DSS requirement analysis method

As discussed, a series of justificatory knowledge emerged from the results of the case studies, and web content analysis was further discussed and analysed using the MRT model (Mintzberg et al., 1976) in the conceptual DSS framework. The rationale for this analysis was to identify small business issues, needs, and DSS requirements. The MRT model is well-known in the strategic management literature. Many influential factors

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associated with decision-making processes are also part of the MRT Model, and one of these factors is environmental forces. Other factors addressed by the model related to the decision process are iterative, concerned with understanding and processing information (Power, 2009). Relevant findings and their analysis using three decision-making phases (identification, development, and selection) of MRT model are described in the following sections.

7.1.1.1 The identification phase

This phase relates to two management activities: recognition and diagnosis. The recognition activity initiates the decision-making process, as problems and opportunities in the business environment are recognised by the organisation.

In terms of a problem recognition routine, this study found that all small businesses had some awareness and knowledge of problems in the online retail sector in Australia. However, the majority of them lacked the competencies and analytical knowledge to address them. In terms of an opportunity recognition routine, although the majority of the small businesses believed their opportunities related to stimulating retail sales via websites, their strategies were incompatible with accomplishing this. They failed to set up interactive websites in the dynamic B2C e-commerce environment.

Researchers argue that managers require more information and knowledge in the diagnosis routine activity, as they need to be able to describe and explain the previously recognised problems and opportunities (De Wit & Meyer, 2010; Mintzberg et al., 1976). Therefore, additional information is crucial for a small business in making its decisions strategically in the B2C e-commerce environment. A strategic decision focuses on analysing both the internal and external business environment and associated factors (Mintzberg et al. 1976; De Wit & Meyer, 2010). Strategic decisions also involve qualitative judgements and using intuition before finally making decisions (Bonczek, Holsapple, & Whinston, 1981).

However, many small business owners/managers lack awareness and analytical knowledge about the internal and external business environment and associated factors, as identified in the multiple case studies. Analytical knowledge and its acquisition from the business environment is essential for a manager to improve business performance.

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Knowledge acquisition must connect to the source of knowledge and whether it is found internally or externally (Oliver, 2008).

7.1.1.1.1 Small business internal issues, needs and DSS requirements analysis

Internal environmental analysis involves understanding strategic issues crucial to the success of an organisation. This analysis also determines the importance of each of these issues and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation concerning each of these factors. Finally, this analysis assists managers in preparing a strategic advantage profile for their organisation and comparing it with profiles of successful competitors within the industry (Srivastava & Verma, 2012). Rosenblatt (2014) considered internal issues, including system user concerns and problems with existing systems. Other small business internal issues also investigated in this study, include:

• Owners/managers as system users’ competence related to strategic decision- making in the B2C e-commerce environment.

• Focused issues on their existing systems related to competitive features that need to be available on their B2C websites.

• Owner/managers’ knowledge about the business environment and associated factors.

• Concerns about small business internal strengths and issues and how they use resources to maximise opportunities and address their internal problems strategically in the B2C e-commerce environment.

Although some small businesses in this study had a wide range of products, which were considered an internal strength or resource, only one had a strategy to provide relevant product information on their website through which consumer interactions could be maximised. The majority of the small businesses had internal issues relating to a lack of skills in using advanced technology, but their strategies were not designed to address this. The most significant problem for them was the lack of understanding and poor analytical knowledge about the business environment.

While the majority of small businesses considered opportunities to increase sales via websites, and were aware of competitors as an external threat, their strategies did not reflect the importance of these opportunities. Moreover, many of the small businesses

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were uninterested in overseas competitors who sold products to Australia, and only a few of them thought about local competitors.

This study also found that the majority of small businesses lacked strategies in the selection of competitive features on their websites. Most of them depended on web designers and consultants, who were secondary decision-makers. Nearly all of them lacked awareness about the level of adoption of features on their overseas competitors’ websites. Moreover, most of them did not know what features were available on their own websites. Owners/managers were preoccupied with everyday business operations and were time poor. They had little opportunity to engage in research and development. In line with this finding, Buxton and Walton (2014) recognised that small businesses might find it challenging to collect market research data due to limited time.

7.1.1.1.2 Small business external environmental factors and DSS requirement analysis

Researchers have recommended external business environmental factors, such as new technologies, customers, suppliers, the economy, competition and government policies (Pedersen & Sudzina, 2012; Rosenblatt, 2014; Thierauf, 1988). In the context of analysis of the external business environment and associated factors, this study considered small businesses who had to deal with overseas competitors with websites that competed with their own, a significant external business environmental factor.

From the B2C e-commerce perspective, the online environment must be attractive, with adequate website features so its consumers can choose, perform, and enjoy their shopping experience (Bilgihan & Bujisic, 2015; Abdallah & Jaleel, 2015). One of the significant challenges of many small businesses in Australia, as evident in the case studies, has been forming strategies to create effective retail websites. The lack of strategy formation is centred on the selection of competitive features on their websites. As already discussed, the present study focused on an analysis of the external business environment and associated factors. It found that significantly lower levels of ICDT categories of features were present on small business websites compared with their overseas competitors. Again, as already discussed, small business problems and support needs within the B2C e-commerce environment informed the development of a DSS-based solution. This DSS was designed to help small businesses accumulate information from the external business environment and process it into knowledge. This would ultimately support better strategic

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decision-making, particularly in relation to selecting more competitive features on their websites.

7.1.1.2 The development phase

The development phase of the MRT model in the conceptual DSS framework involved two sets of activities to produce one or more solutions. First was the search activity, aimed at finding ready-made solutions. Second was the design activity, which sought to develop new solutions or modify ready-made ones. In the development phase, a manager can formulate or develop a decision model, set the criterion for the choice, and search for alternatives. However, many small businesses had inadequate knowledge about the business environment and related factors. These factors are significant for making decisions strategically through the development of a support system for achieving organisational goals.

A UCDE method was adopted, as developed by Miah et al. (2014), for the overall development of the DSS deigned in this study for small business decision-makers. The initial DSS prototype instantiation was also evaluated with the involvement of owners/managers as end-users.

7.1.1.3 The selection phase

The selection phase of the MRT model in the conceptual DSS framework is characteristically a multi-stage iterative process of decision-making. An authorised decision-maker is involved in this phase in making strategic decisions. In the present study context, the authorised decision-maker is a small business owner/manager responsible for making strategic decisions about the selection of competitive features on their website in the B2C e-commerce environment.

The evaluation phase of the initial DSS prototype allowed small business decision-makers to confirm the usability, efficiency, and performance. This would determine whether the artefact was adequate for their strategic needs. Consequently, these activities involved acquiring knowledge through analysing the external and internal B2C e-commerce environment, and activities that required further prototype improvements.

This study adopted the HMPR guidelines in DSR for the overall research design, with HMPR guideline 5 suggesting the use of rigorous methods that are vital in both the construction and evaluation of the design artefact. Ultimately, an evolutionary and

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prototype approach was used for the new DSS artefact design, development and evaluation, employing UCD principles. As a consequence, small business owners/managers were invited to evaluate the DSS prototype. The next section introduces the different approaches used to select the most appropriate methods to design, develop and evaluate the new DSS solution artefact to meet small business strategic needs.