Why Do Users Switch Mobile Applications? Trialing Behavior as a Predecessor of Switching Behavior

Mobile application providers face high user losses because users can easily and often switch to an alternative application. Researchers have recently started to study information technology (IT) switching. However, no studies have concentrated on the unique context of mobile applications. Mobile application switching differs from the switching behavior related to many other IT products and services because of the highlighted role of alternatives, beta versions, updates, reviews, and users’ spontaneous behavior. To address this gap, we develop a mobile-specific model by using a qualitative research approach. As a theoretical contribution, we introduce trialing behavior as a predecessor of switching behavior and present six new behavioral antecedents for them. As practical implications, we suggest ways for mobile application providers and developers to reduce user churn. Mobile application providers face high user losses because users can easily and often switch to an alternative application. Researchers have recently started to study information technology (IT) switching. However, no studies have concentrated on the unique context of mobile applications. Mobile application switching differs from the switching behavior related to many other IT products and services because of the highlighted role of alternatives, beta versions, updates, reviews, and users’ spontaneous behavior. To address this gap, we develop a mobile-specific model by using a qualitative research approach. As a theoretical contribution, we introduce trialing behavior as a predecessor of switching behavior and present six new behavioral antecedents for them. As practical implications, we suggest ways for mobile application providers and developers to reduce user churn

What Makes a (Ro)bot Smart? Examining the Antecedents of Perceived Intelligence in the Context of Using Physical Robots, Software Robots, and Chatbots at Work

In recent years, the acceptance and use of intelligent robots and other kinds of intelligent systems have begun to gain more and more attention also in information systems research. Here, many studies have found the perceived intelligence of robots to act as one critical antecedent for their acceptance and use, but few studies have focused on the antecedents of perceived intelligence itself. In this study, we aimed to address this gap in prior research by examining the effects of individual intelligence dimensions on the overall intelligence perception of robots in the work context. In addition, we also examined the potential differences in these effects as well as in the individual intelligence dimensions and overall intelligence perception themselves between three common types of robots: physical robots, software robots, and chatbots. These examinations were based on online survey data from 1,080 present or prior users of robots at work. In summary, we found that adaptability, personality, autonomy, and multifunctionality act as the most influential antecedents of perceived intelligence in the case of all three types of robots. In addition, we also found that software robots and chatbots perform better than physical robots in most individual intelligence dimensions and in overall intelligence perception

Why Buy Virtual Helmets and Weapons? Introducing a Typology of Gamers

Nowadays, a huge number of individuals purchase virtual items in constantly growing service environments: online game communities. Some researchers have studied gamers’ motivations to purchase virtual game items in general, but no one has separated different gamer types regarding their purchasing motivations. Understanding different gamer types is important because gamers may purchase the same virtual game items, such as helmets and weapons, for different individual reasons. Given the importance of the topic and the research gap, we introduce a typology of gamers regarding their motivations to purchase game items by conducting an empirical study on actual first-person shooter (FPS) gamers. As a theoretical contribution, our findings reveal three groups of game-item buyers (aesthetes, adventurers, and performers) and one group of non-buyers (critics). Our results indicate that, even in the context of performance-centric FPS games, hedonic motivations are dominant, particularly for the gamer groups that were most likely to purchase game items in the future. Interestingly, we could not find a group of gamers that emphasized merely functional aspects as purchasing motivations. In line with these findings, we present practical implications for game providers to manage and market their selection of game items in more suitable and efficient ways

One More, One More... You Get Stuck – The Role of Craving in Smartphone-Related Technostress

Smartphones have been integrated into nearly every aspect of human life. Because of them, being entertained, communicating with others, and finding information has never been easier. Even though such possibilities are positive on the surface, the versatile nature of smartphones has also created issues, such as people using them compulsively or excessively. By collecting and analyzing data from 30 semi-structured interviews, we explored how users may experience craving (unstoppable/uncontrollable desire to use, despite the negative consequences) that make them use smartphones compulsively or excessively. Such use may eventually lead to technostress, which is stress caused by technology use. We present three levels of craving (stimuli, sensation, and content) and discuss how they affect smartphone use and technostress. We contribute to research by discussing craving in the context of technostress. As a practical implication, different stakeholders could use our results to address the issues relating to stress caused by smartphone use

Developing Teachers´ Transformative Digital Agency through Invention Pedagogy In-service Training

This chapter discusses the development of teachers’ transformative digital agency during an invention-pedagogy-themed, in-service training course. The course was a blended learning experience that included the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an invention pedagogy project. This chapter defines teachers’ transformative digital agency and depicts its development from four perspectives: technological and invention pedagogical awareness, technological competence, implemented adaptive practice, and teachers as reflective practitioners. The discussion is adhered to the broader context of the digitalizing society and objectives for teachers’ continuous professional learning. The epistemic knowledge of digitalization is one of the key factors that enable the development of teachers’ transformative digital agency while at the same time serving as a cornerstone of running invention pedagogy projects.Peer reviewe

Emergence of technostress among employees working with physical robots

Despite the growing body of literature on technostress, there is limited knowledge about the emergence of technostress among people working with physical robots. In this paper, we aim to address this research gap by exploring how technostress emerges among employees working with physical robots. The study was based on qualitative online questionnaire responses from 199 present or previous users of robots at work. Based on our data, we identified several robot-related environmental conditions that contributed to perceived work-related stress. In addition, we identified personal and situational factors that influenced perceived stress. Our findings reveal that the emergence of technostress among employees working with physical robots has distinct characteristics, and that the technostressors identified in previous studies are insufficient for explaining stress in this context. Therefore, our study extends the technostress literature and provides insights into employees’ experiences in organizations that use physical robots

Building Strategic Partnerships for Value Co-Creation: A Conceptual Framework for Digital Service Organizations

In today’s competitive, fast-paced, and technology-driven markets, digital service organizations are increasingly forming strategic partnerships to transform their businesses, accelerate innovation opportunities, and offer customers enhanced value. How these partnerships should be built to enable value co-creation and strengthen collaboration between the partner organizations has thus become an important question for research and practice. This research develops a conceptual framework to explain value co-creation in strategic (digital service) partnerships and identifies its key enablers. We contribute to the literature by expanding our understanding of how value co-creation between partner organizations occurs as a dynamic and continuous process and how it is influenced by various intra- and inter-organizational factors from institutional, resource integration, and service exchange perspectives. In practice, our research can aid digital service organizations in assessing and building their current and future partnerships to co-create value and sustainable growth in their service ecosystem

Exploring Early Adolescents\u27 Problem-Focused Strategies for Coping With Stressful IT Use Experiences

In today’s technology-oriented world, individuals’ ability to cope with information technology (IT) has become increasingly important. This is especially relevant for early adolescents, who are expected to use IT from an early age on as part of their everyday lives. Although early adolescents’ IT use and its outcomes have been studied, their related coping strategies have received less attention. The current study focuses on early adolescents’ problem-focused strategies used to cope with stressful IT use experiences. The underlying data consist of semistructured interviews with 31 early adolescents. The results show that the strategies used by early adolescents differ in terms of their pervasiveness and level of IT use. Additionally, we reveal details about the connections of the strategies within different contexts, such as school and leisure. Although this study provides important insights for understanding early adolescents’ coping strategies, more research is needed to assess the effectiveness of these strategies

EMPLOYEES’ CHALLENGES AND NEEDS FOR RESKILLING WHEN WORKING WITH SOFTWARE ROBOTS

Software robots are becoming increasingly adopted in different industries. The growing rate of automatization will affect more and more people and will result in changes in businesses of all sizes. Impacts can be observed at both the organizational and individual employee levels. A growing number of studies of software robots’ advantages and disadvantages on an organizational or industry-specific level have been carried out. However, there is limited knowledge about the employees’ perceptions of challenges and new skills needed when working with software robots. This study addresses this gap by using open-ended questionnaire responses from employees who have worked with software robots. This study aims to contribute to prior knowledge by identifying comprehensive sets of subcategories for employees’ perceptions of (1) the challenges as well as (2) the new skills needed when working with software robots. As practical implications, our findings can help organizations and individual workers prepare for the implementation and use of software robots by identifying potential challenges, planning for overcoming such challenges via suitable skills, and providing training for employees. According to our findings, many respondents mentioned learning new technical skills as a challenge, and because they have had to work with software robots, they have acquired additional knowledge, such as basic programming skills. Challenges related to reskilling constitute an interesting topic for further research