Social Networks and Transactive Memory in Human-Computer Interaction

This study investigates the phenomenon of transactive memory by examining trust networks and social presence in human-computer interaction. Traditional theories suggest that transactive memory can be developed by structural mechanisms that increase knowledge specialization and task coordination, but more recent research also suggests that it can be enhanced through social network mechanisms and close relationships such as trust. In this empirical study, 240 participants were randomly assigned to 3-member teams working on a business- simulation task. The results indicate that dense trust networks had a greater impact on transactive memory than sparse trust networks. When social presence was low, team members in dense trust networks developed greater transactive memory. When social presence was high, team members in sparse trust networks developed greater transactive memory. More reciprocal exchanges were found in teams with dense trust networks, but more negotiated exchanges were found in teams with sparse trust networks

Role of Emotions and Aesthetics in ICT Usage for Underserved Communities: A NeuroIS Investigation

Usability and efficiency has received lot of attention in terms of ICT usage and attitude however non instrumental factors like emotions and aesthetics and their impact on ICT usage attitude and performance has not been extensively tested. Further underserved communities are focused communities that have limitations in terms of formal and functional literacy and technology experience. Aesthetics have been shown to be an important predictor of usage but this has not been tested in underserved communities. Also positive emotions have been linked to greater ICT usage as well as aesthetic experience. Measurement of factors like emotions, aesthetic preferences and ICT usage has so far been restricted to questionnaires however we propose to use objective measures like brain imaging technique (EEG) to supplement existing methodologies. The current paper is a research in progress that addresses potential role of aesthetics and emotions for understanding aesthetic preferences and ICT usages in underserved communities

Task-Technology Fit for Low-Literate Consumers: Implications for IS Innovations in the Developing Regions

More consumers in developing regions are using information systems (IS) to facilitate their work and increase productivity. This may imply that more low-literate populations in society are becoming the next billion IS consumers. Yet, how to adapt past IS literature in high-literate context to guide IS designs for low-literate consumers remains a gap. The current study, therefore, aims to apply and extend task-technology fit framework to investigate how IS can be designed to meet the needs and mitigate the constraints of low-literate consumers. Due to the novelty and complexity of the foci phenomenon, a mixed-method approach was adopted to gain in-depth understanding of the proposed research framework. The current paper is a research in progress that aims to make several major theoretical and practical contributions to the social innovation and IS design fields

What Triggers Impulse Purchase Behavior: The Moderating Effects of User Expertise and Product Type

Exposing consumers to persuasive cues can cause them to make impulse purchases. Persuasive cues can be heuristic cue or systematic cue. Heuristic cue uses simple rules to process the information such as identity of the source or other non-content cues. Systematic cue emphasizes detailed processing of message content and uses message-relevant content or arguments to assist in decision making. The features of heuristic cue and systematic cue are investigated to see how they can impact one’s impulse purchase behavior. The amount of expertise a consumer has in a specific product type (search or experience) will shape the relationships between persuasive cues and impulse purchase. The findings contribute to the impulse purchase literature and help merchants and website designers decide on what persuasive cues to provide consumers without overloading them with unnecessary information. To consumers, they will have better grip on their own impulse purchase behavior when exposed to persuasive cues

Network Diversity and Social Cohesion in Creative Performance: A View of Communication Media Mix

Creative performance is a fundamental form of knowledge creation in knowledge intensive organizations. While some studies emphasize the importance of diversity on creative performance, others argue for the role of socially cohesive groups with strong third-party connections. To address the gaps in the literature, this study examines the influence of three attributes of dyadic ties (i.e., network diversity, social cohesion, and communication media mix) on creative performance. From the knowledge, social and technology perspectives, we empirically tested our model using a social network methodology with dyads working on knowledge intensive tasks. The results suggest that network diversity is positively associated with creative performance, and moderate level of social cohesion is preferred for creative performance. The findings also show that the influence of social cohesion on creative performance is weakened by the degree of communication media mix. Implications for research and practice are discussed with respect to creativity in organizations

Information Visualization and Location-Based Services on Mobile Devices

With the widespread adoption of mobile devices and location-based services (LBSs), using location-based information from mobile devices has become increasingly common. However, accomplishing tasks on mobile devices remains challenging due to the complexity of location-based information and visualization constraints of mobile devices. Effective information visualization is, therefore, critical for improving user perceptions and usage. Based on theories of cognition and information visualization, we propose a novel hybrid approach that integrates presentation formats and interactivity features for information visualization. We implement the proposed approach on mobile devices and empirically evaluate it in a laboratory experiment. The results suggest that text- and map-based presentation formats significantly enhance user perceptions. Both semantic zoom and content filtering features have significant effects on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of mobile LBSs. Our theoretical and practical contributions, as well as plans for further testing and enhancing are discussed

Web-enabled boundary spanners and their role in the knowledge flow network

We argue that types of Simmelian-tied employee dyads (dyads embedded in three-person cliques) influences organizational justice perceptions, and knowledge sharing within and across organizational boundaries through virtual workgroups. We study the interaction between employees\u27 advice and friendship ties, shared interpersonal, interactional, procedural and distributive justice perceptions, and the types of knowledge shared from a social network perspective. We predict that Simmelian-tied advice and friendship dyads influence justice perceptions, and in turn knowledge sharing. Compared to Simmelian-tied advice dyads, we suggest that Simmelian-tied friendship dyads were hypothesized to be strongly associated with congruent distributive, interpersonal, and interpersonal justice perceptions. Congruent procedural justice perceptions were likely to be associated with both Simmelian-tied advice and friendship ties. We hypothesized that distributive, procedural, and informational justice perceptions were likely to be shared across formal organizational boundaries through strong friendship ties. We also predicted that positive congruent procedural, interpersonal and informational justice perceptions influenced expert knowledge sharing while congruent distributive justice perceptions influenced product knowledge sharing

Dual Role of ICT Interventions for Semi-Literate Rural Communities: A Social Capital Perspective

Prior research has proposed ICT as an intervention for behavior change but it has primarily focused on literate communities. These techniques, however effective fail to prove their metal when it comes to semi-literate rural communities. Because ICT has played an important role in enabling positive change in developing regions we believe they can be contextualized for semi-literate communities as well. In this paper, we use a social capital perspective to focus on India’s farming communities that have comfortable access to mobile ICTs but have not been fully served. We explore some of the inherent challenges in adopting ICTs in a particular belt of villages in Maharashtra (India). Although our results are preliminary they highlight the importance of contextualizing ICTs specifically for semi-literate communities so that they can be better adopted