Andrew Schwarz

Contemporary trends and issues in IT adoption and diffusion research

The high level of investigative activity to date into information systems and information technology acceptance and diffusion has witnessed the use of a wide range of exploratory techniques, examining many different systems and technologies in countless different contexts and geographical locations. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive and systematic review of the literature pertaining to such adoption and diffusion issues in order to observe trends, ascertain the current ‘state of play’, and to highlight promising lines of inquiry including those lacking investigative activity or simply being in need of renewed interest. Previous research activity was analysed along a number dimensions including units of analysis, research paradigms, methodologies, and methods, theories and theoretical constructs, and technologies/contexts examined. Information on these and other variables was extracted during an examination of 345 papers on innovation adoption, acceptance and diffusion appearing in 19 peer-reviewed journals between 1985 and 2007. Findings suggest that the positivist paradigm, empirical and quantitative research, the survey method and Technology Acceptance Model theory (and its associated constructs) were predominantly used in the body of work examined, revealing clear opportunities for researchers to make original contributions by making greater use of the theoretical and methodological variety available to them, and consequently reducing the risk of research in the area moving toward overall homogeneity.

An extended platform logic perspective of IT governance: managing perceptions and activities of IT

Abstract Over the years, Information Technology (IT) has struggled with how to create an effective structure and processes. It is our main thesis that if organizations focused more on implementing a sound IT governance strategy, it might help senior executives to manage not only the IT-related activities, but also the perceptions between IT and the rest of the organization, and, in doing so, foster a more successful IT organization. Using six case studies conducted within the oil and gas industry, we explore differences in perceptions toward IT and in the organization of IT activities. Using an Extended Platform Logic Perspective, we note differences and similarities between the firms, with respect to IT capabilities, relational and integration mechanisms, measures of success, and relationships with the business units. Our results suggest that our colleagues-in-practice have evolved from focusing on one-way architectures within a centralization/decentralization context toward a two-way relationship-oriented approach to managing the IT structure. We conclude by offering some thoughts on how IT executives can help to shape perceptions of IT within their firms and explore how academics can begin to help our colleagues-in-practice as they struggle with the governance of the IT function.

Identifying and Testing the Inhibitors of Technology Usage Intentions

An important area of information systems (IS) research has been the identification of the individual-level beliefs that enable technology acceptance such as the usefulness, reliability, and flexibility of a system. This study posits the existence of additional beliefs that inhibit usage intentions and thus foster technology rejection rather than acceptance. We theorize that these inhibitors are more than just the antipoles of enablers (e.g., the opposite of usefulness or reliability) and so are distinct constructs worthy of their own investigation. Inhibitors are proposed to have effects on usage intentions beyond that of enablers as well as effects on enablers themselves. We report on a series of empirical studies designed to test the existence and effects of inhibitors. A candidate set of six inhibitors is shown to be distinct from enablers. These inhibitors are subsequently tested in a field study of 387 individuals nested within 32 different websites. Effects at both individual and website unit levels of analysis are tested using multilevel modeling. We find that inhibitors have negative effects on usage intentions, as well as on enablers, and these effects vary contingent upon individual or website unit levels of analysis. The overall results support the existence and importance of inhibitors in explaining individual intent to use---or not use---technology.

A fast form approach to measuring technology acceptance and other constructs

Nearly all prior studies on the technology acceptance model (TAM) have used Likert scales to measure the models constructs, but the use of only this type of scale has two shortcomings. One is that such use prevents us from exposing the models constructs to a robust test of their measure and relationships to each other, termed their nomological validity. The other is that such use leaves us unsure about whether or not we have selected an efficient way, in terms of survey completion time, to assess these constructs. Past researchers have used short form scales to address the issue of efficiency, but there are problems that may result from such efforts. In this study, we address both shortcomings by exploring the use of a semantic differential scale, which we refer to as a fast form, to assess the constructs of TAM. In this regard, we do three things. First, we describe how fast form as a scale may be developed. Second, we conduct a psychometric evaluation of the constructs that are measured by the fast form and examine their relationships. Third, we assess the efficiency of the fast form by comparing the time required to complete a survey with it to that which is required to complete a survey with Likert scales. Our results confirm that the constructs that are measured by the fast form are psychometrically equivalent to those that are measured by the Likert scales. The relationship among these constructs was unchanged, providing strong evidence for nomological validity. The fast form also yielded a 40 percent reduction in the survey completion time, proving its superior efficiency. We conclude with a description of the implications of these results for research and practice.

A marketing maturity model for IT: building a customer-centric IT organization

Despite a variety of management tools, valuable management prescriptions, and the desire of information technology (IT) managers and business managers alike to build a better relationship, the current state of the IT-business relationship is far from ideal. Although many believe the difficulty in managing this relationship is rooted in differences in knowledge, culture, motivation, and language, we argue in this paper that the key to managing relationships is in the frame of reference and that a marketing perspective can prove valuable. We outline how concepts from marketing (e.g., price, product, customer, place, and promotion) are useful within an IT context and propose a marketing maturity model for IT executives to assess how to enhance their relationship with their business counterparts.

Towards an understanding of assimilation in virtual worlds: the 3C approach

Virtual worlds are increasing in importance as more multi-national firms are investing heavily in these emerging communities. Although much excitement has surrounded the idea of virtual worlds, a gap exists between those who register and those who engage in virtual worlds. Our analysis of the gap between those who merely register to join a virtual world and those who ultimately engage the community on a regular basis derives from a lack of assimilation. We present the 3C approach, a high-level theoretical framework delineating the relationship between three classes of factors (namely the technology class of factors; the community class of factors; and the user class of factors) that we posit explain virtual world assimilation and employ theories to represent these classes of factors and the interaction between them. After discussing and integrating these three classes of factors, we test our model through a study of 223 new users of Second Life. The results provide empirical support for the 3C framework; specifically, our analysis indicates that the technology and community classes of factors in exert a direct influence upon a users attitude towards the virtual world, and this relationship is moderated by the user class of factors.

Exploring the role of experience and compatibility in using mobile technologies

Abstract.Advancements in mobile technologies hold the promise to reshape the way professionals work. With the help of these Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), employees can break free from the bounds of spatial and temporal constraints, being able to use the technology to work anywhere, anytime. However, hardly any research to date has attempted to understand the (voluntary) acceptance process of transitioning from a “static” desktop to a mobile environment. Therefore, the primary objective of this paper is to examine antecedents of an adoption decision for mobile (or ubiquitous) devices. Besides arguing that the notion of adoption becomes a different meaning in a mobile environment, we hypothesize that usage of a mobile device is mainly determined by a user’s compatibility perceptions between the desktop environment and the target system. In addition, we argue that prior experience plays a major role in determining these compatibility notions.

Toward a process-based view of information technology acceptance

Research into the acceptance of technology is in need of an alternative approach. Despite repeated calls for research to guide our colleagues-in-practice in the deployment of systems that are accepted, there has yet to be systematic research into the relationship between the decisions made by individuals and the bottom-line impact that is derived from user acceptance. This study fills the gap in the literature by theorizing a process-based view of information technology (IT) acceptance. We report on a narrative study of 30 users of an ERP deployment and, analyzing this qualitative data through the lens of the five decisions of acceptance proposed by Schwarz and Chin, propose a process model of IT acceptance. We conclude by theorizing on the relationship between these structures and the corresponding bottom-line impacts.

The Role of Latent Beliefs and Group Cohesion in Predicting Group Decision Support Systems Success

In this article, the authors focus on determining whether a group’s attributes influence the effectiveness of the group’s use of group decision support systems (GDSS). Specifically, their research objective is to understand the impact of the perception of the GDSS and group cohesion on outcomes of enjoyment with the process, enjoyment with the decision, the effectiveness of the decision, and efficiency of the decision. To test their hypothesis, the authors conducted a lab experiment. The results were then calculated utilizing PLS Graph. It was found that each of the five characteristics of the innovation is a significant factor in the second-order construct, with Relative Advantage exhibiting the highest loading. The latent belief toward the GDSS was a significant driver of all the GDSS outcomes, except for Decision Efficiency. Group cohesion significantly predicted enjoyment and effectiveness, but it did not drive the group to be more efficient. Conclusions and implications for further research are also discussed.

Toward a deeper understanding of IT adoption: A multilevel analysis

Abstract This study adopts a multilevel perspective and uses cross-level modeling to explore how resistance to change (RTC) influences information technology (IT) adoption behaviors. RTC is conceptualized at two levels of analysis (personal and contextual) and with two levels of specificity (distal and proximal). Data were collected from 258 employees within 25 administrative work units undergoing a new IT initiative. The findings from this study reveal a “maverick effect” wherein pro-initiative employees react in contrast to their workplace contexts. They champion IT adoption when their work units resist the IT initiative and prolong IT adoption when their work units readily embrace the IT initiative. This study introduces a novel interactionist perspective on IT adoption that considers employee dispositions and perceptions, as well as workplace climate and culture, as enablers and inhibitors of IT adoption. Moreover, the study advocates for change management practices that account for multilevel interactions among the personal and contextual influences of IT adoption.