Joseph L. Balloun

The joint impact of internal and external career anchors on entry-level IS career satisfaction

Career (or job) satisfaction is recognized as an indicator of employee turnover. It is also well known that certain internal anchors play a role in predicting the career satisfaction of information system (IS) professionals. Researchers have speculated on the influence of external opportunities on career satisfaction, but none have empirically tested the premise that both internal and external anchors better predict the career satisfaction of IS professionals in the entry-level stage. A sample of IS professionals supports the use of both anchors in improving career satisfaction, and, hopefully, employee turnover.

Marketing Mix Factors as Moderators of the Corporate Entrepreneurship - Business Performance Relationship - A Multistage, Multivariate Analysis

This study establishes a strong link between firms’ corporate entrepreneurship (CE) behavior and business performance. It also examines whether the implementation of the marketing mix factors of promotion, product quality, and pricing moderate this relationship. Using moderated multiple regression techniques, these factors are not general moderators of the CE - performance relationship. Using robust regression and other advanced statistical techniques, however, the research finds that for certain groups, such as large industrial or consumer marketers, individual marketing mix factors do moderate this relationship. In addition, the research shows that the CE - business performance correlation is strong with medium size firms and even stronger with large firms.

Perceptions of system development failures

Abstract According to the expectation failure theory, information system failures can occur during development or during system use and may be viewed differently by various stakeholder groups. This premise is examined via a survey of system developers and system users about their perception of frequency of system development problems. The data indicates that users and developers of information systems perceive certain problems at different levels of occurrence.

The Effect of Voice Volume on the Perception of Personality

Summary On the basis of correlational studies and anecdotal evidence, it was hypothesized that a loudly speaking person would be perceived as being more aggressive, dominant, and self-assured than would a softly speaking person. Sixty-three male and female college students listened to a tape-recorded interview in which they heard a female interviewee answer questions in either a low, moderate, or high voice volume. Ss rated the interviewee on seven point personality trait scales. The interviewee was perceived as most aggressive when speaking in a high voice volume, but was also perceived to be lacking in self-assurance.

System analysts’ orientations and perceptions of system failure

Abstract System analysts approach tasks with different orientations to their actions. Likewise, system failures are perceived to be because of a variety of causes. A survey of 239 analysts is conducted to explore the similarities between these orientations and perceptions of failure reasons. The findings indicate that analysts’ perceptions of failure reasons and their approach to development fall along similar lines. This trait enables information system management to select project teams to help avoid failures. The variety of orientations needed for success can be chosen from within the organization or training of analysts can be targeted more effectively to consider missing elements based on current orientations.

An investigation of marketing managers' dissatisfaction with marketing information systems

In spite of rapid advances in the technology of marketing information systems, recent studies indicate an underlying dissatisfaction with the systems on the part of marketing managers. Two potential sources of dissatisfaction include the attitudes of marketing managers towards computers and the mismatch of key information system issues between the marketing manager and those controlling the system. A survey finds that computer attitudes are not a likely explanation for the dissatisfaction. However, the same survey finds that marketing managers do not view key information systems issues in the same way as either chief executive officers or information technology managers. This mismatch between the users and those who control the strategy and development of the systems is a possible source of dissatisfaction.

Information system evaluation by system typology

Information systems are often measured for performance and acceptance during a post-implementation review. The evaluation literature suggests a wide variety of measures to be applied to the installed system with no formal breakdown by information system type. We examine various measures of system performance and acceptance for importance according to an established system typology. A survey of managers indicates the importance of measures are found to vary by system type. In addition, the measures are examined for common structures that may assist in the development of simple standards for information system evaluation.

Mode and gender effects on survey data quality

Abstract Affordable and user-friendly computer technology has made it possible to administer surveys on computers. However, even though computer administration of surveys is becoming a popular mode of data acquisition, little is known about the effect that this method may have on the quality of data collected. Gender differences are known to exist with regard to cognitive dimensions of computer literacy, but reports of gender effects on various modes of data collection are conflicting. This study examined the effects of mode of acquisition on data quality and the interaction effects of mode and gender. Computer-administered questionnaires and pencil-and-paper questionnaires served as the modes of administration. Omission rates, response distortion, completeness of the answer, and psychometric scale reliability were the measures of data quality. A student sample of 400 respondents was surveyed, and mode of administration did not impact data quality alone or in interaction with gender.

Ethno-Psychological Characteristics and Terror-Producing Countries: Linking Uncertainty Avoidance to Terrorist Acts in the 1970s

Most of the worlds terrorism occurs in but a few of the worlds countries. This study examines why. The extent to which Hofstedes cultural values relate to terrorism in the 1970s in 51 countries is analyzed. Uncertainty avoidance emerges as the single cultural value that is related to terrorism. Uncertainty avoidance, related to stress, may provide important prerequisites for group-induced aberrant behavior when formerly alienated group members find comfort in adhering to a collective belief system where dissent is discouraged, a sense of group purpose is reinforced, and rules are strictly imposed—apparently confirming the writings of terrorism psychologists.

A difference which makes a difference

Many management researchers use difference scores to report results of empirical studies. Yet difference scores create known problems of reliability, spurious correlations, and variance restriction. Reframing a research model can substantially reduce the problems of difference scores. This note empirically demonstrates what can happen when difference scores are used as dependent variables in research and demonstrates an alternative method of data analysis.