Peter P. Mykytyn

Executive Decisions About Adoption of Information Technology in Small Business: Theory and Empirical Tests

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used to explain and predict small business executives’ decisions to adopt information technology (IT). These theories were tested in a multiphase field study involving 162 small businesses (25 (le) n (le) 200 employees) from a broad set of industries considering a variety of ITs. Results indicate strong support for a decision process based on attitude (perceived positive and negative consequences for the firm), subjective norm (social expectations), and perceived control (resources to overcome obstacles) regarding IT adoption. Additional variables such as firm and individual executive characteristics had no unique effect on adoption decisions. However, as business size increased, so did the importance of expectations from the (social) environment, while the importance of intra-firm consequences and control over potential adoption barriers declined.

Impact of heterogeneity and collaborative conflict management style on the performance of synchronous global virtual teams

Virtual teams cut across organizational cultures, national cultures, and functional areas, thereby increasing group heterogeneity, which may result in increased conflict among team members and less effective performance of the team. Our study explored the relationships that might exist among the heterogeneity of the virtual teams, their collaborative conflict management style, and their performance outcomes. The paper reports the findings of a laboratory experiment in which homogeneous and heterogeneous virtual teams, consisting of subjects from the USA and India, worked independently on a decision task involving the adoption of a computer use fee by an online university. Team members, used a web-based group decision support system (GDSS) that allowed them the opportunity to discuss task options, critique suggestions, and vote on the result. The data analyses suggested that collaborative conflict management style positively impacted satisfaction with the decision making process, perceived decision quality, and perceived participation of the virtual teams. There was weak evidence that links a groups heterogeneity to its collaborative conflict management styles.

An Empirical Investigation of Collaborative Conflict Management Style in Group Support System-Based Global Virtual Teams

Virtual teams cut across national, organizational, and functional boundaries, often resulting in diversity in team composition. This paper presents the results of a laboratory study involving groupware-supported, culturally homogeneous, and heterogeneous virtual teams where collaborative conflict management style, a teams cultural orientation as measured by the degree of individualism-collectivism, and group diversity affect several group performance variables. Collaborative conflict management style was positively related to performance, group diversity was found to have a moderating influence between collaborative style and group performance, and collaborative style was influenced by the individualistic-collectivistic orientations. Consistent with prior research, we found that collectivistic orientations help enhance the level of collaborative conflict management style prevailing in teams. Our research also indicates that the process to motivate team members may differ depending on their orientation.

Understanding Conflict in Virtual Teams: An Experimental Investigation using Content Analysis

Virtual teams are temporally and geographically dispersed groups, which may have members from varied cultures and backgrounds. Such diversity may cause intra-group conflicts in virtual teams. We analyzed the contents of the transcripts of GSS-based virtual teams and identified the conflict episodes and the approaches followed to resolve intra-group conflicts. The conflict episodes that occurred in the early phases of decision-making were separated from those taking place in the choice phase. The results revealed that conflicts in the choice phase of decision-making were detrimental to global virtual teams. We also found that groups following an integrative conflict resolution style had better performance than those following other conflict resolution approaches, such as a distributive style. While the results contribute towards the understanding of conflict in groups, the area warrants further research.

Decision Factors for the Adoption of an Online Payment System by Customers

Along with the exponential increase in online business transactions, the online payment system has gained in popularity because vendors and creditors realize its growing importance as a foundation to improve their information infrastructure and to achieve “paperless†operating efficiency. However, due to per se different characteristics among customers and Web-systems, both sides’ perspectives and technology factors could cause a significant level of variation in customers’ acceptance of online payment methods. Our research involving 148 subjects who participated in a field survey examined the impact of a series of possible decision factors including perceived risk, perceived benefits, vendor’s system features, and customers’ characteristics on the intention to use an online payment system by customers. Some significant associations are observed and their implications are discussed.

Expert systems: a question of liability?

The development of expert systems has changed dramatically in recent years based largely on concepts dealing with artificial intelligence. These efforts are evolving from very specific, academically oriented efforts, such as medical diagnosis, to more managerially oriented corporate issues. Unfortunately, many proponents of these systems may be overlooking possible legal ramifications related to both the development and use of these systems. A major issue concerns the establishment of liability for the decisions and recommendations made by expert systems. Some liabilities could include product liability and negligence. All individuals involved with expert systems (knowledge engineers, domain experts, and users) are potentially subject to legal scrutiny. It behooves organizations involved in these systems to investigate potential legal problems concerning them. As these systems become more pervasive, courts may look upon them for what they are: systems of knowledge and experience, not simply passive computer software. A framework is presented that traces the development of a product, legal issues related to the development, and normative measures that organizations can take to forestall possible legal calamities.

The role of software patents in sustaining IT-enabled competitive advantage: a call for research

A number of information technology (IT) researchers have examined IT and sustained competitive advantage. However, the relationship between software patents and IT sustained advantage is often unclear and incomplete. This paper reviews some of that research, pointing out various research contributions while indicating some of the problematic issues in dealing with competitive advantage and software patents. In addition, we highlight a number of software-based patents that have been awarded to organizations in diverse industries, including some that provide researchers and executives with insight into how organizations are protecting unique business methods with software patents. We also pose some intriguing research questions, including determining why firms do in fact patent software, and investigating the potential differences in doing business globally involving countries that either take steps to protect software assets with patents versus those that do not. Based on the information presented, we anticipate that IT researchers would be more open to investigating the relationship between software patents and sustaining IT-based competitive advantage.

Competitor analysis and its defenses in the e-marketplace

A firms presence on the Internet opens a valuable channel for its competitors to collect and analyze its business information---to the firms competitive disadvantage---unless it devises a defensive strategy.

The collaborative conflict management style and cultural diversity in DGSS supported fuzzy tasks: an experimental investigation

In todays global economy organizations are increasingly resorting to culturally diverse groups of individuals to cope with the challenges of a global market. Often, group decision support systems (GSS) are utilized in the process. The performance of these technology-assisted meetings might be subject to the impact of the conflict management style that group members adopt and the cultural backgrounds of the participants. This study examines the possibility that cultural diversity may have a moderating effect on the relationship between the collaborative conflict management style and group performance in a distributed GSS (DGSS) environment.

Educating Our Students in Computer Application Concepts: A Case for Problem-Based Learning

Colleges of business have dealt with teaching computer literacy and advanced computer application concepts for many years, often with much difficulty. Traditional approaches to provide this type of instruction, that is, teaching tool-related features in a lecture in a computer lab, may not be the best medium for this type of material. Indeed, textbook publishers struggle as they attempt to compile and organize appropriate material. Faculty responsible for these courses often find it difficult to satisfy students. This paper discusses problem-based learning (PBL) as an alternative approach to teaching computer application concepts, operationally defined herein as Microsoft Excel and Access, both very popular tools in use today. First PBL is identified in general, then we look at how it is developed and how it compares with more traditional instructional approaches. A scenario to be integrated into a semester-long course involving computer application concepts based on PBL is also presented. The paper concludes with suggestions for research and concluding remarks.