Using a Simulation Game Approach to Teach Enterprise Resource Planning Concepts

This paper proposes an innovative learning-by-doing approach for teaching Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) concepts. Based on turn-based simulation games, students are put in a situation in which they have to run their business with a real-life ERP (mySAP ERP). Using standard reports and the business intelligence module of the ERP, students must analyze these transactional data to make business decisions and ensure the profitability of their operations. The pedagogical objectives of this game are threefold: i) to develop a hands-on understanding of the concepts underlying enterprise systems, ii) to experience the benefits of enterprise integration firsthand, and iii) to develop technical skills at using ERP software. This approach was successfully tested with both undergraduate and graduate business administration students majoring in information technologies in an AACSB school

Network Effects and the Creation of Shareholders\u27 Wealth in the Context of Software Firm Mergers and Acquisitions

This paper investigates the reaction of financial markets to the announcement of a business combination between software firms. Based on the theory of economic networks, this article argues that mergers of software firms should lead to greater wealth creation because of the network effect theoretically linked to the combination of software products. This hypothesis is partially supported, as only the targets in software/software outperform those in the other categories, yielding abnormal returns of great magnitude. In addition, we could not conclude that controlling position in the target enabled bidders to make the appropriate technological decisions to ensure the emergence of network effects in the portfolio of the new entity and create additional wealth for the shareholders of both the bidder and the target. Future research is needed to better understand the effect of the different properties of the software pooled inside the product portfolio of the new entity

Eye-tracking for IS Research: A Literature Review

In this literature review, we describe the Information Systems (IS) research using eye-tracking. Based on a sample of 60 papers published since 2008 in journals and conference proceedings, we examine i) what is the trend in eye-tracking IS research, ii) what types of experimental design have been used, iii) what types of metrics have been collected and iv) what constructs and topics have been investigated. We found that IS research using eye-tracking is broad in its research themes but concentrated in its methods of analysis. All the research is quantitative and mostly use fixation counts on computer desktop. A limited number of articles take advantage of pupil dilation measure or mobile eye-tracking. We call for broadening the methods of collection and analysis in eye-tracking IS research

Investigating the Effect of Product Sorting and Users’ Goal on Cognitive load

One of the most important goals of information systems is to minimize users’ mental effort during decision making. Product sorting is a common way of displaying information for online consumers, which is designed to help them in order to find their desired products more efficiently. Product sorting may help users to make their product decision more conveniently depending on the criteria they have for choosing their product. Our goal in this study was to investigate how different product sorting (i.e., alphabetical, price) may decrease users’ cognitive load during product evaluation phase depending on users’ goal (i.e., product name, price). We expect that a match between goal and sorting type will decrease the amount of mental workload necessary for making a product decision compared to a mismatch condition. A two-factor (Product sorting X Users’ goal) within-subject experiment was designed to test the hypotheses. Contributions to research and implications for practice are discussed

Technostress in Work-Related and Non-Work-Related Usage Contexts: A Systematic Literature Review

Technostress, defined as the “as stress that individuals experience due to their use of information systems (IS)” (Tarafdar, Cooper and Stich, 2019:2), investigates how and why IS use causes various demands on individuals. Research showed that while the experience of technostress can stimulate positive outcomes, it can also significantly harm users and organizations (Tarafdar et al., 2019). It is thus essential to comprehend how to design IS to prevent negative consequences and increase positive outcomes. To this end, research must understand what individual and technological factors influence the experience of technostress depending on the usage context. Like other emotions, technostress is part of a spectrum of interactions with other emotions or types of stress (Godbold, 2015). It is thus crucial to explore the nature and extent of the relationship between technostress and other forms of stress. As any human phenomenon, technostress is a multidimensional situation, complex, and situated (Godbold, 2015), hence requiring investigating what factors influence the intensity of the stressful event and the probability of adopting specific coping strategies, and what coping strategies lead to what neuropsychophysiological and behavioral outcomes. This systematic literature review aims to contribute to the advance of that knowledge by summarizing existing studies and examining: 1) approaches and measures used to evaluate technostress outcomes; 2) antecedents, factors, coping strategies, neuropsychophysiological and behavioral technostress outcomes identified in work-related mandatory and non-work-related voluntary technology usage context; 3) studies that have explored the interaction technostress and non-technological stress

Confirmation Biases in the Financial Analysis of IT Investments

This paper focuses on the optimistic and confirmation biases of experts with respect to major IT investments and their interaction with financial analysts’ competencies in finance and information technology. We used an experimental design that involved asking subjects to predict the financial market’s reaction to major IT investment announcements. Drawing on the literature on optimistic biases, we showed that IT and financial expertise lead to different forecasting patterns. We found that financially competent participants are more subject to confirmatory biases and have a tendency to hold on to a currently favored hypothesis throughout their analysis. IT expertise, though, mitigates the analyst’s confirmatory bias, so that dual expertise leads to less optimistic biases

Investigating the Influence of Technostress and Financial Stress on Users’ Psychophysiological and Behavioral Responses: A Pilot Study

We report on a pilot study investigating the influence of financial stress and technostress on users’ responses towards digital financial transactions. We developed a two factor within-subject design, where techno-unreliability as variable system response time under time pressure and perceived financial loss were manipulated in a 3x2 design. We collected psychophysiological, perceptual and behavioral data from N=15 participants while performing an adapted version of the Iowa Gambling Task. The analysis reported decreased perception of system responsiveness, financial decision quality, electrodermal activity and variable heart rate in response to both manipulated factors. We posit that these results may indicate participants’ disengagement towards the performance of a transactional digital financial task as a potential coping strategy in response to financial and technological stress. This pilot study contributes to further knowledge towards the understanding of the relationship between technology-related and financial stress

Physical interaction with technology: kinesiology as a reference discipline for information systems research

In an era of constantly evolving technology, we are using more and more of our bodies to interact with our technological devices. While prior interfaces required small movement of wrists and fingers to work the keyboard and mouse, we now, for example, use multiple fingers on a tactile interface while holding the device with the other hand and walking down the street. All of this additional movement of our bodies changes the dynamics of how we interact with information systems, and consequently impacts our perceptions, motivations, and decisions in everyday tasks. In this paper we present a new reference discipline, kinesiology, that can inform the study of our physical interactions with technology. We also propose two new variables, direct and indirect physicality, that can be used to better understand how this physicality can affect the user\u27s perceptions and behaviors

Enhancing the Museum Experience of an Augmented Reality (AR) Art Exhibition Through Digital Exhibit Labels and Gamification

Due to emerging and disruptive technologies, museums are searching for ways to enhance their visitors’ experience. This paper investigates aspects of an Augmented Reality (AR) art exhibition for their potential effects on a visitor’s museum experience and engagement. Through a mixed experimental design we tested the effects of two factors, namely the exhibit label’s Channel (print vs. digital) and the presence of Gamification (none vs. quiz game). Forty seven participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, each with two treatments: (1) Print No Gamification and With Gamification (n = 24), (2) Digital No Gamification and With Gamification (n = 23). Results revealed that displaying exhibit labels for AR artworks in digital rather than print form resulted in a significantly higher level of Cognitive Absorption among participants. This, in turn, had a positive impact on visitors’ aesthetics, education, entertainment and escapism (4Es), and ultimately both engagement and behavioural intentions

Assessing the Impact of Supply Chain Integration through an ERP System

Many organizations have implemented Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, hoping to use the information integration these systems provide to improve process efficiency and effectiveness. In particular, ERP systems may be instrumental in realizing Cooperative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR). In this paper, we present an experimental approach that will be used to assess the real impact of the implementation of CPFR through an ERP system