Showing papers in "Journal of Management Information Systems in 1996"
TL;DR: Using this framework, IS managers were able to better understand and meet their data consumers' data quality needs and this research provides a basis for future studies that measure data quality along the dimensions of this framework.
Abstract: Poor data quality (DQ) can have substantial social and economic impacts. Although firms are improving data quality with practical approaches and tools, their improvement efforts tend to focus narrowly on accuracy. We believe that data consumers have a much broader data quality conceptualization than IS professionals realize. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that captures the aspects of data quality that are important to data consumers.A two-stage survey and a two-phase sorting study were conducted to develop a hierarchical framework for organizing data quality dimensions. This framework captures dimensions of data quality that are important to data consumers. Intrinsic DQ denotes that data have quality in their own right. Contextual DQ highlights the requirement that data quality must be considered within the context of the task at hand. Representational DQ and accessibility DQ emphasize the importance of the role of systems. These findings are consistent with our understanding that high-quality data should be intrinsically good, contextually appropriate for the task, clearly represented, and accessible to the data consumer.Our framework has been used effectively in industry and government. Using this framework, IS managers were able to better understand and meet their data consumers' data quality needs. The salient feature of this research study is that quality attributes of data are collected from data consumers instead of being defined theoretically or based on researchers' experience. Although exploratory, this research provides a basis for future studies that measure data quality along the dimensions of this framework.
4,069 citations
TL;DR: The results of the study showed that, even though perceived near-term usefulness had the most significant influence on the behavioral intention to use a technology, perceived long- term usefulness also exerted a positive, though lesser, impact.
Abstract: The technology acceptance model (TAM) is one of the most influential research models in studies of the determinants of information systems/information technology (IS/IT) acceptance. In TAM, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are hypothesized and empirically supported as fundamental determinants of user acceptance of a given IS/IT. A review of the IS and psychology literature, however, suggests that perceived usefulness can be of two distinct types: near-term usefulness and long-term usefulness. This paper reviews the concept of perceived usefulness and modifies TAM to include the two types of perceived usefulness. Data collected from nearly 285 administrative/clerical staff in a large organization were tested against the modified model using the structural equation modeling approach. The results of the study showed that, even though perceived near-term usefulness had the most significant influence on the behavioral intention to use a technology, perceived long-term usefulness also exerted a positive, though lesser, impact. No significant, direct relationship was found between ease of use and behavioral intention to use a technology. Implications of the findings and future research areas are discussed.
1,052 citations
TL;DR: Overall IS outsourcing and its five component functions--namely, applications development, systems operations, telecommunications, end-user support, and systems planning and management--are examined for their relationships with outsourcing success.
Abstract: Numerous corporations today are outsourcing specific information systems (IS) functions. The diversity of these outsourcing arrangements goes well beyond that associated with the more traditional facilities management. This paper examines outsourcing trends and reports the results of an empirical study on IS outsourcing. Overall IS outsourcing and its five component functions--namely, applications development, systems operations, telecommunications, end-user support, and systems planning and management--are examined for their relationships with outsourcing success. The effect of service quality of the provider and the ability of companies to build a partnership on these relationships are hypothesized and studied. Data from senior executives in 188 companies are gathered. Outsourcing success is found to be highly related to the degree of outsourcing of two functions, systems operations and telecommunications. The results indicate that transaction cost theory provides a good framework for IS outsourcing and that asset specificity of outsourcing transactions needs to be considered in any decision to outsource. Also, both service quality of the vendor and elements of partnership such as trust, cooperation, and communication are important for outsourcing success. Implications of the study for research and practice are discussed.
979 citations
TL;DR: Results provided substantial support for the proposition that perceived usefulness (rather than perceived fun or social pressure) is the principal motivator and demonstrated that perceived complexity is a key intervening variable linking the antecedent variables (skills, organizational support, and organizational usage) with the three motivational variables.
Abstract: Survey data gathered from 471 professionals and managers in 62 companies in North America were used to test a motivational model of microcomputer usage. The model synthesized prior research findings and proposed that perceived usefulness, perceived fun/enjoyment, and social pressure would motivate increased use of microcomputers by professionals and managers. Results provided substantial support for the proposition that perceived usefulness (rather than perceived fun or social pressure) is the principal motivator. The findings also demonstrated that perceived complexity is a key intervening variable linking the antecedent variables (skills, organizational support, and organizational usage) with the three motivational variables. The results also suggested that skills play a critical role in affecting microcomputer usage. Skills directly promote microcomputer usage and influence usage through their effects on perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and social pressure. The findings of the study contribute to an expanded understanding of the factors that promote microcomputer usage and also have important implications for the management of information systems.
935 citations
TL;DR: Groupware Grid as discussed by the authors is a tool for designing and evaluating group support systems (GSS) software, which is used at the University of Arizona to support cross-cultural and multicultural issues.
Abstract: During the past dozen years, researchers at the University of Arizona have built six generations of group support systems software, conducted over 150 research studies, and facilitated over 4,000 projects. This article reports on lessons learned through that experience. It begins by presenting a theoretical foundation for the Groupware Grid, a tool for designing and evaluating GSS. It then reports lessons from nine key domains: (1)GSS in organizations; (2) cross-cultural and multicultural issues; (3) designing GSS software; (4) collaborative writing; (5) electronic polling; (6) GSS facilities and room design; (7) leadership and facilitation; (8) GSS in the classroom; and (9) business process reengineering.
686 citations
TL;DR: Combined, these generalizations suggest the central contribution of this research-planner's paradox: the planner must complete the SISP study rapidly to facilitate its implementation but in doing so risks compromising its fit to the organization and therefore reduces its chances of implementation.
Abstract: Strategic information systems planning (SISP) has been defined as the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications that will assist an organization in executing its business plans and realizing its business goals. SISP is an important activity for helping information executives and top management identify strategic applications and align IT with business needs. Previous researchers and practitioner observers have identified measures of successful SISP and have recommended many prescriptions for achieving success.In this research, the SISP experiences of 105 planners contribute a new perspective on these prescriptions and the success of SISP. Planners extensively follow the prescriptions that promote the efficient management of the SISP study. Although they also extensively follow those prescriptions that lead to their own greater satisfaction, they do not so rigorously follow those that meet SISP objectives. However, the fit between information technology capabilities and the needs of the organization is important to them. Furthermore, plan implementation remains critical to meeting SISP objectives.Combined, these generalizations suggest the central contribution of this research-planner's paradox: The planner must complete the SISP study rapidly to facilitate its implementation but in doing so risks compromising its fit to the organization and therefore reduces its chances of implementation. The planner must thus plan rapidly enough to produce the plan quickly but carefully enough to produce a relevant one.
264 citations
TL;DR: This paper shows how a system of artificial adaptive agents, using a genetic algorithm-based learning technique, can learn strategies that enable it to effectively participate in stylized business negotiations.
Abstract: This paper shows how a system of artificial adaptive agents, using a genetic algorithm-based learning technique, can learn strategies that enable it to effectively participate in stylized business negotiations. The negotiation policies learned are evaluated on several dimensions including joint outcomes, nearness to the efficient frontier, and similarity to outcomes of human negotiations. The results are promising for integrating such agents into practicable electronic commerce systems. What a system might look like is discussed, as are ways in which particular classes of business negotiations could be supported or even entirely automated.
241 citations
TL;DR: It was proved that the relationships between performance of AIS and influence factors are significantly influenced by the evolution level of IS, and each influence factor should be considered differently in the degree of importance according to the level ofIS evolution.
Abstract: In previous implementation studies, the relationships between influence factors and information systems (IS) performance under the level of IS evolution were not empirically examined. The studies did not consider the evolution level of IS in examining influence factors of IS performance. They have tried to identify critical influence factors without considering the state of the IS and the IS department, that is, the levels of IS evolution.The objectives of this study are to examine the direct relationships between influence factors and performance of accounting information systems (AIS), and to identify the moderating effect of evolution level of IS on the relationships. In this study, the direct relationships and the moderating effect of evolution level of IS were hypothesized.The results of the empirical test suggested that there are significant positive correlations between the performance of an AIS and the influence factors such as user involvement, capability of IS personnel and organization size. It was also proved that the relationships between performance of AIS and influence factors are significantly influenced by the evolution level of IS. Hence, for the success of AIS, each influence factor should be considered differently in the degree of importance according to the level of IS evolution.
226 citations
TL;DR: This research analyzes a data set containing the information technology budgets of over 400 large and medium-sized U.S. corporations and finds that higher IT investments are associated with lower average production costs, lower average total costs, and higher average overhead costs.
Abstract: The performance impacts of information technology (IT) investments in organizations have received considerable attention in recent years. In this research, we investigate the cost factors that are affected by such investments. We analyze a data set containing the information technology budgets of over 400 large and medium-sized U.S. corporations. We find that higher IT investments are associated with lower average production costs, lower average total costs, and higher average overhead costs. We also find that larger companies spend more on information technology as a percentage of their revenues than smaller companies. We do not find any evidence that information technology reduces labor costs in organizations. We explain our findings, which are often counterintuitive but interesting, using basic microeconomic theory of the firm.
224 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a model of the relationship between technological and process innovations and describe the interdependence of these two forces, which is used to explain the inconsistency in the literature regarding the benefits of EDI and other interorganizational systems, which are described as providing strategic competitive advantage in some papers and as providing little or no benefits for implementing firms.
Abstract: Interorganizational business process reengineering is a logical extension of discussions of the potential for interorganizational systems to fundamentally redefine relationships among buyers, sellers, and even competitors within an industry. This paper presents a model of the relationship between technological and process innovations and describes the interdependence of these two forces. This model is used to explain the inconsistency in the literature regarding the benefits of EDI and other interorganizational systems, which are described as providing strategic competitive advantage in some papers and as providing little or no benefits for implementing firms in other articles. The framework describes the importance of merging technological and process innovations in order to transform organizations, processes, and relationships.
223 citations
TL;DR: The economic forces and barriers behind the electronic market adoptions from the perspective of market process reengineering are analyzed and suggestions based on these case studies are presented, relevant to the analysis, design, and implementation of electronic market systems by market-making firms.
Abstract: Over the past few years, various electronic market systems have been introduced by market-making firms to improve transaction effectiveness and efficiency within their markets. Although successful implementation of electronic marketplaces may be found in several industries, some systems have failed or their penetration pace is slower than was projected, indicating that significant barriers remain. This paper analyzes the economic forces and barriers behind the electronic market adoptions from the perspective of market process reengineering. Four cases of electronic market adoptions--two successful and two failed--are used for this analysis. Economic benefits are examined by investigating how the market process innovation enabled by information technology (IT) reduces transaction costs and increases market efficiency. Adoption barriers are identified by analyzing transaction risks and resistance resulting from the reengineering. Successful deployment of electronic market systems requires taking into account these barriers along with the economic benefits of adoption. The paper presents suggestions based on these case studies, which are relevant to the analysis, design, and implementation of electronic market systems by market-making firms.
TL;DR: The results suggest that innovative needs, competitive position, environment, economies of scale, and top management guidance are the most important facilitators, while the lack of IT drivers, the Lack of economies of Scale, and the lackof innovative needs are themost important inhibitors.
Abstract: A field survey was conducted to determine key organizational factors that facilitate and/or inhibit the development of strategic applications of information technology (IT) in business firms. A comprehensive list of potential facilitators and inhibitors for the strategic use of information technology was derived from past research and used as the basis for collecting data from 121 firms. These data were factor-analyzed to determine the key underlying dimensions of facilitators and inhibitors. On the basis of the resulting seven dimensions, stepwise discriminant analysis was used to compare companies that have used IT applications for strategic purposes and companies that have not done so. The results suggest that innovative needs, competitive position, environment, economies of scale, and top management guidance are the most important facilitators, while the lack of IT drivers, the lack of economies of scale, and the lack of innovative needs are the most important inhibitors.
TL;DR: The findings suggest that practitioners could benefit from awareness of the different capabilities provided by the two coordination mechanisms: Vertical coordination enables project managers to bring projects to closure by reducing performance risks and increasing control over the process, whereas horizontal coordination leads to flexible software applications because it allows exploration of ideas and issues.
Abstract: This study compares the structural contingency and risk-based perspectives regarding the effects of project coordination and requirements uncertainty on performance dimensions such as process control and product flexibility. The structural contingency perspective suggests that the fit between coordination and requirements uncertainty influences performance, where fit is conceptualized in three ways: mediation, interaction, and profile deviation. The risk-based perspective suggests that performance risk is an alternative mechanism that explains the effect of coordination and uncertainty on process control and product flexibility.A survey methodology based on sixty-four projects from banking and other industries was used to test the two perspectives and their relevant hypotheses. The results suggest lack of support for any of the three approaches to the structural contingency perspective, but some support for the role of software performance risk in explaining performance. In particular, software performance risk seems to mediate the effect of vertical coordination and requirements uncertainty on process control. Horizontal coordination appears to have a direct and unmediated positive effect on product flexibility but is unrelated to either software performance risk or process control.The findings suggest that practitioners could benefit from awareness of the different capabilities provided by the two coordination mechanisms: Vertical coordination enables project managers to bring projects to closure by reducing performance risks and increasing control over the process, whereas horizontal coordination leads to flexible software applications because it allows exploration of ideas and issues.
TL;DR: This paper presents an empirical examination of object-oriented and process-oriented methodologies as applied to object- oriented andprocess-oriented tasks, and predicted by the theory of cognitive fit, superior performance was observed when the process- oriented tool was applied to the process -oriented task.
Abstract: Requirements modeling constitutes one of the most important phases of the systems development life cycle. Despite the proliferation of methodologies and models for requirements analysis, empirical work examining their relative efficacy is limited. This paper presents an empirical examination of object-oriented and process-oriented methodologies as applied to object-oriented and process-oriented tasks. The conceptual basis of the research model is derived from the theory of cognitive fit, which posits that superior problem-solving performance will result when the problem-solving task and the problem-solving tool emphasize the same type of information. Two groups of subjects participated in an experiment that required them to construct solutions to two requirements-modeling tasks, one process-oriented and the other object-oriented. One group employed the object-oriented tool while the other used the process-oriented tool. As predicted by the theory of cognitive fit, superior performance was observed when the process-oriented tool was applied to the process-oriented task. For the object-oriented task, however, the performance effects of cognitive fit require further investigation since there was no difference in subject performance across the two tools.
TL;DR: This study empirically develops a taxonomy of IT structure based on the degree of centralization of computer processing, capability to support communications, and the ability to share resources using a multistep cluster analysis.
Abstract: This study empirically develops a taxonomy that has implications for matching information technology (IT) and organizational structures. The taxonomy of IT structure is based on the degree of centralization of computer processing, capability to support communications, and the ability to share resources. By using a multistep cluster analysis, both the membership and number of groups are derived from the responses of 313 firms. Four IT structures are identified: centralized (centralized processing, low communication, low sharing), decentralized (decentralized processing, low communication, low sharing), centralized cooperative (centralized processing, high communication, high sharing), and distributed cooperative computing (decentralized processing, high communication, high sharing). Centralized computing is related to functional organizational forms with low integration and centralized decision making. Decentralized computing is related to product organizational forms with decentralized decision making. Centralized cooperative computing is related to functional organizational forms with high integration. Distributed cooperative computing is related to both matrix and product organizational forms with high integration. The ability to identify and understand the implications of IT structure is of critical importance to both academic and management practitioners.
TL;DR: An exploratory investigation of the effects of "national culture" upon group consensus levels and perceptions of participation equity and satisfaction within GSS environments and non-GSS (manual) environments indicates no significant differences in consensus levels between GSS and manual treatments.
Abstract: Few studies of group support systems (GSS) have considered cultural dimensions in their analysis of GSS applications, and even fewer have used empirical data to test their hypotheses. This cross-cultural field study was an exploratory investigation of the effects of "national culture" (U.S. and Mexican) upon group consensus levels and perceptions of participation equity and satisfaction within GSS environments and non-GSS (manual) environments. Within both the U.S. and Mexican cultures, results indicate no significant differences in consensus levels between GSS and manual treatments. However, both U.S and Mexican groups generated significantly greater relative changes in consensus levels using GSS technology versus manual technology. Comparison between cultures shows that Mexican groups generated higher levels of consensus than U.S. groups with main effects due to culture and experimental treatment (i.e., GSS support).While U.S. group participants reported no differences in satisfaction among experimental treatments, Mexican participants reported higher satisfaction levels using GSS-supported environments. In a similar pattern, U.S. participants reported no differences in perceived participation equity between treatments, while Mexican GSS participants reported higher participation equity than Mexican manual participants. A comparison study between cultures found that Mexican participants across all treatments perceived higher levels of satisfaction and participation equity than U.S. participants with main effects due to culture.
TL;DR: A theoretical model is constructed and empirically test that suggests that top management support does not affect CASE adoption behavior, which suggests that such support may be more critical for postadoption stages of the diffusion process.
Abstract: The adoption rate of computer-aided software engineering (CASE) technology continues to be low among information systems departments (ISDs). Some ISDs have reported significant hurdles in propagating CASE usage, while documenting the advantages of the technology. We construct and empirically test a theoretical model to explain CASE adoption behavior. Factors considered include need pull (environmental instability of the ISD and performance gap of the ISD), technology push (internal experimentation and learning from external information sources), and the adoption context (top-management support for the IS function, CASE championship, training availability, and job/role rotation). A national survey of 2,700 ISDs resulted in 405 usable responses for the data analysis.Our analysis suggests a reasonable fit between the model and the data. The results indicate that the need-pull factors do not directly promote CASE adoption behavior. Performance deficit promotes CASE championship behavior while negatively affecting other elements of the adoption context. The instability of ISDs, where the very existence of the ISD may be in question, negatively affects all elements of the adoption context. Learning about CASE from external information sources directly promotes CASE adoption. Both technology push factors positively affect all four elements of the adoption context. Of the contextual elements, CASE training availability, CASE championship, and job/role rotation positively affect CASE adoption behavior. Top management support does not affect CASE adoption behavior, which suggests that such support may be more critical for postadoption stages of the diffusion process.
TL;DR: Two key themes are explored as possible explanations for the impact of groupware: fit of the technology to the organization, and limited training in how best to use this new technology.
Abstract: Work in organizations is becoming increasingly focused on collaborative work in groups. Groupware is widely touted as the information technology that can support this new mode of work by fostering collaboration. In a study of Lotus Notes®, a popular groupware product, implemented throughout the professional staff of a large American insurance company, we found the impact of groupware to be somewhat different from certain common expectations. While almost everyone was quite pleased with the Notes® implementation and its perceived impact, there was no evidence of a change in the degree of collaboration among organization members. Two key themes are explored as possible explanations for this result: fit of the technology to the organization, and limited training in how best to use this new technology.
TL;DR: It is found that competitive strategy, information technology (IT) maturity and size influence firms' perceived increase in IT investment and suggests that the new competitive strategies will be increasingly technology-based global initiatives that are affected by the firms' IT maturity.
Abstract: Recently the globalization of competition has caused many firms in the financial services industry to integrate their information systems. Based on a selective review of literature from strategic and information management disciplines, a model is developed to study the firms' strategic response to Europe 1992 and Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreements. According to a survey of 213 managers, this study finds that competitive strategy, information technology (IT) maturity and size influence firms' perceived increase in IT investment. Further, this study finds that the degree of IT integration within firms is a primary determinant of firms' willingness to use IT as part of their strategic response to globalization. It suggests that the new competitive strategies will be increasingly technology-based global initiatives that are affected by the firms' IT maturity.
TL;DR: Based on the responses from 213 IT leaders in the financial services industry, this study found that the rank and role of a firm's IT leader must be aligned with the firm's competitive strategy.
Abstract: Today's firms are faced with new competitive and technological challenges As a consequence, many senior executives are looking for information technology (IT) leaders who not only can understand technology but also can comprehend technology's potential to affect business strategy For the IT leaders, rising to such numerous, and often conflicting, challenges is not easy Indeed, there is a higher than average corporate dismissal rate and shorter tenure for IT leaders compared with other top executives Based on the responses from 213 IT leaders in the financial services industry, this study found that the rank and role of a firm's IT leader must be aligned with the firm's competitive strategy The implications of the findings for the firms' executives, as well as researchers, are discussed in detail
TL;DR: The data suggest that users who perceive themselves as functional experts, relative to others, are unlikely to accept a system unless they exerted a substantive influence on its design, and the appropriate extent of a participant user's influence on system design.
Abstract: User participation in information systems development is considered the key to system success in organizations. The empirical evidence, however, does not support this. A review of the literature suggests that one critical weakness in empirical investigations is inadequacy of operational measures of participation to gauge user influence on system design. Furthermore, there is also a growing consensus that the contradictory evidence may be due to a contingent, rather than a direct, relationship between participation and system success. This conception asserts that the outcome of user participation may depend on various contextual variables.One variable in particular--users' system-related functional expertise--is believed to moderate the outcome of participation. This paper derives the contingent effect of user expertise and reports the results of a controlled laboratory experiment and a field survey conducted to test it. The data suggest that users who perceive themselves as functional experts, relative to others, are unlikely to accept a system unless they exerted a substantive influence on its design. On the other hand, users who perceive themselves as functional nonexperts, relative to others, are likely to accept a system regardless of the extent of their influence on its design. This finding suggests user expertise as a useful criterion for selecting participants to serve on design teams and for determining the appropriate extent of a participant user's influence on system design.
TL;DR: This paper examines the relationship between project risk and option values of investments in new information technologies and illustrates how this relationship is significantly different from well-known results in the case of financial option pricing.
Abstract: Justification of investments in information technologies is an important research topic in the information systems area. Several approaches have been proposed. One of these highlights the deficiencies of traditional economic justification based on net present value, and proposes the use of techniques based on financial option pricing theory. This paper examines the relationship between project risk and option values of investments in new information technologies and illustrates how this relationship is significantly different from well-known results in the case of financial option pricing. Conditions for determining the desirability of risky projects are derived.
TL;DR: The findings show that the perceptions of the end users and ICPSs were similar in terms of assessing the ease of use of software packages, however, end users found the software packages less useful than did IC product specialists.
Abstract: Evidence suggests that information centers (ICs) have significantly more interest in evaluating software packages and assisting in the selection of software packages than end users have. However, the selection of software packages by the information center product specialists (ICPSs) can compromise their usage. Ease of use and usefulness are believed to be fundamental predictors of usage. The question of whether ICPSs are able to correctly evaluate ease of use and usefulness of software packages for end users is posed. An insight into this issue could enhance end-user computing (EUC) policy and lead to a more effective partnership between end users and information systems (IS) professionals. A search for this insight provided the motivation for our empirical investigation of the perception of ICPSs and end users in assessing the ease of use and usefulness of thirty different software packages. Our investigation was performed in an organization with an IC that had evolved to the formalization stage. The findings show that the perceptions of the end users and ICPSs were similar in terms of assessing the ease of use of software packages. However, end users found the software packages less useful than did IC product specialists. Therefore, in sophisticated environments, end users should be empowered to develop their own user groups and suggest to IC personnel which useful software packages to acquire. Otherwise, selection of software packages without end-user participation could have an adverse effect on their usage.
TL;DR: This work includes an analysis of three organizations in terms of project outcomes, organizational learning outcomes, and organizational performance, and five critical success factors are identified that may contribute to organizational learning during advanced system development.
Abstract: Higher-order organizational learning occurs when a company adopts new principles, assumptions, and paradigms, which often turn into competitive advantage. Systems development and implementation offer an opportunity for higher-order organizational learning that is rarely exploited. Advanced information systems, in particular expert systems (ES) and executive information systems (EIS), provide ample opportunities for higher-order organizational learning if the development process is structured in certain ways. This work includes an analysis of three organizations in terms of project outcomes, organizational learning outcomes, and organizational performance. On the basis of these assessments, five critical success factors are identified that may contribute to organizational learning during advanced system development. The relationships between these factors and organizational outcomes are summarized in a preliminary model that can form the basis for future research. The work closes with some recommendations for ways information systems managers can encourage higher-order organizational learning during advanced system development.
TL;DR: Researchers should focus on other factors that might facilitate error finding, and practitioners should be cautious about relying on spreadsheets' accuracy, even those that have been "audited."
Abstract: The pervasiveness and impact of electronic spreadsheets have generated serious concerns about their integrity and validity when used in significant decision-making settings. Previous studies have shown that few of the errors that might exist in any given spreadsheet are found, even when the reviewer is explicitly looking for errors. It was hypothesized that differences in the spreadsheets' presentation and their formulas could affect the detection rate of these errors. A sample of 113 M.B.A. students volunteered to search for eight errors planted in a one-page spreadsheet. The spreadsheet was presented in five different formats. A 2 × 2 design specified that four groups were given apparently conventional spreadsheets for comparing paper and screen and the presence or absence of formulas. A fifth group received a special printed spreadsheet with formulas visibly integrated into the spreadsheet-printed in a small font directly under the resultant values. As in previous studies, only about 50 percent of the errors were found overall. Subjects with printed spreadsheets found more errors than their colleagues with screen-only spreadsheets but they took longer to do so. There was no discernible formula effect; subjects who were able to refer to formulas did not outperform subjects with access to only the final numbers. The special format did not facilitate error finding. Exploratory analysis uncovered some interesting results. The special experimental integrated paper format appeared to diminish the number of correct items falsely identified as errors. There also seemed to be differences in performance that were accounted for by the subjects' self-reported error-finding strategy. Researchers should focus on other factors that might facilitate error finding, and practitioners should be cautious about relying on spreadsheets' accuracy, even those that have been "audited."
TL;DR: This work develops a set of alternatives for incumbent firms facing increasing "contestability" in their markets and the threat of agile entrants with cream-skimming strategies and newer technology.
Abstract: New entrants in many industries are able to challenge the business of historically dominant firms. In many markets, dominant players have pursued pricing and service policies that, although once highly effective, now make their markets attractive targets for aggressive new entrants. The entrants' strategies rely on lower overhead costs, new technologies, alternative distribution channels, and the active targeting of profitable customers. Several factors will make it possible for entrants to attack dominant players; simplistic historical pricing mistakes or policies of promising or providing universal service will make it attractive for new entrants to attack. Restrictions on the flexibility of incumbents--both externally and internally imposed--may make it difficult for dominant players to defend themselves effectively against attack by more flexible entrants with cream-skimming strategies and newer technology. We develop a set of alternatives for incumbent firms facing increasing "contestability" in their markets and the threat of agile entrants.
TL;DR: The results of the study indicate that the surrogate IS professionals were much more productive and produced higher-quality applications than did the end users and suggest that additional research on the efficacy of end users as application developers is needed.
Abstract: As inexpensive microcomputers and easy-to-use software have proliferated throughout organizations, increasing numbers of employees are developing applications. The end-user computing (EUC) literature contains many prescriptions for managing this activity, but there has been little direct empirical examination of the effectiveness of end users as application developers. This paper describes a study in which five different applications were developed independently by paired teams of end users and IS students acting as surrogate IS professionals. This permitted comparison of end users and surrogate IS professionals on the quality of the finished applications and on productivity. The quality analysis focused on technical design and implementation factors as measured by defect counting and a subjective quality attribute rating. Productivity was measured by function point analysis and lines-of-code metrics.The results of the study indicate that the surrogate IS professionals were much more productive and produced higher-quality applications than did the end users. The fact that student surrogates significantly outperformed the end users is particularly interesting since experienced IS professionals might be expected to show even greater differences in productivity and quality. The study should be replicated using IS professionals to confirm the preliminary findings. The results suggest that additional research on the efficacy of end users as application developers is needed.
TL;DR: While software productivity differences between the ICASE tool types could not be confirmed, productivity was significantly higher for the rapid application development method in comparison with the productivity associated with the traditional systems development life cycle method.
Abstract: Integrated computer-aided software engineering (ICASE) tools and their effect on software development effort and productivity have gained interest in recent research. This research studies the applicability of function points and technical complexity factor as software development effort estimators for ICASE projects. In addition, the effect of three factors--ICASE tool type, systems development method, and ICASE tool experience--on software development productivity is studied. ICASE-based software projects from Texas Instruments and Electronic Data Systems were used in this empirical research. Function points accounted for 74 to 82 percent of the variance in software development effort. Technical complexity factor, however, had only a small indirect effect on software effort. While software productivity differences between the ICASE tool types could not be confirmed, productivity was significantly higher for the rapid application development method in comparison with the productivity associated with the traditional systems development life cycle method. Higher levels of ICASE tool experience were associated with significant increases in software productivity.
TL;DR: It is concluded that database representation is an important factor in database use and that the interaction between a database structure representation and a query language may dramatically affect database learning and use.
Abstract: Successful use of a computerized database by end users requires both an understanding of the structure of the database and knowledge of the available query language. Previous research has focused almost exclusively on query languages with little concern for how database structure is represented. This paper reports on an experiment that explores the influence of database structure representation on the ability of users to learn and use a database system. Four alternative representations of the same databases are developed and compared. These representations differ in semantics, symbols, and means of representing relationships. Interestingly, representation features that aid in communicating the contents of a database appear to hinder the learning of the SQL query language. We conclude that database representation is an important factor in database use and that the interaction between a database structure representation and a query language may dramatically affect database learning and use.
TL;DR: Investigating how organizations in the United States react to mainframe price changes over a period of thirty years, from 1955 to 1984, indicates that price is an important factor in the diffusion process, and organizations' reactions to price changes are not constant.
Abstract: The organizational adoption of information technology (IT) innovations has been an area of increasing research activity in the last two decades. While much attention has focused on the relationship between attributes of the innovation and the adoption decision, little has been done to study the adopters' reactions to changes in these attributes over time. An important innovation attribute is price, which is commonly used as a proxy for adoption cost. In this paper, we investigate how organizations in the United States react to mainframe price changes over a period of thirty years, from 1955 to 1984. A parsimonious diffusion model that integrates both diffusion and pricing effects is developed. The model is empirically tested using annual adoption and pricing data of mainframes. Quality-adjusted price index is used to account for any changes in quality improvement over time. Our findings indicate that (1) price is an important factor in the diffusion process, (2) organizations' reactions to price changes (i.e., price elasticity) are not constant, and (3) elasticity dynamics can serve as an innovation attribute that provides a continuous characterization of adoption behavior over the life cycle of an innovation. Implications to IS research and opportunities for future work are also discussed.