Understanding Digital Inequality

Digital inequality is one of the most critical issues in the knowledge economy. Governments, businesses, and the public have devoted tremendous resources to address such inequality, yet the results are inconclusive. Theoretical understanding, complemented with theory-based empirical assessment of the phenomenon, is essential to inform effective policy-making and intervention. The context of our investigation is a city government project known as the LaGrange Internet TV initiative that allowed all city residents to access the Internet via their cable TVs at no additional cost. We examine the residents’ acceptance behavior through the lens of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), which focuses on attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, as explanatory variables of innovation decisions. The theoretical focus of TPB is expanded to include exposure to innovation. Furthermore, we elaborate potential behavioral differences between privileged and underprivileged adopters. The results of the multigroup analysis reveal different behavioral models between the two groups. Enjoyment and confidence in using information and communication technologies (ICT) and accessibility are more influential in shaping ICT innovation decisions for the underprivileged than the privileged. The privileged group has a higher tendency to respond to exposure to innovation and may adopt ICT faster than the underprivileged. Implications are discussed for policy-making and theoretical development

A Motivational Account for Post-Acceptance Routine and Innovative Use: Introducing the Concept of Tri-Dimensional Intrinsic Motivation

We conceptualize two distinct post-acceptance usage behaviors: (1) routine use (RTN) refers to the use of information system (IS) consistent with normal work processes and (2) innovative use (INV) means users’ applying system features in novel ways. While RTN helps integrate the implemented IS into work processes, INV further extracts the value of the IS. Drawing on motivation theory, we propose a tri-dimensional intrinsic motivation (3D-IM) construct and hypothesize about the differential roles of intrinsic motivation (IM) and extrinsic motivation (EM) in explaining RTN and INV. Our first study confirms the measurement model of 3D-IM and illustrates its superior predictive power over perceived enjoyment, a typical measure of IM in prior literature. Study 2 reveals the differential impacts of IM (measured as 3D-IM) and EM (measured as perceived usefulness) on INV and RTN. Specifically, relative to EM, IM has a stronger effect on INV but a weaker impact on RTN

Addressing Digital Inequality for the Socio-economically Disadvantaged through Government Initiatives: Forms for Capital that Affect ICT Utilization

Digital inequality, or unequal access to and use of information and communication technologies (ICT), is a severe problem preventing the socio-economically disadvantaged from participating in a digital society. To understand the critical resources that contribute to digital inequality and to inform public policy for stimulating initial and continued ICT usage by the socio-economically disadvantaged, we drew on capital theories and conducted a field study to investigate: (1) the forms of capital for utilizing ICT and how they differ across potential adopters who are socio-economically disadvantaged (SED) and socio-economically advantaged (SEA); (2) how these forms of capitals are relatively impacted for the SEA and the SED through public policy for ICT access; and (3) how each form of capital influences the SED’s intentions to use initially and to continue to use ICT. The context for our study involved a city in the southeastern United States that offered its citizens free ICT access for Internet connectivity. Our results show that SED potential adopters exhibited lower cultural capital but higher social capital relative to the SEA. Moreover, the SED who participated in the city’s initiative realized greater positive gains in cultural capital, social capital, and habitus than the SEA. In addition, we find that the SED’s initial intention to use ICT was influenced by intrinsic motivation for habitus, self-efficacy for cultural capital, and both important referents’ expectations and support from acquaintances for social capital. Cultural capital and social cultural capital also complemented each other in driving the SED’s initial use intention. The SED’s continued use intention was affected by both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for habitus and both knowledge and self-efficacy for cultural capital but was not affected by social capital. We also make several recommendations for future research on digital inequality and ICT acceptance to extend and apply the proposed capital framework

Leverage Points for Addressing Digital Inequalities: Comparing Under-Privileged Adopters and Non-Adopters of High Speed Internet TV

Digital inequality, or the unequal access and use of information communication technologies, inhibits under-privileged people from opportunities in the digital world. Although government and private organizations have devoted considerable resources to address this inequality, issues remain unsolved. A theory-based investigation of the phenomenon is essential for effective policy-making and intervention. The context of the field study is the “Free Internet TV” initiative in LaGrange, Georgia, which provided high-speed Internet to every household via cable at no cost. This research investigates underprivileged residents’ innovation behavior through the lens of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Exposure to Innovation and Trust in Government are included to elaborate the theoretical focus of TPB. The research compares the models that characterize under-privileged adopters and non-adopters’ innovation decisions. The results advance the theoretical understanding of digital inequality, enrich the knowledge of adoption of innovation, and identify leverage points for policymakers devising interventions to address the inequality

Motivational Differences Across Post-Acceptance IS Usage Behaviors

We identify two post-acceptance information system (IS) usage behaviors related to how employees leverage implemented systems. While routine use (RTN) refers to employees’ using IS in a routine and standardized manner to support their work, innovative use (INV) describes employees’ discovering new ways to use IS to support their work. We use motivation theory as the overarching perspective to explain RTN and INV and appropriate the rich intrinsic motivation (RIM) concept from social psychology to propose a conceptualization of RIM toward IS use, which includes intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment (IMap), intrinsic motivation to know (IMkw), and intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation (IMst). We also consider the influence of perceived usefulness (PU)—a representative surrogate construct of extrinsic motivation toward IS use—on RTN and INV. We theorize the relative impacts of the RIM constructs and PU on RTN and INV and the role of personal innovativeness with IT (PIIT) in moderating the RIM constructs\u27 influences on INV. Based on data from 193 employees using a business intelligence system (BIS) at one of the largest telecom service companies in China, we found 1) PU had a stronger impact on RTN than the RIM constructs, 2) IMkw and IMst each had a stronger impact on INV than either PU or IMap, and 3) PIIT positively moderated the impact of each RIM construct on INV. Our findings provide insights on managing RTN and INV in the post-acceptance stage

Understanding Digital Inequality: Comparing Continued Use Behavioral Models of the Socio-economically Advantaged and Disadvantaged

Digital inequality is one of the most critical issues in the knowledge economy. The private and public sectors have devoted tremendous resources to address such inequality, yet the results are inconclusive. Theoretically grounded empirical research is needed both to expand our understanding of digital inequality and to inform effective policy making and intervention. The context of our investigation is a city government project, known as the LaGrange Internet TV initiative, which allowed all city residents to access the Internet via their cable televisions at no additional cost. We examine the residents’ post-implementation continued use intentions through a decomposed theory of planned behavior perspective, which is elaborated to include personal network exposure. Differences in the behavioral models between socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged users who have direct usage experience are theorized and empirically tested. The results reveal distinct behavioral models and isolate the key factors that differentially impact the two groups. The advantaged group has a higher tendency to respond to personal network exposure. Enjoyment and confidence in using information and communication technologies, availability, and perceived behavioral control are more powerful in shaping continued ICT use intention for the disadvantaged. Implications for research and practice are discussed

Extracting Business Value from IT: A Sensemaking Perspective of Post-Adoptive Use

How can firms extract value from already-implemented information technologies (IT) that support the work processes of employees? One approach is to stimulate employees to engage in post-adoptive extended use, i.e.,to learn and apply more of the available functions of the implemented technologies to support their work. Such learning behavior of extending functions in use is ingrained in a process by which users make sense of the technologies in the context of their work system.This study draws on sensemaking theory to develop a model to understand the antecedents, contingencies, and consequences of customer service employees’ extended use of customer relationship management (CRM)technologies. The model is tested using multi-source longitudinal data collected through a field study of one of the world’s largest telecommunications service providers. Our results suggest that employees engage in post-adoptive sensemaking at two levels: technology and work system. We found that sensemaking at both of these levels impacts the extended use of CRM technologies. Employees’ sensemaking at the technology level is influenced by employees’ assessment of technology quality,while employees’ sensemaking at the work system level is influenced by customers’ assessment of servicequality. Moreover, in the case of low technology quality and low service quality, specific mechanisms for employee feedback should be conceptualized and aligned at two levels: through employee participation at the technology level and through work system coordination at the work system level. Such alignment can mitigate the undesirable effect of low technology quality and low service quality,thereby facilitating extended use. Importantly, we found that extended use amplifies employees’ service capacity, leading to better objective performance. Put together, our findings highlight the critical role of employees’ sensemaking about the implemented technologies in promoting their extended use of IT and improving their work performance

Impact of User Satisfaction with Mandated RM Use on Employee Service Quality

An increasing number of organizations are now implementing customer relationship management (CRM) systems to support front-line employees’ service tasks. With the belief that CRM can enhance employees’ service quality, management often mandates employees to use the implemented CRM. However, challenges emerge if/when employees are dissatisfied with using the system. To understand the role of front-line employee users’ satisfaction with their mandated use of CRM in determining their service quality, we conducted a field study in one of the largest telecommunications service organizations in China and gathered time-lagged data from self-reported employee surveys, as well as from the firm’s archival data sources. Our results suggest that employees’ overall user satisfaction (UserSat) with their mandated use of CRM has a positive impact on employee service quality (ESQ) above and beyond the expected positive impacts that job dedication (JD) and embodied service knowledge (ESK) have on ESQ. Interestingly, the positive effect of UserSat on ESQ is comparable to the positive effects of JD and ESK, respectively, on ESQ. Importantly, UserSat and ESK have a substitutive effect on ESQ, suggesting that the impact of UserSat on ESQ is stronger/weaker for employees with lower/higher levels of ESK. Finally, ESQ predicts customer satisfaction with customer service employees (CSWCSE); ESQ also fully mediates the impacts of UserSat and ESK, and partially mediates the impact of JD, on CSWCSE. The results of this study emphasize the importance of user satisfaction in determining employees’ task outcomes when use of an information system is mandated

Quantitative measures of functional outcomes and quality of life in patients with C5 palsy

AbstractBackgroundIt is generally understood that postoperative C5 palsy can occur with anterior or posterior decompression surgery, but functional measures of the palsy have not been well documented. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of C5 palsy in different surgical procedures, examine the correlations between muscle strength, upper extremity functional measures, and health-related quality of life, and to observe potential risk factors contributing to C5 palsy.MethodsOur investigation involved a retrospective study design. A total of 364 patients who underwent decompression surgery were indicated within the selected exclusion criteria. Additionally, 12 C5 palsy patients were recruited. The relationships between the manual muscle test (MMT), the action research arm test (ARAT), the Jebsen test of hand function (JTHF), and the European quality of life-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) were studied, and univariate analyses were performed to search possible risk factors and recovery investigation.ResultsThe data analyzed in the 12 cases and C5 palsy incidences (3.3%) were: 0.7% in anterior procedures (n = 2), 8.8% in posterior procedures (n = 6), and 36.4% in combined procedures (n = 4). Moderate-to-high correlations were observed between the ARAT, JTHF, EQ-5D visual analog scale scores, and MMT (r = 0.636–0.899). There were significant differences in patient age, etiology of cervical lesion, variable decompression procedures, and the number of decompression levels between the C5 palsy and non-C5 palsy groups. For female patients (p = 0.018) and number of decompression levels (p = 0.028), there were significant differences between the complete recovery and the incomplete recovery groups.ConclusionPatients undergoing combined anterior–posterior decompression surgery had the highest incidence of C5 palsy, and correlations between the ARAT, JTHF, EQ-5D visual analog scale clinical tools, and MMT scores supported these findings. Female status and lower decompression levels could also be predictive factors for complete recovery, although additional research is needed to substantiate these findings

Excitation functions in central Au+Au collisions from SIS/GSI to AGS/Brookhaven

Using the relativistic transport model (ART), we predict the energy dependence of the stopping power, maximum baryon and energy densities, the population of resonance matter as well as the strength of the transverse and radial flow for central Au+Au reactions at beam momentum from 2 to 12 GeV/c available at Brookhaven's AGS. The maximum baryon and energy densities are further compared to the predictions of relativistic hydrodynamics assuming the formation of shock waves. We also discuss the Fermi-Landau scaling of the pion multiplicity in these reactions.Comment: 20 pages, latex, 10 figures available upon request from the authors, Nucl. Phys. A in pres