Jiming Wu

User acceptance of virtual worlds: the Hedonic framework

Research on information technology (IT) adoption focuses almost entirely on productivity-oriented IT such as word processing. Little attention has been directed at investigating adoption of entertainment-oriented IT such as virtual worlds. Contending that it is important to better understand adoption of this technology, we develop a theoretical framework that recognizes the potential of imaginal and emotional responses in explaining user acceptance of virtual worlds. With its basis in the hedonic theory, the research framework may benefit the developers and sponsors of virtual worlds as they strive to build and sustain a customer base. The paper also outlines an example to illustrate one way to approach a consideration of the imaginal and emotional variables.

In search of a missing link

A variety of indicators suggest that knowledge management (KM), as a field of study and practice, is here to stay. Although still in a formative stage, it has developed substantial gravitas. It is no mere sideshow, intellectual curiosity, or marketing ploy. On the contrary, KM is an expansive (and expanding) field that has the potential to offer a unifying foundation for many other disciplines, from information systems to accounting, from operations management to strategic management, from marketing to human resources and organization design. Nevertheless, there is a major missing link. Specifically, is there a link between superior KM performance and a firms bottom line? If so, what is the nature of this link? In this paper, we argue that it is both important and possible to explore this missing link. If such a link can be established, then the gravitas of KM is reinforced, the practical significance of KM is amplified, and a host of related research questions are unleashed.

Building effective online game websites with knowledge-based trust

Knowledge-based trust is trust that is grounded in knowledge about another party developed through repeated interaction. Knowledge-based trust is especially important for online business environments where there are repeated transactions between fixed pairs of consumers and merchants. Building on previous studies of trust, this paper examines the proposition that players’ knowledge about website characteristics (i.e., security and interface design) and about website outputs (i.e., online game quality and service quality) has an effect on the development of trust in the context of online game websites. The impact of trust on building an effective online game website is also investigated. A conceptual model of knowledge-based trust is tested with questionnaire responses of 253 online game players. Overall, the results indicate that all of these four classes of knowledge engender trust and that trust helps develop effective online game websites.

Imaginal and emotional experiences in pleasure-oriented IT usage: A hedonic consumption perspective

Based on the marketing theory of hedonic consumption, this study examines the effects of six types of imaginal and emotional experiences on using pleasure-oriented IT. Associated hypotheses are tested using questionnaire responses from 443 online game players. The results provide strong support for the major hypotheses and indicate that the determinants of behavior may differ in using pleasure-oriented versus productivity-oriented IT. This paper contributes not only to the application of a marketing theory to IS research, but also to improved understanding of using pleasure-oriented IT and of why people use technologies that are not particularly useful from a productivity standpoint.

Does Knowledge Management Pay Off

The resource-based theory of the firm attributes superior firm performance to organizational resources that are valuable, rare, irreplaceable, and not readily reproduced. Aligned with this theory, this study examines the widely expressed notion that knowledge management (KM) competencies form a critical organizational resource that contributes to firm performance. Specifically, the current study addresses the question: does KM pay off? Using the findings of an independent research company and the data from COMPUSTAT, this study empirically examines the relationship between KM performance and firm performance in terms of both profit and cost ratios. Matched Sample Comparison Group (MSCG) methodology is employed to test the research hypotheses. The results of this study suggest that firms with superior KM performance are likely to enjoy higher profitability ratios and lower cost ratios.

Does Knowledge Management Matter? The Empirical Evidence from Market-Based Valuation

Information technology is inseparable from contemporary knowledge management (KM). Although anecdotal evidence and individual case studies suggest that effective knowledge management initiatives contribute to superior firm performance, other kinds of empirical investigations are scarce, and more to the point, most of them are based on perceptions of survey participants embedded in the firms being studied. Moreover, studies analyzing the question of whether superior KM performance can predict superior market-based valuation appear to be virtually nonexistent. Findings of such studies would be of value to those who champion and direct a firm’s KM efforts, and to the firm’s strategists, planners, and operational managers. Here, we empirically examine the relationship between KM performance and firm valuation; the former is assessed by international panels of independent KM experts and the latter is evaluated in terms of market-based measures. Based on data spanning eight years, the results show that superior KM performance has a statistically significant positive association with firm valuation in terms of Tobin’s q, price-to-book ratio, and price-to-sales ratio. This study contributes to the management literature by using independent expert judges and archival data to substantiate the notion that KM competencies are an important ingredient in a firm’s performance as indicated by market-based valuation.

An empirical study of flow experience in online gaming: antecedents and outcomes

This study uses flow theory and the Technology Acceptance Model to provide new insight into the impact of enjoyment, one important dimension of flow, on user satisfaction, user beliefs and behavioural intention to use. In addition, based on the propositions that knowledge results in an increased ability for activity and that flow is an emotional state of activity, this paper adopts a process view of knowledge to examine the role of knowledge in predicting enjoyment. The foregoing concepts are represented in a nomological network of enjoyment. Associated hypotheses are tested by using questionnaire responses of 253 online game players.