This study investigates the impact created upon firm value when social media, in an emerging market context. Social media enables communication with stakeholders in terms of financial and non‑financial achievements, as well as issues of organization at low cost, in a direct and timely manner; thus, the study draws attention to the new phenomenon of enhanced value to firms through the use of social media. The sample consists of Turkish corporations listed on the BIST 100 Index of Borsa Istanbul for the year 2014, utilizing three metrics regarding social media usage: establishment of a social media account, the breadth of social media engagement, and the depth of social media engagement. The results demonstrate that depth of social media engagement has a significant positive association with firm value; whereas social media account ownership per se, and breadth of social media engagement do not show a viable statistical relationship. These findings imply that if social media accounts are opened and icons for several social media are placed on corporate websites, which is presently a fad and fashion, a benefit may not necessarily accrue. However, strong engagement for corporate purposes will generate the desired results and benefits. Thus, the study provides implications and guidance for firms which are using social media currently or thinking of using it in the future.

This paper shows, which concepts and frameworks currently exist to measure the performance of the IT de‑partment and its delivered IS services. We discuss how a performance management system might be designed and im‑ plemented with the purpose to monitor and improve the IT function. A performance metrics catalogue has been elabo‑ rated to document and to enable a common understanding of the individual metrics. Finally, this paper provides lessons learned and some recommendations for further research in the area of IT performance management.

There is evidence in the IT literature indicating that IT management is one factor that influences IT success. In addition, there is much literature indicating that IT management is important in the SME context. However, much of this literature has focused on the important role of the owner and/or other senior managers. For example, Thong et al (1996) focused on top management support and its influence on IT success. This paper argues that top management support is only one aspect of IT management and other aspects of IT management have received little attention in studies of SMEs. The study commenced with a review of the literature which identified many different definitions of IT management. However, the broader management literature indicated that the classical functions of planning, organising, controlling and leading provide an excellent way of conceptualising the many activities involved in managing (Carroll and Gillen, 1987). The management literature also provided working definitions for the four management functions. A multiple‑case study approach was then used to collect evidence from four SMEs (with between four and 50 employees). The data identified IT management practices associated with each of the four IT functions, ie, IT planning, IT organising, IT controlling and IT leading. For example, one firm had an IT committee made up of staff from different levels of the firm. Some on the committee would be assigned specific IT responsibilities, eg, training of other staff. This practice provided an example of IT organising, ie, of defining tasks and assigning personnel. Similarly, many other IT management practices were both identified and classified. The results provide a significant foundation for researchers of IT management in SMEs. For example, the conceptualisation indicates four IT management functions. Also, the definitions clarify important aspects of IT management. The study also indicated that some aspects of IT management have received little attention in prior studies. For example, while IT planning has received considerable attention, IT leading in SMEs has only been examined in the narrower context of top management support. Furthermore, few studies have examined the role and importance of IT organising and IT controlling in the SME context. Thus the study also indicates directions for future research, including the identification of IT management best practices.

During the latest years, IT governance has become more and more important. More of the attention on IT Governance is captured by compliance, owing to the recent financial scandals and the severe rules regarding information systems audit and control. Companies need to comply with these rules, but it requires important investments, considered not only strategic but necessary (Remenyi et. al. 2000). However, companies should analyse the compliance requirements to implement an IT governance system, not only to comply with legal rules, but also to improve the strategic alignment between IT and business and to optimise value creation by IT compliance investments (Ventrakaman and Henderson 1996, Van Grembergen 2003). However, companies have difficulties in implementing IT compliance initiatives, because they are complex and require an integrated approach all over the organization. But IT compliance initiatives often lack an integrated, strategic approach: they only try to comply with the increasing rules affecting IT operations, thereby limiting the value of compliance investments. To optimise IT compliance, companies should develop an IT compliance strategy, aiming not only to accomplish with regulations, but also to bring processes into compliance. That is, to realise a full integration between operations, risk control, data reliability. To reach this result, compliance automated solutions are indicated, like GCR (Governance, Risk and Compliance) applications. However, standard solutions fail to support specific problems and the individual value proposition of each company: an EIMS (Enterprise Information Management Systems), developed in house, allows automatically managed processes, data and information security, to access control and system performance and to improve data usability, in accordance with company specific organisation and needs. In this paper, IT compliance is introduced, to define how to orient it to value creation; GRC systems. EIM systems are described, with their different cost and benefits for companies. The aim of the paper is to define how to develop compliance automated systems, to save money and enhance information integration and value. Observations and conclusions derive from practical experience of the author, participating to a project of EIM implementation in a major Italian company.

Many organizations have undergone substantial reorganization in the last decade. They re‑engineered their business processes and exchanged proprietary, not integrated applications for more standard solutions. Integration of structured data in relational d atabases has improved documentation of business transactions and increased data quality. But almost 90% of the information that organizations manage is unstructured, cannot easily be integrated into a traditional database. When used for organizational act ions and transactions, structured and unstructured information are records. They are meant and used as evidence. Governments, courts and other stakeholders are making increasing demands for the trustworthiness of records. An analysis of literature of the information, organization and archival sciences illustrates that accountability needs the reconstruction of the past. Hypothesis of this paper is that for the reconstruction of the past each organization needs a combination of three mechanisms: enterprise records management, organizational memory and records auditing. Enterprise records management ensures that records meet the quality requirements needed for accountability: integrity, authenticity, controllability and historicity. They ensure records that can be trusted and enhance the possibilities for the reconstruction of the past. The organizational memory ensures that trusted records are preserved for as long as is necessary to comply with accountability regulations. It provides an ICT infrastructure to (indefinitely) store those records and to keep them accessible. Records auditing researches the first two mentioned mechanisms to assess the possibility to reconstruct past organizational actions and transactions. These mechanisms ensure that organi zations have a documented understanding of [1] the processing of actions and transactions within business processes; [2] the dissemination of trusted records; [3] the way the organization accounts for the actions and transactions within its business proce sses; and [4] the reconstruction of actions and transactions from business processes over time. This understanding is crucial for the reconstruction of the past and for organizational accountability

Abstract: Many small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) turn to consultants for assistance with IS projects, for example, to help the firm select and implement a new system. Prior studies have shown that consultants have a major influence on IS success for SMEs. However, despite its importance to IS success, relatively little research has focused on the relationship between SMEs and IS consultants and whether this relationship has any impact or influence on the development of IS competences in SMEs. T his study investigates whether consultants compensate for or enhance an SMEs IS competences during a major IS project. A multiple case study approach was adopted involving SMEs who implemented an Accounting Information System (AIS). The case firms prov ide evidence that SMEs lack many IS skills and abilities. The study identified a number of competences that are compensated or enhanced by consultants. The major finding of this study is that IS consultants help SMEs overcome a lack of IS competences, rat her than help develop IS competences within an SME. Managing the relationship between consultant and SME is crucial for SMEs lacking many IS competences.

Abstract: Financial Information Management Systems (FIMS) or Accounting Information Systems (AIS) is a cross‑discipline subject, often taught by Computing and Accounting disciplines. In recent years, demand for this subject has grown. However, educato rs have lamented high failure rates among AIS students; professional bodies have reported that graduates lack sufficient meta‑cognitive knowledge of information systems to perform their tasks. Students have reported that their knowledge of databases, ente rprise resource planning and relevant technology topics is lacking. Quality teaching of FIMS or AIS requires instructors to actively update their knowledge of accounting systems and information technology as well as to reflect on their teaching techniques . Reflection and reflective practices are taught within the education discipline, and have grown in popularity among many other disciplines. Yet little has been written about how accounting and IT professionals reflect on their practice and how they apply their reflections to their teaching. Through our case study at an Australian university, we discuss (1) the rationale for the importance of constructivist theory, cognitive load theory, reflective and action‑research in teaching and learning, (2) Blo om⠒s Revised Taxonomy, (3) the application of Bloom and the reflective concept for the design and delivery of FIMS courses, (4) reflection on our strategies for applying these concepts (5) how reflective professionals can assist instructors in t he design and delivery of FIMS courses and, (6) how the proposed five‑dimensional reflective cycle framework can assist academics in the design of AIS courses. Our study supports the view that reflection, within the proposed framework, is an effective strategy; and that Bloom⠒s Revised Taxonomy and the PEER Model are tools which can assist instructors to teach FIMS and AIS courses in a way that enhances participant⠒s learning abilities. We present a five‑dimensional reflective cycle framework t hat facilitates reflective practice among academic and prof

Abstract: The key resources that need to be effectively deployed to meet business objectives are Financial Assets, Human Assets, Physical Assets and Information Assets (IA). Information Assets are a critical business resource for most organisations, ye t they are typically poorly managed and the potential, tangible benefits from improving the management of these assets are seldom realised. Business governance refers to the decisions that must be made to ensure effective business management and also to w ho makes these decisions, i.e. who is responsible and accountable. Very little research has been undertaken on the role and responsibilities of various stakeholders in information asset management. This paper reports on qualitative research via confidenti al interviews that were conducted with C‑level executives and Board members of Australian and South African organisations in both private and public sectors, to identify their perceptions of who is responsible and accountable for the management of Informa tion Assets in their organisations. The research found that the information management decisions that must be made, and by whom, is often not clear in these organisations Responsibility and accountability is therefore inappropriately imposed.