Mathematical models for e-readiness assessment of organizations with intranets

Abstract

E-Readiness assessments, for countries and organizations, are becoming of increasing importance, as they specify the current state from which planning for IT “information technology” toward supporting sustainable development, should start. This thesis is concerned with introducing a new approach for conducting e-readiness assessments, and with providing practical applications of this approach. The approach is based on the STOPE “strategy, technology, organization, people, and environment” framework for conducting e-readiness assessments. The approach views the previous literature on e-readiness assessments through the eye of the STOPE domains, providing an integrated framework of all the factors that has been taken into account in such assessments. In the mean time, the approach keeps the light on for adding and integrating other potential factors. In addition, the approach introduces an analytical method for assessment, which accommodates the various factors considered, both individually and collectively, according to the STOPE domains. The mathematical models of the method do not only consider evaluating the factors involved, but they also consider evaluating their level of importance. The method provides indicators for the various factors, for the main STOPE domains, in addition to an integrated single e-readiness indicator at the highest general level of assessment. The work provides illustrative examples and practical case-studies that use the approach, and its associated analysis, for conducting e-readiness assessments. Three different organizations in different fields are taken 3 into account. These organizations are: governmental; bank and private sector. The illustrative examples are useful in two main ways. They show the ereadiness state of the organizations considered illustrating their specific strengths and weaknesses that help their future e-readiness development plans. They also show how the developed STOPE analytical approach can be applied to practical investigations. Finally, the thesis calls for using the analytical STOPE approach in the future, as a standard method, for practical e-readiness assessment studies, as this would support sound relative evaluations and comparisons, and help setting-up future development plans.