Priming system 1 influences user acceptance

The study examines an alternative conceptualization of user acceptance, where acceptance is a function of two modes of thinking: one that is fast, intuitive, and automatic (known as System 1), and one that is slow, more deliberate, and voluntary (known as System 2). Such a conceptualization can accommodate cases of affect substitution, where users rely on System 1 only, without activating System 2. An experiment is conducted (N = 250) in which users are primed for System 1 or System 2. The headline contribution is that, in the context of an unattractive but potentially useful software application, users primed for System 1 show weaker intentions to download the application than those who are primed for System 2 (mean score 5.25 versus 6.30, on a scale of 1 to 7). The difficulty of reconciling this result with traditional frameworks illustrates the relevance of the dual processing model

Effects of diagram format and user numeracy on understanding cash flow data

An issue of longstanding concern in accounting information systems is the effective presentation and communication of financial data to users with little accounting background. Cash flow statements in particular have been singled out as difficult to interpret. To increase user understanding of cash flow data, this study explores the potential merits of diagram formats, as well as possible effects of the user’s numeracy skills. The study covers an experiment (N = 100) in which users were queried on their understanding of the cash flows of a real-world company, and in which type of format was either a cash flow statement or a cash flow diagram. Understanding was measured by three different concepts: interpretation accuracy, company diagnosis, and clarity of presentation. The study confirms that, on those measures, diagrams do not necessarily outperform cash flow statements, and that format familiarity (irrespective of the type of format) is a key driver in understanding cash flows. In addition, the study finds that numeric preference, but not numeric ability, helps in understanding cash flow data. The study discusses the sobering implications for designers of accounting information systems

On the Value of Mobile Business Processes: Evidence from Sweden and the Netherlands

Identifying and assessing the benefits of mobile technology in a business context is often problematic. In this paper we start from the position that the benefits of mobile technology are hard to quantify in isolation, and that the unit of analysis to identify value should be the business process. An exploratory case study approach is used to identify the benefits of mobile technology at the level of the business process. We describe two cases from Sweden (vehicle dispatching and timber supply chain management) and one case from the Netherlands (mobile parking). We then illustrate how benefits of mobile technology are contingent to the difficulty of coordinating mobile actors. Next, the value of mobility is contingent to the costs of not being able to coordinate during the period that the actors are difficult to reach. Finally, we assert that it is also related to the costs of available substitutes for mobile technology in a business process.Mobile Technology; Information Systems; Technology Benefits; Exploratory Study; Business Processes

User Acceptance of Electronic Commerce: Contributions from the Bled eConference

User acceptance of electronic commerce continues to be a popular topic at the Bled eConference. The paper reviews the past contributions of the conference in this specific area. The review deals with those studies that have an empirical and quantitative component, and those studies where the emphasis has been on testing theories of user acceptance. The paper establishes three phases in which Bled delegates have gradually extended generic user acceptance models to deal with issues of electronic commerce. The first phase (20012003) is one of theory application. The second phase (2004-2007) is one of theory extension. In the third phase, (2008-2011), Bled delegates move beyond traditional models and adopt alternative theoretical approaches. The review ends with three promising avenues for further research in electronic commerce

Measuring IT Core Capabilities for Electronic Commerce: Results from a Confirmatory Factor Analysis

This paper reports on the theoretical development and empirical validation of a measurement instrument for three IT core capabilities in an electronic commerce context. The instrument is based on the work of Feeny and Willcocks and includes the capabilities “IS/IT governance,” “business system thinking,” and “relationship building.” It was validated using a sample consisting of 179 respondents, all IT managers or CIOs. Results demonstrate that the constructs are reliable (alpha coefficients \u3e 0.8) and valid. A confirmatory factor analysis on the data set yields a moderately acceptable model fit. The model also demonstrates highly significant factor loadings (p \u3c 0.001). We show that a respecification of a competing model in which “IS/IT governance” is split into “business IT strategic thinking” and “IT management” provides better measures of fit. The paper concludes that core capabilities of IT departments are useful constructs to incorporate in future research. They are able to successfully predict behaviors that have relatively little overlap. Recommended further research includes the relationship between capabilities and governance structures, as well as further investigation into how IT core capabilities are formed and strengthened in organizations

On the Cognitive-Affective Structure of Attitudes Toward Information Systems

Social psychologists have long recognized that attitudes are formed through a combination of cognitive appraisals (i.e., evaluations based on beliefs) and affective appraisals (i.e., evaluations based on feelings, emotions, and gut reactions). However, the dominant perspective for explaining user attitudes toward information systems is still cognition-based. In this research, we study the cognitive and affective composition of user attitudes, and the way this composition is influenced by individual differences and system design differences. This research aims to make three contributions. First, we strengthen the current understanding of IS attitudes with new empirical findings on the relative role of affect and cognition. Second, we aim to demonstrate how the features of an information system evoke different compositions of affective and cognitive attitudes. Third, we expect to demonstrate how gender and experience influence cognitive-affective structures, even when controlling for system features

The Inclusion of E-Commerce Metrics in Strategic Planning Results from an Exploratory Empirical Study

This research in progress paper reports on an exploratory empirical study that aims to identify what ecommerce metrics are commonly included in IT strategies, and to understand the motivations for their inclusion. The results of this study may help IS executives improving their e-commerce planning processes and provide insight in the way that e-commerce performance is currently assessed. A survey instrument has been developed based upon strategic decision making theory. The survey was based on four e-commerce metrics: traffic volume, online sales volume, fulfilment level and site functionality. For each metric, we asked whether the organisation had recently included the metric in their IT strategy. We also asked their opinion on five statements on the metric (motivations to include the metric). The survey has been set out at an online community of 600 IS executives and 6000 online subscribers of an IT magazine. At the time of writing the data collection period was just finished. The paper reports on preliminary regression analysis on the available sample data. Early analysis and interpretation indicates that uncertainty to improve the metric is a significant predictor for metric inclusion, while stakeholder pressure is not