Kun Chang Lee

KMPI: measuring knowledge management performance

This paper provides a new metric, knowledge management performance index (KMPI), for assessing the performance of a firm in its knowledge management (KM) at a point in time. Firms are assumed to have always been oriented toward accumulating and applying knowledge to create economic value and competitive advantage. We therefore suggest the need for a KMPI which we have defined as a logistic function having five components that can be used to determine the knowledge circulation process (KCP): knowledge creation, knowledge accumulation, knowledge sharing, knowledge utilization, and knowledge internalization. When KCP efficiency increases, KMPI will also expand, enabling firms to become knowledge-intensive. To prove KMPIs contribution, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 101 firms listed in the KOSDAQ market in Korea. We associated KMPI with three financial measures: stock price, price earnings ratio (PER), and R&D expenditure. Statistical results show that the proposed KMPI can represent KCP efficiency, while the three financial performance measures are also useful.

Transfer From Offline Trust to Key Online Perceptions: An Empirical Study

Research has provided little evidence that trust in an offline bank can encourage adoption of the banks online business. Yet, more and more brick-and-mortar banks and other businesses are investing in online Web sites that supposedly ldquoleveragerdquo positive consumer impressions of their offline business. The main purpose of this study is to test empirically whether or not trust in an offline bank transfers (i.e., influences) perceptions about that companys online bank. In order to do so, we analyze how trust in an offline bank influences four perceptions about its online banking counterpart (flow, structural assurance, perceived Web site satisfaction, and perceived extent of future use). The study tests the hypothesized influence of offline trust using a sample of 199 South Korean consumers responding about offline and online banking. Results show that offline trust influences all four online perceptions, just as proposed. These effects were especially prominent among respondents new to online banking. Thus, offline-to-online transfer should be considered when designing strategies for online channels. This study fills a key research gap by examining transfer of cognitive beliefs from an offline to an online setting.

Investigation of online community voluntary behavior using cognitive map

It is difficult even for experts in organizational behavior to cognitively predict the causal effect of one factor on the others. A cognitive map is used to describe the inference process for the investigation of online community voluntary behavior. The investigation of online community voluntary behavior demands consideration of the complex causal effect from support for member communication, perceived community value, recognition for contribution, freedom of expression, and interactive communication, to community commitment, loyalty, and social participation. A standardized causal coefficient estimated in structural equation models (SEMs) is used to create a cognitive map illustrating the effect of the status of one component on the status of another component. The cognitive map provides preliminary insights into the direction of online community voluntary behavior toward maximizing community commitment, loyalty, and social participation.

Investigating the moderating role of uncertainty avoidance cultural values on multidimensional online trust

Building online trust and understanding its relationship to online customer purchase decision making is important to e-commerce companies. We decided to investigate the moderating role of uncertainty avoidance on the relationship between subjective norms and online trust (integrity, ability, and benevolence) as well as purchase intention on a model we had developed. We generated a questionnaire and first pilot tested it (n=116), and then modified it before performing the main test of our model (n=209). Specifically, trust (cognition and affect based) was adapted to better understand social and cultural factors in online customer behavior. Uncertainty avoidance was found to moderate the relationships between subjective norms and two dimensions of cognition-based trust, (integrity and ability). Benevolence, however, was not found to have any relationship to cultural values or purchase intention. Normative influence on ability belief about the website was significant only when the online consumer had a high sense of uncertainty avoidance. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Analysis of keyword networks in MIS research and implications for predicting knowledge evolution

New concepts and ideas build on older ones. This path dependence in knowledge evolution has promoted research to identify important knowledge elements, research trends, and opportunities by analyzing publication data. In our study, keyword networks formed from published academic articles were analyzed to examine how keywords are associated with each other and to identify important keywords and their change over time. Based on MIS publication data from 1999 to 2008, our analysis provided several notable findings. First, while the MIS field has changed rapidly, resulting in many new keywords, the connectivity among them is highly clustered. Second, the keyword networks show clear power-law distribution, which implies that the more popular a keyword, the more likely it is selected by new researchers and used in follow-on studies. In addition, a strong hierarchical structure is identified in the network. Third, the network-based perspective reveals interdisciplinary keywords which are different from popular ones and have the potential to lead research in the MIS field.

Empirical analysis of consumer reaction to the virtual reality shopping mall

The Internet shopping mall has received wide attention from researchers and practitioners due to the fact that it is one of the most killing applications customers can find on the Internet. Though numerous studies have been performed on various issues of the Internet shopping mall, some research issues relating to the user interface of VR (virtual reality) shopping malls still await further empirical investigation. The objective of this study is to investigate whether the user interface of the VR shopping mall positively affects customer satisfaction in comparison with the ordinary shopping mall. For this purpose, we developed a prototype of the VR shopping mall for which the user interface consists of both 3D graphics and an avatar, using it as an experimental medium. 102 valid questionnaires were gathered from active student users of the ordinary shopping mall, and two research hypotheses were then tested to prove whether the three explanatory variables such as convenience, enjoyment, quality assurance improve in the VR shopping mall, and whether customer satisfaction is also significantly enhanced in the VR shopping mall in comparison with the ordinary shopping mall. Additionally, we conducted the PLS (partial least square) analysis to test whether the customer satisfaction is explained significantly by the three explanatory variables or not.

Exploring the value of purchasing online game items

The aims of this paper are to: (1) modify the theory of consumption values in order to investigate online game users perceived value of purchasable game items, and (2) develop a new construct - the integrated value of purchasing game items - based on the modified theory of consumption values. We found that the enjoyment, character competency, visual authority, and monetary values are appropriate for describing how online game users perceive the value of game items. Utilizing second order analysis, the integrated value of purchasing game items was developed. To show the validity of the new construct, we developed a research model and tested it using the results of 327 valid questionnaires. Results revealed that the new construct is statistically significant in affecting users intention to purchase game items.

Exploring the user interface of negotiation support systems from the user acceptance perspective

Despite the fact that Web-based negotiation support systems (NSS) have gained momentum in B2B electronic commerce, there have been few studies investigating the way the NSS interface might be utilized to promote user acceptance. This paper presents the results of an empirical study investigating NSS, from a user acceptance perspective and utilizing a technology acceptance model. We have explored the influence of three constructs embedded in NSS: playfulness, causality and subjective norm. The role of causality, in particular, has never been tested within the context of user interface and user acceptance of the system, so we developed a prototype NSS called CAKES-NEGO. Empirical results garnered from 174 valid questionnaires proved the validity of our proposed research model: the NSS user interface, embedded with the three constructs, causes users to consider the system more favorably.

Exploring the influence of personal schema on trust transfer and switching costs in brick-and-click bookstores

Due to competition, most firms try to retain and lock in customers; this is likely to ensure a greater market profit than that gained by acquiring new customers. While many studies have investigated customer satisfaction and retention in online and offline firms, scant research exists on customer satisfaction and customer retention in the context of brick-and-click firms: i.e., those that conduct business both online and in stores. Such firms encourage trust transfer among their customers. However, most studies have failed to consider the role of personal schema in trust transfer. Based on social exchange, investment, and information integration theories, we analyzed the impact of trust transfer, switching costs, and personal schema on customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions in the context of an offline bookstore that has now launched an online business. Our results indicated that trust transfer and switching costs had a small effect on customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions. Personal schema, however, affected both customer satisfaction and repurchase intention.

Causal knowledge-based design of EDI controls: an explorative study

This paper proposes a causal knowledge-based expert system (CAKES) for modeling and designing electronic data interchange (EDI) controls. The case base of CAKES incorporates environmental, EDI control and EDI implementation factors. The primary reason for designing EDI controls is to promote consideration of the complex causal relationships that exist among various environments and EDI controls. A better understanding of industry, organization, and system characteristics is a necessary prerequisite to design, since it is difficult even for EDI experts to cognitively predict the causal effect of one control on the others. A fuzzy cognitive map is used for building a causal knowledge-base for the design. Initially, structural equation models (SEMs) are used to identify the relevant relationships among the components and to indicate their direction and strength. A casual inference in control design is possible, among environments, EDI controls and EDI implementation, through the CAKES-EDI.