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Drawing upon the resource-based and relational view, this study examines how the three types of IT competencies (i.e., IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge) differentially affect firm performance and how such effects are moderated by interorganizational communication (IOC). We test the hypotheses of interest with data collected from 258 firms in China. The results of hierarchical regression analysis reveal that IT operations and IT knowledge significantly improve firm performance, while IT objects are found to be insignificant. In addition, the moderating effect of IOC on the relationship between the three types of IT competencies and firm performance varies across diffenent types of IT competencies. Specifically, IOC positively moderates the relationship between both IT operations and IT knowledge and firm performance. However, the moderating effect of IOC on the relationship between IT objects and firm performance is not significant.
1 Introduction
Deploying information technology (IT) in the firm's interorganizational processes to derive competitive advantage has generated much excitement among information systems (IS) researchers and practitioners (Lui et al. 2013; Lu et al. 2011; Roberts et al. 2012; Tippins et al. 2003). IT competency enables the firm to establish a requisite set of technological resources, providing the foundation for diffusing IT applications along the supply chain (Tu 2010). However, the empirical findings on IT-performance linkages are mixed. For example, some researchers provide empirical support for positive IT-performance linkage (Bhatt et al. 2005; Kim et al. 2013), others show an insignificant relationship (Carr 2003). Therefore, there is a need for fully exploring the relationship between IT and firm performance especially in the supply chain context (Liu et al. 2013).
Although it is well touted that IT competency can lead to superior firm performance, the earlier research has been criticized for lack of a unified conceptualization of IT competency (Tippins et al. 2003). In particular, the mixed findings of previous empirical studies on IT-performance relationship may be due to the incomplete conceptualizations of IT competency (Ray et al. 2005; Wu et al. 2006). Therefore, by extending prior research, the first objective of our study is to refine the conceptualization of IT competency reflected in three dimensions–IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge–and investigate how these three types of IT competencies can provide differential benefits to the firm based on the resource-based view (RBV).
Under the context of supply chain, however, firms increasingly engage in interorganizational communication (IOC) to leverage each other's information and knowledge for achieving mutual goals (Liu et al. 2010; Liu et al. 2012; Lyer et al. 2009). In this view, RBV only stresses the internal resources the firm possesses, which have been criticized for its failure to consider the linkages with external supply chain partners (Priem et al. 2001; Sirmon et al. 2007). While the relational view (RV) posits that a firm's critical resources not only include those housed with its limits but also those embedded in its external relationships, and thus addressing the limitation in RBV (Powell et al. 1996; Rai et al. 2012). Furthermore, researchers indicate that the value of IT competency can be augmented when it is embedded in interorganizational processes through resource complementarities and co-specialization (Marchildon et al. 2011; Zhu 2004). Wade and Hull and (2004) state that "information systems exert their influence on the firm through complementary relationships with other firm assets and capabilities" (p. 109). They further suggest that key moderating variables should be considered in the studies of IT-performance relationship. Following this call, the second objective of our study is to investigate the moderating effects of IOC on the relationship between the three types of IT competencies and firm performance through the theoretical lens of RV.
To this end, we conceptualize IT competency in terms of IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge based on the basic tenets of the RBV (Barney 1991; Bhatt et al. 2005) and the existing IS literature (Lu et al. 2011; Tippins et al. 2003). Drawing upon the RBV and RV, we examine the extent to which the three types of IT competencies affect firm performance and how they are influenced by IOC. Specifically, by drawing on the RBV, we first distinguish between the three types of IT competencies and examine three distinct logics (i.e., the logic of positioning, leverage, and opportunity;Sambamurthy et al. 2003) through which the three different types of IT competencies impact firm performance. Then, we address the moderating role of the IOC from the RV, by investigating the IOC as a manifestation of the relational competency (Paulraj et al. 2008), where IOC represents the degree to which a firm strategically shares information with supply chain partners (Rai et al. 2006; Rosenzweig 2009).
2 Theoretical Framework
2.1 Resource-Based View
RBV indicates that variations of performance among firms can be attributed to the heterogeneity in their possession of valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable resources and capabilities (Barney 1991). It is based on the assumptions that the resources "needed to conceive, choose, and implement strategies are heterogeneously distributed across firms and these firm differences remain stable over time" (Bharadwaj 2000, p. 171). As such, a firm will be able to attain and sustain competitive advantage by combining its resources in a unique and inimitable way (Marchildon et al. 2011). Following this notion, RBV is useful to provide a cogent perspective for analyzing how IT competency relates to firm performance.
IS researchers thus increasingly adopt the RBV to examine the effect of IT on firm performance (Bharadwaj 2000; Bhatt et al. 2005; Lim et al. 2011). However, the existing research primarily focuses on external positioning or leveraging the firm's IT to create competitive advantage (Bhatt et al. 2005; Liu et al. 2013; Rai and Tang 2010; Tippins et al. 2003). Less is known about how the IT can help detect the windows of opportunity with proactive stance to gain competitive advantage such as improvisational capabilities, especially in the highly turbulent environment (Lu et al. 2011; Pavlou et al. 2010). As such, we draw from the study by Sambamurthy et al. (2003) and further unpack the underlying casual mechanisms through which IT competency influences firm performance. Accordingly, we identify three distinct logics that can describe the role of IT competency in shaping superior firm performance, namely, the logic of positioning, leverage, and opportunity.
First, the logic of positioning describes superior firm performance in terms of the strategic positions of a firm and the extent to which the positions are executed (Bhatt et al. 2005; Sambamurthy et al. 2003). Strategic positioning helps the firm create uniqueness and value by raising entry barriers, linking closely with suppliers and customers, and providing new products and services through the integrated strategic systems (Bhatt et al. 2005). However, this logic does not explain how firms can build the inimitable differentiators in a dynamic environment with open IT architectures (Bhatt et al. 2005; Sirmon et al. 2007). Second, the logic of leverage frames superior firm performance in terms of the deployment and configuration of idiosyncratic, valuable, inimitable, and firm-specific resources and capabilities that might be difficult to transfer to another firm (Barney 1991; Sambamurthy et al. 2003). Firms generally leverage two distinct strategic mechanisms: resource-picking and capability-building (Makadok 2001). Specifically, resource-picking mechanism creates economic rents when the firm applies superior information and knowledge to gain the value from the resources, while capability-building mechanism highlights the firm's ability to integrate, build, and reconfigure internal and external resources and competencies to achieve competitive advantage in a rapidly changing business environment (Eisenhardt et al. 2000; Teece et al. 1997). It is also indicated that capability-building process is more significant than the resource-picking process (Oh et al. 2012). Third, the logic of opportunity emphasizes superior firm performance in terms of relentless innovation and exploitation of existing resources and capabilities to create business opportunities (Lu et al. 2011; Sambamurthy et al. 2003). This logic assumes that the firm should be opportunity oriented and has the strategic knowledge and insight to detect and seize the windows of opportunity that emerge in the fast-paced business environments (Lu et al. 2011; Tippins et al. 2003).
2.2 Relational View
RV suggests that a firm can leverage not only the critical resources housed with its limits but also those embedded in its external relationships to create relational value (Dyer et al. 1998; Powell et al. 1996; Rai et al. 2012). Dyer et al. (1998) defined relational value as mutual benefits that were created by two or more firms and further proposed four key components that can determine the relational value: relationship-specific assets, information/knowledge-sharing routines, complementary strategic resources and capabilities, and effective relational governance. Under this condition, the strategic resources of a firm may span its boundaries and embed in interorganizational routines and processes with supply chain partners (Dyer et al. 1998). In the context of supply chain, the increasing interorganizational dependence motivates firms to make more relationship-specific investments, share more idiosyncratic information and knowledge, and build stronger inter-firm capabilities to create relational competency, such as IOC, which in turn, can be positioned, leveraged, or improvised to better explore and exploit the business value of IT (Grover et al. 2012; Rai et al. 2012; Sambamurthy et al. 2003; Saraf et al. 2007). Accordingly, we suggest that IOC can generate relational value by means of relationship-specific assets, complementary resources and capabilities, and information/knowledge-sharing routines (Rosenzweig 2009).
Based on the RV, IOC makes firms work with their supply chain partners to share strategic information to create relational value, which in turn, helps rejuvenate and reconfigure IT competency such as investing updated IT assets, bundling new IT resource portfolios, and exploring new IT innovation opportunities (Saeed et al. 2011). In this view, IOC can leverage the firm's external resources and push the firm to integrate and reconfigure its IT competency in a unique way, and thus generate a competitive advantage (Piccoli et al. 2005; Wu et al. 2006).
3 Research Model and Hypotheses
Based on the RBV and RV, we develop a research model to examine (1) the impacts of IT competency on firm performance by distinguishing between the three types of IT competencies (i.e., IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge), and (2) how the impacts are moderated by IOC as depicted in Figure 1. Specifically, in what follows, we first refine the conceptualization of IT competency by drawing on the Tippins et al. (2003)and argue that the different types of IT competencies enhance firm performance through differential influential mechanism. We then introduce IOC as a relational competency of a firm, and argue that IOC positively moderates the relationships between the three types of IT competencies and firm performance.
3.1 IT Competency
On the basis of the results of prior research, we define IT competency as a firm's capacity to utilize IT resources to support organizational business processes (Bharadwaj 2000; Sambamurthy et al. 2003; Saraf et al. 2007). IT competency can realize business value by embedding IT-enabled resources in support and enhancement of the firm's strategies and processes (Devaraj et al. 2007; Li et al. 2009; Lyer et al. 2009; Wu et al. 2006). According to Tippins et al. (2003) and Yoon (2011), we conceptualize IT competency in terms of three co-specialized resources and capabilities: IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge. IT objects refer to computer-based hardware, software, and support personnel, which can be reflected in terms of financial investment for IT, a formal IT department, specialized IT managers, and customized software applications. Thus, IT objects act as enablers and provide the technological foundation that can be an effective source of value. IT operations refer to the extent to which a firm utilizes IT to manage market and customer information (Armstrong et al. 1999). It reflects the extent to which IT applications have been diffused into intra- and interorganizational processes (Bhatt et al. 2005; Lu et al. 2011; Tippins et al. 2003). In this view, IT operations are not only valuable but also heterogeneously distributed across firms and hard to imitate. IT knowledge refers to the extent to which a firm possesses a body of technical knowledge on IT (Armstrong et al. 1999; Kearns et al. 2006; Lu et al. 2011; Ranganathan et al. 2004). It reflects the extent to which a firm has recognized the importance of IT (Ranganathan et al. 2004). Thus, IT knowledge helps the firm sense and respond to IT innovations, and thus proactively detect and catch the windows of opportunity in highly turbulent environments in a better manner (Lu et al. 2011; Pavlou et al. 2010; Roberts et al. 2012).
3.2 Impact of IT Competency on Firm Performance
IT objects provide the technological foundation of IT innovations implementation and make information and knowledge more easily accessible and also easy to share between internal functions with a firm and among supply chain partners (Bharadwaj 2000; Rai et al. 2006). The strategically integrated infrastructure represents the firm's commitments to a specific position (Liu et al. 2013; Lu et al. 2011). As such, IT objects are consistent with the logic of positioning and represent a superior position of a firm with respect to its rivals (Bhatt et al. 2005). Following this logic, the IT objects can be an effective source of value for a firm by locking-out competitors from imitating this position and locking-in itself to keep the position strategic mobility (Bharadwaj 2000; Sambamurthy et al. 2003).
From the perspective of RBV, IT objects, however, evolve over time and make it difficult for competitors to imitate and thus allow the firm to achieve superior performance (Bharadwaj 2000). In particular, such IT infrastructures can permit firms to flexibly and rapidly combine different IT-related resources with business processes, which in turn, positions the firm toward better sense the market, coordinate the operations, and optimize the resources (Rai et al. 2006; Sambamurthy et al. 2003). Under this condition, with high IT objects, firms can quickly build up new competencies for adapting to emerging business paradigms and easily realize the synergies between supply and demand with little added costs (Bharadwaj 2000; Kim et al. 2013; Lu et al. 2011). Thus, we hypothesize the following:
H1: A firm's IT objects are positively associated with its firm performance.
IT operations emphasize the execution of related business strategies, which enables firms to realize the business value of IT (Armstrong et al. 1999). Therefore, IT operations are consistent with the logic of leverage and highlight the ability to bundle, recombine, and reconfigure IT-enabled resources in managing market and customer information (Sambamurthy et al. 2003; Sirmon et al. 2007). In this view, IT operations can help the firm effectively leverage its existing resources to create value for customers (Morgan et al. 2009; Sirmon et al. 2007; Teece et al. 1997).
For example, high IT operations help firms in the supply chain better integrate each other's resources and align their goals and processes, and thus improve firms to more efficiently and effectively sense and respond to the market and customer (Roberts et al. 2012). However, firms are heterogeneous in the resource-picking and capability-building processes, and therefore they are likely to have different potential in leveraging IT for their competitiveness (Bhatt et al. 2005). Based on the RBV, the processes that enable IT resources to be combined and integrated into unique functionalities, which enable distinctive capabilities for improving firm performance, are socially complex, path-dependent, and inimitable (Zhu 2004). Thus, we expect the following:
H2: A firm's IT operations are positively associated with its firm performance.
IT knowledge of a firm will affect its beliefs and participation in the IT innovation projects (Kearns et al. 2006). As such, IT knowledge of a firm helps better search for new ways to explore and exploit the IT infrastructure to create and capitalize on the business opportunities (Lu et al. 2011). In particular, with a high understanding of the strategic potential of IT, the firm would develop appropriate strategies to facilitate the creation of a clear vision for IT, and ensure the strategic use of IT (Bassellier et al. 2001). Under this condition, IT knowledge can help the firm respond quickly to environmental threats and leverage opportunities (Bhatt et al. 2005). Thus, IT knowledge is consistent with the logic of opportunity and describes the proactive stance to identify and select opportunities with IT initiatives to gain competitive advantage (Sambamurthy et al. 2003). Only if the firm has high IT knowledge can they mindfully detect and pursue the windows of opportunity emerging in the market and thus capture positions of competitive advantage (Lu et al. 2011; Sambamurthy et al. 2003).
A firm's knowledge about IT also enables the firm's continual learning and renewal, which could be a source of competitive advantage (Lu et al. 2011). Specifically, the firm's knowledge about IT can be utilized to exploit and explore opportunities and thus prevent it from falling into lock-in technology rigidity, especially in the competitive and dynamic environment (Lu et al. 2011). As such, a firm's knowledge about IT-related initiatives is firm-specific, durably heterogeneous, and difficult to be imitated by its rivals due to path dependence, and consequently creating a source of sustained competitive advantage (Lim et al. 2011; Tippins et al. 2003). Therefore, we hypothesize the following:
H3: A firm's IT knowledge is positively associated with its firm performance.
3.3 Interorganizational Communication
Firms are increasingly developing strategic partnerships with their channel partners through IOC to more efficiently and effectively respond to the market needs (Paulraj et al. 2008). IOC refers to the degree to which a firm collaborates with its channel partners to share strategic information and knowledge (Kulp et al. 2004; Lee et al. 2004; Rai et al. 2006). In the context of IOC, firms adopt a "cooperation logic," which moves away from conventional, arms-length relationships to specific, collaborative interorganizational relationships (Liu et al. 2010; Rai et al. 2012). As such, drawing on the RV, we conceptualize IOC as a relational competency, which may foster mutual learning and knowledge creation between supply chain partners that is critical for the firm's competitive success (Malhotra et al. 2007; Paulraj et al. 2008). The new information and knowledge acquired from the IOC with external partners (suppliers and customers) can thus serve as a stimulus for more efficiently and effectively realizing the value of internal capabilities such as IT competency (Narasimhan et al. 2010). Under this condition, firms can not only position and configure the resources and capabilities housed within its limits but also detect and leverage the external resources and capabilities beyond its boundary (Marchildon et al. 2011; Rai and Tang 2010). Rai and Tang (2010) further posit that these resources and capabilities "that are embedded in partner relationships have emerged as an increasingly important source of a firm's capabilities to develop, sustain, and renewal competitive advantage" (p. 519).
3.4 The Moderating Effect of IOC between IT Competency and Firm Performance
Based on the RBV and RV illustrated in Figure 1, we conceptualize the complementarity of IT competency and IOC as a moderation effect (Venkatraman 1989). We recognize that IOC can have a direct effect on firm performance. As such, we focus on how it moderates the relationship between IT competency and firm performance. Specifically, as a relational competency or arrangement, IOC that generates three kinds of relational value, namely, relationship-specific assets, complementary resources and capabilities, and information/knowledge-sharing routines can influence how the three types of IT competencies affect the firm performance in important ways.
Relationship-specific assets involved the firms in the supply chain to contribute specialized IT architectures and applications to better integrate with each other to create mutual value (Grover et al. 2012). IOC enables firms in the supply chain to jointly share information on production planning, inventory replenishment, and about promotions to develop new business process (Cai et al. 2010). In this view, firms participating in IOC can feel confident about further commitment to and investment in idiosyncratic IT infrastructure to seamlessly link with their partners within the supply chain (Liu et al. 2012; Villena et al. 2009). Following this logic, the firm's strategic position of IT objects can be better established and executed in conjunction with channel partners' assets through IOC (Grover et al. 2012; Sambamurthy et al. 2003).
Complementary resources and capabilities highlight leveraging the complementary resources and capabilities among the supply chain partners to generate relational value that cannot be generated by either firm in isolation (Dyer et al. 1998). IOC involves synergistic combinations of resources and capabilities across inter-firm boundaries through information sharing and collaborative planning, which may help firms better assimilate IT applications in supporting business processes (Handley 2012). The RBV also indicates that firms' resources/capabilities can interact with each other, which can be a source of competitive advantage (Marchildon et al. 2011; Narasimhan et al. 2010; Voola et al. 2012). In this view, the impact of a firm's IT operations on firm performance can be augmented by leveraging its channel partners' resources and capabilities in virtue of IOC (Flynn et al. 2010; Rai and Tang 2010). For example, IOC helps firms better understand its partner network as well as its resources and capabilities, and thus can more effectively and efficiently deploy and configure IT applications in intra- and interorganizational processes to create value through a process, which is complex and imperfectly imitable process that may lead to sustained competitive advantage (Grover et al. 2012).
Information/knowledge sharing routines focus on sharing of information and knowledge on market environment between supply chain partners to create relational value (Grover et al. 2012). Under the condition of IOC, firms can share direct and real-time information and knowledge about market changes, such as sales, inventory holding, production, and delivery schedules along the supply chain (Kulp et al. 2004; Lee et al. 2004; Rai et al. 2006). In particular, firms in the supply chain that share their strategic insight and knowledge about IT can help firms more proactively sense and respond to IT opportunities emerging in market (Lu et al. 2011). Through these firms' boundary-spanning activities, firms can help each other better interpret market signals and opportunities and thus develop the knowledge requisite for exploration and exploitation of IT (Malhotra et al. 2007).
In conclusion, drawing upon the RBV and RV, IT competency emphasizes on how to bundle, integrate, and reconfigure intra- and interorganizational IT resources into higher-order competencies. In contrast, IOC focuses on how and to what extent a firm should collaborate with its supply chain partners, which reflects an outwardlooking view of match between internal business processes and external channel partners (Villena et al. 2009; Zhou et al. 2010). As such, a firm's IOC representing the strategic collaboration with partners through investing relationship-specific assets, bundling complementary resources and capabilities, and sharing information and knowledge should serve as stimuli, promoting IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge to better create value for the firm (Li et al. 2009; Rai et al. 2006; Zhou et al. 2010). Additionally, the process of integrating IT competency with IOC is of great complexity and casual ambiguity, which makes it difficult for competitors to imitate, thereby yielding sustained competitive advantage (Barney 1991; Saeed et al. 2011). Therefore, we propose that IOC will positively moderate all the three types of IT competencies impact on firm performance:
H4a: Interorganizational communication positively moderates the relationship between IT objects and firm performance.
H4b: Interorganizational communication positively moderates the relationship between IT operations and firm performance.
H4c: Interorganizational communication positively moderates the relationship between IT knowledge and firm performance.
4 Research Method
4.1 Research Design
To test our hypotheses, we collected data using a questionnaire survey. This survey was conducted in China. With a list provided by government agencies administering major industrial parks, we randomly selected 1,000 firms that had run their supply chains with IT applications. We further identified senior executives from each firm as data sources (Flynn et al. 2010; Liu et al. 2010; Paulraj et al. 2008). After the questionnaires had been sent out for two weeks, we made follow-up phone calls to encourage response. Finally, we received 258 useful questionnaires, with a response rate of 25.8%. To test for possible nonresponse bias, we compared the Chi-squares from the first 25% of the respondents to that of the final 25% and found no significant difference between these two groups on control variables. This result suggested that nonresponse bias was not a serious issue in this study (Armstrong et al. 1977). Table 1 shows the demographic information of the sample.
Sample Demographic (N = 258).
|Percentage (%)
|Respondent Titles
|President, Managing Director, CEO
|Senior VP of Operations, COO
|State owned
|Privately owned
|Foreign controlled
|Number of Employees
4.2 Measures
The current study developed an English questionnaire using the previously validated measures from the existing literature first. In the questionnaire, we used 5-point Likert scales, with options ranging from 1 ("strongly disagree") to 5 ("strongly agree") to measure the items. Given that the current research was conducted in China, the English questionnaire was then translated into Chinese by a team consisting of four researchers from different majors. Further, a professional translator, who was unfamiliar with this study, was hired to translate the Chinese questionnaire back to English. No semantic discrepancies were found when the translated questionnaire was compared with the original English version.
Specifically, the items used to measure IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge were adapted from Tippins et al. (2003). Meanwhile, IOC was measured by seven items adapted from the work of Paulraj et al. (2008). Finally, the items used to measure firm performance were adapted from Rai et al. (2006) and Ravichandran et al. (2005). All instrument items are shown in Appendix A.
We also included several control variables that might affect firm performance. Specifically, manufacturing and service firms may have differences in firm performance (Frohlich et al. 2002). Thus, we used a dummy variable for the industry, with values of 1 and 0 for the manufacturing and service industries respectively. Furthermore, ownership can also be an important factor that can influence the firm's activities and performance (Li et al. 2010). As such, dummy variables were also used for ownership types, namely, state-owned, private-owned, and foreign-controlled. In addition, the firm size may also be crucial to a firms performance (Zhou et al. 2010). We included firm size as a control variable and measured it using the number of full-time employees.
5 Analysis and Results
5.1 Common Method Bias
All the data in this study collected were perceptual and from a single source. This may incur the issue of common method bias. To analyze the common method bias, we applied the Harmon's single-factor test. The results finally revealed that all the items in the dataset could develop five distinct factors with eigenvalues above 1.0 and explain 73.90% of total variance. Meanwhile, the first factor did not account for the majority of the variance (only 22.42%). These results indicated that common method bias was unlikely to be a major issue in the dataset.
5.2 Reliability and Validity
We also assessed the construct reliability and validity of the measurement. Specifically, we assessed Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability values ranging from 0.8561 to 0.915 and 0.818 to 0.917, respectively, indicating the good reliability of the measurements (Table 2). We further tested construct validity by convergent and discriminant validities. The convergent validity was tested based on the average variance extracted (AVE), which was greater than the recommended level 0.5 (Table 2; (Fornell et al. 1981). Further, as Table 3 shows, all the retained items had loadings greater than 0.60 and that items loaded well on their own factors. These results confirmed the convergent validity of the measures.
Results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis.
|Composite Reliability
|Cronbach's Alpha
|Standard Deviation
|IT Objects (ITOB)
|IT Operations (ITOP)
|IT Knowledge (ITK)
|Inter-Organizational Communication (IOC)
|Firm Performance (FPP)
|Industry (IND)
|Single item
|Ownership (OWN)
|Single item
|Firm Size (SIZE)
|Single item
|Notes: AVE=average variance extracted
Item Loadings and Cross Loadings.
|IT Objects(ITOB)
|IT Operations (ITOP)
|IT Knowledge (ITK)
|Interorganizational Communication (IOC)
|Firm Performance (FP)
To assess the discriminant validity, the square roots of the AVE of each construct were calculated and compared with the correlations among constructs. As shown in Table 4, the square roots of AVEs for all constructs were greater than the correlations between constructs. Further, according to Table 3, all the items loaded well onto their own construct and poorly on other constructs. All these results confirmed the discriminant validity. In addition, one inter-construct correlation value was over the 0.60 criteria, which indicated that multicollinearity may be a potential problem. Generally, multicollinearity is indicated by a variance inflation factor (VIF) value that is higher than 10 or a tolerance value that is less than 0.1 (Mason et al. 1991). We tested these values and found that the highest VIF and the lowest tolerance values were 1.792 and 0.558 respectively. This finding indicated that multicollinearity was not a significant issue in this study.
Correlations and Discriminant Validity of Constructs.
|IT Objects (ITOB)
|IT Operations (ITOP)
|IT Knowledge (ITK)
|Interorganizational Communication (IOC)
|Firm Performance (FP)
|Industry (IND)
|Ownership (OWN)
|Firm Size (SIZE)
5.3 Hypothesis Testing
We used hierarchical regression analysis to test our hypotheses. To minimize the possibility of multicollinearity, all the independent variables and moderator variables were mean centered (Aiken and West 1991). We estimated three hierarchical regressions: (i) including just control variables; (ii) adding three types of IT competencies and IOC; and (iii) adding the interaction of three types of IT competencies and IOC.
As shown in Table 5, the results showed that (Model 2) IT operations positively impacted firm performance (β = 0.181, p < 0.05) and IT knowledge was also positively associated with firm performance (β = 0.209, p < 0.01), which supported H2 and H3. Yet, the results showed that IT objects did not influence firm performance significantly (β = 0.027, p > 0.05), and therefore, H1 was not supported.
Results of Hierarchical Regression Analysis of Research Hypotheses.
|Firm Performance
|Model 1
|Model 2
|Model 3
|Control Variables
|Industry Dummy (manufacturing)a
|Ownership Dummy 1 (state)a
|Ownership Dummy 2 (private)
|Firm Size
|Main Effects
|IT Objects (ITOB)
|IT Operations (ITOP)
|IT Knowledge (ITK)
|Inter-Organizational Communication (IOC)
|Moderating Effects
|F test of ΔR2
|Effect Size (f2)
Furthermore, as expected, H4b, which stated that IOC positively moderates the relationship between IT operations and firm performance, was supported (β = 0.210, p < 0.01; Model 3). H4c was also supported: IOC positively moderates the relationship between IT knowledge and firm performance (β = 0.144, p < 0.05; Model 3). However, the moderating effect of IOC on the relationship between IT objects and firm performance was negative but not significant (β = -0.128, p > 0.05) and thus did not support H4a. In addition, except for the relationship between the ownership of state and the firm, performance was negatively significant (β = -0.178, p < 0.05; Model 1) and all other control variables were found to be insignificant.
To further analyze the moderating effects, we plotted the moderating effects of IOC in Figures 2 and 3. As predicted, at high levels of IOC, firm performance increases rapidly as IT operations (IT knowledge) increase. At low levels of IOC, firm performance does not increase (increases marginally) as IT operations (IT knowledge) increase, confirming the positive moderating effec of IOC on the relationship between both IT operations and IT knowledge and firm performance.
6 Discussion and Implications
6.1 Direct Impacts of IT Competency on Firm Performance
Overall, our study provides the empirical evidence for the theoretical relationships between IT competency and firm performance. However, the results presented that the three types of IT competencies have various impacts on firm performance. In particular, we found that IT objects did not significantly impact firm performance. One possible explanation is that IT objects can be purchased or duplicated fairly easily by rivals, which would make it difficult for a firm to perform better than its competitors (Bharadwaj 2000). Bhatt and Grover (2005) argued that "the existence of open architectures and standardized enterprise packages suggest that this capability might not be heterogeneously distributed across firms-or, even if it is, that access to infrastructure is not restrictive"(p. 260). As such, the logic of positioning IT objects may not directly contribute to differential firm performance due to its failure to explain how firms construct these IT objects, especially in the dynamic environments (Sambamurthy et al. 2003).
As expected, the results indicated that both IT operations and IT knowledge significantly and positively influence firm performance. Our findings suggest that firms can realize the business value of IT competency by utilizing the IT applications in the intra- and interorganizational processes as a driver and mindfully pursuing IT opportunities emerging in the market as a magnifier (Roberts et al. 2012). This finding is consistent with Morgan et al.'s (2009) argument that it is the capabilities by which firms' resources are deployed and configured, rather than the resources firms possess that explain the variations in firm performance. In this view, the impact of IT competency on firm performance can be better explained through the logics of leverage and opportunity, which highlight how firms combine different IT competency with organizational processes as well as how firms improvise combinations of internal IT resources and external IT opportunities in the market (Sambamurthy et al. 2003).
6.2 Moderating Effects of IOC between IT Competency and Firm Performance
The findings of the moderating effects of IOC on the relationship between IT competency and firm performance support the RV propositions concerning the role of "inter-organizational asset interconnectedness" (Klein et al. 2009). Our results indicated that the interaction effect of IOC and the three types of IT competencies have different effects on firm performance. Specifically, we found that IOC positively moderates the relationship between IT operations and firm performance. As such, firms can leverage channel partners' complementary resources and capabilities through IOC to better combine IT applications and business processes, thus improving IT operations' impact on firm performance (Klein et al. 2009). Meanwhile, we also found that IOC positively moderates the relationship between IT knowledge and firm performance. IOC enables the information and knowledge sharing among channel partners, which also includes the sharing of important, proprietary information through some informal ways, such as through their guanxi with government officers and important personnel at partner firms (Sheng et al. 2011). Under this condition, the IT knowledge will permit firms to easily and flexibly adapt to and anticipate future IT needs, and therefore spotting the IT opportunities in market and more quickly capitalizing on these opportunities (Lu et al. 2011). These findings are consistent with the RV, which indicates that firms can combine resources not only at the intraorganizational level but also at the interorganizational level to create a competitive advantage (Dyer et al. 1998).
However, contrary to our hypotheses, we found that the moderating effect of IOC on the relationship between IT objects and firm performance is negatively, though not significantly, associated with firm performance. This result indicated that IOC may negatively moderate the relationship between IT objects and firm performance, rather than what we hypothesize that IOC positively moderates the relationship between IT objects and firm performance. A possible explanation for this unexpected result is that IOC requires firms in the supply chain seamlessly link with each other, and therefore the integrated firms need to invest in relationship-specific assets and infrastructures to "resolve differences in both the syntax and the semantics of the data, reconcile differences in the standards for data exchange and process coordination, and integrate disparate hardware platforms, communication technologies, and applications" (Rai and Tang. 2010, p. 522). However, the value of these relationship-specific infrastructures can be created only in conjunction with the specific partners (Grover et al. 2012). As such, IOC may restrict the firm to benefit from the IT objects.
6.3 Theoretical and Practical Implications
The current research aims to explore how the three types of IT competencies impact firm performance directly as well as the moderating effect of IOC. Overall, our findings support the RBV theoretical propositions on the direct impacts of the three types of IT competencies on firm performance, and explain how IOC moderates the relationship between IT competency and firm performance drawing from the RV. The findings have the following theoretical implications for IS researchers. First, IS research is enriched by distinguishing different dimensions of IT competency. In the existing literature, IT competency has been measured either at an aggregate level or inconsistently (Lim et al. 2011; Lu et al. 2011; Roberts et al. 2012; Tippins et al. 2003). To complement these studies, we explore the impacts of the three types of IT competencies on firm performance from three distinct logics (i.e., logic of positioning, leverage, and opportunity). The results indicated that different types of IT competencies differentially affect firm performance, broadening our understanding of the underlying influential mechanisms through which the three types of IT competencies impact firm performance.
Further, this study provides a more fine-grained insight into the nature of the moderating effect of IOC on the relationship between IT competency and firm performance, which enriches our understanding of the contingent effects of different types of IT competencies on performance outcomes. This finding is consistent with the RV, which indicates that interorganizational resources can interact with each other. That is, the value of a resource/ capability depends on other resources and capabilities partly due to the resource uniqueness attained from the integration and reconfiguration of channel partners' resources and capabilities (Voola et al. 2012). As such, the resources and capabilities that complement with each other can enhance the casual ambiguity and social complexity, thus generating sustained competitive advantage. Our study therefore provides some support for the RV concerning "inter-organizational asset interconnectedness" effects (Klein et al. 2009).
In addition, our findings could offer some guidelines and directions for mangers who strive to improve the performance of value chain activities through configuring appropriate IT resources and capabilities. Specifically, our findings help managers realize that only positioning IT objects is not an effective way to improve firm performance. To enhance performance through IT investment, managers should extend their IT knowledge, and push the firm to diffuse IT applications in their business processes and supply chain activities. More importantly, this study suggests that it is critical for managers to apply IOC to leverage the value of IT competency, in particular, IT operations and IT knowledge. For example, firms should integrate with their channel partners to share more proactive and strategic information and knowledge about the market and customer, which would help realize the value of the IT competency. In contrast, managers should notice that developing IT objects to create business value when the firm's degree of IOC is high is not a good choice. That means, a high degree of IOC may prevent the firm from benefiting from the IT objects and thus it is critical to notice the firm's degree of IOC when configuring and deploying the firm's IT resources.
7 Limitations and Future Research
Evaluating the contributions of the study along with its limitations is of primary importance. This study has the following limitations, which can be addressed by future research. First, we tested the hypotheses with cross-sectional data. A longitudinal study in the future may help extend our understanding of the time effects. Second, this study used a single respondent as the source of survey data. Given that a firm's strategic decisions related to IT and supply chain deployment usually involve a group of related executives, future research may collect data from multiple informants to enhance the robustness of the research results. Finally, we only considered the moderating effect of IOC, while future research may consider some other constructs, such as supply chain network (Bellamy et al. 2014).
8 Conclusion
Based on the RBV and RV, this study examines how different types of IT competencies impact firm performance contingent upon the firm's degree of IOC with its channel partners in the supply chain context, which sheds new light on the understanding of the underlying influential mechanisms of IT competency. We refined the conceptualization of IT competency in terms of IT objects, IT operations, and IT knowledge and explained three different logics (i.e., logic of positioning, leverage, and opportunity) through which the three types of IT competencies directly impact firm performance. We further proposed that the impact of the three types of IT competencies on firm performance can be augmented by the firm's IOC. We found that IT operations and IT knowledge enable firm performance directly and that both are positively moderated by IOC, while the direct impact of IT objects as well as its moderating effect of IOC was found to be insignificant. These research findings not only enhance our understanding of the different underlying influential mechanisms through which the different types of IT competency improve firm performance but also address the call for specifying the boundary conditions under which IT competency affects firm performance. We hope this study paves the way for future research on IT business value creation especially in the supply chain context.
The work described in this paper was supported by the grants from theSingapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Tier 1.We would also like to thank the Editors-in-Chief and the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions.
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Survey Questionnaire Items (Scale 1–5)
Questionnaire Items
|IT Objects
|(Tippins et al. 2003)
|Our firm has a formal MIS department.
|Our firm employs a manager whose main duties include the management of our information technology.
|Every year we budget a significant amount of funds for new information technology hardware and software.
|Our firm creates customized software applications when the need arises.
|IT Operations
|(Tippins et al. 2003)
|Our firm is skilled at collecting and analyzing market information about our customers via computer-based systems.
|We use computer-based systems to analyze customer and market information.
|We utilize decision-support systems frequently when it comes to managing customer information.
|IT Knowledge
|(Tippins et al. 2003)
|Overall, our technical support staff is knowledgeable when it comes to computer-based systems.
|Our firm possesses a high degree of computer-based technical expertise.
|We are very knowledgeable about new computer-based innovations.
|Interorganizational Communication
|We share sensitive information (financial, production, design, research, and/or competition)
|Suppliers are provided with any information that might help them
|Exchange of information takes place frequently, informally, and/or in a timely manner
|We keep each other informed about events or changes that may affect the other party
|We exchange information on demand forecasts
|We have frequent face-to-face planning/communication
|We exchange performance feedback
|Firm Performance
|Over the past 3 years, we perform much better than our key competitors in
|(Rai et al. 2006; Ravichandran et al. 2005)
|Return on investment (ROI)
|Profits as a percent of sales
|Rapid response to market demand change
|Increase in customer satisfaction
Industry dummies have been coded so that service industry serves as the base relative to which the effects of the other dummies are measured.
Ownership dummies have been coded so that foreign-controlled firms serve as the base relative to which the effects of the other dummies are measured.


text:
"See my pet Beetle," said small girl who has a curl.
"Get a skunk," said tall guy with a tattoo.
"Get a cat'" said women wearing a head scarf.
Beetle spit up a hairball.
"Yuck, get something loveable," said big sister with a scowl.
Do you see me? Look down, look all the way down.
I need a little help.
Will you be so bold, will you be so bold and put
your finger down into the dark black crack?
Aha! You did it, you did it! I'm on your finger!
I see you, I see that you are so cleaver, so clever and so bold!
Call me ROY G BIV.
Sunlight shows rainbow colors when it bounces and bends.
It made me crash, crash hard, right into a big fat raindrop.
Then splat!
Yes! Yes, you found a ray of sun!
Longsleeved pants
Meat on a pen
Raining bats and hogs
There is lighting. There is thunder.
There is a scary yellow light at the edge of this night.
Cassandra closed her eyes,
held her breath and snatched Changeling up.
scared into happy
"Then hold on," Changeling said glaring.
"Ouch! You pricked me!"
Mad into sad.
"Now will you finally tell me what you are?"
"You live in me?"

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I think that was dinner, just now. I heated up a small bowl of pasta, venison ragu, and kale, grated a little pecorino over it, and ate it, thinking that it was going to tide me over til we ate dinner for real, but then I ate half, Kevin ate the other half, and it's after seven, so I don't think we're going to eat again, unless it's to snack some more.
The snack that eats like a meal (or vice versa)


text:
The George G. Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers, Inc.® is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, TAX ID#: 95-3794678. Your donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
If you would like to learn more about other ways of giving to the Glenner Center, please contact our Director of Philanthropy, Gloria Baker at (619) 543-4700, Ext. 412 or email@example.com.
You may also mail a check to:
The George G. Glenner Alzheimer's Family Centers, Inc.®
2765 Main Street | Suite A
Chula Vista, CA 91911
Call us toll-free at (800) 736-6674
Want to explore your planned giving options?
Check out our new brochure.
Check out our 2018 Impact Report
2018 Impact Report.
Create a custom brick to be used in Town Square in honor of your loved one! Please visit our "That's My Brick" webpage HERE.


text:
D-NH girls jump on A-P, knot up NICL East (PHOTOS)
DIKE – Ellie Foster and the Dike-New Hartford girls basketball team took it to Aplington-Parkersburg in a high-stakes NICL East game on Monday night.
The Wolverines drummed up a 13-0 start on the Falcons, an early advantage that ended up being too much for A-P to overcome in a 72-52 D-NH win.
The Falcons and D-NH are now tied in the NICL East, with both teams having one game left to play. They'll share the league title if D-NH defeats Wapsie Valley on Wednesday and A-P beats back Sumner-Fredericksburg on Saturday.
D-NH junior Ellie Foster scored 30 points to lead all scorers, one off her school record of 31 points achieved earlier this year against Sumner-Fredericksburg. Foster, a UW-Green Bay commit, scored 16 points in the first quarter alone, with Morgan Weber contributing nine points on three big 3-pointers.
"The thing I love about my girls is they aren't shy about pulling the trigger," D-NH head coach Bruce Dall said.
For the full story, see this week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here.
PHOTOS: A-P at D-NH basketball


text:
A collection of verses and melodies by "Isallt", mainly in Welsh and undated, although there are a few exceptions. A few are printed or photocopies of manuscripts and a number are compositions for harp. There are also letters as well as a fish and fly book with graphic drawings (labelled) of fishing flies, 1908.
Isallt Papers
- For more information, email the repository
- Advice on accessing these materials
- Cite this description
- Bookmark:https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb222-bmssis
- This material is held at
- ReferenceGB 222 BMSS IS
- Dates of Creationca. 1910
- Name of Creator
- Language of MaterialWelsh, and English.
- Physical Description13 items
Scope and Content
Administrative / Biographical History
Dr Robert Roberts of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Merionethshire, born in 1839, was a physician, a poet, a musician and a fisherman.
Also known by his bardic name "Isallt", he composed numerous melodies and poems, taking a particular interest in the strict Welsh meter known as Cynghanedd. He was a keen supporter of the Eisteddfod and in the 1898 National Eisteddfod he served as the chairman of the Music Committee.
Apart from his eminence as a physician, he was also an active public figure. He died in 1914.
There is no apparent system of arrangement. The papers were received at separate occasions and have been incorporated into the General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts
Conditions Governing Access
Open to all users.
Description compiled by Elen Wyn Hughes, December 2001.
Other Finding Aids
An item level typescript catalogue is available at the Archives Department of the University of Wales Bangor. Reference numbers : General Collection of Bangor Manuscripts 371 - 373, 1228, 1537, 24665 - 24671
Conditions Governing Use
Usual copyright conditions apply. Reprographics are made at the discretion of the Archivist.


text:
The first time I ever heard Young Thug was on Rae Sremmurd's 2014 hit Throw Some Mo. His guest verse on this song was, at the time, one of the most confusing things I had ever heard. The slurred lyrics he blurted out were almost completely meaningless. His words slithered across the track almost in spite of the beat. But above all, what stood out to me was his voice. Because he had never attached his style to conventional "lyricist" title that plagued some of his peers, Thug could use his voice as an instrument more than anything else. His music evolved, but his voice never faded. It was weird, it was dynamic, and it was beautiful.
Almost four years later and not much has changed when it comes to Young Thug. His music continues to push not only his own limits, but also the limits of hip hop. However, since last year's Jefferey, Thug's releases have slowly lost their magic. His last album Beautiful Thugger Girls, was one of the most underwhelming projects he has ever released. And while he continues to shift the genre, his ambitious and risky attempts have struggled to reach high standards set by his own previous works. His music is always changing, but it isn't always evolving. Sonically, his tapes have shifted his aesthetic, but apart from Jefferey, he hasn't improved. In that way, Young Martha serves as a course correction; a more focused sound from Thug, paired with intimidating, dramatic, and spiraling production from DJ Carnage.
Thug's versatility matches up perfectly with DJ Carnage's off-center beats. The looming organ that thunders on "Homie" pushes Thug to the depths of his vocal range, while the winding keys on "10,000 Slimes" lead him to a stringy falsetto. In Carnage's collaborations with other artists, his production has often taken center stage. Each beat was a weird and unique look at the man who created them, but the artists rapping over them weren't always able to match up. On Martha however, Thug's rebellious hooks and slithering vocals are up to the challenge. The result is an EP that excellently mirrors the chaotic genius of both parties. Across four songs (and one insanely hypnotizing music video), Young Thug and Carnage prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.
According to DJ Carnage, the Young Martha EP is just the first installment in what will become a series of collaborations between him and Thug. Young Martha may only be four songs, but it points to a brighter future for both artists involved.
By: Mike Miller


text:
Publication: 3rd Edition Of "European Integration Theory" - Out December 2018Handbook On European Integration Theory, Edited By Antje Wiener, Tanja A. Börzel And Thomas Risse
6 November 2018
In December 2018, Oxford University Press is publishing the third edition of "European Integration Theory", thereby offering the most authoritative and comprehensive textbook on European Integration theorising available. With coverage of both traditional and critical theories and approaches to European integration from world-leading experts, it provides an essential guide for all students and scholars interested in the subject. Now edited by Professor Antje Wiener together with Professor Tanja A. Börzel and Professor Thomas Risse, the textbook represents the only up-to-date overview of the major approaches to European integration and their application, with each chapter now including a referent case on recent crises in the EU alongside historical issues. Please visit the OUP's website for further information on individual contributions and authors.


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The 4th of July. Thoughts of parades, fireworks, BBQ's, and hanging out by the lake might come to mind. But what about STEM? Here are some crowd-pleasing experiments to share at your next gathering (they are also a great way to keep kids thinking about science over the summer).
Fireworks in a Jar
- Clear jar / glass,
- Small bowl
- Vegetable oil
- Food coloring
- Spoon
- Warm water
- Fill a clear jar ¾ of the way full with warm water.
- In a separate bowl / container, combine 3 or 4 tablespoons vegetable oil with about 15 -20 drops of food coloring (use 3-4 colors). Mix together.
- Pour the oil mixture into the jar and watch the fireworks!
How it works:
- Food coloring dissolves in water, but not oil.
- Oil is less dense than water, so the oil floats on top of the water.
- The food coloring begins to sink because it is heavier than the oil.
- When the food coloring reaches the water, it dissolves and looks like mini fireworks.
Fizzy Frozen Stars
- Star-shaped ice cube tray
- Eye dropper
- Red and blue food coloring
- Baking soda, vinegar
- Glitter (optional)
- Tray
- 2 cups / bowls
- Make ice cubes. Combine baking soda and water (the mix should be moldable / packable in your hands; not runny) and place in the freezer. Decorate with glitter (optional).
- Mix vinegar and red food coloring in one cup and vinegar and blue food coloring in another cup. Add glitter (optional).
- Place ice cubes on a tray and squirt them with the vinegar using eye dropper.
- Watch the reaction!
How it works:
- The fizz is produced by a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar.
- When the chemical reaction occurs, carbon dioxide (a gas) is produced and it forms bubbles inside the liquid.


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1 Comment
How is it possible for a mortgage inspector to make any money at $3.00 per inspection?
If you figure in the following costs it can't work.
1.Liabity Insurance
2. Car insurance
3. Car wear and tear
4. Fuel
5. Advertising
6. Time spent preparing and filing reports
7. Lost potential income from other sources
At $3.00 per you are giving away your life


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Welcome to Universiti Tenaga Nasional Information Resource Centre (IRC).
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Barn To House have 3 images it's including 20 Stunning Barn Conversions That Will Inspire You To Go Off The Grid! | Brit + Co, Barmouth Cottage | Exterior, View In Gallery. Here are the attachments:
The post of Barn To House was posted on December 31, 2018 at 4:10 pm. This article is published in the Home category. Barn To House is labelled with Barn To House, Barn, To, House..
Barnbarn1 (bärn),USA pronunciation n.
- a building for storing hay, grain, etc., and often for housing livestock.
- a very large garage for buses, trucks, etc.;
barn′like′, adj.
- to store (hay, grain, etc.) in a barn.
Toto (to̅o̅; unstressed tŏŏ, tə),USA pronunciation prep.
- (used for expressing motion or direction toward a point, person, place, or thing approached and reached, as opposed to from): They came to the house.
- (used for expressing direction or motion or direction toward something) in the direction of;
toward: from north to south.
- (used for expressing limit of movement or extension): He grew to six feet.
- (used for expressing contact or contiguity) on;
upon: a right uppercut to the jaw; Apply varnish to the surface.
- (used for expressing a point of limit in time) before;
until: to this day; It is ten minutes to six. We work from nine to five.
- (used for expressing aim, purpose, or intention): going to the rescue.
- (used for expressing destination or appointed end): sentenced to jail.
- (used for expressing agency, result, or consequence): to my dismay; The flowers opened to the sun.
- (used for expressing a resulting state or condition): He tore it to pieces.
- (used for expressing the object of inclination or desire): They drank to her health.
- (used for expressing the object of a right or claim): claimants to an estate.
- (used for expressing limit in degree, condition, or amount): wet to the skin; goods amounting to $1000; Tomorrow's high will be 75 to 80°.
- (used for expressing addition or accompaniment) with: He added insult to injury. They danced to the music. Where is the top to this box?
- (used for expressing attachment or adherence): She held to her opinion.
- (used for expressing comparison or opposition): inferior to last year's crop; The score is eight to seven.
- (used for expressing agreement or accordance) according to;
by: a position to one's liking; to the best of my knowledge.
- (used for expressing reference, reaction, or relation): What will he say to this?
- (used for expressing a relative position): parallel to the roof.
- (used for expressing a proportion of number or quantity) in;
making up: 12 to the dozen; 20 miles to the gallon.
- (used for indicating the indirect object of a verb, for connecting a verb with its complement, or for indicating or limiting the application of an adjective, noun, or pronoun): Give it to me. I refer to your work.
- (used as the ordinary sign or accompaniment of the infinitive, as in expressing motion, direction, or purpose, in ordinary uses with a substantive object.)
- raised to the power indicated: Three to the fourth is 81( 34 = 81).
- toward a point, person, place, or thing, implied or understood.
- toward a contact point or closed position: Pull the door to.
- toward a matter, action, or work: We turned to with a will.
- into a state of consciousness;
out of unconsciousness: after he came to.
- to and fro. See fro (def. 2).
Househouse (n., adj. hous;v. houz),USA pronunciation n., pl. hous•es (hou′ziz),USA pronunciation v., housed, hous•ing, adj.
- a building in which people live;
residence for human beings.
- a household.
- (often cap.) a family, including ancestors and descendants: the great houses of France; the House of Hapsburg.
- a building for any purpose: a house of worship.
- a theater, concert hall, or auditorium: a vaudeville house.
- the audience of a theater or the like.
- a place of shelter for an animal, bird, etc.
- the building in which a legislative or official deliberative body meets.
- (cap.) the body itself, esp. of a bicameral legislature: the House of Representatives.
- a quorum of such a body.
- (often cap.) a commercial establishment;
business firm: the House of Rothschild; a publishing house.
- a gambling casino.
- the management of a commercial establishment or of a gambling casino: rules of the house.
- an advisory or deliberative group, esp. in church or college affairs.
- a college in an English-type university.
- a residential hall in a college or school;
- the members or residents of any such residential hall.
- a brothel;
- a variety of lotto or bingo played with paper and pencil, esp. by soldiers as a gambling game.
- Also called parish. [Curling.]the area enclosed by a circle 12 or 14 ft. (3.7 or 4.2 m) in diameter at each end of the rink, having the tee in the center.
- any enclosed shelter above the weather deck of a vessel: bridge house; deck house.
- one of the 12 divisions of the celestial sphere, numbered counterclockwise from the point of the eastern horizon.
- bring down the house, to call forth vigorous applause from an audience;
be highly successful: The children's performances brought down the house.
- clean house. See clean (def. 46).
- dress the house, [Theat.]
- to fill a theater with many people admitted on free passes;
paper the house.
- to arrange or space the seating of patrons in such a way as to make an audience appear larger or a theater or nightclub more crowded than it actually is.
- keep house, to maintain a home;
manage a household.
- like a house on fire or afire, very quickly;
with energy or enthusiasm: The new product took off like a house on fire.
- on the house, as a gift from the management;
free: Tonight the drinks are on the house.
- put or set one's house in order:
- to settle one's affairs.
- to improve one's behavior or correct one's faults: It is easy to criticize others, but it would be better to put one's own house in order first.
- to put or receive into a house, dwelling, or living quarters: More than 200 students were housed in the dormitory.
- to give shelter to;
lodge: to house flood victims in schools.
- to provide with a place to work, study, or the like: This building houses our executive staff.
- to provide storage space for;
be a receptacle for or repository of: The library houses 600,000 books.
- to remove from exposure;
put in a safe place.
- to stow securely.
- to lower (an upper mast) and make secure, as alongside the lower mast.
- to heave (an anchor) home.
- [Carpentry.]
- to fit the end or edge of (a board or the like) into a notch, hole, or groove.
- to form (a joint) between two pieces of wood by fitting the end or edge of one into a dado of the other.
- to take shelter;
- of, pertaining to, or noting a house.
- for or suitable for a house: house paint.
- of or being a product made by or for a specific retailer and often sold under the store's own label: You'll save money on the radio if you buy the house brand.
- served by a restaurant as its customary brand: the house wine.
You are those types of who are generally busy and rarely spending some time at home? Do not ensure it is being an obstacle to own flowers in the home. But, naturally, you've to get the correct seed because it is important in terms of choosing a Barn To House. Greater utilization of tropical crops for preservation is relatively easy, should you be those types of who very occupied.
Different crops that you can pick are Sansevieria. you should select a unique pan because of the dimension that's greater Sansevieria, although remedy is similar to a cactus. Whichever container you choose, attempt to be sure that it's a discharge gap at the bottom. Old water in a box may lead box installing places become dull and rainy, initiating the onset of root decay. If possible, please also select Barn To House that have thighs for easy discharge.
Cactus, for instance, merely takes a tiny water inside their treatment so you don't require attention that is a lot of to it. Generally, cacti can be bought in tiny dimensions in order to select a little pan anyway. Pick a color container that matches the overall design design of one's residence.
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poly styrene's earth day
poly styrene's earth day
from 35.00
#art/#history: 'i wrenched the nylon curtains back as far as they would go
then peered through perspex window panes at the acrylic road & watched
the world turn day-glo, you know, you know, you know...uh-oh'
these words were written 40 years ago by a 20-year-old opera-student-turned-punk poly styrene. she'd already had it uptohere with humans & their flagrant disregard for our home planet. fair enough, we're destroying ourselves. the real problem is that we're taking so many other species out with us. happy #earthday, everybody. sort yourselves out.


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Brian and Kristine felt like they were chasing the real estate market in Chicago after moving there from Kansas City. They were saving up for a 20 percent down payment so they could avoid paying mortgage insurance, but it was taking too long and they saw housing prices continue to rise. Unison gave them the flexibility to get the home they wanted, in the community they wanted.
Their journey together
Ten years ago, Brian and Kristine decided to move from Kansas City to Chicago. While the move would require change, taking them away from family and friends, it also represented a world of unparalleled career opportunities and new adventures they could take on together.
They made the leap, and a decade later they're happy they did. They enjoy their jobs and the life they've built together in Chicago. But there was one thing missing: owning their own home.
In need of greater purchasing power
Like many home buyers, Brian and Kristine were well-qualified, but they found that as home prices continued to increase, the ones that met all their criteria were slightly out of reach.
In order to get a "conforming mortgage loan" which would offer better rates — while also avoiding mortgage insurance — they needed a larger down payment.
"We had been looking to buy a place off and on but, due to the increasing prices here in Chicago, it proved just a little bit difficult to get what we wanted — because we were just under 20% for a down payment," said Brian.
Watch their story on YouTube. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel!
Partnering with Unison to bridge the gapIt was around this time that Brian and Kristine learned about the Unison HomeBuyer program and how it provides additional funds for qualified home buyers like themselves in exchange for a share of the future change in value of the home.
After researching Unison, the couple decided that it was a good fit. They'd found a program that could help them buy the type of home they wanted in the community they had been hoping for.
"Unison gave us a lot more options. When you have the ability to put 20% down, and get within conforming loan limits, it opens up a lot of options — and we were able to take advantage of that."
A new home, a great community, and a happy couple
Now that Brian and Kristine have moved into their new home, they are thrilled with how things worked out. They were able to buy a comfortable, spacious home in one of their favorite neighborhoods in Chicago, while getting the lower interest rates they hoped for.
The kitchen was the selling point. "Whenever we looked for a house — Brian knows — I would always look at the kitchen first. That was important for me because I love to cook and he loves to eat my cooking, so we can enjoy it together," Kristine remembered.
Their new home is conveniently located right near public transportation, which makes their commute time to work more manageable. They also enjoy the perks of living in a trendy area full of restaurants and other recreational activities.
"We wanted to be close to public transportation and find a good neighborhood with personality and things to do," said Brian.
Congrats to Brian and Kristine on the new home purchase — we're happy we were able to help!


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We have had a lot of new students start in my Mysore program this Fall. I love new students. They are so much fun to work with and the possibilities are endless.
I remember my first time practicing Mysore. I was terrified - I had no idea what I was doing. Everyone seemed so serious! Class was in a basement, it was dark and early. But I loved it! For the rest of the week I studied my primary series book on the metro at 5:30am on my way to practice, determined not to mess up. It took me a while to realize that messing up is part of the process.
Thankfully, things have gotten a bit easier for me since then. I made this little video to help all of you know what to expect the first time you visit a Mysore class. I hope you (or your students) find it helpful.
And what to do if you don't have a Mysore program in your hood? My Intro to Ashtanga Video of course!


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Every day I want to record three things that have given me pleasure. This 3BT site is the original Three Beautiful Things.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Pavement stars, clouds and up the hill.
1. Stars are pressed into the pavement in all the flamey reds and golds of autumn.
2. Rolls of fat grey cloud cover the sky. The low late sun tints the eastern bellies with grubby orange.
3. I am passing the bus stop just as the bus pulls in, and get a lift up the hill.
6 comments:
I came here via your link in the Times - well done!ReplyDelete
Love your blog, will be back.
Autumn colors - and the first few snowflakes?ReplyDelete
I'd actually found my way to you via John Naish's book! It was such an incredibly insightful & thought-provoking read, I just had to follow through to check out your blog.ReplyDelete
I've been lurking for a few weeks since, and loving it! Keep up the great work.
Oh I love you blog. Found you through Gratitude Practices. I am making this a favorite!ReplyDelete
Thanks, everyone. Glad you're enjoying my work. And anyone who hasn't read 'Enough' by John Naish -- it's very much recommended.ReplyDelete
Joe -- we're not quite at the snow stage yet. But, oddly, an earlier draft of that post compared the leaves to snowflakes. Perhaps you're psychic.
Well done on the mention in that piece - good advice indeed.ReplyDelete
I've been reading and think a bit about the theory behind haiku writing and am coming to think it has a lot of social worth in current times, and very similar to what you do. Taking time to notice, really observe the essence of the moment, and share not just the feeling but the source of the feeling with others in the hope it inspired them too.
Very therapeutic and creative at the same time.
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* Adult fares (including all taxes) - terms & conditions apply
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Food, culture, history and festivals are all part of what makes Montreal a truly awesome city. The culture capital of Canada's French quarter, Quebec, Montreal is the second largest French-speaking city in the world behind only Paris. But don't worry if you don't speak French, most locals are fluent in English and at least one other language anyway! For beautiful summers or icy winters, book a cheap flight to Montreal with the help of Universal Traveller.
Flights from Australia to Montreal will disembark at Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport or Montréal–Trudeau (formerly known as Montréal–Dorval International Airport), about 20 kilometres and a short bus or taxi trip to Montreal's city centre. Talk to Universal Traveller about private, hotel or tour transfers.
Flights from Australia to Montreal depart from most capital cities and will usually require one or two stopovers in a major transit hub like Los Angeles or Vancouver. Flights from Sydney to Montreal via Vancouver take about 23 hours' travel time. Airlines will provide in-flight services including meals, drinks, and entertainment. For specific services, check out our airline guide.
Major airlines that fly from Australia to Montreal:
Boutique chic accommodation in Old Montreal, VIP passes and transfers to one of Montreal's many film, comedy and LBGTI festivals – tell Universal Traveller what you want to package on your Montreal holiday and leave us to do the work.
Montreal consists of 19 large boroughs, with the most significant to tourists being Ville-Marie. Here, walk past (or via the underground tunnels) skyscrapers, local universities and the Parc du Mont-Royal as you shop the day away; head to the river and Old Montreal for an injection of history and culture; to Chinatown for your necessary souvenirs and cheap eats and for fun times, try the Quartier Latin-Le Village (Latin Quarter). For more information, check out our destination guide to Canada.
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Z+K Wedding
When I first started this website it was as Dave and my wedding website. Zach and Kara weren't even engaged yet! How has time passed so quickly? (Oh yea, we had a baby, that's how). One of the main reasons we decided to spend all of Dave's paternity leave in Michigan was so that we could be apart of as many of the wedding festivities as possible. Since Dave was a co-best man he wanted to help plan the bachelor party and help move Zach and Kara into their new place (and Luke & Greta into their new place!!). We also hoped that by coming early Connor wouldn't distract attention away from the wedding excitement.
This wedding was beautiful. Zach and Kara and both sets of parents worked so hard to pull this event off and it really was stunning. Luke and Greta arrived at the Retterath Homestead late Wednesday night before the day of the Rehearsal dinner. The whole crew got up early the next day and spent the morning punching out place cards, and filling bags of caramel corn (party favors). Afterwards the girls ran to get our nails done and make a last minute trip to the mall to grab an outfit for the rehearsal dinner.
The rehearsal dinner was held in the ceremony space for the wedding at Mangiamo's. It was a seriously beautiful night and the food was delicious. Connor got lots of compliments on his suspenders and bowtie (I'll link to my tutorial as soon as I write it...) It was fun to see family before the big night and catch up a little.
OK onto the wedding. This wedding was gorgeous (if you can't already tell from the photos). I was on full Connor duty during the ceremony so I didn't get a chance to snap any photos then, but it was equally gorgeous. Trust me. Connor did pretty well. He was a charmer during family photos and generally a happy camper. He even fell asleep for a whole FIFTEEN MINUTES during the ceremony before waking up to the cheers from the crowd and refusing to go back to sleep. The ceremony was short and sweet. The handmade floral arbor made by Kara's uncle and his partner was seriously one of the most stunning arbors I have ever seen. WOW. Zach and Kara wrote their own vows, which were adorable! Zach vowed to take Kara to DMB every year that they tour (jealous), and said some ridiculously cute things about always supporting her goals and encouraging her and it was just super precious all around. I got to hear all of this because Connor timed his mini-nap perfectly for the ceremony.
So of course I unnecessarily panicked about him not getting a good nap before the night had really even started. His sleep regimen is probably what I am most hypersensitive about...I'm still figuring out this whole mom thing you know. OF COURSE it was just fine (thank you Dave for being such a patient and gracious husband and talking me off the ledge). In fact, they even had a nursing mom's room at the reception space with a changing table!!! You couldn't even hear the crazy dance music in that room. So after charming some more relatives with his styling suit and fancy baby shoes he took a two hour nap in the NMR upstairs. It. Was. Wonderful.
The reception was a blast. The Maid of Honor gave a very sweet toast and both brothers had everyone laughing and teary eyed (it's an emotional roller coaster!!). The first dance was adorable. They may have been dating for basically forever, but these two still really care for each other. Sparkler exit. So cute. Now they're getting on a cruise ship in the Bahamas!!! These two are great together. They're in it for the long haul folks.
- If you're brave sit in the back on an aisle so you can make a quick exit if baby starts making some noise.
- Try to get there early to scope out your escape route and places you can stand and hear but not be a distraction.
- Feed and change baby right before the ceremony (another reason to arrive early).
- Pump/prepare a bottle beforehand just in case.
- Bring your stroller or carrier in case you end up needing to walk around (heels plus squirmy baby is not easy).
- TRY to time your baby's nap with the ceremony (easier said than done, I know).
- Bring a toy they love but don't get to use very often. Novelty is your friend when it comes to distracting a baby.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: ask the bride way beforehand if babies are welcome...and make sure she's being honest and not just polite.
Note: So I really, really didn't want to be that person that everyone turns around and looks at during the ceremony because I'm being disruptive somehow. Since Connor is 8 months old and loves to yell and coo during church I figured he would probably behave the same way at this ceremony. So I decided to avoid the ceremony altogether. I stood way back (completely out of view) until after the ceremony had started and then crept in. Connor was falling asleep in his stroller so I sat out of view behind some trees and rocked his stroller back and forth until he passed out and then crept closer so I could hear. I also tried to track the ceremony so I could get out of there before they said their final vows. That way no one saw me sneaking out on the same path the bride and groom were about to walk down.
When I briefly helped with wedding planning at my old church a few years ago one of my biggest pet peeves was when guests would "steal the attention" by using the aisle too soon either in front of or behind the bridal party. Nobody wants to see you awkwardly shuffle into your seat seconds after the bride has walked down the aisle. Just wait a good few minutes after the processional finishes....or you know, don't be late!
All in all, huge success bringing a baby to a wedding!


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Tiger's Distance Secret/
Thanks to reader George for ruining the excitement of receiving my July Golf Digest by revealing the very first thing I read in non-Buddies Issue months: Tiger Tips!
Apparently July's Tiger Tip goes something like this, and it really, really puts a crimp in the argument wheeled out by writers, announcers and manufacturers:
Tiger Tips: How I got my power advantage back
A couple of years ago I didn't need stats to confirm a disturbing new reality for me: Guys were blowing it by me off the tee. Power can be a huge advantage on tour, but mine appeared to be static.
Nothing gives me more satisfaction than bombing a drive, especially when it's shaped the way I pictured it. I felt to regain my edge and keep up with the young guys, I had to find more yards in the same place they did: equipment. By switching to a lighter and longer shaft (45 inches instead of 43 ½), a larger driver head (460 cubic centimeters) and a new ball, I've caught up.


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Harry Ladue, class of 1972, has served for 33 years as the boys varsity basketball coach at Windsor High – his alma mater. His players have won over 406 games, four state titles, and have been to the Final Four in Barre 12 times. Ladue is a great teacher about the game and about skills for life. Many of his former players have gone on to share their love of the game. Ladue has been inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and the Vermont Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Windsor High School Athletic Wall of Fame. Ladue is respected by coaches, officials and the media throughout Vermont. The former WHS alum was a three-sport standout and serves as the town's recreation director.
Ryan Hingston, a 2002 graduate, is one of the finest athletes to graduate from Windsor High School, where he was an all-star player in football, basketball and baseball. He was voted to represent Vermont in three so-called Twin State Senior All-Star games, including the annual Shrine Maple Sugar Football Game, where he scored a touchdown. The Burlington Free Press named the 1,029-point career scorer to its all-state basketball team. He batted over .400 as a standout catcher for Windsor, where he is honored on the school's athletic Wall of Fame. While still in high school, Hingston volunteered his time coaching and refereeing youth programs.