Electronic Integration and Strategic Advantage: A Quasi-Experimental Study in the Insurance Industry.

Author List: Venkatraman, N.; Zaheer, Akbar;
Information Systems Research, 1990, Volume 1, Issue 4, Page 377-393.
Strategic advantage through information technology is a popular and an important theme, but the extent of research support is minimal, anecdotal, and sporadic. This paper reports the results of a quasi-experimental study on the impact of dedicated electronic integration [between a focal insurance carrier and its independent agents in the property and casualty (P&C) market] for the focal carrier. The results indicate that the agents that are electronically interfaced with the carrier report improvements in a set of four performance factors in the expected direction (six months after system installation), but statistically different from a matched set of non-interfaced agents (based on size, state, and location category) only in terms of increases in new business policies, but not in terms of effectiveness--namely, neither increases in premiums and commissions nor operating efficiency. Some explanations, extensions and research implications are outlined.
Keywords: Electronic interfacing; Insurance industry; Quasi-experimental study; Strategic advantage
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#209 0.173 results study research information studies relationship size variables previous variable examining dependent increases empirical variance accounting independent demonstrate important addition
#223 0.159 insurance companies growth portfolios intensity company life portfolio industry newly vulnerable terms composition operating implemented factors asset focus disaggregation choices
#167 0.141 workflow tools set paper management specification command support formal implemented scenarios associated sequence large derived taxonomies called given systematic specifications
#51 0.127 results study research experiment experiments influence implications conducted laboratory field different indicate impact effectiveness future participants evidence test controlled involving
#229 0.081 alignment strategic business strategy performance technology value organizational orientation relationship information misalignment matched goals perspective fit firms executives argue need
#71 0.065 distributed agents agent intelligent environments environment smart computational environmental scheduling human rule using does embodied provide trends computer-aided heterogeneous inventory
#235 0.060 diversity free impact trial market time consumer version strategy sales focal premium suggests freemium trials effect include extensions internet products
#84 0.052 electronic markets commerce market new efficiency suppliers internet changes marketplace analysis suggests b2b marketplaces industry examine easy product making physical