Albert H. Segars

Re-examining perceived ease of use and usefulness

Recently, Adams, et al. (1992) presented the results of two studies designed to replicate previous work by Fred Davis (1989) regarding perceived usefulness, ease of use, and their influence on the usage of information technology. Specifically, these authors sought to: (1) evaluate the psychometric properties of the ease of use and usefulness scales, and (2) empirically examine the relationship between the constructs (or traits) of usefulness, ease of use, and reported levels of usage.

Assessing the unidimensionality of measurement: a paradigm and illustration within the context of information systems research

The development and psychometric evaluation of scales which measure unobservable (latent) phenomena continues to be an issue of high interest among researchers within the information systems community. Accurate measurement of structurally complex constructs provides a potentially powerful means for empirically exploring relationships between information technology and individual, organizational, and industrial phenomena. In exploratory contexts, measurement properties of psychometric scales are evaluated using traditional techniques such as item-to-total correlations, reliability analysis, and exploratory factor analysis. In instances of strong theoretical rationale, contemporary techniques, such as confirmatory factor analysis, are utilized as a means of assessing model efficacy. An essential, but often overlooked, property of measurement which is assumed in both exploratory and confirmatory statistical techniques is unidimensionality. Scales which are unidimensional measure a single trait. This property is a basic assumption of measurement theory and is absolutely essential for unconfounded assessment of variable interrelationships in path modeling. In this paper, a paradigm for developing unidimensional scales is presented and illustrated. Built on similar frameworks within the disciplines of psychology, education and marketing research, this paradigm is offered as a means of formally defining unidimensionality, distinguishing the concept from traditional reliability-based metrics, and describing a structured technique for empirically testing its existence.

Information systems effectiveness: the construct space and patterns of application

Abstract Measuring the specific contribution(s) of Information Systems (IS) to organizational effectiveness remains a critical concern of both academic and practitioner communities. Reflecting the importance of this issue, over the past decade, a large number of performance criteria have been developed and empirically tested. This growing array of measurement criteria provides a foundation for defining the construct space of IS effectiveness and prescribing criteria for specific managerial needs. Although important research has been started in this area, additional work is needed to define the domain of IS effectiveness further and provide insight into the context within which various classes of performance criteria are used. Through meta-analysis of leading IS journals, this study identifies six classes of effectiveness measures that are then mapped onto various evaluative contexts. The construct space and evaluative context developed in this study provide a new way of conceptualizing and applying the many evaluative criteria associated with IS.

The impact of IT on decision structure and firm performance: evidence from the textile and apparel industry

Clarifying the relationships between information technology (IT), organizational performance, and decision structure remains an important area of inquiry in IS research. Through an empirical analysis and complementary case examples, our study examines these associations among firms operating in the US-based apparel and textile industry from 1992 to 1997. Based on data gathered from 50 public firms located across the USA, the study finds that IT used to enhance internal communication supports a decentralized decision structure, which in turn is associated with higher financial performance. Hence, IT exhibits an indirect performance effect. However, use of IT to enhance communication is also found to have a direct performance effect in large organizations. This paper proposes that use of communication enhancing IT can support organizational learning processes by facilitating flexible exchange of skills and knowledge across functional areas. Case examples are used to illustrate how these learning effects can materialize.

Strategic communication through the world wide web: an empirical model of effectiveness in the ceo's letter to shareholders

Many organizations are devoting enormous amounts of financial and human resources to improve corporate communications. Among the many forms of communication produced by firms, the Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) letter to shareholders is perhaps the most strategic in conveying the well‐being and future direction of the enterprise. These letters have become even more visible with the advent of World Wide Web and its use as a primary forum for communicating the CEO’s message. Surprisingly, there has been little research into dimensions that characterize the effectiveness of the CEO’s letter and how this communication may benefit the overall enterprise in terms of improved financial position. Utilizing both theoretic and practical perspectives as well as the web‐based letters of prominent organizations, this study frames CEO’s letter effectiveness (CLE) along dimensions of credibility, efficacy, commitment, and responsibility. These first‐order constructs appear to be statistically coaligned by a second‐order construct of CLE. In turn, CLE is shown to be directly associated with favourable financial performance in terms of share price and trading activity. This study provides a useful framework for assessing strategic communication through the CEO’s letter and for operationalizing a key dependent variable in future studies related to strategic corporate communications through digital media.

Investigating wireless web adoption patterns in the U.S.

Wireless Web providers should roll out new services on an<i> evolutionary</i> rather than<i> revolutionary</i> track.

An assessment of institutional research productivity in MIS

In this study, major MIS research institutions are identified and ranked based on their contributions to quality MIS publication outlets. Over 10,000 pages of research generated over the past decade (1982-1991) are credited to voer 190 institutions. The top 50 institutions are ranked. The method followed is similar to other studies conducted in well-established research areas in business, such as finance, marketing and economics. The results provide objective and useful information to the profession.

Exploring Ambidextrous Innovation Tendencies in the Adoption of Telecommunications Technologies

As the importance of information technology has increased within the business domain, so too has the significance of innovating within those information technologies. The recent proliferation of telecommunications technologies, coupled with conventional information technology, has resulted in a new class of applications with important competitive implications. An important issue for organizations, then, is the causal sequence that leads to more innovative telecommunications adoption. Previous innovation research has shown radical and incremental innovation employing vastly different strategy-structure sequence configurations. Two proposals have been offered on how an organization can effectively innovate incrementally and radically: first, through the use of semi-structures, and second, by utilizing both configurations simultaneously, termed ambidextrous. This paper seeks 1) to determine whether organizations are balancing innovation efforts, and 2) if so, are organizations managing the effort using semi-structures or an ambidextrous approach. The research is conducted within the telecommunications industry by employing theoretical typologies of radical and incremental innovation developed in the literature. Based on a sample of 154 organizations the findings suggest that organizations are indeed using a balanced approach to overall innovativeness by using paradoxical, dual models of innovation simultaneously. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed

Strategic group analysis: A methodological approach for exploring the industry level impact of information technology

The goal of this study is to present a viable technique for exploring the firm and industry level factors which may influence the outcomes of information technology for competitive advantage (ITCA). An examination of research in the area of ITCA reveals an absence of empirically derived models of industry behavior critical to the assessment of the impacts of these information initiatives. Strategic group analysis (SGA), a widely used methodology in the areas of organizational economics and strategic management, is described and suggested as a potential technique to segment and assess industries. This technique utilizes objective measures of strategic orientation in order to identify sets of homogenous firms (strategic groups) within a given industry. Thus, researchers and decision makers can build dynamic pictures of industry positioning and more objectively analyze the past and potential impacts of competitive IT initiatives. We illustrate SGA through analysis of the wholesale drug distribution industry. The subject of many research efforts in the area of ITCA, this industry is segmented according to strategic thrust and examined during the deployment of a widely studied strategic system. The final segment of this study suggests specific uses of SGA in the exploration of the more prominent issues currently dominating both academic and practitioner dialogue regarding ITCA.

DO STRATEGIC SYSTEMS REALLY PAY OFF?An Analysis of Classic Strategic IT Cases

Abstract To explain IS-based competitive advantage and its bottom-line impact on market share and profitability, this article studies some of the more famous strategic systems in business. Factors that enhance sustainability and a diagnostic tool for ranking systems in your companys IS portfolio are provided.