Cheri Speier

User Acceptance Enablers in Individual Decision Making About Technology: Toward an Integrated Model

Building on recent unique, yet potentially complementary, approaches to understanding the formation of user perceptions about technology (Venkatesh, 1999; Venkatesh & Speier, 1999), the present work reanalyzes the data from both studies to develop an integrated model of technology acceptance. The integrated model specifically examines the influence of pre-training and training environment interventions (termed user acceptance enablers) to understand how user perceptions are formed prior to system implementation. The model is then further extended and tested using longitudinal data in a field setting. The results indicate that the integrated model emerged as a better predictor of user behavior when compared to the existing models.

The Hidden Minefields in the Adoption of Sales Force Automation Technologies

Sales force automation technologies are increasingly used to support customer relationship management strategies; however, commentary in the practitioner press suggests high failure rates. The authors use identity theory as a lens to better understand salesperson perceptions associated with technology rejection. They collected survey data from 454 salespeople across two firms that had implemented sales force automation tools. The results indicate that immediately after training, salespeople had positive perceptions of the technology. However, six months after implementation, the technology had been widely rejected, and salesperson absenteeism and voluntary turnover had significantly increased. There were also significant decreases in perceptions of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, person–organization fit, and person–job fit across both firms. Finally, salespeople with stronger professional commitment indicated more negative job-related perceptions as experience with the technology increased.

The Effects of Interruptions, Task Complexity, and Information Presentation on Computer‐Supported Decision‐Making Performance

Interruptions are a frequent occurrence in the work life of most decision makers. This paper investigated the influence of interruptions on different types of decision-making tasks and the ability of information presentation formats, an aspect of information systems design, to alleviate them. Results from the experimental study indicate that interruptions facilitate performance on simple tasks, while inhibiting performance on more complex tasks. Interruptions also influenced the relationship between information presentation format and the type of task performed: spatial presentation formats were able to mitigate the effects of interruptions while symbolic formats were not. The paper presents a broad conceptualization of interruptions and interprets the ramifications of the experimental findings within this conceptualization to develop a program for future research.

The influence of information presentation formats on complex task decision-making performance

Understanding the influence of information presentation formats on decision-making effectiveness is an important component of human-computer interaction user interface design. The pervasive nature and ease of use associated with information display formats in wideiy used personal productivity software suggests that decision-makers are likely to create and/or use documents with both text-based and more visually oriented information displays. Past research has investigated the role of these displays on simple decision tasks; however, empirical research has not extended to more complex tasks, more comparable to the types of tasks decision-makers face every day. Results from the empirical analysis suggest that the relationship between information presentation format and decision performance is moderated by the complexity of the task. More specifically, spatial formats result in superior decision accuracy for simple- and complex-spatial tasks and faster decision time for all tasks except the complex-symbolic task where graphs and tables result in equivalent decision time.

Beyond media richness: an empirical test of media synchronicity theory

One widely accepted theory on media use is media richness theory. However, media richness theory was developed without consideration of new electronic media and the many social factors that can influence media selection, communication processes, and outcomes. Recent empirical investigations have raised questions about media richness theorys applicability to these new media. Therefore, the paper presents a new theory called media synchronicity theory (MST) which proposes that all tasks are composed of two fundamental communication processes (conveyance and convergence). Thus, communication effectiveness is influenced by matching the media capabilities to the needs of the fundamental communication processes, not aggregate collections of these processes (i.e., tasks) as rested in examinations of media richness theory. A laboratory experiment was conducted to provide an initial investigation into the theoretical underpinnings of MST. The study examined the influence of different media on conveyance and convergence effectiveness. Results from the study provide preliminary support for the concepts embodied in MST.

A theory-based framework for strategic global human resource staffing policies and practices

As multinational enterprises increasingly globalize their operations, managing international human resources strategically becomes a critical factor contributing to overall organizational performance. The strategic management of international human resources has received extensive attention, focusing on staffing issues related to expatriate assignments. However, empirical findings indicate limited success of expatriation as an effective method for managing the breadth of international human resource opportunities. As market opportunities increasingly shift to countries with high cultural distance from the parent organization and as organizations evolve their strategic orientation from multinational to global activities, it appears that an exclusive reliance on expatriation-based staffing will impede effective management of international human resources staffing. The objective of this article is to review and clarify a theory base that can support a range of international human resource staffing systems that might be implemented in a global environment. This discussion uses the combined perspective of agency and expectancy theories and discusses conditions under which specific strategic staffing choices might be most effective.

Inpatriate managers: how to increase the probability of success

Abstract Developing multicultural management teams has gained increasing importance in many global organizations. One global staffing option — inpatriate managers — has the potential to provide a more multicultural management frame-of-reference when developing global strategies. Inpatriates have social knowledge of global operations and countries facilitating the modification of organizational strategies to local competitive/market conditions while ensuring their consistency and coordination with the existing global strategic thrust. This paper addresses the need to provide an effective mechanism for increasing the success rate of inpatriate managers thus improving the global performance of the organization. To achieve enhanced organizational performance the need for a proactive inpatriate program is critical to engender long-term commitment and loyalty of inpatriate managers.

Strategic Global Human Resource Management: The Role of Inpatriate Managers

Abstract The need for highly qualified multicultural managers will increase as more organizations globalize their operations. These global managers may be perceived as organizational resources and, therefore, a resource-based view of human resource management is utilized. At the same time, relational view of human capital provides insight into the value of managers who have unique local market knowledge (i.e., social knowledge). By integrating the two aspects of the resource-based view, one can develop a dynamic capabilities approach to staffing global assignments. Within this integrative theoretical perspective, inpatriate managers (i.e., host or third country managers who are transferred into the home country organization on a semi-permanent to permanent basis) can be explored as a potential pool of uniquely qualified global managers to be utilized in global organizations. It is envisioned that through this unique building of managerial talents, organizations can develop/maintain a distinct competitive advantage in the markets they enter. This article explores inpatriation as an innovative means to develop managers as strategic resources to be used in formulating and implementing a global strategic plan.

An innovative global management staffing system: A competency-based perspective

Significant demands are imposed on corporate management of multinational corporations (MNCs) to develop a strategic orientation of their global human resource management systems (SGHRM). This strategic orientation, which should balance the need for both global stability and local flexibility, necessitates a more pronounced multicultural management membership. The competency- based SGHRM system proposed in this paper combines an innovative global management staffing practice of inpatriating foreign managers with the extant practice of expatriating domestic managers. The competency-based criteria are used to identify global manager candidate pools capable of executing an integrated global management system

The impact of emerging markets on staffing the global organization:: A knowledge-based view

As organizations become more global in their strategic orientation, the need for developing global managers becomes imperative. One of the distinguishing features of global organizations is to effectively manage global operations in a consistent manner but at the same time allow flexibility at the country level to effectively compete. Acquisition and sharing of tacit social knowledge necessary to work globally but with a contextual understanding of local markets require a unique set of management skills. The process of inpatriating host and third country nationals into the home country organization appears to hold significant potential in developing a pool of future global managers. This article presents a theoretical perspective to analyze the contextual factors influencing the staffing choice when to utilize expatriate and inpatriate managers in global organizations.