Hsiu-Chia Ko

A model for synchronous learning using the Internet

Improvements in technology and the increasing bandwidth of Internet access have led to an increasing popularity for synchronous solutions for instruction. Not only do they provide savings in terms of time and cost, in many situations they can also outperform both asynchronous online instruction and traditional face‐to‐face education. However, until now, the lack of a pedagogical framework for synchronous instruction has limited the effective use of this medium. This paper describes an online synchronous learning model that aims to provide guidelines for teachers and students to conduct synchronous instruction. The model provides a broad range of scenarios to suit individual requirements and covers both synchronous lecturing and ‘office‐hours’ modes.

Exploring individual communication power in the blogosphere

Purpose – Viewing the blog technology as an integral part of the current social‐technical environment, this research aims to investigate whether the main influences on message diffusion within a blog community originate from external mass media channels or internal interpersonal communication channels.Design/methodology/approach – The authors employed the innovation‐diffusion model and the OLS estimating method to study message diffusion of two documentary films on the Wretch, the largest blog community in Taiwan.Findings – The results indicate that the mass media is the main source of message diffusion and that the internal communication power may increase as the opinion leader promotes these messages.Research limitations/implications – Other factors that may influence message diffusion such as topic, design characteristics, and the existing social network have not been included.Practical implications – For practice, the result indicates that the mass media and the blog might complement each other.Origin...

The Factors Influence Suppliers Satisfaction of Green Supply Chain Management Systems in Taiwan

This study investigated user satisfaction when a new interorganizational information system (green supply chain management system; GSCMS) was introduced to a supplier by a leader in the Taiwan electronic industry. GSCMS providers, according to the requirements of the supplier network leader, trained the representatives of suppliers. All suppliers of two sample vendors (manufacturers of electronic products) were surveyed. Five putative influencing factors were considered: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, training, computer anxiety, and computer self-efficacy. We find four factors significantly affect user satisfaction. The results show that the training provided by focal vendors will influence the satisfaction of users. Next, the anxiety and uncertainty experienced by users decreases when they acquire more knowledge about the operation of the new GSCMS. Finally, user satisfaction can be increased by designing the functions and interfaces of a GSCMS in accordance with the user perceptions of usefulness and ease of use, moreover, implications and suggestions are also discussed.

Social desire or commercial desire? The factors driving social sharing and shopping intentions on social commerce platforms

Abstract In recent years, businesses are paying increasing attention to how to conduct commercial activities on social networking sites (SNS). This has also made social commerce an important issue for both scholars and practitioners. The aim of this study is to use the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB) as a theoretical foundation to empirically explore the role of social desire and commercial desire in driving users’ social sharing and social shopping intentions on SNS as well as the antecedents to these two types of desires based on different goals of using social commerce. The results indicated that individuals tend to have a weaker desire to engage in commercial activities than to engage in social activities on SNS. However, compared to social desire, commercial desire is more influential to social sharing and social shopping intentions on SNS. Notably, the factors driving social desire and commercial desire may vary by goals of using social commerce. The results revealed that social-oriented factors, including anticipated positive emotion for social activities and perceived behavioral control for social activities, drive individuals to have a desire to engage in social activities on SNS. In contrast, commercial-oriented factors, including perceived behavioral control for commercial activities, anticipated positive emotion for commercial activities, and commercial attitude, are important drivers of commercial desire. The results also showed that social identity cannot arouse users’ social and commercial desires on SNS. Finally, theoretical and practical implications were also discussed.