Chun Meng Tang

Information systems evaluation: an ongoing measure

With increased spending of information systems (IS), IS evaluation is becoming increasingly important. It is important for organisations to evaluate business value of IS they have spent a portion, sometimes large, of their yearly revenue on. For that purpose, however, practitioners and researchers still have not agreed on a single method, although cost-benefit analysis seems to be a flavour among IS practitioners. The decision on which evaluation method is more appropriate in a particular situation is largely context dependent. Evaluators commonly face a difficult situation in choosing the right method for a particular context. This paper first reviews different terms being used to describe evaluation of IS business value. Next, it presents past research results about IS evaluation practices of organisations. It then proceeds to provide a summary of IS evaluation methods, IS evaluation approaches, and IS evaluation types. Last, it concludes with research themes of IS evaluation studies.

Information technology evaluation: issues and challenges

Purpose – To justify an increase in information technology (IT) spending and to understand utilization of limited organizational resources on IT, the correlation between IT and business performance has been of great interest to business managers. However, business managers face issues and challenges in finding out how and to what extent IT is able to deliver the intended benefits. The purpose of this paper is to examine IT evaluation issues and challenges faced by information systems (IS) researchers, IS specialists, and business managers. Design/methodology/approach – This paper begins by reviewing the disparate discussions in past literature on IT evaluation issues and challenges. It then provides a synthesis of the disparate discussions by identifying eight issues and challenges in IT evaluation. Findings – The eight issues and challenges identified are: evaluation scope, evaluation timing, unit of analysis, level of analysis, different perspectives, different dimensions, different measures, and underpinning theoretical frameworks. It concludes with some suggestions on ways to improve IT evaluation practices. Originality/value – This paper posits that before a pragmatic IT evaluation approach can be developed, it is necessary to first understand the issues and challenges faced by IS researchers, IS specialists, and business managers in IT evaluation. Having identified the eight issues and challenges, this paper provides pointers on what needs to be considered when conducting IT evaluation.

What Makes Learning Management Systems Effective for Learning

Learning management systems (LMSs) may provide learners with resources in various formats, such as videos, quizzes, and forum discussions to support their learning, but having access to an LMS does not necessarily mean that learning has occurred effectively. Despite its apparent usefulness, whether the use of the LMS can indeed help learners learn more effectively remains an interesting matter for course providers, LMS vendors, and learners. Therefore, this study adopted the updated DeLone and McLean information system success model to examine whether LMS system quality, information quality, and service quality affect learners’ system use and user satisfaction, and ultimately their learning effectiveness. Through a questionnaire survey, responses collected from 123 university students who studied in a blended learning environment at a university were analyzed. Findings showed that system quality and service quality, but not information quality, had a significant relationship with system use. In turn, system use had a significant relationship with learning effectiveness.

Optimum Stimulation Level and Shopping Experience: A Case of Australia

Tourists’ or regular customers’ shopping behaviour is of major interest to retailers. This chapter intends to investigate the relationship between optimum stimulation level (OSL), shopping experience and retail outcome. The study is conducted in Perth, Australia; 288 shoppers participated in the study. The study found that there are significant relationships between social factors and OSL, interior layout factor and OSL, store quality and social factor and interior layout, satisfaction and store quality and repatronage intention and shopping satisfaction.

Hedonic Shopping Motivation: Does It Really Matter?

In this chapter we intend to investigate the relationship between hedonic shopping motivation, shopping experience and retail outcome. The study is conducted in Surabaya, Indonesia. Three hundred and thirty shoppers participated in the study. The study found significant relationship between interior and layout and adventure motivation, interior and layout and social motivation, social factor and social motivation and social factor and idea motivation, service quality and interior and layout and social factor, shopping satisfaction and service quality and repatronage intention and shopping satisfaction.