The Dimensions of Accessibility to Online Information Systems: Implications for MIS Implementation

Prior research has found a strong link between the perceived accessibility of an information source and subsequent use. In the organizational communication literature, research has largely focused on the use of interpersonal and traditional formal, documentary sources. In the MIS literature, accessibility has been found to be positively related to user satisfaction but attitudes toward alternative information sources were not investigated nor has there been an effort to measure both the accessibility of the hardware component of an online system and the accessibility of the actual information once the user has gained access to a computer terminal. The purpose of this study is to investigate the dimensions of perceived accessibil ity to onl ine information systems as a means of facilitating their implementation and acceptance by end users. It is expected that here, accessibility is a more complex concept than prior research has suggested, due in part to the kinds of information sources that were investigated previously. Generally, gaining access to a human or documentary source of information is the same as gaining access to the i nformation itsel f because peopl e have substantial prior experience with these sources. In the case of an onl i ne system, the command 1 anguage or system protocols may still impede use after physical access is achieved. The field study addressed two research questions: 1) what are the dimensions of accessibility for an online information system and 2) are physical access to the system and access to the actual information separate dimensions. Three dimensions of information accessibil ity were measured (reliability, convenience, and ease of use). Terminal accessibility was measured separately. The subjects were 41 graduate students enrolled in a program in information studles who use three commercial bibliographic information systems. Physical access was provided to the systems through the school \u27 s computer 1 aboratory. Because of inconsistent results from these data, additional qualitative data were col 1 ected f rom a second set of 43 graduate students concerning their percepti ons of accessi bil ity and ease of use of online systems. The results suggest that 1) physical access to a terminal and access to the actual information are independent dimensions, 2) accessibility is a multi-dimensional concept encompassing physical access to a terminal and the system, the command language, and the ability to successfully retrieve the desired information, and 3) perceptions of accessibility are a function of prior user experience with online systems. In order to facilitate acceptance of an onl ine system by end users, organizations need to adopt a two-pronged strategy for impl ementation. Fi rst, a great deal of support and training is likely to be important initially until the users master the system\u27s command language. Second, the results suggest that once a user has mastered the command language, unimpeded access to a terminal and continuous availability of the system are essential if the system is to be perceived as accessibility and subsequently used

Giant Food and Elensys: Looking Out For Customer Gross Privacy Invasion?

This case describes the privacy issues surrounding Giant Food\u27s decision to outsource a prescription drug compliance program to Elensys. Under the arrangement, Elensys would send refill reminders to Giant\u27s pharmacy customers. As approximately half of all patients stop taking their medication within the first six months of being prescribed, compliance programs which remind patients to refill their prescriptions help address a major public health issue. However, these programs also raise privacy issues because they involve the reuse of sensitive personal information. The case provides students with an opportunity to assess the privacy issues raised by this situation. The case also provides an opportunity for students to grapple with the challenges of developing a privacy sensitive implementation strategy for Giant and for CRM programs more generally

DESIGNING INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT CUSTOMER FEEDBACK: AN ORGANIZATIONAL MESSAGE SYSTEM PERSPECTIVE

Because technological and feature advantages are short-lived, service after the sale is emerging as an important source of competitive advantage. One way for an organization to differentiate itself from its competitors on the basis of service is the way the organization handles customer feedback. However, before customer feedback can provide competitive advantage or even serve as a basis for decision support, the incoming messages must be captured and routed to the appropriate decision makers in the organization. This paper explores issues related to the design of information systems to support customer feedback from an organizational information processing perspective. After developing the position that all transaction processing systems are in fact organizational message systems, the paper reviews the logistical properties associated with three approaches for customer feedback systems based on the nature of the transaction processing activity associated with each approach: structured (comment cards), semi-structured (toll-free telephone lines), and unstructured (mail). Trade-offs between efficiency and information richness, and the potential roles for information technology are described for the three approaches. The paper concludes by describing the potential relationship between product attributes and the design of customer feedback systems

DOCUMENT PROCESSING IN THE AUTOMATED OFFICE: IMPLICATIONS FOR MIS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

Document processing is an integral part of the automated office. Because document-based information systems are composed largely of unstructured text as opposed to structured data, the techniques which have been successfully applied to the design of current database systems are not adequate for the design of office information systems. The paper identifies issues related to the storage and retrieval of office documents, and the management of information in the automated office. Strategies for broadening MIS research and education to address these issues are suggested

Policy to Avoid a Privacy Disaster

This paper argues that in the current data-rich environment, organizations need formal policies for privacy as a way to avoid “privacy disasters”. Privacy disasters can occur when a company uses consumer data in a way that is legal, but violates public norms for acceptable use. The paper uses a case study to illustrate the elements that often characterize privacy disasters, and describes the principles and processes that can serve as the basis of a privacy policy capable of helping organizations avoid these negative events. The paper also highlights the implications of big data for privacy policy

Is There Gold in California Data Mines?: Using Stakeholder Theory to Analyze the Tradeoff Berween Individual Privacy and the Public Good

In the public sector, tradeoffs between individual citizen concerns and the public good can be complex, since individual goals can conflict with the government’s goals for assuring equity and social welfare. This paper reports on a case study of the Integrated Non-Filer Compliance (INC) system used by the California Franchise Tax Board (CFTB). Data gathered from federal, state and municipal agencies and other organizations are analyzed by CFTB to identify citizens who fail to file taxes or under-report income. The paper uses stakeholder theory to analyze the privacy concerns raised by this inter-agency information-sharing initiative due to the potential for inaccurate judgments based on errors in data interpretation. Key stakeholders here include California citizens, the Franchise Tax Board, and other public sector actors, including politicians and various other state and federal agencies. The paper concludes that stakeholder theory can help identify and avoid privacy issues raised in e-government applications

Panel 15 Researching Privacy: From Computerized Workplaces to the Marketspace

The spectacular increases in worldwide networking, the formation of electronic communities, and the growth of electronic commerce create both increased benefits and increased risks. The benefits, from increased access to information from one’s desktop to the competitive advantages to business, are well publicized. The risks — especially the risks to personal privacy — tend to be downplayed or overlooked. Yet the extensive interconnection that exists in a networked world dramatically increases the amount of personal information that can potentially be collected by third parties, raising new sets of privacy concern

Information Privacy Management: Proactive vs. Reactive Approaches

Information privacy is an important information management issue that continues to challenge managers, policy makers, and researchers. Although we have investigated information privacy concerns at individual and national levels, there remains a significant gap in our understanding of the costs and benefits accruing to the organization when it does—or does not—develop business processes to protect customer and employee information. This panel focuses on the organization in the privacy equation, asking, “Is it possible to successfully institutionalize good privacy practices? Can organizations prevent privacy disasters?