Ruffled Feathers at Hubbard Poultry Company

This case has a labor law and product liability focus and is suited for a human resource, employment or business law class at the undergraduate level. This case is based on an actual incident; the names of the workers and company have been changed

The Impact of Communal Behaviors on the Judgement of Service Quality.

This research addressed the question of the importance of the service encounter (both functional and social support components) and the importance of the technical component in consumers\u27 judgements of service quality. To date in the literature no one has attempted to measure in a field setting, the relative contribution to the judgement of service quality of each of these components. This research switched the focus of the service quality\u27s definition from the provider\u27s point of view to the consumer. By measuring the three service components\u27 importance, the researcher hoped to obtain a clearer understanding of the consumer\u27s determination as to the important aspects of service quality. The Marketing Science Institute (MSI) published list of research priorities 1998--2000 and its capital topic 2---was understanding the customer experience. Given the growing importance of services and the role the service encounter plays in the consumer\u27s service quality perception, the central research question became how does the communal component of the service encounter impact the consumer\u27s overall perception of service quality? To garner a clearer picture of this impact, one must determine whether the presence or lack of communal aspects in service encounters increases/decreases the consumer\u27s overall perception of service quality. The findings supported communal behaviors addition to a consumer\u27s perceived service quality via positive affect. This result was important as it provided service providers a new component to incorporate into their service offering in an endeavor to gain a sustainable competitive advantage via a service quality increase. The revealed link between affect and service quality was an important finding, as this would allow a service provider to increase service quality judgments without altering their technical or functional service delivery. Increased service quality was linked to positive behavior intentions, of word-of-mouth and repeat purchase intentions. As services are projected to grow in importance and become increasingly competitive, this research\u27s findings have potential important strategic implications

Exploring the Intention to Use Computers: An Empirical Investigation of the Role of Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, and Perceived Ease of Use

This research utilizes the Integrated Model of Technology Acceptance (IMTA) study the intention to use computers among first line managers in a mid-sized manufacturing among line managers in manufacturing organization (n=172). As hypothesized, the study found 1) a positive relationship between extrinsic motivation and behavioral positive behavioral intention to use computers, 2) positive relationship between intention a between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention to use computers, 3) a a positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and relationship between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, 4) positive relationship between perceived extrinsic motivation, 4) a a positive relationship between perceived ease of use and extrinsic motivation, and 5) positive relationship ease of use and extrinsic motivation, and 5) a a positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and perceived ease of use. However, between intrinsic motivation and perceived ease of use. However, the hypothesis that intrinsic motivation would have positive the hypothesis that intrinsic motivation would have a a positive relationship to behavioral intention to use computers was not relationship to behavioral intention to use computers was not supported. This work makes a needed contribution to the literature supported. This work makes a needed contribution to the literature by validating the IMTA with a group of real-world users, and by validating the IMTA with a group of real-world users, and suggests that the model may provide a useful foundation for suggests that the model may provide a useful foundation for future research in this area

Support for Computer Users: Importance and Measurement

This study explores how support for computer users can be conceptualized and measured in information systems research. A number of studies have proposed that support for computer users plays an important role in the acceptance and utilization of information technology applications. In these studies, the support concept has been conceptualized in a variety of ways, and the findings have often not been as hypothesized. The paper provides a conceptual framework for understanding support for computer users, and then describes the development of an instrument to measure support for computer users in a business school lab environment. The paper should help further understanding and measurement of a concept that seems important, as well as problematic, for information systems research

Support for Computer Users: Concept Development and Measurement

This study explores how support for computer users can be conceptualized and measured in information systems research. A number of studies have proposed that support for computer users plays an important role in the acceptance and utilization of information technology applications. In these studies, the support concept has been conceptualized in a variety of ways, and the findings have often not been as hypothesized. The paper provides a conceptual framework for understanding support for computer users, and then describes the development of an instrument to measure support for computer users in a business school lab environment. The paper should help further understanding and measurement of a concept that seems important, as well as problematic, for information systems research

An Empirical Investigation into the Relationship Between Computer Self-Efficacy, Anxiety, Experience, Support and Usage

Organizations make significant investments in information technology. However, if individuals do not use information system applications as anticipated, successful implementation can be hard to achieve. In order to investigate some key factors thought to affect an individual\u27s use of information technology, this study draws on Bandura\u27s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Triandis\u27s Theory of Interpersonal Behavior (TIB), and the computer anxiety literature to develop its conceptual model and research hypotheses. An empirical investigation (n=978) found support for the majority of the hypotheses. As suggested by SCT, experience and support were positively related to computer self-efficacy, and computer self-efficacy was negatively related to anxiety and positively related to usage. As suggested by TIB, experience was positively related to usage. Furthermore, computer anxiety was negatively related to experience. By providing insight into these important relationships, this research can help further understanding of their role in the acceptance and use of information technology

Exploring the Intention to Use Computers: An Empirical Investigation of the Role of Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, and Perceived Usefulness

This research utilizes the Integrated Model of Technology Acceptance (IMTA) study the intention to use computers among first line managers in a mid-sized manufacturing among line managers in manufacturing organization (n=172). As hypothesized, the study found 1) a positive relationship between extrinsic motivation and behavioral positive behavioral intention to use computers, 2) positive relationship between intention a between perceived ease of use and behavioral intention to use computers, 3) a a positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and relationship between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, 4) positive relationship between perceived extrinsic motivation, 4) a a positive relationship between perceived ease of use and extrinsic motivation, and 5) positive relationship ease of use and extrinsic motivation, and 5) a a positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and perceived ease of use. However, between intrinsic motivation and perceived ease of use. However, the hypothesis that intrinsic motivation would have positive the hypothesis that intrinsic motivation would have a a positive relationship to behavioral intention to use computers was not relationship to behavioral intention to use computers was not supported. This work makes a needed contribution to the literature supported. This work makes a needed contribution to the literature by validating the IMTA with a group of real-world users, and by validating the IMTA with a group of real-world users, and suggests that the model may provide a useful foundation for suggests that the model may provide a useful foundation for future research in this area