Which Processes Do Users Not Want Online? - Extending Process Virtualization Theory

Following the advent of the Internet more and more processes are provided virtually, i.e., without physical interactions between involved people and objects. For instance, E-Commerce has virtualized shopping processes since products are bought without physical inspection and interaction with sales staff. This study is founded on the key idea of process virtualization theory (PVT) that from the users’ perspective not all processes are equally amenable for virtualization. We investigate characteristics of processes, which are causing users’ resistance toward the virtualized process. Surveying 501 individuals regarding 10 processes, this study constitutes the first quantitative test evaluating the prediction capabilities of PVT by analysis of varying processes. Moreover, it introduces and successfully tests the extended PVT (EPVT), which integrates PVT with multiple, related constructs from extant literature in a unified model with multi-order causal relations. Thereby, it clearly enhances our understanding of human behavior with regard to the frequent phenomenon process virtualization

How Digital Divide affects Public E-Services: The Role of Migration Background

After the private sector the public sector also tries to benefit from the advantages of electronic service delivery, in particular from lower costs and higher service quality. While more and more services are available electronically, resident behind. But high usage rates and therefore a maximized potential target group, covering major parts of society, are essential prerequisite for successful public e-services. If the residents are not using the newly created electronic services, neither they benefit from better service quality nor do the public service provider save money. Digital divide research can be leveraged to maximize the potential target group of public e-service. For this purpose a focus on public e-services as level of analysis is required, since Internet access or regular Internet usage are necessary but no sufficient conditions for being able to use public e-services. This study employs qualitative research methods in an exploratory case study design to analyze the influence of migration background on the capability to use public e-services. It provides two testable propositions for further confirmatory research: Due to limited language skills and different cultural experiences, for residents with migration background Internet experience does not directly translate into confidence in their own public e-service skills

Up in the cloud: Understanding the chasm between expectations and reality

CEOs increasingly demand their IT function to fully exploit the opportunities of cloud computing for their company. At the same time, we observe that employees make experiences with cloud services in their private life, which they seamlessly transfer and expect in the workplace - a phenomenon called cloud consumerization. Thereby, employees use self-deployed cloud services for solving business problems which they find more useful than the IT products provided by work. In light of these revolutionary changes, we propose that user experiences and outcomes are contingent on the process through which cloud services are adopted in companies. Systemizing cloud adoption as a continuum of top-down and bottom-up processes, we assume that adoption processes are distinct with respect to users’ social and governance context. In this paper, we outline the theoretical and methodological foundation, provide details on the expected theoretical contributions and give information regarding next steps of our research project

A systemizing research framework for Web 2.0

Web 2.0 has recently been one of the most discussed topics in Information Systems science and practice. However, little consensus is found on what its components and characteristics actually are and what a comprehensive conceptualization might look like. This paper tries to shed light on these questions by systemizing the phenomenon’s characteristics in a hierarchical framework. In a first step, we apply content and cluster analysis on contributions of the field and inductively identify 103 raw categories which are then clustered into ten subcategories and two main categories. Namely these identified main categories of Web 2.0 are: ‘Technological Characteristics’ and ‘Socioeconomic Characteristics’. In a second step, we pretest and optimize the constructs for applicability and ambiguities and finally apply them to evaluate on the importance and weighting of the discovered subcategories. The resulting framework is found to comply with common quality measures for content analysis and classification schemes. It can be used to analyze and explore economic or social phenomena associated with Web 2.0 in a systematic manner

Building Taxonomies in IS and Management – A Systematic Approach Based on Content Analysis

Classification schemes such as taxonomies are important groundwork for research on many topics in Information Systems (IS) and Management. They make investigating topics manageable by allowing researchers to delimit their work to certain taxa or types and provide a basis for generalization. Opposed to theoretically grounded typologies, taxonomies are empirically derived from entities of a phenomenon under investigation and therefore have several advantages such as more detailed and exhaustive coverage. Nevertheless, research is still missing a clear set of procedures on how to empirically build taxonomies. We tackle this topic by suggesting an inductive approach based on the procedures of content and cluster analysis. Each of the proposed six steps is amended with comprehensive state of the art guidelines, suggestions, alternatives and formative measures of reliability and validity

How cloud computing impacts stock market prices

Cloud computing is an evolution of computing technology and reflects a shift in the way it is delivered to businesses and individuals. Enterprises can significantly lower their cost of ownership, reduce time to value and faster adapt to changing needs in a globalized economy. Despite research and practice predict productivity increases and cost savings when migrating to the cloud one question remains unanswered: Does the adoption of cloud computing increase the market value of the firm? We try to answer this question by applying the event study methodology on companies that recently announced the deployment of cloud computing. Overall, we find significant positive abnormal returns. We find that investors specifically reward innovative and strategically motivated adoption of cloud computing. As a key implication of our results, we recommend in particular IT executives in large companies within the service industry to reassess their portfolio and foster the adoption of strategic and innovative cloud services

The Effect of Smart Contracts on Online Investment Decisions: An Experimental Study in ICOs

The imbalance of internal and external knowledge for investments in Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) leads to an information asymmetry, where issuers may further exploit a moral hazard as a resulting mismatch of time and interest during lock-up situations. The existing regulatory vacuum is mirrored by literature, as scholars deliver insights on effective means of signaling. However, research on smart contracts as immutable mechanisms and effective signals to mitigate risks for online investments remains an untapped subject, whilst market demand for solutions to an existing agency problem remains high. To respond to a pressing research question, this study conducted a randomized between-subjects online experiment with a sample of 391 participants. Results include a significant positive effect of the implementation of smart contracts on investor decisions in a present lock-up situation

ON THE ROLE OF SMARTNESS IN HELPING CONSUMERS CREATE SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES

The proliferation of smart technologies transforms the way individual consumers perform tasks. Considerable research alludes that smart technologies are often related to domestic energy consumption. However, it remains unclear how such technologies transform tasks and thereby impact our planet. We explore the role of technological smartness in personal day-to-day tasks that help create a more sustainable future. In the absence of theory, but facing extensive changes in everyday life enabled by smart technologies, we draw on phenomenon-based theorizing (PBT) guidelines. As anchor, we refer to task endogeneity related to task-technology fit theory (TTF). As infusion, we employ theory on public goods. Our model proposes novel relations between the concepts of smart-autonomy and -transparency with sustainable task outcomes, mediated by task convenience and task significance. We discuss some implications, limitations, and future research opportunities