[8] 2002 e-business-strategies-for-virtual-organizations

Figure 6.2
VIM strategy
Globalization and e-business strategies for SMEs
related factors: nature of partnerships’ internal arrangements,
nature of market or industry, and the product offerings. The
analysis of the information processes in each of these factors
would reveal the aspects of the business that may be transformed
by leveraging the online infrastructure. These factors
also provide the basis of virtual infrastructure management by
seeking continuously to enhance the alignment between these
factors while increasing the firm’s ability to work with them
across multiple sites and time zones.
Employing an adaptation of Henderson and Venkatraman’s
(1993) strategic alignment model, Figure 6.2 shows the interaction
of the SME’s strategic objectives, information infrastructure and
its relevant business environment. The firm seeking to leverage
Information
Infrastructure
Strategic
Objectives
VIM
Strategy
Adapted from Henderson
&Venkatraman, 1993
Business
Environment
its information technology infrastructure must work out a close
fit between these three aspects. In general, the strategic objectives
of an online SME will relate to seeking increased access to wider
markets and resources through extension of its environment. The
firm’s infrastructure (based on Internet technologies) and its
industry environment (i.e. electronic business) present a virtual
market environment. Thus it becomes critical to identify and
exploit those features of the infrastructure that facilitate and
optimize virtual values in the business chain. The strategy for
alignment and exploitation of the online infrastructure to achieve
increased virtuality may be described as a virtual infrastructure
management (VIM) strategy.
Based on the above discussions on virtual organizing, an
effective virtual infrastructure management strategy would
include among others the following aspects:
� Develop components of the infrastructure that add value to
the business chain.
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