bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Collaborative Use of Information Technology
Authors: Doll William J. , Deng Xiaodong
Published: February 2011

User participation seems especially important in the development of collaborative work systems where the technology is used by a work group to coordinate its joint activities. Users rather than systems analysts are often the best source of information on how they will use information technology to collaborate. It is almost an axiom of systems development that end users should participate in a broad range of activities/decisions, and that they should be permitted to participate in these decisions as much as they want. Despite these widely held beliefs, research has not focused on the differential efficacy of user participation in collaborative versus non-collaborative applications. Building upon the work of behavioral scientists who study participative decision making, Doll and Torkzadeh (1991) present a congruence construct of participation that measures whether end users participate as much as they want in key systems analysis decisions. Using a sample of 163 collaborative and 239 non-collaborative applications, this research focuses on three research questions: (1) Is user participation more effective in collaborative applications? (2) What specific decision issues enhance user satisfaction and productivity? and (3) Can permitting end-users to participate as much as they want on some issues be ineffective or even dysfunctional? The results indicate that user participation is more effective in collaborative applications. Of the four decision issues tested, only participation in information needs analysis predicts end-user satisfaction and task productivity. Encouraging end users to participate as much as they want on a broad range of systems analysis issues such as project initiation, information flow analysis, and format design appears to be, at best, a waste of time and, perhaps, even harmful. These findings should help managers and analysts make better decisions about how to focus participatory efforts and whether end users should participate as much as they want in the design of collaborative systems.
Theoretical Justification for IT Infrastructure Investments
Authors: Kayworth Timothy R. , Chatterjee Debabroto , Sambamurthy V.
Published: February 2011

The strategic importance of building highly capable information technology (IT) infrastructure has become a crucial management issue of the 1990s and beyond. However, in spite of the numerous benefits attributed to IT infrastructure, these claims remain unsubstantiated. This problem is due, in part, to inadequate conceptualizations of IT infrastructure and its measurement as well as a lack of theoretical frameworks for explaining its impacts. To address these problems, this paper proposes a theoretical framework to justify the value creating potential of IT infrastructure investments. First, we provide a conceptual framework that describes the nature of IT infrastructure and its related components. Next, we discuss the role of IT infrastructure as a competitive weapon and identify three areas where it may create strategic value for the firm: responsiveness, innovativeness, and economies of scope. For each area, specific theories are used and research propositions are developed to guide future infrastructure research.
An Empirical Study of the Casual Relationship Between IT Investment and Firm Performance
Authors: Hu Qing , Plant Robert
Published: February 2011

The promise of increased competitive advantage has been the driving force behind the large-scale investment in information technology (IT) over the last three decades. There is a continuing debate among executives and academics as to the measurable benefits of this investment. The return on investment (ROI) and other performance measures reported in the academic literature indicate conflicting empirical findings. Many previous studies have based their conclusions on the statistical correlation between IT capital investment and firm performance data of the same time period. In this study we argue that the causal relationship between IT investment and firm performance could not be reliably established through concurrent IT and performance data. We further submit that it would be more convincing to infer causality if the IT investments in the preceding years are significantly correlated with the performance of a firm in the subsequent year. Using the Granger causality models and three samples of firm level financial data, we found no statistical evidence that IT investments have caused the improvement of financial performance of the firms in the samples. On the contrary, the causal models suggest that improved financial performance over consecutive years may have contributed to the increase of IT investment in the subsequent year. Implications of these findings, as well as directions for future studies, are discussed.
The Applicability of TAM Outside North America
Authors: Al-Gahtani Said
Published: February 2011

Recently, researchers in IS have begun to rely on the theories of innovation diffusion to study implementation problems. A major focus of these studies has been how potential users’ perceptions of the information technology (IT) innovation influence its adoption. User acceptance of IT has been a primary focus in the MIS implementation research for the past decade. Why do users accept or reject information systems? How is user acceptance affected by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and attitude toward acceptance behavior? The present research addresses these questions in the Western Europe culture. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the applicability of the technology acceptance model in the United Kingdom. This study seeks empirical support for the well-known technology acceptance model, or TAM in the UK. TAM is used as a base model to produce a causal model resembling a network of relationships among the constructs of the study. A field study of 324 users regarding an IT system was conducted in the UK to validate measures used to operationalize model variables and to test the hypothesized network of relationships. Partial Least Squares (PLS), a second-generation multivariate analysis technique, was used to estimate the parameters of the proposed causal model. The study findings indicate that TAM is very applicable to the UK, which lend a hand to a good tool of assessing IT acceptance in this developed region of the world. They also indicate that perceived usefulness has the largest influence on IT acceptance followed by users’ attitudes toward IT. Perceived usefulness demonstrate to operate directly on IT acceptance and indirectly through attitudes. Meanwhile, perceived ease of use has a larger influence on users’ attitudes than does perceived usefulness. Suggestions for future research and implications of findings are discussed.
On the Role of Human Mortality in Information System Security
Authors: Siponen Mikko T.
Published: February 2011

The question of whether ethical theories appealing to human morality can serve as a means of protection against information system security breaches has been recognised by several authors. The existing views concerning the role of ethics in information systems security can be divided into two categories. These are 1) expressions about the use of human morality and 2) arguments claiming that the use of ethics is useless or, at best, extremely restricted. However, the former views are general statements lacking concrete guidance and the latter viewpoint is based on cultural relativism, and can be thus classified as descriptivism. This paper claims that the use of ethical theories and human morality is useful for security, particularly given that Hare’s Overriding thesis has validity - though it has its limitations, too. This paper further argues that descriptivism (including the doctrine of cultural relativism) leads to several problems, contradictions and causes detrimental effects to our well-being (and security). Therefore, an alternative approach to using ethics in minimising security breaches that is based on non-descriptive theories is proposed. The use of non-descriptivism will be demonstrated using Rawls’ concept of the “veil of ignorance.” The limitations of non-descriptivism, and appealing to human morality in a general sense, will also be discussed. Finally, suggestions for future research directions are outlined.
Social Issues in Electronic Commerce
Authors: Papazafeiropoulou Anastasia , Pouloudi Athanasia
Published: February 2011

The revolutionary development of network technologies launched electronic commerce as a global phenomenon. Consequently, the policy issues that arise from its use create new responsibilities for policy makers world-wide. Apart from the technical (e.g. fast and reliable networks) and regulatory (e.g. legal frameworks and standardization) challenges that need to be tackled there are a number of social concerns that also need consideration. It is important for policy makers to see Internet use and electronic commerce as a social as well as a technical phenomenon. In this paper we examine how social concerns such as trust and digital democracy pertain to all levels of Internet and electronic commerce policy, posing dilemmas and influencing the construction of an effective and socially responsible strategy for electronic commerce.
Knowledge Management Systems
Authors: Galup Stuart D. , Dattero Ronald , Heeks Richard C.
Published: February 2011

Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) offer an environment for organizations to manage their information assets (e.g., documents, databases, etc.). Existing KMS passively employ knowledge by querying a database, showing a document, displaying a Web page, etc. KMS can be extended to incorporate active components, such as expert systems and business rule systems. Currently, business rules reside in application code and database triggers. A KMS with an embedded expert system using business rules from the organization, combined with the connectivity of a server in a client/server architecture, provides an excellent environment for automating business activities at both local and enterprise levels. The segregation of business rules into the Knowledge Tier (KT) should lower the cost of development and maintenance, increase accuracy, and ensure corporation-wide consistency. In addition, knowledge verification tools are now being developed that will allow the computerization of less structured tasks, enabling another round of increased efficiency through computerization.
Organisational Mission Statements
Authors: Hackney Ray , Pillay John
Published: February 2011

The mission statement embodies certain beliefs about the management culture of the organisation which can be examined and placed within underlying theoretical contexts. This paper examines postmodernism in this respect which, in addition to forming a critique of modernist approaches, posits alternative views about philosophy, organisation and subsequently IS/IT theory. The study applies an ethnographic case research methodology where data was collected from sixty interviewees employed within a multinational financial services group. In this way, the organisational mission statement was used as a vehicle for analysing the contribution of postmodern approaches to the management of the IS/IT function. The influential Ashridge Model was adopted to map the findings of the study which suggest three propositions for postmodernism in providing i) cultural context, ii) a textual or ‘deconstructive’ analysis and iii) an ethnographic empathy for further IS/IT research.
Chaos Theory as a Framework for Studying Information Systems
Authors: Dhillon Gurpreet , Ward John
Published: February 2011

This paper introduces Chaos Theory as a means of studying information systems. It argues that Chaos Theory, combined with new techniques for discovering patterns in complex quantitative and qualitative evidence, offers a potentially more substantive approach to understand the nature of information systems in a variety of contexts. The paper introduces Chaos Theory concepts by way of an illustrative research design.
Intraorganizational Versus Interorganizational Uses and Benefits of Electronic Mail
Authors: McManus Denise J. , Sankar Chetan , Carr Houston H. , Ford F. Nelson
Published: February 2011

The success of an organization depends on rapid, reliable, and direct communications within the organization and with the outside world. To determine if electronic mail (e-mail) provides a competitive benefit, a sample of 99 management-level participants in 41 companies responded to a survey that assessed their intraorganizational (internal) and interorganizational (external) uses of e-mail. Through the use of factor analysis and regression methodologies, the researchers investigated whether a significant relationship exists between the internal and external uses and benefits of e-mail. The intraorganizational uses of e-mail indicated a significant and positive relationship with the organizational benefits of e-mail, thus, supporting the electronic exchange of information within organizations.However, the results indicated that interorganizational uses of e-mail did not promote corporate communication outside the company. Thus, managers need to know which communication technology is appropriate for intraorganizational and interorganizational uses.
Aligning IS Research & Practice
Authors: Belanger France , Watson-Manheim Mary-Beth , Jordan Dianne H.
Published: February 2011

Recent advances in information technologies have led organizations to diversify their organizational structures. One of the most prominent trends in this diversification is to conduct work in distributed or virtual environments. Distributed work alternatives are numerous, but the common characteristic that defines these alternatives is the physical separation of employees from each other and/or their organization’s workplace. Several corporations have reported their efforts, successes, and failures at implementing some form of distributed work. Practitioners face a number of issues when considering virtual work alternatives. However, research does not seem to successfully help in understanding and solving some of these key issues. This paper attempts to develop a new and broader research agenda that takes into account emerging issues and concerns of practitioners, existing published work, and interdisciplinary perspectives on the topic. In doing so, emerging trends in virtual work and supporting technologies are explored.
Information Technology and Corporate Profitability
Authors: Kudyba Stephan , Vitaliano Donald
Published: February 2011

This work involves an empirical analysis, incorporating firm-level investment in information technology and financial statement information, which provides an accurate measure of operating revenue, in a profitability function over the period from 1995-1997. The results indicate that IT can enhance firm level profitability. Factors such as advanced computer processing, the proliferation of PCs to the consumer and business environment, the development of the Internet, and advanced software applications have significantly augmented previously existing information technology. This new IT has provided infrastructure for advanced information networks which facilitate the flow of value added information to decision makers and enable corporate enterprises to more easily operate in the new global ecomomy. As a result, larger companies can provide a variety of goods and services that more effectively meet consumer preferences in a more efficient, cost-effective manner.
Information Technology Support for Interorganizational Knowledge Transfer
Authors: Khandelwal Vijay K. , Gottschalk Petter
Published: February 2011

This paper explores some important and contemporary issues concerning the knowledge-based view of the firm. Law firms represent an industry that seems very well suited to knowledge management investigation. Law firms are knowledge intensive, and the use of advanced technology may well transform these organizations in the future. This paper reports empirical results from Norwegian and Australian law firms on their use of IT to support their knowledge management practice. IT plays a critical role in inter firm knowledge management efforts. This interorganizational study documents that the extent of knowledge cooperation had a significant impact on the use of IT to support interorganizational knowledge management. The extent of interorganizational trust did not have any significant impact.
The Value Relevance of IT Investments on Firm Value in the Financial Services Sector
Authors: Sriram Ram S. , Krishnan Gopal V.
Published: February 2011

Understanding and assessing the payoff from investments in IT is an important exercise for managers. A number of researchers have examined the elusive notion of firm-level information system effectiveness and the results are mixed. This study contributes to this debate by examining the association between market value of equity and IT-related investments for a sample of firms in the financial services sector. It should be noted that companies in the financial services industry are intensive users of IT and often rely upon IT as a source of competitive advantage. We find a positive association between investments in IT and market value. Overall, our findings support the notion that investors perceive investments in IT as value-relevant.
Virtual Team Trust
Authors: Sarker Saonee , Valacich Joseph S. , Sarker Suprateek
Published: February 2011

Trust is a major factor influencing the cohesiveness among virtual team members. While recent research in the fields of information systems and management has examined this construct, there are no existing instruments that measure all the different bases of trust. Drawing on the literature, three different bases of trust applicable to virtual teams have been identified: personality-based, institutional-based, and cognitive trust, with cognitive trust further subdivided into three dimensions: stereotyping, unit grouping, and reputation categorization. This paper reports on the development of an instrument to capture these three bases of trust. Using exploratory, and thereafter, confirmatory factor analysis, the instrument is validated, and the psychometric properties of the construct(s) are verified in the context of U.S.-Canadian student virtual teams engaged in systems development projects. In addition to confirming the conceptual bases of trust, the instrument validation process found that stereotyping in virtual teams can be of three distinct types: message-based, physical appearance/behavior-based, and technology-based. The development and validation of this instrument should enable future researchers to measure virtual team trust in a broad range of technology and team configurations.
Small Business Internet Commerce
Authors: Chen Lei-da , Haney Steve , Pandzik Alex , Spigarelli John , Jesseman Chris
Published: February 2011

This paper studies the case of a small traditional retailer, Getzs Company, transforming itself to take advantage of Internet commerce. The study examines the company’s e-commerce strategies, experiences, and transformation from a 100-year-old traditional retailer to a successful brick-and-click store. The overall goal was to provide a meaningful contribution to an area of research sorely lacking in relevant cases—small business Internet commerce. Founded in 1898, Getzs is a Michigan-based retailer that made its first attempt in Internet commerce in 1997. The company specializes in marketing rugged outdoor clothing to local customers. By studying the company, the authors of this paper have developed a list of six critical success factors attributing to the positive impact that Internet commerce has upon the company. Despite its success, the company and other small business e-commerce firms everywhere face many challenges. The generalizable conclusions gathered from this paper will be applicable to the broad universe of small businesses that seek to utilize the Internet to expand their target market, serve their customers, reduce costs, and increase revenue.
A User-Oriented Model of Factors that Affect Information Requirements Determination Process Quality
Authors: Havelka Douglas
Published: February 2011

This paper discusses a study by the author to identify factors that affect the process quality of the information requirements determination (IRD) process from a user perspective. A nominal group process was used with three groups of users that have had experience with the IRD process. The results indicate there is a set of factors that users agree impact the quality of the IRD process. A total of 33 factors were identified as critical to IRD process quality. This study should benefit IT users, IT professionals, project managers, and IT researchers. The factors identified may be used to develop metrics to be used to monitor the IRD process or measure its success or quality. For IT researchers, this study offers two primary contributions: 1) identification of the critical factors suggests that there are many variables that have not received attention, and 2) an example of an approach to generate potential variables for further study.
ERP Systems and the Strategic Management Processes that Lead to Competitive Advantage
Authors: Kalling Thomas
Published: February 2011

This paper describes the processes that firms and managers go through in their quests to create and sustain competitive advantages based on so-called Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. It is based on resource-based theory, combined with the strategy process perspective and with existing literature on information technology and ERP. The theoretic framework is extended through a detailed case study of a specific in-house ERP venture in a European multinational manufacturing company in the paper packaging industry. The emergent resource management framework describes cognitive and cultural factors that support or hamper progress, including uncertainty, knowledge gaps, knowledge transfer issues and the problems of ensuring that ERP usage is converted into competitive advantage. The framework also addresses managerial implications and potential solutions to such obstacles, throughout the process.
A Multi-Objective, Multi-Criteria Approach for Evaluating IT Investments
Authors: Kearns Grover S.
Published: February 2011

While information technology investments have the potential for providing competitive advantage, actual returns on such investments have varied widely and a majority of CEOs rank IT investments as disappointing. Numerous methods exist for investment evaluation, but traditional methods do not adequately account for the intangible benefits that characterize strategic investments and lack other features of portfolio selection. This paper describes a model based upon the analytic hierarchy process, combined with integer programming, to overcome the deficiencies associated with traditional approaches to economic evaluation of IT investments. It also presents results of two case studies in which the model was used successfully and important contextual factors were observed. The multi-objective, multi-criteria approach was found to reflect both tangible and intangible benefits, link the investment to business strategies, increase management participation in the evaluation process, and provide important features of portfolio selection.
Silver Pellets for Improving Software Quality
Authors: Duggan Evan W.
Published: February 2011

In his timeless article, Fred Brooks asserted that the essential difficulties of developing software would continue to ensure the futility of any search for a “silver bullet” to reproduce (for software engineering) the catalytic effects that electronics, transistors, and large-scale integration had on computer hardware development. Since his article, software development has become even more difficult and organizations have magnified the struggle to overcome what has been called “the software crisis.” There is unlikely to be a silver bullet, but this article discusses a variety of user-centered and process-oriented systems delivery methods, philosophies, and techniques available to the software engineering community, that may be used in innovative permutations to tranquilize the dragon of poor software quality. The context for the applicability of these approaches and some advantages and weaknesses where indicated in the research literature or gleaned from practitioner accounts are also discussed.
An Empirical Investigation on End-Users' Acceptance of Enterprise Systems
Authors: Nah Fiona Fui-Hoon , Tan Xin , Teh Soon Hing
Published: February 2011

Despite the huge investments by organizations in ERP implementation, maintenance, and user training, ERP implementation failures and less-than-satisfactory productivity improvements are common. End-users’ reluctance or unwillingness to adopt or use the newly implemented ERP system is often cited as one of the main reasons for ERP failures. To examine factors leading to the lack of end-user acceptance of ERP systems, we reviewed the literature on user adoption of IT in mandatory contexts, developed hypotheses to explain ERP user acceptance, and conducted a survey study to test the hypotheses. In particular, we examined end-users’ attitudes toward system use and symbolic adoption, which refers to users’ voluntary mental acceptance of a system, to understand user acceptance in the ERP context. Four cognitive constructs—perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived compatibility, and perceived fit—were hypothesized as the antecedents. The research model was tested through a survey of end-users’ perceptions concerning adopting and using a newly implemented ERP system. The findings support most of our hypotheses. Specifically, perceived compatibility and perceived ease of use have both direct and indirect effects (mediated by attitude) on symbolic adoption, while perceived fit and perceived usefulness influence symbolic adoption by being fully mediated through attitude. The study provides managerial implications for organizations that are striving to engender user acceptance of newly adopted enterprise systems and applications.
Competing in the Marketspace
Authors: Folkers Deirdre A.
Published: February 2011

Higher education traditionally has been very slow moving, with change being measured in years, or even decades. Recently, external forces have combined to challenge higher education’s resistance to change. These forces range from the growth of the Internet to the emergence of a new student population to a continued decline in governmental support. Together, these changes have caused institutions to re-examine how they function and how they interact with the outside world. Distance education has become a concrete manifestation of the changes in higher education; however, the incorporation of online education often has far-reaching effects, impacting the organization financially, structurally and culturally. This paper will examine the external forces that are challenging higher education. It will further examine the managerial, organizational and cultural issues that arise as colleges and universities seek to move from the physical “marketplace” to the virtual world of the “marketspace” through the integration of distance education programs.
A Comparison of American and Indian Consumers' Perceptions of Electronic Commerce
Authors: Van Slyke Craig , Belanger France , Sridhar Varadharajan
Published: February 2011

Electronic commerce is often touted as a global phenomenon. However, most studies of e-commerce have focused on more developed countries. While it is important to understand e-commerce in the context of richer, more developed countries, it also impacts developing countries. Using diffusion of innovation theory, and literature on trustworthiness in e-commerce and dimensions of national culture as theoretical bases, this research investigates how consumers perceive e-commerce differently in India and the United States. Results indicate that Indian and American consumers perceive the relative advantage, ease of use, compatibility, and the demonstrability of results of e-commerce differently. Post hoc analyses reveal there is an association between perceptions of e-commerce and use intentions. This result holds across nationalities, although the pattern of influence differs according to country.
EIS Information
Authors: Khalil Omar E.M. , Elkordy Manal M.
Published: February 2011

This article reports on the findings of research investigating the influence of information quality on EIS information use, as well as the possible impact of ease of use, user involvement, IS maturity, and system sophistication on EIS information quality. To test the research hypotheses, data was collected from 216 UK-based executives. A structural equation modeling (SEM) technique for data analysis and model measurement was applied. Information quality was found to influence EIS information use. Also, ease of use, user involvement, the IS integration dimension of IS maturity, and EIS sophistication were found to influence executives’ perception of information quality. Further findings, limitations, implications for researchers, and practitioners are discussed.
Using Agent Technology for Company Knowledge Management
Authors: Yoon Victoria , Broome Barbara , Singh Rahul , Guimaraes Tor
Published: February 2011

Emerging agent-based systems offer a new means of effectively managing knowledge to address complex decision processes, thereby enabling solutions to many real problems that have heretofore appeared intractable. This article presents an overview of expert system and agent technologies, and shows the latter as a powerful extension of artificial intelligence for systems development. To illustrate, a system developed first using an expert system approach and then an agent-based approach is used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the agent-based approach. Last, the practical implications of a company adoption of agent-based technology for systems development are addressed.
A Web-Based GIS for Analyzing Commercial Motor Vehicle Crashes
Authors: Bapna Sanjay , Gangopadhyay Aryya
Published: February 2011

The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and implementation of a Web-based geographic information system (GIS) for providing online crash information and statistical information for commercial vehicle crashes. The system is capable of displaying crash data such as specific geographic location, period and time of crashes, severity, contributing factors, and cost. The system supports interagency communication with the purpose of reducing the number of crashes. Through the description of the design and implementation of the system, we demonstrate the feasibility of addressing spatial problems in a collaborative OLAP environment. It provides a guide for the design and development of similar systems and identifies a series or related, but yet unsolved, research problems.
Gender Differences in Perceptions and Use of Communication Technologies
Authors: Ilie Virginia , Van Slyke Craig , Green Gina , Lou Hao
Published: February 2011

Understanding the factors influencing users’ adoption and use of emerging information technologies is a critical issue for researchers and practitioners. This research aims to deepen our understanding of the underlying phenomena of technology adoption and use by examining whether there are gender differences in the importance of the perceived innovation characteristics on communication technologies use intentions. Specifically, we investigate whether gender moderates the influence of perceived relative advantage, compatibility, ease of use, visibility, result demonstrability and critical mass on intentions to use a communication technology: instant messaging. Results suggest a strong moderation effect of gender between perceptions of relative advantage, ease of use, visibility, result demonstrability, critical mass and use intentions. Contributions and future directions for research are presented.
Do Information Security Policies Reduce the Incidence of Security Breaches
Authors: Doherty Neil F. , Fulford Heather
Published: February 2011

Information is a critical corporate asset that has become increasingly vulnerable to attacks from viruses, hackers, criminals, and human error. Consequently, organizations are having to prioritize the security of their computer systems in order to ensure that their information assets retain their accuracy, confidentiality, and availability. While the importance of the information security policy (InSPy) in ensuring the security of information is acknowledged widely, to date there has been little empirical analysis of its impact or effectiveness in this role. To help fill this gap, an exploratory study was initiated that sought to investigate the relationship between the uptake and application of information security policies and the accompanying levels of security breaches. To this end, a questionnaire was designed, validated, and then targeted at IT managers within large organizations in the UK. The findings presented in this paper are somewhat surprising, as they show no statistically significant relationships between the adoption of information security policies and the incidence or severity of security breaches. The paper concludes by exploring the possible interpretations of this unexpected finding and its implications for the practice of information security management.
Breaking Out of Lock-In
Authors: Nirjar Abhishek , Tylecote Andrew
Published: February 2011

Small and medium enterprises in the Indian software development industry, like their larger counterparts, are mostly low on the value ladder. This paper examines the difficulties confronting them in moving up the ladder and the strategies and circumstances conducive to success, drawing on three case studies. Human resource development emerges as central. Though SMEs have meager resources for moving up, compared to large firms, they have a greater incentive to do so, and this organizational interest accords with the interests and motivations of their employees for career development. It is found that the keys to success are to treat employees as co-investors in their own human capital in order to form an effective community of practice across the firm and to find market opportunities that stretch the firm in the right direction and to the right extent. For the last of these, the main contribution is made by existing clients, but an important role may be played by venture capitalists, particularly those that are US-based.
Analyzing the Influence of Web Site Design Parameters on Web Site Usability
Authors: Tarafdar Monideepa , Zhang Jie ("Jennifer")
Published: February 2011

Web site usability is concerned with how easy and intuitive it is for individuals to learn to use and interact with a Web site. It is a measure of the quality of a Web site’s presence, as perceived by users. The usability of Web sites is important, because high usability is associated with a positive attitude toward the Web site and results in higher online transactions. Poorly designed Web sites with low usability, on the other hand, lead to negative financial impacts. Existing approaches to Web site usability include measurement and tracking of parameters, such as response time and task completion time, and software engineering approaches that specify general usability guidelines and common practices during software development. This paper analyzes usability from the point of view of Web site design parameters. An analysis of usability and other design characteristics of 200 Web sites of different kinds revealed that design aspects, such as information content, ease of navigation, download delay, and Web site availability positively influence usability. Web site security and customization were not found to influence usability. The paper explains these results and suggests design strategies for increasing Web site usability.
A Question of Timing
Authors: Paul Souren , Saunders Carol Stoak , Haseman William David
Published: February 2011

Information acquisition and its use frequently are considered critical to the decision-making process, yet related research, especially about the timing of information acquisition, is limited. Our research explores the impact of information acquisition on perceived decision quality and on the time required to reach a decision on a fuzzy task. We found that more information was accessed from a Web-based system in the first part of the group decision-making process, when the decision environment was searched and possible courses of action were analyzed. We also found that the proportion of information accessed in the first part of the meeting was related significantly to the time required to make the decision. More specifically, when most information was accessed in the first part of the decision-making session, the relationship between decision time and amount of information accessed in the early part of the meeting was positive and linear. However, a curvilinear relationship was found between decision time and amount of information accessed in the latter part of the decision-making session. Unlike the findings of a previous study, this earlier access of information is not associated with improved perceived decision quality.
A Lag Effect of IT Investment on Firm Performance
Authors: Lee Sangho , Kim Soung Hie
Published: February 2011

This article discusses the positive effects of IT investment on firm financial performance when a distinct range of characteristics is examined. The relationship between IT investment and firm performance considering the information intensity of the industry is explored using a distributed lag model. Findings indicate both a positive effect and a positive lag effect of IT investment. The effects of IT investment in the high information-intensive industry are significantly larger than in the low information-intensive industry. Furthermore, a lagged effect of IT investment is larger than an immediate effect, regardless of the information intensity of the industry. We conclude that firms in the high information-intensive industry need to be more cognizant of performance factors when investing in IT investment than in the low information-intensive industry. Moreover, it is necessary to consider the time lag between IT investment and firm performance.
Breaking the Knowledge Acquisition Bottleneck Through Conversational Knowledge Management
Authors: Wagner Christian
Published: February 2011

Much of today’s organizational knowledge still exists outside of formal information repositories and often only in people’s heads. While organizations are eager to capture this knowledge, existing acquisition methods are not up to the task. Neither traditional artificial intelligence-based approaches nor more recent, less-structured knowledge management techniques have overcome the knowledge acquisition challenges. This article investigates knowledge acquisition bottlenecks and proposes the use of collaborative, conversational knowledge management to remove them. The article demonstrates the opportunity for more effective knowledge acquisition through the application of the principles of Bazaar style, open-source development. The article introduces wikis as software that enables this type of knowledge acquisition. It empirically analyzes the Wikipedia to produce evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Understanding the "Mommy Tracks"
Authors: Quesenberry Jeria L. , Trauth Eileen M. , Morgan Allison J.
Published: February 2011

Despite the recent growth in the number of women in the American labor force, women are still under-represented in the IT workforce. Key among the factors that account for this under-representation is balancing work-family issues. This article presents a framework for analyzing work-family balance from a field study of women employed in the American IT workforce. The findings are examined through the lens of the Individual Differences Theory of Gender and IT to show the range of ways in which work-family considerations influence women’s IT career decisions. The framework is used to support the theoretical argument that women exhibit a range of decisions regarding career and parenthood: the non-parent, the working parent, the back-on-track parent, and the off-the-track parent. These findings illustrate an identifiable theme that crosses geographical regions and timeframes; societal messages are complex and difficult to digest and are processed in different ways by different women, yet they contribute to the decisions women make about their professional and personal lives.
The Role of Impulsiveness in a TAM-Based Online Purchasing Behavior
Authors: Zhang Xiaoni , Prybutok Victor R. , Koh Chang E.
Published: February 2011

This article investigates consumer online purchasing behavior using an augmented Technology Acceptance Model. Particularly, we posit that Web use leads to intention to purchase online. Impulsiveness, Web use, and subjective norm are included in the model to test several hypotheses concerning online consumer beliefs, intentions, and the effect of psychological traits. We developed a survey instrument to collect data and used structural equation modeling to validate the research model. All of our hypotheses were confirmed except the one that links subjective norm and online buying behavior. The positive relationship between consumer impulsiveness and online purchasing behavior suggests that online stores should design their Web sites to attract impulse purchases.
Corporate Web Site Reports
Authors: Sriram Ram S. , Laksmana Indrarini
Published: February 2011

We investigate whether corporations are following the “best disclosure practices” when presenting business reports on their Web sites. As a benchmark, we use the recommendations made by the Jenkins Committee (1994) to improve corporate reporting practices, to evaluate reports presented on corporate Web sites for their value, relevance, and quality of information. We compute a disclosure score using 26 items recommended by the Jenkins Committee and Meek et al. (Meek, Roberts, & Gray, 1995) as indicators of best reporting practices. Our findings reveal that most corporations do not follow “best disclosure practices” when reporting information on their Web sites. Only about half of the 26 disclosure items recommended by the Jenkins Committee are reported, and less than 50% of the sample firms in our study make such disclosure. Some of the items that the Jenkins Committee recommends as essential for improving quality and relevance of reporting such as forward-looking information (e.g., plans, opportunities and risks, forecasts, critical success factors), nonfinancial items (e.g., changes in operating performance, research and development activities), or off-balance sheet financing, are least often reported. The findings suggest that corporations must improve their Web site disclosures for investors to find them valuable, relevant, and useful.
Development and Validation of an Instrument to Measure Maturity of IT Business Strategic Alignment Mechanisms
Authors: Sledgianowski Deb , Luftman Jerry N. , Reilly Richard R.
Published: February 2011

Achieving IT-business alignment has been a long-standing, critical, information management issue. A theoretical framework of the maturity levels of management practices and strategic IT choices that facilitate alignment was empirically tested and validated. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) validated 6 factors and identified 22 indices to measure strategic alignment maturity. A mixed model repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) obtained significant results for both the main effect and interaction effect of differences for the 6 maturity factors across the 11 business units. Regression analysis found a positive association between overall strategic alignment maturity and respondents’ self-rated maturity. These exploratory findings show promise for the assessment instrument to be used as a diagnostic tool for organizations to improve their IT-business alignment maturity levels.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Authors: Muscatello Joseph R. , Parente Diane H.
Published: February 2011

In today’s intensely competitive marketplace, companies can benefit strategically and tactically from enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, if implemented correctly. However, with failure rates estimated to be as high as 50% of all ERP implementations, companies can be negatively impacted by a poorly performing ERP system. The research on ERP has focused on events leading to the selection, evaluation, and implementation of the ERP system. The intent of this research is to identify new or lightly researched theories regarding the difficulties of ERP implementations that can help practitioners successfully manage ERP implementations by performing a post-ERP implementation examination of eight corporations. We examine operations management (OM) literature rather than information systems (IS) literature in order to provide IS readers with an alternative yet valuable analysis. Further, we purposely avoid well-established findings by performing a large literature review. This article is based on a qualitative research design using case-study methodology. The propositions derived from the case studies form solid insight into the considerations that may influence the success of an ERP system.
Privacy Rights Management
Authors: Korba Larry , Song Ronggong , Yee George
Published: February 2011

Managing privacy is important because organizations must meet legislative and organizational requirements. Some countries, such as the United States of America, have a patchwork of legislation, making it difficult to understand technical requirements. Other countries, such as Canada and the European Union, have well-established and understood privacy laws. As well, many different technologies that may be applied to provide compliance with those laws exist, but there are no established technological solutions suited for handling all of the challenging requirements expressed by privacy regulations. The question remains: how can a citizen’s privacy rights be managed or enforced? This article describes extensions to a privacy architecture that employs digital rights management technologies to manage individual data privacy. Several scenarios related to the management of personally identifiable information are described, illustrating how the system operates in support of the requirements expressed in the European Union privacy principles.
Developing the Commitment to Virtual Community
Authors: Gupta Sumeet , Kim Hee-Woong
Published: February 2011

A virtual community (VC) of committed members is of great strategic value to online firms and vendors owing to its ability to attract and retain members. However, online firms and vendors find it difficult to instill commitment among their VC members. Therefore, this study examines the mechanism of customer commitment formation in a relationship-cum-interest based VC. By understanding the mechanism of customer commitment formation in a VC, online firms and vendors can enhance customer commitment to the VC. Using the theory of reasoned action, this study finds that encouraging participation among customers is the springboard for customer commitment to the VC. However, customer participation should be balanced with a proper mix of cognition and affect enhancing aspects, particularly those aspects that arouse customers’ interests and encourages relationship building among them. Online firms and vendors would thus benefit by encouraging personal relationships among their VC participants.