An Investigation of the Tables Versus Graphs Controversy in a Learning Environment

The study of computer graphics as decision aids has become popular among MIS researchers in the last several years. However, this area of research, like many others in management information systems, has been plagued with methodological problems and contradictory findings. In light of these difficulties, the current study examined the tables versus graphs controversy within a learning environment. Seventy-five MBA students were exposed to one of three experimental treatments and asked to develop financial forecasts for fictitious companies over five experimental trials. Following their forecasts for each firm, participants were provided with feedback on the quality of their decisions. The information presentation treatments were as follows:(l) traditional spreadsheet (tabular), (2) graphs using standard scaling, and (3) graphs using nonstandard scaling. Results suggest that, although graphics may initially demonstrate no advantage over tables, they do show an advantage i f decision makers are repeatedly exposed to the novel format and given feedback on their performance. L. arning will occur even when improper scaling is used. The implication is that the effectiveness of graphics as decision aids depends on practice. Researchers are encouraged to employ repeated measures, or longitudinal, designs when examining the tables-versus-graphs controversy

The Effects Of Experience And Data Presentation Format On An Auditing Judgment

Prior research has examined the effects of information presentation format on decision outcomes in various settings, but has led to inconclusive results as to whether a tabular or graphical format is superior for decision making.  An important methodological difference in these studies is the use of inexperienced versus experienced participants.  This study examines the interaction of experience with presentation format in the application of auditing judgments (specifically, analytical review judgments) and finds that participant experience does matter.  In particular, where tabular information was most extensively used (i.e., in the task of correlation assessment), the performance advantage from using graphs was not as great for practitioners as for students, perhaps because of the experience practitioners possess with the use of tables.  Implications of this study for the interpretation of prior findings are discussed as well as directions for future research

Communicating Data Visually: Data Presentation Formats at U.S. Food and Drug Administration Drug Advisory Committee Meetings

This thesis investigated the use of tables and graphs to present quantitative data at U.S. FDA drug advisory committee meetings. A total of 7, 422 slides presented at such meetings in 2010 comprised the sample. All slides were coded for slide type; slides displaying graphs were also coded for graph type. Analyses were conducted to determine differences in data presentation format between the FDA and drug sponsors, slides shown to different types of advisory committees, and slides shown at meetings held for different purposes. The study found that tables and graphs are used in almost equal measure at drug advisory committee meetings. However, the FDA is more likely than drug sponsors to display data in tables versus graphs. The study also found that the most prevalent graph formats are bar graphs, forest plots, line graphs, and Kaplan-Meier curves. Only one slide, shown by a drug sponsor, displayed a pictograph

Validity of DeLone and McLean\u27s Model of Information Systems success at the web site level of analysis

The DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems (IS) Success is one of the most cited and commonly-used models in the IS literature. Generally, the model has been used mainly to explain IS success at the individual level of analysis. However, in rare occasions it has been utilized on its entirety to measure success at the organizational level of analysis. In this study, the DeLone and McLean Model of IS Success is applied at the organizational level of analysis in the E-commerce environment. We gather website features from 448 top retailers, categorize them following DeLone and McLean’s taxonomy, and introduce them as the independent variables in our model. The results of our study provide support for utilizing the model to explain the dimensions and relationships of IS Success at the organizational level of analysis. At this higher level, website features that map to quality perceptions of system quality, information quality, and service quality do exist. In terms of relationships between these dimensions; the analysis suggests that both system quality and service quality positively affect system use; and system use strongly affects net benefits as measured by organizational sales. Furthermore, as an extension of the DeLone and McLean model, we add direct paths from all three qualities to net benefits (sales). Results from this extension of the model suggest that information quality and system quality directly affect net benefits. Results from this study have strong implications for the IS field and especially for the e-commerce environment. First, it provides support for utilizing real world objective data as outcomes of the analysis. Second, it provides support for utilizing the DeLone and McLean model at the organizational level of analysis as a tool to help researchers and practitioners understand the different dimensions of IS Success and how they affect each other. Third it provides practitioners, web development instructors, and web developers with real objective website feature groups that directly affect organizational sales

Information systems' effectiveness and organisational performance

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.For many years researchers have been troubled with the evaluation of Information Systems (IS) concluding to a lack of understanding as to the time, methods and tools for measuring the impact of IS on organisational performance. Motivated by this lacuna in the literature, this thesis explored the relationship between Information Systems’ Effectiveness and Organisational Performance. The theoretical framework is based on the Delone and McLean’s (D&M) IS success model which is widely adopted in the IS research. Based on a comprehensive literature review on the older and more recent studies the research framework incorporated several new items used by researchers for the measurement of the D&M dimensions. Following a web survey on 168 Greek firms this study sheds some light into the IS field by focusing on how IS effectiveness measures affect Organisational Performance. Data for this study was collected by means of a web-link questionnaire and a sample of 700 companies of different sizes operating in various industries. Many descriptive statistics of academic and managerial importance were produced. Following a correlation analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis, 15 factors were used for Multiple Regression analysis conducted to test a number of hypotheses around the relationship between the dependent construct (organisational performance) and the independent construct (IS effectiveness). This thesis contributes to existing research in the following ways. First, this study extends our knowledge on IS effectiveness as we adapted and modified DeLone and McLean's model of IS success to incorporate new variables from recent research. The results indicate a significant statistical link between IS effectiveness and performance measures. Second, it provides a holistic framework for measuring Organisational Performance with financial and non-financial variables. Finally, the study presents findings from Greek companies that have adopted IS providing practioners with advice for the practices that can lead to possible and realistic benefits