Self assessment as a means of measuring strategic and operational benefits from electronic data interchange: The development of a conceptual framework

This paper evaluates the benefit success associated with electronic data interchange (EDI) from nine leading companies in Northern Ireland through a process of self assessment. The procedure involves a comparison of pre-implementation benefit expectations with post-implementation perceptions of realised benefits. Three ‘benefit states’ are used to denote the degree of the gap between expectations and perceptions of realised benefits. If a shortfall or negative gap is experienced throughout a company as a whole, then this benefit state is described as a ‘deficiency’. If there is no gap and a company receives what it expected then this benefit state is termed ‘neutrality’. If the perceived realised benefit, on the other hand, exceeded the original benefit expectations, then this benefit state is regarded as ‘efficiency’. Assessment results from a benefit rating instrument and personal interviews indicate that ‘deficiency’ is the benefit state which is prevalent for most companies. A ‘benefit success matrix’ is used to illustrate the relationship between: benefit states, implementation success and the implementation approach. The application of benefit states to the benefit success matrix can be used as a retrospective self evaluation tool for companies to consider the mix of factors required for achieving successful EDI development.