Victor R. Prybutok

Measuring information systems service quality: concerns on the use of the SERVQUAL questionnaire

A recent MIS Quarterly article rightfully points out that service is an important part of the role of the information systems (IS) department and that most IS assessment measures have a product orientation (Pitt, et al. 1995). The article went on to suggest the use of an IS-context-modified version of the SERVQUAL instrument to assess the quality of the services supplied by an information services provider (Parasuraman, et al. 1985, 1988, 1991). However, a number of problems with the SERVQUAL instrument have been discussed in the literature (e.g., Babakus and Boller 1992; Carman 1990; Cronin and Taylor 1992, 1994; Teas 1993). This article reviews that literature and discusses some of the implications for measuring service quality in the information systems context. Findings indicate that SERVQUAL suffers from a number of conceptual and empirical difficulties. Conceptual difficulties include the operationalization of perceived service quality as a difference or gap score, the ambiguity of the expectations construct, and the unsuitability of using a single measure of service quality across different industries. Empirical problems, which may be linked to the use of difference scores, include reduced reliability, poor convergent validity, and poor predictive validity. This suggests that (1) some alternative to difference scores is preferable and should be utilized; (2) if used, caution should be exercised in the interpretation of IS-SERVQUAL difference scores; and (3) further work is needed in the development of measures for assessing the quality of IS services.

A neural network model forecasting for prediction of daily maximum ozone concentration in an industrialized urban area.

Prediction of ambient ozone concentrations in urban areas would allow evaluation of such factors as compliance and noncompliance with EPA requirements. Though ozone prediction models exist, there is still a need for more accurate models. Development of these models is difficult because the meteorological variables and photochemical reactions involved in ozone formation are complex. In this study, we developed a neural network model for forecasting daily maximum ozone levels. We then compared the neural networks performance with those of two traditional statistical models, regression, and Box-Jenkins ARIMA. The neural network model for forecasting daily maximum ozone levels is different from the two statistical models because it employs a pattern recognition approach. Such an approach does not require specification of the structural form of the model. The results show that the neural network model is superior to the regression and Box-Jenkins ARIMA models we tested.

It is not for fun: An examination of social network site usage

Social networking sites (SNS) have become a significant component of peoples daily lives and have revolutionized the ways that business is conducted, from product development and marketing to operation and human resource management. However, there have been few systematic studies that ask why people use such systems. To try to determine why, we proposed a model based on uses and gratifications theory. Hypotheses were tested using PLS on data collected from 148 SNS users. We found that user utilitarian (rational and goal-oriented) gratifications of immediate access and coordination, hedonic (pleasure-oriented) gratifications of affection and leisure, and website social presence were positive predictors of SNS usage. While prior research focused on the hedonic use of SNS, we explored the predictive value of utilitarian factors in SNS. Based on these findings, we suggest a need to focus on the SNS functionalities to provide users with both utilitarian and hedonic gratifications, and suggest incorporating appropriate website features to help users evoke a sense of human contact in the SNS context.

A service quality and success model for the information service industry

Abstract This study proposes and tests a model of library success that shows how information service quality relates to other variables associated with success. If service quality affects success, then it should be possible to compare service quality to other variables believed to affect success. A modified version of the SERVQUAL instrument was evaluated to determine how effectively it measures service quality within the information service industry. Instruments designed to measure information center success and information system success were evaluated to determine how effectively they measure success in the library system application and how they relate to SERVQUAL. Responses from 385 end users at two US Army Corps of Engineers libraries were obtained through a mail survey. Results indicate that service quality is best measured with a performance-based version of SERVQUAL, and that measuring importance may be as critical as measuring expectations for management purposes. Results also indicate that service quality is an important factor in success. The findings have implications for the development of new instruments to more effectively measure information service quality and information service success as well as for the development of new models that better show the relationship between information service quality and information service success.

Consumer Acceptance of RFID Technology: An Exploratory Study

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is used in numerous applications and offers a plethora of interesting potential new applications. However, this potential raises issues that require addressing to achieve its widespread acceptance by consumers. This paper investigates the factors that affect consumer acceptance of RFID technology. The purpose of this effort is to develop and test a theoretical model that contextualizes the technology acceptance model (TAM) within the context of RFID technology. The research model proposes that convenience, culture, privacy, regulation, and security are the principal factors influencing the consumerspsila acceptance of RFID. However, the results show that convenience, culture, and security are significant predictors. This study is the first in the RFID literature to use the TAM for explaining consumer acceptance of RFID technology. The findings suggest that: (1) higher perceived convenience of RFID technology leads to greater acceptance of this technology; (2) societal beliefs, value systems, norms, and/or behaviors influence the extent of consumer acceptance of RFID technology; and (3) higher perceived importance of and less willingness to sacrifice personal information security lead to lower intention to use RFID technology. Contextualization of TAM to RFID technology makes this study relevant to practitioners because the results can provide insight to organizations using or exploring the use of RFID technology.

The relationship between JIT practices and type of production system

After World War II, the Japanese incrementally applied new management practices to improve their global competitiveness. With refinement and systematic integration of these new practices the Japanese achieved a new manufacturing paradigm and, by the 1970s, a competitive superiority in the marketplace. In an effort to emulate the success achieved by Japanese manufacturers, US managers began to apply these new management practices in their organizations. These management practices were introduced as just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing. US managers have progressed through a series of trial and error efforts to apply these new management practices and still do not understand many of the issues associated with JIT implementations. This study attempts to address some of the misunderstandings associated with JIT implementations. A systems approach is utilized for collecting data and analyzing pertinent relationships associated with JIT implementations in US manufacturers. Findings from the study suggest that an association exists between implemented JIT practices and type of production system. In addition, this is the first study to show that the benefits attributed to JIT implementation as a function of implementation status of specific JIT management practices and type of production system.

Comparison of neural network models with ARIMA and regression models for prediction of Houston's daily maximum ozone concentrations

Abstract In an effort to forecast daily maximum ozone concentrations, many researchers have developed daily ozone forecasting models. However, this continuing worldwide environmental problem suggests the need for more accurate models. Development of these models is difficult because the meteorological variables and photochemical reactions involved in ozone formation are complex. In this study, a neural network model for forecasting daily maximum ozone levels is developed and compared with two conventional statistical models, regression and Box–Jenkins ARIMA. The results show that the neural network model is superior to the regression and Box–Jenkins ARIMA models we tested.

Latent Semantic Analysis: Five methodological recommendations

The recent influx in generation, storage, and availability of textual data presents researchers with the challenge of developing suitable methods for their analysis. Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), a member of a family of methodological approaches that offers an opportunity to address this gap by describing the semantic content in textual data as a set of vectors, was pioneered by researchers in psychology, information retrieval, and bibliometrics. LSA involves a matrix operation called singular value decomposition, an extension of principal component analysis. LSA generates latent semantic dimensions that are either interpreted, if the researchers primary interest lies with the understanding of the thematic structure in the textual data, or used for purposes of clustering, categorization, and predictive modeling, if the interest lies with the conversion of raw text into numerical data, as a precursor to subsequent analysis. This paper reviews five methodological issues that need to be addressed by the researcher who will embark on LSA. We examine the dilemmas, present the choices, and discuss the considerations under which good methodological decisions are made. We illustrate these issues with the help of four small studies, involving the analysis of abstracts for papers published in the European Journal of Information Systems.

Evaluating leadership, IT quality, and net benefits in an e-government environment

US Government organizations are creating value for their citizens and businesses by improving their public service delivery through good websites. Our study examined leadership and IT quality, and their effect on positive delivery outcomes in an e-government environment. We first developed a theoretically based model using elements of the model developed for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) and DeLone and McLeans IS Success model. To test this model, we conducted a field survey at a municipal city government. The results supported our hypothesis that the MBNQA leadership triad (leadership, strategic planning, and customer/market focus) had a positive impact on the IT quality triad (information, system, and service quality). We also found that both leadership and IT quality increased the benefits.

A comparison of Magal's service quality instrument with SERVPERF

The role of service quality has become critical to the success of organizations. Therefore, it is important to use a reliable instrument to measure information service quality. SERVQUAL is a popular instrument for doing this, but, though widely used, it has been criticized for its reliability and validity. Use of the performance measures from SERVQUAL to form SERVPERF has addressed some of these issues. However, Magals instrument on information center success was found effective within a service context because of its service orientation. In our study, we therefore compared Magals instrument with the SERVPERF instrument in predicting satisfaction and usefulness; we found that Magals instrument had predictive advantages in determining future usefulness and satisfaction. An important result was to show that our results supported the use of Magals instrument as an alternative to SERVQUAL for researchers and managers interested in service quality assessment.