Quality Websites: An Application of the Kano Model to Website Design

In the emerging global electronic market, the creation of customer centered websites will become increasingly important. This paper uses Kano\u27s Model of Quality to develop a conceptual framework for investigating features in the web environment that satisfy basic, performance, and excitement needs of potential customers. The researchers classify features commonly used in the web environment according to Kano’ s three quality dimensions for products and services. Plans to empirically test this conceptually based classification are forthcoming. Among the possible implications and contributions of this research are the differentiation of web design features that customers take for granted from those that add value in the performance of web specific tasks and those that generate delight, motivation, and loyalty of website users

Organizational Cultures of Libraries as a Strategic Resource

Theorists have suggested that organizational culture is a strategic resource that has value in ensuring the continuing existence and success of organizations (Michalisin, Smith, & Kline, 1997; Barney, 1986, 1991; Hult, Ketchen, & Nichols, 2002; Gordon, 1985). This assertion is supported by various studies that have linked organizational culture to broad strategic outcomes such as an organization???s ability to manage knowledge (Davenport, Long, & Beers, 1998; Storck & Hill, 2000), innovation capability (Hauser, 1998), and strategic management of information technology (Kaarst-Brown & Robey, 1999; Reich & Benbasat, 2000; Schein, 1985). Based on this research, we suggest that there are characteristics of organizational cultures in information-based organizations that lead to increased collaboration, collegiality, and organizational effectiveness. The present article explores these characteristics and examines whether organizational culture can be leveraged as a strategic asset to attract staff, create favorable assessments by administrators and funders, and cast library institutions in a positive light for independent media and accreditation bodies. We believe that identification of those characteristics of organizational cultures that are uniquely relevant to the growth and success of libraries can provide current and future library leaders with guidance, models, and intellectual resources to enhance personal and organizational success.published or submitted for publicatio