Information Sharing and User Behavior in Internet-enabled Peer-to-peer Lending Systems: An Empirical Study

Internet-based information systems (IS) have enabled various forms of collective intelligence, action, and resources (e.g. open source software, innovation marketplaces, crowdsourcing, and crowdfunding). Within the domain of crowdfunding, Internet-enabled Peer-to-Peer Lending Systems (IP2PLS) have emerged as a disruptive technology, with implications for the financial services sector, business capitalization strategies, and personal and community development. IS research investigating user behavior in IP2PLS has revealed the saliency of social identity and personal transparency (as expressed through information sharing) in such systems. Prior research has largely focused on a small number of IP2PLS providers, thus this study examines a very large but under-researched platform. The study tests a theoretical model based on Social Identity Theory and prior IP2PLS studies, through an analysis of 116,667 loan records, and a subsequent analysis of 1000 manually coded records, to investigate the impact of information sharing on user (lenders and borrowers) behavior. The study reveals the importance of social ( vs financial) data, and further reveals relationships that frequently contradict prior findings from other IP2PLS. The study thus implies the need for a more heterogeneous view of the IP2PLS domain, and the need to more fully understand as systems that support user behavior by enabling social information exchanges

IT-enabled innovation contest platforms: an exploration of the impacts and mechanisms of social capital

IT-enabled innovation contest platforms are quickly growing in prominence due their provision of a cost effective, yet far reaching method of allowing organisations to connect with a global network of innovation solvers. Borne of the open innovation movement, this phenomenon and the research surrounding it have emerged suddenly and proliferated rapidly. Although conceptual support for the relevance of social capital as an antecedent of innovation seems compelling, there is a distinct lack of research to support this in existing literature. The result is that little is understood by scholars and practitioners in terms of its influence in the overall contest setting. This research study explores the heretofore unexplored influences of social capital toward these contests. Empirical data was gathered through two rounds of data collection, a pilot study of Trend Micro along with case studies of 15 separate IT-enabled innovation contest platforms. Through this analysis, three theoretical models emerged from the findings, which in turn formed: i. A preliminary theory of social capital for innovation contest platforms ii A preliminary theory of social capital for competitive markets iii A preliminary theory of social capital for collaborative communities The study contributes to IS theory and practice in several ways. Firstly, it provides the first investigation of social capital theory within the innovation contest domain. Through the research strategy implemented, social capital theory is revealed to be a valid and appropriate theoretical lens that can be implemented by future researchers. Secondly, this investigation provides a solid foundation for further investigations, and the academic community is encouraged to validate and refine the theorisations presented herein. Thirdly, the findings serve to identify the strategic value of social capital constructs, while also presenting the mechanisms used to facilitate their development. Fourthly, the findings of this study highlight the need for an understanding of appropriate management strategies towards social capital within the innovation contest platforms

A roadmap to Artificial Intelligence: Navigating core impacts to successfully transform organisations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a highly disruptive technology that will have major effects on the business world over the coming years. It has the potential to allow companies to achieve major efficiency gains and a more productive workforce through automating existing processes, providing deeper levels of analytics, providing better customer support, and increasing security. On the other hand, it may lead to lower staff levels and a drop in existing employee morale. Given the complexities of these projects, AI will only benefit organisations if they understand its capabilities in addition to its shortcomings. This investigation addresses the predicted impact on skills, roles and employee morale of artificial intelligence on the workforce of the future as AI continues to become more prevalent in our society. We investigate these impacts of AI specifically across four key industries by engaging in interviews with experts in the field to answer two research questions: (i) What are the core impacts of introducing AI systems in the workplace?, and; (ii) How can organisations develop AI projects for successful transformation? The inclusion strategy for this research were professionals who were highly knowledgeable in the area, and from our findings we were able to identify several impacts that AI made to companies developing these projects; namely employment levels, workforce morale, and process efficiency. With these insights, we subsequently developed a roadmap which contains the recommended steps and decisions that are necessary for successfully introducing AI to an organisation. This roadmap visualises the key decisions and steps that are critical for any AI based initiative for organisations, which will provide practitioners with a higher level of understanding of what is expected, in addition to enabling more effective collaboration with the system developers. Furthermore, this roadmap allows organisations to take a positive and proactive approach to designing these systems with their workforce in mind and to prepares them for the implications with the development, deployment, and use of these AI systems

Offshore Distances of Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus) Observed during Fall in the Beaufort Sea, 1982–2000: An Alternative Interpretation

Nineteen years (1982– 2000) of sighting data from fall aerial surveys of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea were analyzed to determine how patterns in the distribution of migrating bowhead whales relate to annual sea-ice conditions. Transect sighting rate (transect sightings/km) indicated (ANOVA; F2, 980 = 143.84, p < 0.0001) that bowhead whales occurred farther offshore in years of heavy ice conditions (73.4 km, 95% CL: 67.2–79.6 km) than in years of moderate (49.3 km, 95% CL: 44.8–53.84 km), or light (31.2 km, 95% CL: 30.0–32.4 km) ice conditions. The most plausible explanation for the observed pattern in bowhead whale distribution is that in years of heavy ice conditions (annual pack ice; 1983, 1988, 1991), the developing landfast ice limits availability of shallow nearshore habitat, thus necessitating use of leads and ice openings in deeper water. We acknowledge that factors such as bathymetry, ocean currents, transport, and food availability may also interact to influence autumn distribution of bowhead whales. In heavy ice years, however, these factors likely exert less influence on bowhead whale distribution than in years with light to moderate ice conditions.Les données automnales prélevées à partir de relevés aériens pendant 19 années chez les baleines boréales (1982– 2000) (Balaena mysticetus) de la mer de Beaufort alaskienne ont été analysées dans le but de déterminer comment les tendances caractérisant la répartition des baleines boréales en migration se rapportent à l’état annuel des glaces et de la mer. Le taux de repérage transect (repérage transect/km) a indiqué (ANOVA; F2, 980 = 143.84, p < 0,0001) que les baleines boréales se trouvaient plus loin au large pendant les années où il y avait beaucoup de glace (73,4 km, 95 % CL: 67,2–79,6 km) que pendant les années où la glace était modérée (49,3 km, 95 % CL: 44,8–53.84 km) ou légère (31,2 km, 95 % CL: 30,0–32,4 km). L’explication la plus plausible à la source de la tendance qui a été observée en matière de répartition des baleines boréales, c’est que pendant les années où il y a beaucoup de glace (banquise; 1983, 1988, 1991), la glace de rive en formation limite la disponibilité d’habitats de faible profondeur à proximité du littoral, ce qui nécessite l’utilisation de chenaux et d’ouvertures dans la glace en eau plus profonde. On reconnaît que des facteurs comme la bathymétrie, les courants océaniques, le transport et la disponibilité de la nourriture peuvent également entrer en interaction au point d’exercer une influence sur la répartition automnale des baleines boréales. Cependant, pendant les années où il y a beaucoup de glace, ces facteurs sont susceptibles d’exercer moins d’influence sur la répartition des baleines boréales que pendant les années où la couverture de glace varie de légère à moyenne

Information sharing and user behavior in Internet-enabled Peer-to-Peer Lending Systems: an empirical study

Internet-based information systems (IS) have enabled various forms of collective intelligence, action, and resources (e.g. open source software, innovation marketplaces, crowdsourcing, and crowdfunding). Within the domain of crowdfunding, Internet-enabled Peer-to-Peer Lending Systems (IP2PLS) have emerged as a disruptive technology, with implications for the financial services sector, business capitalization strategies, and personal and community development. IS research investigating user behavior in IP2PLS has revealed the saliency of social identity and personal transparency (as expressed through information sharing) in such systems. Prior research has largely focused on a small number of IP2PLS providers, thus this study examines a very large but under-researched platform. The study tests a theoretical model based on Social Identity Theory and prior IP2PLS studies, through an analysis of 116,667 loan records, and a subsequent analysis of 1000 manually coded records, to investigate the impact of information sharing on user (lenders and borrowers) behavior. The study reveals the importance of social (vs financial) data, and further reveals relationships that frequently contradict prior findings from other IP2PLS. The study thus implies the need for a more heterogeneous view of the IP2PLS domain, and the need to more fully understand as systems that support user behavior by enabling social information exchanges

An exploratory conceptual model for digital entrepreneurs within entrepreneurial ecosystems

The entrepreneurial ecosystem is a well-known concept in supporting the creation and growth of entrepreneurs, driving the economy in a region. However, entrepreneurship is evolving, as more and more novel digital technologies are introduced into our lives. Accordingly, this paper focuses on digital entrepreneurs, who are defined as the entrepreneurs, who utilize innovation based on digital technology to create economic or social value by starting new ventures or transform existing ones (European Commission, 2015), and the relevant ecosystem that supports them. The change in the relationship between digital entrepreneurs and an entrepreneurial ecosystem, as they evolve towards digital products and customer engagement is the focus of this research. We reviewed the literature on the topic of digital entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial ecosystem using a concept-centric matrix, capturing 14 elements of an entrepreneurial ecosystem. These elements include networks, policy and government, professional and support services, capital services, human capital, culture, markets, knowledge sources, intermediaries, informal networks, leadership, physical infrastructure, engagement, and cooperative companies. The identified elements were then used to develop a conceptual framework, which will form the basis for the research strategy. This study sets out to establish the existence of these elements in the ecosystems and the extent of their usefulness. Therefore, this paper seeks to address the research gap of how digital entrepreneurs utilize each ecosystem element to understand their importance in the conceptual framework. We intend to conduct an exploratory quantitative research approach, gathering data from start-up digital entrepreneurs that are engaged in an entrepreneurial ecosystem, by using a data instrument derived from the conceptual framework. Then, we will analyze the data using descriptive and bi-variate statistical tools to uncover causal relations between the elements. The next phase of the research will involve case studies, where we plan to use the updated conceptual framework to undertake in-depth interviews to establish the context of digital entrepreneurial ecosystems

Competitive market innovation contests and social capital: diametrically opposed, or inherently linked?

Competitive market innovation contest platforms are increasingly used by businesses to identify new products or services to offer their customer base; yet, the degree to which social capital has been explored within these online communities remains scarce. While there is ample support for the presence of social capital within other forms of virtual communities to facilitate knowledge sharing, competitive markets represent a unique setting given the inherent competitive nature of their contest solvers. This has led to a distinct lack of prior research exploring this area, especially as previous studies have chosen to focus instead on social capital vis-à-vis solver motivation rather than a standalone theory. We investigate six competitive markets from the perspective of their experts to explore how the three dimensions of social capital have a role within this setting: (1) the structural dimension (involving social ties), (2) the relational dimension (involving trust, reciprocity and self-identity), and (3) the cognitive dimension (involving shared language and shared vision). Through this study, we present a theoretical model of both the emergent themes and the net impacts of social capital within competitive markets, and discuss its implications for both IS research and practice

TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION RISK: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Digital transformation research and industry adoption has been on the rise over the past decade with the majority of organisations viewing it as critical to their survival over the next five years. However, in spite of the benefits of digital transformation, it presents a clear but paradoxical risk to organisations such as the requirement to develop innovative products and services while maintaining a stable customer and employee experience. With an estimated 90% of digital transformation projects resulting in failures, several calls have emerged from within the European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS) and the wider academy for research exploring digital transformation risks and the methodologies to manage them (Munns et al., 2022; Rowland et al., 2022). This article presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of 117 papers from high quality information systems (IS) research outlets. This research identifies six major risks that must be identified, monitored and evaluated to enable digital transformation success. These risks encompass the culture, organisation, processes, and technologies being transformed, along with the stakeholders involved in the initiative, and the overall digital transformation strategy being developed