capital social exchange theory punctuated equilibrium virtual communities web based communities online communities internet world wide web EIES electronic information exchange systems e-information knowledge sharing e-communities electronic communities economics social psychology social ecology knowledge creation research perspectives sociology business systems research. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 6 1 18 35 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44022 Convergence represents an important trend in today’s business environment and calls for system-wide perspective on interactions between technology, product, and strategy and operations management. In relation to the information and communications technology industry, technological innovations and changes in consumer preferences have led technologies and product features to partially merge. Two types of product-based industry convergence are identified in the literature: product substitution and product complementarity. To adapt to new business conditions, companies need to collaborate to get access to new competencies and knowledge for converged product development. This paper, using personal interviews as the research method, contributes to the existing body of knowledge on convergence and intercompany collaboration from an operational management level point of view by determining and comparing the main success factors needed for partnering under product convergence types. The differentiating factors are product features, relative product advantages for the customer and determining the company position in the industry value network. Product convergence perspective on collaboration success factors
Andrei Rikkiev; Marko Seppänen; Saku J. Mäkinen
International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 36 - 58
Convergence represents an important trend in today’s business environment and calls for system-wide perspective on interactions between technology, product, and strategy and operations management. In relation to the information and communications technology industry, technological innovations and changes in consumer preferences have led technologies and product features to partially merge. Two types of product-based industry convergence are identified in the literature: product substitution and product complementarity. To adapt to new business conditions, companies need to collaborate to get access to new competencies and knowledge for converged product development. This paper, using personal interviews as the research method, contributes to the existing body of knowledge on convergence and intercompany collaboration from an operational management level point of view by determining and comparing the main success factors needed for partnering under product convergence types. The differentiating factors are product features, relative product advantages for the customer and determining the company position in the industry value network.

]]> 10.1504/IJBSR.2012.044022 International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 36 - 58 Andrei Rikkiev; Marko Seppänen; Saku J. Mäkinen Department of Industrial Management, Center for Innovation and Technology Research (CITER), Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland ' Department of Industrial Management, Center for Innovation and Technology Research (CITER), Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland ' Department of Industrial Management, Center for Innovation and Technology Research (CITER), Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 541, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland industry convergence product convergence technology convergence success factors intercompany collaboration partnerships ICT information technology communications technology business systems system-wide perspectives system-wide interactions operations management technological innovation consumer preferences product features product substitution product complementarity new competencies converged product development partnering relative advantages product advantages customers company position value networks systems research. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 6 1 36 58 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44023 In today’s competitive power market integrated with industrial growth, capacity management becomes a perennial technical issue. Power utilities lose customers when they lack sufficient capacity to provide their demanded service which severely affects the business process of the industries. Interruption time is one of the key characteristics of quality service and customer satisfaction. While additional capacity improves service quality, but the cost for providing capacity increases. Thus, the capacity management is having a conflicting role with the utility effectiveness. The important strategy role of capacity management should be arriving at a point wherein it is optimally economical and maximising the customer satisfaction. A live case of Electrical Service Centre of Goa Electricity Department is modelled using Markov model by a code written in MATLAB 7.0 and the working of Electrical Service Centre was modelled in general purposes simulation system. Results, conclusions and future scope are discussed. Strategic role of capacity management in electricity service centre using Markovian and simulation approach
Sony Michael; V. Mariappan
International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 59 - 88
In today’s competitive power market integrated with industrial growth, capacity management becomes a perennial technical issue. Power utilities lose customers when they lack sufficient capacity to provide their demanded service which severely affects the business process of the industries. Interruption time is one of the key characteristics of quality service and customer satisfaction. While additional capacity improves service quality, but the cost for providing capacity increases. Thus, the capacity management is having a conflicting role with the utility effectiveness. The important strategy role of capacity management should be arriving at a point wherein it is optimally economical and maximising the customer satisfaction. A live case of Electrical Service Centre of Goa Electricity Department is modelled using Markov model by a code written in MATLAB 7.0 and the working of Electrical Service Centre was modelled in general purposes simulation system. Results, conclusions and future scope are discussed.

]]> 10.1504/IJBSR.2012.044023 International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 59 - 88 Sony Michael; V. Mariappan Electricity Department, Margao, Goa 403601, India ' Roever Engineering College, Anna University, Perambalur 621212, Tamilnadu, India capacity management process-oriented approaches system simulation service modelling GPSS general purpose simulation system discrete event simulation electricity generation service centres power interruptions business process simulation customer satisfaction Andrey Markov decision processes Markovian approaches competitive markets industrial growth power utilities customers demanded services interruption time service quality additional capacity increased costs utility effectiveness Goa Electricity Department India MATLAB matrix laboratory systems research. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 6 1 59 88 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44024 Web information systems are in extensive use. Neologies accurately distinguish the different types of business transactions on the internet. E-commerce (EC) is a prevalent term in which e-systems are applied to facilitate commerce activities. The EC is the exchange transactions systems which take place over the internet using digital technology. This encompasses all activities supporting market transactions. Hence, it is essential to facilitate the process of EC for customising the business models. Here, we focus on analysing and optimising the business models of export. Our proposed system is composed of marketing, business models and web optimisation. Finally, a mathematical model is proposed for optimising business transactions through web. The validity of the model is illustrated through a numerical example. Applying information technology in developing business models of export
Hamed Fazlollahtabar
International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 89 - 107
Web information systems are in extensive use. Neologies accurately distinguish the different types of business transactions on the internet. E-commerce (EC) is a prevalent term in which e-systems are applied to facilitate commerce activities. The EC is the exchange transactions systems which take place over the internet using digital technology. This encompasses all activities supporting market transactions. Hence, it is essential to facilitate the process of EC for customising the business models. Here, we focus on analysing and optimising the business models of export. Our proposed system is composed of marketing, business models and web optimisation. Finally, a mathematical model is proposed for optimising business transactions through web. The validity of the model is illustrated through a numerical example.

]]> 10.1504/IJBSR.2012.044024 International Journal of Business and Systems Research, Vol. 6, No. 1 (2012) pp. 89 - 107 Hamed Fazlollahtabar Department of Industrial Engineering, Mazandaran University of Science and Technology, Babol, Iran ICT information technology communications technology electronic commerce e-commerce exports exporters business models world wide web information systems neologies business transactions internet e-systems electronic systems exchange transactions digital technology market transactions marketing web optimisation mathematical models systems research. 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00 6 1 89 107 2011-12-01T23:20:50-05:00