Stacie Petter

Specifying formative constructs in information systems research

While researchers go to great lengths to justify and prove theoretical links between constructs, the relationship between measurement items and constructs is often ignored. By default, the relationship between construct and item is assumed to be reflective, meaning that the measurement items are a reflection of the construct. Many times, though, the nature of the construct is not reflective, but rather formative. Formative constructs occur when the items describe and define the construct rather than vice versa. In this research, we examine whether formative constructs are indeed being mistaken for reflective constructs by information systems researchers. By examining complete volumes of MIS Quarterly and Information Systems Research over the last 3 years, we discovered that a significant number of articles have indeed misspecified formative constructs. For scientific results to be valid, we argue that researchers must properly specify formative constructs. This paper discusses the implications of different patterns of common misspecifications of formative constructs on both Type I and Type II errors. To avoid these errors, the paper provides a roadmap to researchers to properly specify formative constructs. We also discuss how to address formative constructs within a research model after they are specified.

Measuring information systems success: models, dimensions, measures, and interrelationships

Since DeLone and McLean (D&M) developed their model of IS success, there has been much research on the topic of success as well as extensions and tests of their model. Using the technique of a qualitative literature review, this research reviews 180 papers found in the academic literature for the period 1992–2007 dealing with some aspect of IS success. Using the six dimensions of the D&M model – system quality, information quality, service quality, use, user satisfaction, and net benefits – 90 empirical studies were examined and the results summarized. Measures for the six success constructs are described and 15 pairwise associations between the success constructs are analyzed. This work builds on the prior research related to IS success by summarizing the measures applied to the evaluation of IS success and by examining the relationships that comprise the D&M IS success model in both individual and organizational contexts.

Information Systems Success: The Quest for the Independent Variables

In 1992, DeLone and McLean suggested that the dependent variable for information systems (IS) research is IS Success. Their research resulted in the widely cited DeLone and McLean (D&M) IS Success Model, in which System Quality, Information Quality, Use, User Satisfaction, Individual Impact, and Organizational Impact are distinct, but related dimensions of IS success. Since the original IS Success Model was published, research has developed a better understanding of IS success. Meanwhile, comprehensive and integrative research on the variables that influence IS success has been lacking. Therefore, we examine the literature on the independent variables that affect IS success. After examining over 600 articles, we focused our attention on integrating the findings of over 140 studies. In this research, we identify 43 specific variables posited to influence the different dimensions of IS success, and we organize these success factors into five categories based on the Leavitt Diamond of Organizational Change: task characteristics, user characteristics, social characteristics, project characteristics, and organizational characteristics. Next, we identify 15 success factors that have consistently been found to influence IS success: Enjoyment, Trust, User Expectations, Extrinsic Motivation, IT Infrastructure, Task Compatibility, Task Difficulty, Attitudes Toward Technology, Organizational Role, User Involvement, Relationship with Developers, Domain Expert Knowledge, Management Support, Management Processes, and Organizational Competence. Finally, we highlight gaps in our knowledge of success factors and propose a road map for future research.

A meta-analytic assessment of the DeLone and McLean IS success model: An examination of IS success at the individual level

Fifteen years ago, DeLone and McLean published their original model of IS success, which received considerable attention in the literature. Given the widespread acceptance of the model, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine whether the model had been validated by research studies reported in the literature. By aggregating the results of 52 empirical studies that examined relationships within the IS success model at the individual level of analysis, we found support for the relationships that encompass the model. We also offer insights on IS success based on the findings of our work.

On the use of partial least squares path modeling in accounting research

Partial least squares (PLS) is an approach to structural equation modeling (SEM) that is extensively used in the social sciences to analyze quantitative data. However, PLS has not been as readily adopted in the accounting discipline. A review of the accounting literature found 20 studies in a subset of accounting journals that used PLS as the data analysis tool. PLS allows researchers to analyze the measurement model simultaneously with the structural model and allows researchers to adopt more complex research models with both moderating and mediating relationships. This paper assists accounting researchers that may be interested in adopting PLS as an analysis tool. We explain the benefits of using PLS and compare and contrast this analysis approach with both ordinary least squares regression and covariance-based SEM. We also explain how the PLS algorithm works to derive estimates for the measurement and structural models. To further assist researchers interested in using PLS, we offer guidelines in the development of research models, analysis of the data, and the interpretation of these results with PLS. We apply these guidelines to the accounting studies that have used PLS and offer further recommendations about how researchers could apply PLS in future accounting research.

Evaluating the success of an emergency response medical information system

OBJECTIVE STATPack™ is an information system used to aid in the diagnosis of pathogens in hospitals and state public health laboratories. STATPack™ is used as a communication and telemedicine diagnosis tool during emergencies. This paper explores the success of this emergency response medical information system (ERMIS) using a well-known framework of information systems success developed by DeLone and McLean. METHOD Using an online survey, the entire population of STATPack™ users evaluated the success of the information system by considering system quality, information quality, system use, intention to use, user satisfaction, individual impact, and organizational impact. RESULTS The results indicate that the overall quality of this ERMIS (i.e., system quality, information quality, and service quality) has a positive impact on both user satisfaction and intention to use the system. However, given the nature of ERMIS, overall quality does not necessarily predict use of the system. Moreover, the users satisfaction with the information system positively affected the intention to use the system. User satisfaction, intention to use, and system use had a positive influence on the systems impact on the individual. Finally, the organizational impacts of the system were positively influenced by use of the system and the systems individual impact on the user. CONCLUSIONS The results of the study demonstrate how to evaluate the success of an ERMIS as well as introduce potential changes in how one applies the DeLone and McLean success model in an emergency response medical information system context.

Facilitating experience reuse among software project managers

Organizations have lost billions of dollars due to poor software project implementations. In an effort to enable software project managers to repeat prior successes and avoid previous mistakes, this research seeks to improve the reuse of a specific type of knowledge among software project managers, experiences in the form of narratives. To meet this goal, we identify a set of design principles for facilitating experience reuse based on the knowledge management literature. Guided by these principles we develop a model called Experience Exchange for facilitating the reuse of experiences in the form of narratives. We also provide a proof-of-concept instantiation of a critical component of the Experience Exchange model, the Experience Exchange Library. We evaluate the Experience Exchange model theoretically and empirically. We conduct a theoretical evaluation by ensuring that our model complies with the design principles identified from the literature. We also perform an experiment, using the developed instantiation of the Experience Exchange Library, to evaluate if technology can serve as a medium for transferring experiences across software projects.

Understanding agile software development practices using shared mental models theory

Abstract Context Agile software development is an alternative software development methodology that originated from practice to encourage collaboration between developers and users, to leverage rapid development cycles, and to respond to changes in a dynamic environment. Although agile practices are widely used in organizations, academics call for more theoretical research to understand the value of agile software development methodologies. Objective This study uses shared mental models theory as a lens to examine practices from agile software methodologies to understand how agile practices enable software development teams to work together to complete tasks and work together effectively as a team. Method A conceptual analysis of specific agile practices was conducted using the lens of shared mental models theory. Three agile practices from Xtreme Programming and Scrum are examined in detail, system metaphor, stand-up meeting, and on-site customer, using shared mental models theory. Results Examining agile practices using shared mental models theory elucidates how agile practices improve collaboration during the software development process. The results explain how agile practices contribute toward a shared understanding and enhanced collaboration within the software development team. Conclusions This conceptual analysis demonstrates the value of agile practices in developing shared mental models (i.e. shared understanding) among developers and customers in software development teams. Some agile practices are useful in developing a shared understanding about the tasks to be completed, while other agile practices create shared mental models about team processes and team interactions. To elicit the desired outcomes of agile software development methods, software development teams should consider whether or not agile practices are used in a manner that enhances the team’s shared understanding. Using three specific agile practices as examples, this research demonstrates how theory, such as shared mental models theory, can enhance our understanding regarding how agile practices are useful in enhancing collaboration in the workplace.

Developing Soft Skills to Manage User Expectations in IT Projects: Knowledge Reuse among IT Project Managers

This research explores information technology (IT) project managers’ reuse of knowledge associated with soft skills when managing user expectations. Through interviews with IT project managers, several themes emerged: novelty of problems, conditions within the organization, types of available knowledge, and methods for reusing knowledge. Within this study, we discovered the need for additional research on how social norms and organizational conditions encourage or inhibit knowledge reuse. Furthermore, we identified a difference in the usefulness of knowledge captured in formal repositories according to levels of project management experience. The findings confirm, extend, and illuminate the current research associated with knowledge reuse in IT project management.

The critical importance of construct measurement specification: a response to Aguirre-Urreta and Marakas

Aguirre-Urreta and Marakas (AM yet, the biases are greater in magnitude when unstandardized coefficients are used to parameterize the misspecified model. We believe that regardless of the extent of the bias, it is critically important for researchers to achieve correspondence between the measurement specification and the conceptual meaning of the construct so as to not alter the theoretical meaning of the construct at the operational layer of the model. Such alignment between theory and measurement will safeguard against threats to construct and statistical conclusion validity.