Jason Bennett Thatcher

An empirical examination of individual traits as antecedents to computer anxiety and computer self-efficacy

To better understand how individual differences influence the use of information technology (IT), this study models and tests relationships among dynamic, IT-specific individual differences (i.e., computer self-efficacy and computer anxiety), stable, situation-specific traits (i.e., personal innovativeness in IT) and stable, broad traits (i.e., trait anxiety and negative affectivity). When compared to broad traits, the model suggests that situation-specific traits exert a more pervasive influence on IT situation-specific individual differences. Further, the model suggests that computer anxiety mediates the influence of situation-specific traits (i.e., personal innovativeness) on computer self-efficacy. Results provide support for many of the hypothesized relationships. From a theoretical perspective, the findings help to further our understanding of the nomological network among individual differences that lead to computer self-efficacy. From a practical perspective, the findings may help IT managers design training programs that more effectively increase the computer self-efficacy of users with different dispositional characteristics.

Antecedents and outcomes of strategic IS alignment: an empirical investigation

Prior research argues that alignment between business and information systems (IS) strategies enhances organizational performance. However, factors affecting alignment have received relatively little empirical attention. Moreover, IS strategic alignment is assumed to facilitate the performance of all organizations, regardless of type or business strategy. By using two studies of business firms and academic institutions, this paper: 1) develops and tests a model relating alignment, its antecedents, and its consequences and 2) examines differences in these relationships across organizational types and strategies. Findings indicate that alignment depends on shared domain knowledge and prior IS success, and also support the expected positive impact of alignment on organizational performance. Differences across Prospector, Analyzer, and Defender business strategies are examined. A key research contribution is the empirical demonstration that the importance of alignment, as well as the mechanisms used to attain alignment, vary by business strategy and industry. In past alignment studies, controlling for industry has not been uncommon. The findings suggest that future research studies should also control for business strategy. The article also empirically demonstrates that past implementation success influences alignment. In addition, it highlights the influence of a process variable, strategic planning, on the development of shared knowledge and, consequently, on alignment. This paper examines strategic issues related to the management of technology. Data from multiple surveys are used to test the extent to which strategic planning, shared business-IS knowledge, prior IS success, and other variables consistently enhance IS alignment. The study also provides empirical support for the popular argument that IS alignment improves organizational performance. It extends the current literature by examining the extent to which these findings hold across firm strategies and industries. The authors argue that not all firms are equally well served by allocating scarce resources to improve IS alignment.

The moderating role of subordinate political skill on supervisors' impressions of subordinate ingratiation and ratings of subordinate interpersonal facilitation.

Nearly 2 decades ago, social influence theorists called for a new stream of research that would investigate why and how influence tactics are effective. The present study proposed that political skill affects the style of execution of influence attempts. It utilized balance theory to explain the moderating effect of employee political skill on the relationships between self- and supervisor-reported ingratiation. Additionally, supervisor reports of subordinate ingratiation were hypothesized to be negatively related to supervisor ratings of subordinate interpersonal facilitation. Results from a combined sample of 2 retail service organizations provided evidence that subordinates with high political skill were less likely than those low in political skill to have their demonstrated ingratiation behavior perceived by targets as a manipulative influence attempt. Also, when subordinates were perceived by their supervisors to engage in more ingratiation behavior, the subordinates were rated lower on interpersonal facilitation. Implications of these findings, limitations, and future research directions are provided.

Conceptualizing and testing formative constructs: tutorial and annotated example

Although abundant advice is available for how to develop and validate multi-item scales based on reflective constructs, scant attention has been directed to how to construct and validate formative constructs. Such advice is important because (1) theory suggests many constructs are formative and (2) recent advances in software render testing models with formative constructs more tractable. In this tutorial, our goal is to enhance understanding of formative constructs at the conceptual, statistical and methodological levels. Specifically, we (1) provide general principles for specifying whether a construct should be conceptually modeled as reflective or formative, (2) discuss the statistical logic behind formative constructs, and (3) illustrate how to model and evaluate formative constructs. In particular, we provide a tutorial in which we test and validate professional reward structure, a formative construct, in two popular structural equation modeling programs: EQS and PLS. We conclude with a summary of guidelines for how to conduct and evaluate research using formative constructs.

Trust in a specific technology: An investigation of its components and measures

Trust plays an important role in many Information Systems (IS)-enabled situations. Most IS research employs trust as a measure of interpersonal or person-to-firm relations, such as trust in a Web vendor or a virtual team member. Although trust in other people is important, this article suggests that trust in the Information Technology (IT) itself also plays a role in shaping IT-related beliefs and behavior. To advance trust and technology research, this article presents a set of trust in technology construct definitions and measures. We also empirically examine these construct measures using tests of convergent, discriminant, and nomological validity. This study contributes to the literature by providing: (a) a framework that differentiates trust in technology from trust in people, (b) a theory-based set of definitions necessary for investigating different kinds of trust in technology, and (c) validated trust in technology measures useful to research and practice.

Conceptualizing models using multidimensional constructs: a review and guidelines for their use

While information on multidimensional constructs and empirical methods has become more accessible, there remain substantial challenges to theorizing about their form and implications. There are at least two ostensible reasons for such difficulties. First is the issue of terminology; many different terms are currently used to represent the same structural concept, and there is no evidence of standardization taking place around a single set of terms. Second, many studies do not clearly explain the theoretical reasons for choosing the specific multidimensional form of their constructs. To address these deficiencies, we use concepts from the research methods literature, and illustrations from the information systems (IS) literature, to review definitions and issues related to conceptualizing and operationalizing structural models that include multidimensional constructs. Such advice is necessary if we are going to develop and test increasingly sophisticated theoretical models in IS research. We also offer guidelines about how to conceptualize specific forms of multidimensional constructs. By lending greater conceptual clarity to the literature, we believe that this paper provides a foundation for future research incorporating multidimensional constructs in empirical analysis.

Assessing common method bias: problems with the ULMC technique

Recent work, in journals such as MIS Quarterly and Management Science, has highlighted the importance of evaluating the influence of common method bias (CMB) on the results of statistical analysis. In this research note, we assess the utility of the unmeasured latent method construct (ULMC) approach in partial least squares (PLS), introduced by Liang et al. (2007). Such an assessment of the ULMC approach is important, because it has been employed in 76 studies since it appeared in MIS Quarterly in early 2007. Using data generated via Monte Carlo simulations, we use PLS structural equation modeling (SEM) to demonstrate that the ULMC approach of Liang et al. is neither able to detect, nor control for, common method bias. Method estimates using this approach resulted in negligible estimates, regardless of whether there were some, large, or no method bias introduced in the simulated data. Our study contributes to the IS and research methods literature by illustrating that, and explaining why the ULMC approach does not accurately detect common method bias in PLS. Further, our results build on prior work done using covariance-based SEM questioning the usefulness of the ULMC technique for detecting CMB.

Commitment, Trust, and Social Involvement: An Exploratory Study of Antecedents to Web Shopper Loyalty

Winning customer loyalty is viewed as a priority by many electronic (e) businesses. Grounded in the theory of reasoned action, our proposed model suggests that commitment is a key attitudinal antecedent to Web shopper loyalty. In the model, we introduce trust in the Internet and social involvement in a Web consumption community as moderators of the commitment-loyalty relation. The model was tested using data from a survey of Web users. Preliminary results provide general support for commitment as a determinant of loyalty and social involvement magnifying the strength of that relation. Trust in the Internet did not attenuate the commitment-loyalty relation. We offer implications and directions for future research.

Can We Have Fun @ Work? The Role of Intrinsic Motivation for Utilitarian Systems

Since the introduction of the Motivational Technology Acceptance Model in 1992, many researchers have considered both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation as antecedents of intent to use and actual use of a system. However, it has been a long-standing and largely unchallenged assumption that intrinsic motivation (i.e., fun or enjoyment) is a more dominant predictor of hedonic (fun) application use and that extrinsic motivation (i.e., usefulness) is a more dominant predictor of utilitarian (practical) application use. In this article, we probe whether system type serves as a boundary condition (i.e., moderator) for understanding an individual’s interaction with information technology. Specifically, we examine whether perceived enjoyment’s influence on perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, intention, and use varies with system type. On the basis of a meta-analytic structural equation modeling analysis of 185 studies between 1992 and February 2011, our findings suggest intrinsic motivation is equally relevant for predicting intentions toward using and actual use of both hedonic and utilitarian systems. Therefore, our meta-analytic results call into question the rigidity of the assumption that system type is a ‘boundary condition’ for understanding individuals’ interaction with information technology. The implications of these results for research and practice are discussed.

Social Media in Employee-Selection-Related Decisions A Research Agenda for Uncharted Territory

Social media (SM) pervades our society. One rapidly growing application of SM is its use in personnel decision making. Organizations are increasingly searching SM (e.g., Facebook) to gather information about potential employees. In this article, we suggest that organizational practice has outpaced the scientific study of SM assessments in an area that has important consequences for individuals (e.g., being selected for work), organizations (e.g., successfully predicting job performance or withdrawal), and society (e.g., consequent adverse impact/diversity). We draw on theory and research from various literatures to advance a research agenda that addresses this gap between practice and research. Overall, we believe this is a somewhat rare moment in the human resources literature when a new class of selection methods arrives on the scene, and we urge researchers to help understand the implications of using SM assessments for personnel decisions.