Role Negotiation and Interaction: An Exploratory Case Study of the Impact of Management Consultants on ERP System Implementation in SMEs in Taiwan

Abstract

With growing pressures for collaborative information systems (IS) partnerships, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation has been an important activity for improving supply chains efficiency in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Historically ERP consultants usually take a product-selling approach in SMEs, providing limited management consultancy services. However, a more constructive role for management consultants has become an emerging and challenging issue. This study explored the involvement of management consultants in ERP implementation, particularly with internal managers, ERP consultants and other project members. Extensive interviews were conducted with management consultants as well as 47 project members from four different SMEs in Taiwan employing ERP consultants. Using a grounded theory methodology, prior literature was used to sensitize the findings to key concepts of importance. The results were then analyzed and we described how owner-managers regard management consultants and how the consultants use role negotiation skills to work with both internal managers and ERP consultants. The study found resistance toward management consultants primarily from managers in SMEs, and not owner-managers. The relationships between management consultants and SME managers also differed from similar relationships in large organizations. Suggestions are also provided for academics and practitioners along with areas for future research to extend these exploratory findings.     

Empirical Model and Kinetic Behavior of Thermophilic Composting of Vegetable Waste

Laboratory-scale temperature-controlled reactors were used to generate experimental data of thermophilic composting of vegetable waste. By fitting in experimental data of thermophilic composting, the obtained empirical model (also verified by F-test) appeared to be a quadratic form. The empirical model can be used to predict operating conditions (ratio of predried vegetable waste to rice husks, aeration rate, and reaction temperature and time) for thermophilic composting of vegetable waste in the subtropical region. Moreover, an innovative method for investigating kinetic behavior of thermophilic composting (an exoenzyme-catalyzed reaction followed by a multienzyme-catalyzed reaction) is proposed. The two biochemical reactions of thermophilic composting of vegetable waste followed Monod-type kinetics with the specific substrate utilization rate constants k1 and k2 of 0.026 and 4.5 mg COD∕mg VSS∕day, respectively. Accordingly, the exoenzyme-catalyzed reaction kinetically controls the overall process of thermophilic composting of vegetable waste.     

Dielectric properties of FR-4 laminates as a function of thickness and the electrical frequency of the measurement

The relationship between the dielectric properties (dielectric constant, ε _lam ^′ and loss factor, ε _lam ^″ ) and thickness of FR-4 laminates was investigated. Thickness variations for laminates reinforced by the same style and number of plies of glass cloth were predominantly due to differences in the resin content. At each measurement frequency, values of both ε _lam ^′ and ε _lam ^″ were found to vary in an approximate linear manner with changes in the volume fraction of resin,V _rsn . An empirical equation was derived that gives the dielectric constant of an FR-4 laminate, ε _lam ^′ , as a function of the volume fraction of resin,V _rsn , and the frequency at which the measurement was performed (between 1 kHz and 1 GHz). An alternative expression was also determined that permits the calculation of ε _lam ^′ in the same frequency range from just the dielectric thickness of the laminate, providing the effective thickness of the reinforcement is known. The effective thickness of one style of glass cloth (2116) was experimentally determined to be 1.6 mils/ply. Effective thicknesses of most other common woven glass reinforcements used in FR-4 laminates were calculated and tabulated. The empirical relationships should be a valuable aid to electrical designers and others who need to know the frequency dependence of the dielectric properties of FR-4 laminates having different glass-to-resin ratios. Presented, in part, at the Fall 1988 Meeting of the IPC in Anaheim, California     

Investigation of SiC-AlN: Part II, Mechanical Properties

SiC/AIN composites with controlled interfacial solid solution were employed in the present work for investigating the effects of interfacial bonding and A1N polytypes on the mechanical properties. Platelike A1N polytypes and interfacial bonding were found to have substantial effects on the flexural strength, hardness, and fracture toughness.     

Hypercapnic respiratory acidosis precipitated by hypercaloric carbohydrate infusion in resolving septic acute respiratory distress syndrome: a case report

Complications may occur when nutritional support is administered either parenterally or enterally. Inappropriate nutritional formulas with high carbohydrate loads can precipitate respiratory failure in patients with compromised lung function, induce respiratory distress which manifests as dyspnea and tachypnea in an originally normal lung condition, produce hypercapnic acidosis in mechanically ventilated patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as well as patients recovering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) without chronic lung disease, or result in difficult weaning. Hypercaloric mixed substrates administered either parenterally or enterally can also have profound impacts on gas exchange and energy expenditure. This report describes a patient who experienced exacerbation of respiratory distress and hypercapnic acidosis during recovery from septic ARDS as the result of a nutritionally-related increase in CO2 production. As carbohydrate calories were decreased, CO2 production diminished and the hypercapnia was resolved. The importance of indirect calorimetry cannot be overemphasized during tailoring of nutritional support for the critically ill patients.     

Comparisons of flavonoids and anti-oxidative activities in seed coat,embryonic axis and cotyledon of black soybeans

Flavonoids contents, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities and the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were compared in three black soybean varieties CRWD, Tainan 3 and Tainan 5. Varietal differences in antioxidant contents existed among the tested varieties. Variety CRWD accumulated more total phenolics (7.49 mg g⁻¹) and isoflavones (1.77 mg g⁻¹) than varieties Tainan 3 (7.05 mg g⁻¹ total phenolics and 1.58 mg g⁻¹ isoflavones) and Tainan 5 (4.38 mg g⁻¹ total phenolics and 0.63 mg g⁻¹ isoflavones). CRWD also accumulated more proanthocyanidins in seed coat than Tainan 3 and Tainan 5. CRWD also demonstrated greater DPPH and FRAP activities than the other two cultivars. Stepwise regressions indicated that both DPPH and FRAP activities were correlated well with the total contents of phenolics and flavonoids, with total phenolics being the most important anti-oxidative factor. The present results indicate that CRWD has greater anti-oxidative responses than Tainan 3 or Tainan 5, and is useful in functional food and other applications.     

Anti-oxidative characterisation of NaN3-induced common bean mutants

The contents of total phenolics, total anthocyanins, total proanthocyanidins and antioxidant activities were measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power, lipid peroxidation inhibition ability and ABTS⁻ radical-scavenging activity assays. These were compared in the seed coats of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar Hwachia and its eighteen NaN₃-induced mutants. NaN₃-induced mutants generally accumulated more total phenolics (19% more), total anthocyanins (65% more) and total proanthocyanidins (4% more) than Hwachia (containing 29.94 mg g⁻¹ total phenolics, 0.31 mg g⁻¹ total anthocyanins and 12.94 mg g⁻¹ total proanthocyanidins, respectively). Anthocyanidins including delphinine, cyanidin and pelargonidin were detectable in seed coat, each with different levels depending on the tested accessions. Significant correlations (average of 0.847 across all comparisons, p < 0.01) were found between the tested antioxidant activities, total phenolics, total anthocyanins and total proanthocyanidins. Mutants SA-11-2, SA-13-2 and SA-34-2 that are enriched with antioxidants may be useful in food and other applications.     

The 4‐acetylantroquinonol B isolated from mycelium of Antrodia cinnamomea inhibits proliferation of hepatoma cells

BACKGROUND: Antrodia cinnamomea is known for its antihepatoma activity, yet the identity of its active compound was unclear. In this study, a 5‐ton fermenter was used to prepare sufficient mycelium of A. cinnamomea for active compound isolation and identification. RESULTS: Using antiproliferative activity toward HepG2 cells as guidance in the isolation process, 4‐acetylantroquinonol B was purified and identified to be the major bioactive compound of A. cinnamomea cultivated by submerged fermentation. The median effective doses (EC₅₀) of 4‐acetylantroquinonol B for HepG2 cells were 0.10 ± 0.00 and 0.08 ± 0.00 µg mL^?1 for 72 and 96 h treatments, respectively. The selective indices of 4‐acetylantroquinonol B were 100 and 125 for 72 and 96 h treatments, respectively, indicating that this compound had high selective activity for hepatoma cells. CONCLUSION: 4‐Acetylantroquinonol B is the major antihepatoma constituent of Antrodia cinnamomea mycelium produced by submerged fermentation. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry