Eusebio Scornavacca

The role of media dependency in predicting continuance intention to use ubiquitous media systems

The emergence of new integrated forms of ubiquitous computing devices, allied with the proliferation of fluid multi-device platforms, enabled the development of Ubiquitous Media Systems (UMS). This new and complex form of connected IT artifact encapsulates various functions and provides fluid information access across a variety of channels enabling users to accomplish a multitude of tasks and interact fluidly in a ubiquitous digital ecosystem. This significant technological evolution has engendered an urgent need to revisit our understanding of technology usage through the lens of theories that encompass the multifaceted nature of UMS. Relying on a media system perspective, this research investigates the role of individual media dependency in predicting continuance intention to use ubiquitous media systems. It argues that technology dependency has an unexplored facet that is goal-oriented in nature. Data collected from 150 UMS users were used to test the developed conceptual model. The results confirmed the overall effect of ubiquitous media systems dependency on individuals reasoned continuance usage decision. The findings suggest that the level of dependency towards a UMS raises the perceived positive attributes about the system: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use; as well as the cognitive appraisal about the discrepancies between initial expectations and post-use performance.

The Development of an Instrument to Measure Mobile Game Quality

ABSTRACT Electronic games are often considered one of the main consumer markets in the mobile commerce arena. This is an area that has thus far been neglected by literature. The research performed in this paper develops and validates the usefulness of an instrument that evaluates the quality of mobile games. Data collected by the instrument is grounded in subjective impressions, which can be applied in quantitative analysis for the production of mobile game metrics including the Mobile Game Quality Index. These objectives are carried out through a three-step methodology. First, an instrument to measure the construct of interest, mobile game quality is developed. Then the instrument’s validity is examined and demonstrated in two phases of testing on mobile games. A five dimension structure of mobile game quality is revealed along with a validated 23-item instrument. The resulting quality model is found to have strong theoretical support in the literature.

FabLabs as Platforms for Digital Fabrication Services: A Literature Analysis

Digital fabrication is contributing to the paradigm shift that is determining a new way to design, produce and consume goods and services. In order to understand the role of FabLabs, networked platforms for the dissemination of digital culture through the sharing of technological tools and knowledge, this paper explores the main research themes and methods associated with this new business model. Through a systematic literature analysis, it provides an assessment of the state of art of the past and current literature about FabLabs from a service perspective. Based on research papers published exclusively on scholarly journals, the study describes the emergence of this research area and characterize its current status. A critical analysis of the existing research as well as some recommendations for future studies in this field are also offered.

Mobile Ubiquity: Understanding the Relationship between Cognitive Absorption, Smartphone Addiction and Social Network Services

Abstract The purpose of the present study is to examine the differences between user addiction to smartphone devices versus addiction to social network services (SNS), and the role of user perceptions. While a growing corpus of work has demonstrated the potentially deleterious effects of smartphone usage, relatively few studies have differentiated between addiction to the device versus addiction to social network services or measured the influence of user perceptions on smartphone addiction. To contribute to knowledge on this subject, the present study had three key aims. The first was to examine the differences between smartphone addiction and social network services addiction. The second aim was to understand the influence of user perceptions on addiction (measured through cognitive absorption to examine users state of involvement and engagement with software and technology). Our final aim was to examine differences for demographic factors for smartphone and social networking services addiction and user perceptions. Based on a survey of business students at a university in the Mid-Atlantic region of United States, the results showed that addiction to smartphone devices is greater than addiction to social networking services and varies by educational attainment, while social networking services usage does not vary by gender, age or education. Further, users addicted to smartphones and social networking services experience higher levels of cognitive absorption, particularly by females when using social networking services and greater for social networking services than smartphones. Finally, we find that the impact of cognitive absorption on smartphone addiction is mediated by addiction to SNS services.

Affordances of Social Media in Knowledge Sharing in Intra-Organizational Information Technology Projects

This research-in-progress aims to address the complex phenomenon of knowledge sharing within the context of social media. The objective of this paper is to examine how the affordances of social media impact knowledge sharing dynamics in intra-organizational Information Technology (IT) projects. This paper adopts Design Science Research (DSR) as research paradigm and the Technical Action Research (TAR) as validation method. One social media artifact will be designed and investigated within the context of an IT project. The expected contributions of this work will be twofold: (1) The results of this research should add to the literature on empirically tested theory of social media affordances on knowledge sharing dynamics in IT projects; (2) The instantiation of the TAR study will characterize a contribution of the type ‘situated implementation of artifact’. This research should have implications for both the Project Management and Knowledge Management communities. Practitioners should be directly benefited by this work with an in-depth understanding of social media affordances on knowledge sharing dynamics.

Designing a Competence Acquisition Mobile App

Organizational learning and the continuous development and acquisition of competences by a firm’s employee are fundamental instruments for achieving sustainable competitive advantage. In this scenario, digital technologies play a relevant role in providing a ubiquitous platform to foster and facilitate this learning process. This paper, as research in progress, aims to define the main design aspects of competence acquisition mobile app. In order to achieve this goal it adopts a Design Science research approach and anchors the requirements elicitation process is on competence acquisition literature. Once the system key components and characteristics are presented the paper rounds off with future research directions.

Special issue on ubiquitous media systems: guest editors' introduction

Introduction to the Special IssueAs of 2014, the total number of all types of mobile-connected devices has exceeded the worlds population and is forecasted to reach 1.5 devices per human being in 2019 [5]. The pace of the emergence and mainstream adoption of new forms of ubiquitous computing devices such as smartphones, tablets and phablets has not ceased gaining momentum - demarking an evolutionary step in the ubiquitous computing trend [13]. The extinction of mobile phones and the proliferation of fluid multi-device platforms such as iOS, Android and Windows 10 have blurred the traditional boundaries between stationary and mobile information systems [4], [18].This dissolution of the traditional segmentation of computing contexts represents a remarkable shift in the fundamental temporospatial nature of IT artifacts [10], [16]. Indeed, individuals are gradually ceasing to perceive their mobile and non-mobile devices as independent ecosystems, but rather as an evolving collection of interconnected devices that are progressively playing a major role in their daily lives [15], [17]. This significant technological evolution has given birth to a new and complex form of connected IT artifact, Ubiquitous Media Systems (UMS), that encapsulates various functions and provides fluid information access across a variety of channels; allowing users to accomplish a multitude of tasks and interact fluidly in a ubiquitous ecosystem [4].As information access becomes fully ubiquitous and the utilitarian, as well as hedonic functionalities of those devices increase, the emergence of fluid and evolving techno-ecosystems poses important challenges and opportunities for ecommerce theory and practice. By gradually blurring physical, social and temporal boundaries ubiquitous media systems allow to deliver new as well as existing online products and services through a multitude of interconnected channels, but also engender radically novel and unthought-of opportunities for e-commerce [9], [11], [12].Ubiquitous access to the Internet of things also represents new marketing opportunities for businesses as well as the challenge to deeply understand users behavior in this fluid digital ecosystem [6]. Apprehending ubiquitous media systems user behavior is a difficult challenge as the rules that govern its functioning keep being redefined each time a new form of connected device appears on the market [3], [14].Unfortunately, the understanding of the specificities that surround ubiquitous media systems in the electronic and mobile commerce contexts is also limited in information systems research [7], [8]. There is a general tendency to focus on individual or subsets of devices, functionalities, or sub-phenomena, which leads to a fragmented and distorted understanding of the ubiquitous media systems reality [1], [2]. This new, complex, interconnected and amalgamated form of IT artifact requires a more holistic and encompassing research approach that is capable of capturing the specificities and pervasiveness of ubiquitous media systems.The objective of this issue is to start exploring in a more holistic perspective, the challenges and opportunities regarding ubiquitous media systems. The five papers selected for this special issue are original contributions that could be classified in two main groups. While the first three papers discuss design issues in developing digital platforms for delivering ubiquitous services, the remaining two articles analyze and discuss case studies related to digital payments.Eriksson, Âkesson and Lund present a two-year action research study that focuses on the changes fostered by digitalization in the Swedish newspaper industry. The concept of Ubiquitous Media Environments (UME) is used to represent the vision of future media environments enabling device independent mass-scale distribution of ubiquitous media services in integrated infrastructures. Five applications of ubiquitous media services were developed and evaluated in collaboration with practitioners. …

Wireless Technologies in New Zealand Businesses: A Longitudinal Assessment

The impact of mobile and wireless technologies on global consumers, businesses and society over the last decade has been very substantial. New Zealand businesses have developed an innovative reputation for implementing mobility applications. In this paper we examine the development of mobile business applications in industries in New Zealand from 2004 to 2012, based on two cross-sectional studies of organizations. The paper analyses the extent of the transformation created by the implementation of mobile business applications in this period, proposes a number of conclusions and forecasts the direction for the future of such applications in this developed market.