Mobile Instant Messaging (M.I.M.) in Improving S.M.E. in Manufacturing: Case Study

Area of Science:

• Business Management
• Information Systems
• Operations Management

Background:

• Mobile Instant Messaging (M.I.M.) is increasingly adopted by businesses.
• Academic research on M.I.M. implementation in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (S.M.E.s) is limited.
• Existing literature lacks case studies on M.I.M. enhancing S.M.E. operational processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of M.I.M. implementation on S.M.E. operational processes.
• To provide empirical evidence of M.I.M. benefits through a case study.
• To demonstrate how M.I.M. can improve product ordering (P.O.) workflows.

Main Methods:

• A case study approach was employed.
• Qualitative and quantitative analysis methods were utilized.
• The study focused on a company that transitioned its P.O. processes to an M.I.M. application.

Main Results:

• M.I.M. implementation significantly enhanced the P.O. process.
• The overall timeline for the P.O. process was substantially shortened.
• Faster communication via M.I.M. led to quicker processing, approval, and delivery.

Conclusions:

• M.I.M. applications can effectively improve operational efficiency in S.M.E.s.
• This study presents the first case study demonstrating M.I.M. process enhancement for S.M.E. operations.
• The findings support the strategic adoption of M.I.M. tools for business process optimization.