Prashant Palvia

Developing and validating an instrument for measuring user-perceived web quality

Many of the instruments to measure information and system quality were developed in the context of mainframe and PC-based technologies of yesteryears. With the proliferation of the Internet and World Wide Web applications, users are increasingly interfacing and interacting with web-based applications. It is, therefore, important to develop new instruments and scales, which are directly targeted to these new interfaces and applications. In this article, we report on the development of an instrument that captures key characteristics of web site quality from the users perspective. The 25-item instrument measures four dimensions of web quality: specific content, content quality, appearance and technical adequacy. While improvements are possible, the instrument exhibits excellent psychometric properties. The instrument would be useful to organizations and web designers as it provides an aggregate measure of web quality, and to researchers in related web research.

ERP implementation issues in advanced and developing countries

There is an increasing need to implement a total business solution which supports major functionalities of a business. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is designed to meet this need, and has been widely adopted by organizations in developed countries. Meanwhile, ERP is beginning to appear in many organizations of developing countries. Little research has been conducted to compare the implementation practices of ERP in developed vs developing countries. Our research shows that ERP technology faces additional challenges in developing countries related to economic, cultural, and basic infrastructure issues. This article identifies a range of issues concerning ERP implementation by making a comparison of advanced and developing countries.

The role of trust in e-commerce relational exchange: A unified model

Recently, studies of B2C e-commerce have used intention theory to understand the role of trust of Internet transactions but most have investigated only a component of e-commerce (e.g., initial adoption or continuance) and neglected the role of good relations with the consumer in ensuring a successful sustained relationship. Therefore, a model that went beyond intention and included key relational concepts (satisfaction, value, loyalty, etc.) was developed. Trust and its components are a major part of this model, which was based on strong theoretical foundations. Fifteen hypotheses were formulated. Data on the constructs were collected from 420 respondents and analyzed using elliptical re-weighted least squares as the estimation method to test model validity and the hypotheses. An additional relationship between satisfaction and customer loyalty was investigated. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Information technology adoption behavior life cycle: Toward a Technology Continuance Theory (TCT)

For over a decade, researchers have devoted much effort to construct theoretical models, such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM) for explaining and predicting user behavior in IS acceptance and continuance. Another model, the Cognitive Model (COG), was proposed for continuance behavior; it combines some of the variables used in both TAM and ECM. This study applied the technique of structured equation modeling with multiple group analysis to compare the TAM, ECM, and COG models. Results indicate that TAM, ECM, and COG have quite different assumptions about the underlying constructs that dictate user behavior and thus have different explanatory powers. The six constructs in the three models were synthesized to propose a new Technology Continuance Theory (TCT). A major contribution of TCT is that it combines two central constructs: attitude and satisfaction into one continuance model, and has applicability for users at different stages of the adoption life cycle, i.e., initial, short-term and long-term users. The TCT represents a substantial improvement over the TAM, ECM and COG models in terms of both breadth of applicability and explanatory power.

A model and instrument for measuring small business user satisfaction with information technology

Measurement of the value of computing in very small businesses has been largely ignored in the MIS literature. This article develops a comprehensive model for examining the satisfaction of small business users with information technology (SBUSIT). It is argued that current models are not applicable as they are targeted primarily towards either the traditional data processing or end-user computing environment. This study develops and statistically validates the SBUSIT model. The validated model and an accompanying instrument are provided. It is noteworthy that many new factors and specific items distinguish the model from current ones.

Editorial: A profile of information systems research published in Information & Management

Information & Management (I&M) has been consistently regarded as one of the top academic journals in information systems (IS). In a spirit of introspection, this article profiles research published in I&M: we identified the most productive authors and universities associated with most research publications in I&M during the past 13 years (1992-2005). Based on a more detailed analysis of publications during the past 7 years, we determined the subject areas most often investigated and the research methodologies most often employed. Finally, we identified best practices by way of reporting the topics and methodologies used by the highly published authors. Our results indicate that while IS research is clearly dominated by US based universities, international researchers are beginning to make inroads. Furthermore, while the survey methodology is still dominant, interest in utilizing other methodologies is on the rise. Our findings should have implications for researchers, journal editors, universities, and research institutions.

A dialectic view of information systems outsourcing: pros and cons

In recent years, information systems (IS) outsourcing is increasing in business organizations as a way to govern their IS operations. Burgeoning IS costs, lack of IS organizations responsiveness to users, and a renewed emphasis on return on IS investment are among some of the reasons towards this trend. Media reports are almost unanimous, and at times euphoric, in their claims of benefits. However, a reporting bias must be recognized: first, these reports are, at best, anecdotal accounts and second, they are based on the accounts of outsourcing vendors, consultants, senior executives and those who remained or were promoted in the organization after the outsourcing act. Naturally, these individuals have a vested interest in making their decisions look beneficial. This article discusses the various advantages and pitfalls of IS outsourcing, based on a dialectic view. It provides a balanced perspective, as it is based on a real case discussed by two individuals who were on opposing sides of the fence: one was an outsourcing survivor and was promoted, and the other was terminated due to decisions related to outsourcing.

An examination of the IT satisfaction of small-business users

Although there are many articles in the NIS literature which address small-business computing, in effect the organizations represented in these studies are, in many ways, similar to medium- and large-sized organizations. In this article, we focus on businesses that are truly small: they have very few employees and there is no formal NIS department. In this environment, the small business owner/manager is the principal user and has to perform most of the IT functions. For such an environment, an IT satisfaction construct and measurement instrument are presented. A survey, using the measurement instrument, of a representative sample of small businesses was conducted to identify user satisfaction patterns. Key areas of IT dissatisfactions are: training and education (the most important), software maintenance, documentation, and vendor support. These deficiency areas can be appropriately addressed by software vendors and consultants. Finally, a contingency analysis of IT satisfaction based on business-related factors and owner characteristics was performed. A general observation was that the owner attributes have a greater impact on IT satisfaction than any of the business factors. The ones that stood out the most were the gender and the age of the owner.

The social influence model of technology adoption

Introduction Human innovation, in combination with the internet, networking, and communications technologies have produced a new platform for social and business networking, formation of community, and communication. This emerging phenomenon is generally known as social computing. While there is no widely accepted definition of social computing, we define it as: intra-group social and business actions practiced through group consensus, group cooperation, and group authority, where such actions are made possible through the mediation of information technologies, and where group interaction causes members to conform and influences others to join the group. In this article, we examine the adoption of information technologies in the context of social computing. Most current information systems research on individual technology adoption has focused upon the adoption of technology in organizations and has utilized such technology acceptance models as the TRA and TAM. It has been suggested, however, that a new perspective on adoption may be necessary to fully capture the nature of technology acceptance in social computing situations, where the technology is embraced rather than simply accepted by the user, and where the action made possible by technology is seen as a behavior embedded in society. Few studies have investigated technology adoption targeting the individual at the level of society, community, or lifestyle experience. There is little research that approaches adoption in the context of social computing, and to our knowledge, no models have been developed to investigate this phenomenon. This study addresses this gap by developing social constructs and providing a theoretically grounded model for technology adoption in the context of social computing. We develop a cross-disciplinary model of technology adoption to address the multi-faceted context of social computing. Our model suggests that social computing action, social computing consensus, social computing cooperation, and social computing authority are antecedents to social influence, and augment usefulness and ease of use. In social influence, group membership legitimizes actions and the individual is guided by the groups rules of practice. Social influence leads to technology adoption. Technology adoption incorporates two essential elements, the embracement of the technology by individuals and its embedment in society. Each of the models constructs will be explained in further detail. As Figure 1 demonstrates, while technology may influence society, society often exerts influence on technology. Consider SMS text messaging. A technology that was originally intended to deliver subscriber information was adopted by end users as a vehicle for social behavior. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file swapping offers another example. A technology that was intended to provide an efficient mechanism for remote file access was adopted by end users to create music sharing networks. The strength of social influence is evident, as text messaging has now outpaced voice mobile calling as well as email. Similarly, sales of traditional music media such as CDs are declining as the number of music downloads and uploads via P2P networks continue to increase. As the Internet, networking, and communications technologies become increasingly embraced by individuals and embedded in everyday lives and activities, technologically enabled social structures are emerging that are changing the way individuals interact and communicate, and are facilitating fundamental changes to business practices. People socialize and network via their Web browsers by joining social networking sites such as MySpace.com and LinkedIn.com. Text messaging has created a form of communication that has its own user-defined language and protocols. A recent study by Cision on the influence of Web blogs on mainstream media showed that the mention of blogs in top magazines and newspapers has increased from just over 2,000 in 2005 to over 13,000 in 2008. In a 2006 study, Forrester Research found that although social computing is in infancy, societal changes are being witnessed, as individuals increasingly take cues from one another, in addition to traditional sources of authority, such as corporations, media, political institutions or religions. Social computing mechanisms such as blogs, e-Bay-esque Web sites, Web-based forums such as MySpace.com, text messaging, and instant messaging are often utilized instead of traditional sources of news, purchasing, and social interaction. Unauthorized P2P file sharing provides an example of how technology is used in the formation and organization of groups with shared interests. Through cooperation with a particular action, communities based upon the shared interest of music exchange are created by the consensus of the group that it is acceptable to use the Internet and communication technologies to share music among group members. Though the action is illegal in the traditional sense, the decentralized nature of P2P makes regulation difficult and largely immunizes its activities against established forms of authority. Furthermore, unauthorized file sharing has become socially acceptable (embedded) due to the new authority imposed by the group. The embracement and embedment of P2P file sharing is evident as the number of P2P networks continues to grow. Individuals have historically exchanged music via low quality mechanisms such as magnetic tape; however, the development of file formats such as .mp3 that could carry music of high quality and the adoption of P2P transferred some portion of the power wielded by the entertainment industry to the consumer. P2P file exchange has provided a means for obtaining music outside of mechanisms sanctioned by the entertainment industry, such as purchasing CDs or obtaining .mp3 files from legitimate sources. As social computing becomes prevalent, creating new ways to examine human behavior in the context of information technology becomes important. Parameswaran and Whinston9 suggest that social computing has brought about a much more complex model of computing that may not fit within the confines of current knowledge. Current research on IT adoption focuses largely upon the concepts of usefulness and ease of use, which may not fully explain technology adoption in the context of social computing. Due to the social influence inherent in social computing and the embedment and embracement of technology in the lives of individuals and the interactions of society, it has become important to examine technology adoption from a cross-disciplinary and multifaceted context, and in terms of social and business interactions.

EDI in strategic supply chain: impact on customer service

Many inter-organizational systems are increasingly using electronic data interchange (EDI) to support the strategic supply chain by way of delivering and processing business documents. In a vendor-customer relationship, EDI can provide many benefits to both organizations; one such benefit is improved customer service. This study examines the impact of EDI on customer service, when the vendor and customer utilize EDI in their distribution operations. The primary hypothesis is that EDI improves customer service. A number of secondary hypotheses dealing with specific components of customer service were also tested. Data was obtained by administering survey instruments to purchasing managers of firms in the automobile and pharmaceutical industries. The results provide strong support for most of the hypotheses. Specifically, EDI contributes to the following customer service components: order cycle time, product availability, distribution flexibility, distribution information, and distribution malfunction. An impact on post-sale product support was not discernible from the data. In addition, some industry influences were also observed on the impact of EDI.