The Accumulation of IT Capability And Its Long-Term Effect on Financial Performance

Many scholars have been studying information technology (IT) capability and its impact on business performance. However, it has been debated whether the IT capability influences firm performance because prior literature shows mixed results. To understand this phenomenon, I performed two studies in this research, placed in two parts. First, by deploying the new concept of accumulation of IT capability, I attempted to reinvestigate the relationship between IT capability and business performance. Next, I examined what factors influence the accumulation of IT capability. In the first part, I suggested two novel constructs that measure the extent of the accumulation of IT capability: aggregated IT capability, which represents a firm’s frequency of appearance on the IW500 list, and continuous IT capability, which indicates a firm’s consecutive appearance on the list. From hypothesis tests, I confirmed that the extent of a firm’s ability to keep its IT capability could influence its business performance based on timeline and types of ratios. In the second part, to examine the managerial and financial factors in firms’ long-term retention of IT capability, I employed survival analysis to substantiate how various factors are related to a firm’s risk of losing IT capability. The results show that turnover in IT managers, which can bring in outside knowledge and experience, allows firms to retain IT capability, whereas IT managers’ structural power does not contribute to firms sustaining their IT capability. I also find that continuous IT capability can be influenced by firms’ industry characteristics, which may have different levels of information intensity

Psychological, Social Environmental, and Physical Environmental Variables in Explaining Physical Activity in Korean Older Adults

The current study investigated the direct and indirect paths of psychological, social environmental, and physical environmental variables in explaining physical activity among Korean older adults. A total of 401 adults aged 65 years old or older (Mage = 75.17 years, SD = ±7.24) were recruited from the Nowon district of northern Seoul. Standardized scales were used to measure physical activity and its related social ecological variables. The results indicated that physical activity was significantly correlated with self efficacy, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, family support, friend support, availability of facilities, and quality of facilities. All of psychological, social environmental, and physical environmental variables had a significant direct path to explain physical activity. In addition, self-efficacy and perceived benefits significantly mediated the relationship between family support and physical activity, and while the relationship between availability of facilities and physical activity was substantially mediated by perceived barriers. The current study implies that application of the social ecological model is warranted to provide a more concrete association of the contextual factors to explain physical activity and to design a more effective intervention for promoting physical activity among older adults.El presente estudio investigó los efectos directos e indirectos de las variables psicológicas, socioambientales y físicoambientales para explicar la actividad física entre los adultos mayores de Corea. Un total de 401 adultos de 65 años de edad o más (Medad = 75,17 años, DT = ± 7,24) fueron reclutados del distrito de Nowon, en el norte de Seúl. Se utilizaron escalas estandarizadas para medir la actividad física y sus variables sociales y ecológicas. Los resultados indicaron que la actividad física estaba significativamente correlacionada con la autoeficacia, los beneficios percibidos, las barreras percibidas, el apoyo familiar, el apoyo a los amigos, la disponibilidad de instalaciones y la calidad de las instalaciones. Todas las variables ambientales psicológicas, sociales, ambientales y físicas tenían un efecto directo significativo para explicar la actividad física. Además, la autoeficacia y los beneficios percibidos mediaron de forma significativa la relación entre el apoyo familiar y la actividad física, y mientras que la relación entre la disponibilidad de instalaciones y la actividad física estaba sustancialmente mediada por las barreras percibidas. El presente estudio implica que la aplicación del modelo socio-ecológico se justifica para proporcionar una asociación más concreta de los factores contextuales para explicar la actividad física y diseñar una intervención más eficaz para promover la actividad física entre los adultos mayores.O presente estudo investigou os caminhos diretos e indiretos das variáveis ambientais psicológicas, sociais, ambientais e físicas na explicação da atividade física entre idosos coreanos. Um total de 401 adultos com 65 anos de idade ou mais (Mage = 75,17 anos, DP = ± 7,24) foram recrutados no distrito de Nowon, no norte de Seul. Escalas padronizadas foram utilizadas para medir a atividade física e suas variáveis sociais e ecológicas. Os resultados indicaram que a atividade física estava significativamente correlacionada com auto-eficácia, benefícios percebidos, barreiras percebidas, apoio familiar, apoio amigo, disponibilidade de instalações e qualidade das instalações. Todas as variáveis ambientais psicológicas, sociais, ambientais e físicas tiveram um caminho direto significativo para explicar a atividade física. Além disso, a auto-eficácia e os benefícios percebidos mediaram significativamente a relação entre apoio familiar e atividade física, e enquanto a relação entre a disponibilidade de instalações ea atividade física era substancialmente mediada por barreiras percebidas. O presente estudo implica que a aplicação do modelo sócio-ecológico é justificada para proporcionar uma associação mais concreta dos fatores contextuais para explicar a atividade física e para projetar uma intervenção mais efetiva para promover a atividade física entre os adultos mais velhos