Asymmetric information as a cause for market failure---Application Service Providing (ASP) in Austria

The worldwide ASP market has not developed according to the forecasts of many market researchers. Asymmetric information, also known as quality uncertainty, has hardly been made the subject of discussion in the literature as a potential drawback for the successful development of the ASP market. Therefore, in this paper a theoretical framework is presented, showing three market situations with a varying amount of quality information on the customers’ side and the resulting effects on the market situation and market development. Furthermore, the paper reports on empirical findings that show the existence of quality uncertainty on the Austrian ASP market.Application Service Providing (ASP); ASP quality; ASP market; asymmetric information; quality uncertainty; adverse selection; attribute-based service quality measurement; web-based questionnaire; quality characteristics.

Understanding Coordination in the Information Systems Domain: Conceptualization and Implications

In this paper, we suggest a new conceptualization of coordination in the information systems (IS) domain. The conceptualization builds on neurobiological predispositions for coordinating actions. We assume that human evolution has led to the development of a neurobiological substrate that enables individuals to coordinate everyday actions. At heart, we discuss six activity modalities: contextualization, objectivation, spatialization, temporalization, stabilization, and transition. Specifically, we discuss that these modalities need to collectively function for successful coordination. To illustrate as much, we apply our conceptualization to important IS research areas, including project management and interface design. Generally, our new conceptualization holds value for coordination research on all four levels of analysis that we identified based on reviewing the IS literature (i.e., group, intra-organization, inter-organization, and IT artifact). In this way, our new approach, grounded in neurobiological findings, provides a high-level theory to explain coordination success or coordination failure and, hence, is independent from a specific level of analysis. From a practitioner’s perspective, the conceptualization provides a guideline for designing organizational interventions and IT artifacts. Because social initiatives are essential in multiple IS domains (e.g., software development, implementation of enterprise systems) and because the design of collaborative software tools is an important IS topic, this paper contributes to a fundamental phenomenon in the IS domain and does so from a new conceptual perspective

Human-Computer Interaction and Neuroscience: Science or Science Fiction?

We present two neuroscience experiments that have major implications for HCI research: First, we discuss a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study by Sanfey et al. (2003) who investigated brain activities of players of the Ultimatum Game. It was found that participants had a stronger emotional reaction to unfair offers from humans than to the same offers from a computer. Second, we discuss a Positron Emission Topography (PET) study by Haier et al. (1992) who studied participants playing the computer game Tetris over a period of several weeks. It was found that learning may result in decreased use of extraneous or inefficient brain areas. Finally, we stress the importance of measuring theoretical constructs in HCI research (e.g. user satisfaction) by using neuroscience techniques. Since theoretical constructs are neither directly observable nor objectively measurable, we argue that recent achievements in neuroscience technology will allow for directly measuring feelings and thoughts (e.g. satisfaction) in the future

Understanding Online Payment Method Choice: An Eye-tracking Study

Due to the impact of online payment on the development of e-commerce, this article seeks to deepen the current understanding about the determinants of online payment method choice. Based on an extensive literature review, we identified perceived trustworthiness of the seller and perceived product uncertainty as major determinants, and we theorize that product type, product price, and product description are antecedents of product uncertainty. In our theoretical framework, we model perceived trustworthiness of the seller and perceived product uncertainty as independent variables, which are hypothesized to predict the dependent variable, namely online payment method choice (credit card, debit card, or cash on delivery). Moreover, we define payment method characteristics (e.g., information security) and buyer characteristics (e.g., trust propensity, online shopping experience) as control variables. Also, we describe a laboratory experiment in which we test our theoretical framework. Considering the recent calls for the use of neurobiological and physiological approaches to advance information systems (IS) theorizing (see, for example, www.NeuroIS.org), we suggest using eye-tracking data to complement traditional data sources, particularly those captured through survey research. Specifically, we propose that eyetracking data can be used to measure product uncertainty, a major predictor of online payment method choice, which is associated with unconscious and automatic information processing that cannot be articulated easily through self-reports

Technostress Research: A Nurturing Ground for Measurement Pluralism?

Because technostress research is multidisciplinary in nature and, therefore, benefits from insights gained from various research disciplines, we expected a high degree of measurement pluralism in technostress studies published in the information systems (IS) literature. However, because IS research mostly relies on self-report measures in general, reasons exist to also assume that technostress research has largely neglected multi-method research designs. To assess the status quo of technostress research with respect to the application of multi-method approaches, we analyzed 103 empirical studies. Specifically, we analyzed the types of data-collection methods used and the investigated components of the technostress process (person, environment, stressors, strains, and coping). The results indicate that multi-method research is more prevalent in the IS technostress literature (approximately 37% of reviewed studies) than in the general IS literature (approximately 20% as reported in previous reviews). However, our findings also show that IS technostress studies significantly rely on self-report measures. We argue that technostress research constitutes a nurturing ground for the application of multi-method approaches and multidisciplinary collaboration

Determinants of Information Systems and Information Technology Project Team Success: A Literature Review and a Conceptual Model

During the past years, increasingly more project managers started to recognize that human factors, in particular those related to project team success, are critical for overall project success. Hence, the scientific investigation of this topic has gained momentum. However, a review of the Information Systems and Information Technology (IST) literature on the determinants of project team success reveals that there has been limited research on this topic. Bearing this research gap in mind, it is reasonable to argue that IST theorizing can substantially benefit from new insights from other scientific disciplines in which studies on team effectiveness and project team success are already available. Therefore, the present article reviews and integrates the literature published in other disciplines in order to develop a conceptual model, which provides insights into the determinants of IST project team success. Moreover, a first empirical assessment based on interview data collected from sixteen project experts shows the utility of the model. Consequently, the contribution of the present article is twofold: First, we present a conceptual model applicable to IST project teams. Second, the theoretical insights addressed are useful for project managers who are responsible for project success. Propositions that guide future research are provided, and implications of the model for both theory and practice are discussed

Measurement of Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability with Wearable Devices: A Systematic Review

Wearables are a ubiquitous trend in both commercial and academic settings as they easily enable tracking and monitoring of physiological parameters such as heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). This paper presents a literature review to survey the existing Neuro-Information-Systems (NeuroIS) literature on HR and HRV with a focus on measurement based on wearable devices. We addressed the following four research questions: Who published HR and HRV research? What kind of HR and HRV research has been published? With which wearable devices was HR and HRV measured? How reliable and valid are HR and HRV measurements based on wearable devices? Our review provides answers to these questions and concludes that further efforts are needed to advance the field from both a theoretical and methodological perspective

Interruption science as a research field: Towards a taxonomy of interruptions as a foundation for the field

Interruptions have become ubiquitous in both our personal and professional lives. Accordingly, research on interruptions has also increased steadily over time, and research published in various scientific disciplines has produced different perspectives, fundamental ideas, and conceptualizations of interruptions. However, the current state of research hampers a comprehensive overview of the concept of interruption, predominantly due to the fragmented nature of the existing literature. Reflecting on its genesis in the 1920s and the longstanding research on interruptions, along with recent technological, behavioral, and organizational developments, this paper provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary overview of the various attributes of an interruption, which facilitates the establishment of interruption science as an interdisciplinary research field in the scientific landscape. To obtain an overview of the different interruption attributes, we conducted a systematic literature review with the goal of classifying interruptions. The outcome of our research process is a taxonomy of interruptions, constituting an important foundation for the field. Based on the taxonomy, we also present possible avenues for future research

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERACTIVE DECISION AIDS AND DECISION STRATEGIES: A THEORETICAL ANALYSIS

Internet shops enable customers to easily compare a large number of products. During their buying decision, customers apply decision strategies which describe their way of choosing their preferred product. In order to support the customers, Internet shops offer interactive decision aids like sorting or filtering mechanisms. This paper answers the question, which types of interactive decision aids are necessary to apply specific decision strategies. Based on the analysis, web designers are advised to offer those decision aids that go best with the most commonly used decision strategies and make decisions easier and more precise