Showing papers in "Management Information Systems Quarterly in 2007"

Assimilation of enterprise systems: the effect of institutional pressures and the mediating role of top management

Abstract: We develop and test a theoretical model to investigate the assimilation of enterprise systems in the post-implementation stage within organizations. Specifically, this model explains how top management mediates the impact of external institutional pressures on the degree of usage of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The hypotheses were tested using survey data from companies that have already implemented ERP systems. Results from partial least squares analyses suggest that mimetic pressures positively affect top management beliefs, which then positively affects top management participation in the ERP assimilation process. In turn, top management participation is confirmed to positively affect the degree of ERP usage. Results also suggest that coercive pressures positively affect top management participation without the mediation of top management beliefs. Surprisingly, we do not find support for our hypothesis that top management participation mediates the effect of normative pressures on ERP usage, but instead we find that normative pressures directly affect ERP usage. Our findings highlight the important role of top management in mediating the effect of institutional pressures on IT assimilation. We confirm that institutional pressures, which are known to be important for IT adoption and implementation, also contribute to post-implementation assimilation when the integration processes are prolonged and outcomes are dynamic and uncertain.

Specifying formative constructs in information systems research

Abstract: While researchers go to great lengths to justify and prove theoretical links between constructs, the relationship between measurement items and constructs is often ignored. By default, the relationship between construct and item is assumed to be reflective, meaning that the measurement items are a reflection of the construct. Many times, though, the nature of the construct is not reflective, but rather formative. Formative constructs occur when the items describe and define the construct rather than vice versa. In this research, we examine whether formative constructs are indeed being mistaken for reflective constructs by information systems researchers. By examining complete volumes of MIS Quarterly and Information Systems Research over the last 3 years, we discovered that a significant number of articles have indeed misspecified formative constructs. For scientific results to be valid, we argue that researchers must properly specify formative constructs. This paper discusses the implications of different patterns of common misspecifications of formative constructs on both Type I and Type II errors. To avoid these errors, the paper provides a roadmap to researchers to properly specify formative constructs. We also discuss how to address formative constructs within a research model after they are specified.

Understanding and mitigating uncertainty in online exchange relationships: a principal- agent perspective

Abstract: Despite a decade since the inception of B2C e-commerce, the uncertainty of the online environment still makes many consumers reluctant to engage in online exchange relationships. Even if uncertainty has been widely touted as the primary barrier to online transactions, the literature has viewed uncertainty as a "background" mediator with insufficient conceptualization and measurement. To better understand the nature of uncertainty and mitigate its potentially harmful effects on B2C e-commerce adoption (especially for important purchases), this study draws upon and extends the principal-agent perspective to identify and propose a set of four antecedents of perceived uncertainty in online buyer seller relationship superceived information asymmetry, fears of seller opportunism, information privacy concerns, and information security concerns which are drawn from the agency problems of adverse selection (hidden information) and moral hazard (hidden action). To mitigate uncertainty in online exchange relationships, this study builds upon the principal agent perspective to propose a set of four uncertainty mitigating factor-trust, website informativeness, product diagnosticity, and social presence-that facilitate online exchange relationships by overcoming the agency problems of hidden information and hidden action through the logic of signals and incentives. The proposed structural model is empirically tested with longitudinal data from 521 consumers for two products (prescription drugs and books) that differ on their level of purchase involvement. The results support our model, delineating the process by which buyers engage in online exchange relationships by mitigating uncertainty. Interestingly, the proposed model is validated for two distinct targets, a specific website and a class of websites. Implications for understanding and facilitating online exchange relationships for different types of purchases, mitigating uncertainty perceptions, and extending the principal-agent perspective are discussed.

How habit limits the predictive power of intention: the case of information systems continuance

Abstract: Past research in the area of information systems acceptance has primarily focused on initial adoption under the implicit assumption that IS usage is mainly determined by intention. While plausible in the case of initial IS adoption, this assumption may not be as readily applicable to continued IS usage behavior since it ignores that frequently performed behaviors tend to become habitual and thus automatic over time. This paper is a step forward in defining and incorporating the "habit" construct into IS research. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to explore the role of habit and its antecedents in the context of continued IS usage. Building on previous work in other disciplines, we define habit in the context of IS usage as the extent to which people tend to perform behaviors (use IS) automatically because of learning. Using recent work on the continued usage of IS (IS continuance), we have developed a model suggesting that continued IS usage is not only a consequence of intention, but also of habit. In particular, in our research model, we propose IS habit to moderate the influence of intention such that its importance in determining behavior decreases as the behavior in question takes on a more habitual nature. Integrating past research on habit and IS continuance further, we suggest how antecedents of behavior/behavioral intention as identified by IS continuance research relate to drivers of habitualization. We empirically tested the model in the context of voluntary continued WWW usage. Our results support the argument that habit acts as a moderating variable of the relationship between intentions and IS continuance behavior, which may put a boundary condition on the explanatory power of intentions in the context of continued IS usage. The data also support that satisfaction, frequency of past behavior, and comprehensiveness of usage are key to habit formation and thus relevant in the context of IS continuance behavior. Implications of these findings are discussed and managerial guidelines presented.

E-commerce product recommendation agents: use, characteristics, and impact

Abstract: Recommendation agents (RAs) are software agents that elicit the interests or preferences of individual consumers for products, either explicitly or implicitly, and make recommendations accordingly RAs have the potential to support and improve the quality of the decisions consumers make when searching for and selecting products online They can reduce the information overload facing consumers, as well as the complexity of online searches Prior research on RAs has focused mostly on developing and evaluating different underlying algorithms that generate recommendations This paper instead identifies other important aspects of RAs, namely RA use, RA characteristics, provider credi'r, and user-RA interaction, which influence users' decision-making processes and outcomes, as well as their evaluation of RAs It goes beyond generalized models, such as TAM, and identifies the RA-specific features, such as RA input, process, and output design characteristics, that affect users' evaluations, including their assessments of the usefulness and ease-of-use of RA applications Based on a review of existing literature on e-commerce RAs, this paper develops a conceptual model with 28 propositions derived from five theoretical perspectives The propositions help answer the two research questions: (1) How do RA use, RA characteristics, and other factors influence consumer decision making processes and outcomes? (2) How do RA use, RA characteristics, and other factors influence users' evaluations of RAs? By identifying the critical gaps between what we know and what we need to know, this paper identifies potential areas of future research for scholars It also provides advice to information systems practitioners concerning the effective design and development of RAs

The impact of knowledge coordination on virtual team performance over time

Abstract: As the role of virtual teams in organizations becomes increasingly important, it is crucial that companies identify and leverage team members' knowledge. Yet, little is known of how virtual team members come to recognize one another's knowledge, trust one another's expertise, and coordinate their knowledge effectively. In this study, we develop a model of how three behavioral dimensions associated with transactive memory systems (TMS) in virtual teams-expertise location, task-knowledge coordination, and cognition-based trust-and their impacts on team performance change over time. Drawing on the data from a study that involves 38 virtual teams of MBA students performing a complex web-based business simulation game over an 8-week period, we found that in the early stage of the project, the frequency and volume of task-oriented communications among team members played an important role in forming expertise location and cognition-based trust. Once TMS were established, however, task-oriented communication became less important. Instead, toward the end of the project, task-knowledge coordination emerges as a key construct that influences team performance, mediating the impact of all other constructs. Our study demonstrates that TMS can be formed even in virtual team environments where interactions take place solely through electronic media, although they take a relatively long time to develop. Furthermore, our findings show that, once developed, TMS become essential to performing tasks effectively in virtual teams.

It road warriors: balancing work-family conflict, job autonomy, and work overload to mitigate turnover intentions

Abstract: This study examines the antecedents of turnover intention among information technology road warriors. Road warriors are IT professionals who spend most of their workweek away from home at a client site. Building on Moore's (2000) work on turnover intention, this article develops and tests a model that is context-specific to the road warrior situation. The model highlights the effects of work family conflict and job autonomy, factors especially applicable to the road warrior's circumstances. Data were gathered from a company in the computer and software services industry. This study provides empirical evidence for the effects of work family conflict, perceived work overload, fairness of rewards, and job autonomy on organizational commitment and work exhaustion for road warriors. The results suggest that work family conflict is a key source of stress among IT road warriors because they have to juggle family and job duties as they work at distant client sites during the week. These findings suggest that the context of the IT worker matters to turnover intention, and that models that are adaptive to the work context will more effectively predict and explain turnover intention.

The value of privacy assurance: an exploratory field experiment

Abstract: This paper reports the results of an exploratory field experiment in Singapore that assessed the values of two types of privacy assurance: privacy statements and privacy seals. We collaborated with a local firm to host the experiment on its website with its real domain name, and the subjects were not informed of the experiment. Hence, the study provided a field observation of the subjects' behavioral responses toward privacy assurances. We found that (1) the existence of a privacy statement induced more subjects to disclose their personal information but that of a privacy seal did not; (2) monetary incentive had a positive influence on disclosure; and (3) information request had a negative influence on disclosure. These results were robust in other specifications that used alternative measures for some of our model variables. We discuss this study in relation to the extant privacy literature, most of which employs surveys and laboratory experiments for data collection, and draw related managerial implications.

Toward a deeper understanding of system usage in organizations: a multilevel perspective

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to contribute to a deeper understanding of system usage in organizations by examining its multilevel nature. Past research on system usage has suffered from a levels bias, with researchers studying system usage at single levels of analysis only (e.g., the individual, group, or organizational level). Although single-level research can be useful, we suggest that studying organizations one level at a time will ultimately lead to an unnatural, incomplete, and very disjointed view of how information systems are used in practice. To redress this situation, we draw on recent advances in multilevel theory to present system usage as a multilevel construct and provide an illustration for what it takes for researchers to study it as such. The multilevel perspective advanced in this article offers rich opportunities for theoretical and empirical insights and suggests a new foundation for in-depth research on the nature of system usage, its emergence and change, and its antecedents and consequences.

Developing health information systems in developing countries: the flexible standards strategy

Abstract: The development of appropriate integrated and scalable information systems in the health sector in developing countries has been difficult to achieve, and is likely to remain elusive in the face of continued fragmented funding of health programs, particularly related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic In this article, we propose a strategy for developing information infrastructures in general and in particular for the health care sector in developing countries We use complexity science to explain the challenges that need to be addressed, in particular the need for standards that can adapt to a changing health care environment, and propose the concept of flexible standards as a key element in a sustainable infrastructure development strategy Drawing on case material from a number of developing countries, a case is built around the use of flexible standards as attractors, arguing that if they are well defined and simple, they will be able to adapt to the frequent changes that are experienced in the complex health environment A number of paradoxes are highlighted as useful strategies, integrated independence being one that encourages experimentation and heterogeneity to develop and share innovative solutions while still conforming to simple standards The article provides theoretical concepts to support standardization processes in complex systems, and to suggest an approach to implement health standards in developing country settings that is sensitive to the local context, allows change to occur through small steps, and provides a mechanism for scaling information systems

Turnover of information technology professionals: a narrative review, meta-analytic structural equation modeling, and model development

Abstract: This study combines a narrative review with meta-analytic techniques to yield important insights about the existing research on turnover of information technology professionals. Our narrative review of 33 studies shows that the 43 antecedents to turnover intentions of IT professionals could be mapped onto March and Simon's (1958) distal-proximal turnover framework. Our meta-analytic structural equation modeling shows that proximal constructs of job satisfaction (reflecting the lack of desire to move) and perceived job alternatives (reflecting ease of movement) partially mediate the relationships between the more distal individual attributes, job-related and perceived organizational factors, and IT turnover intentions. Building on the findings from our review, we propose a new theoretical model of IT turnover that presents propositions for future research to address existing gaps in the IT literature.

On the assessment of the strategic value of information technologies: conceptual and analytical approaches

Abstract: This study compares two conceptual (resource-centered and contingency-based) and two analytical (linear and nonlinear) approaches that can be used to assess the strategic value of information technology. Two hypotheses related to these approaches are developed and tested based on matched survey data collected from the CEOs and CIOs of 110 firms. The results indicate that the resource-centered and contingency-based approaches provide complementary understanding of the strategic value of IT. On the one hand, the contingency-based approach is better at explaining the impact of cost-related IT applications on firm performance. Alignment between business strategy and information systems strategy on cost reduction was found to have a significant negative association with firm expense. On the other hand, the resource-centered perspective has a stronger predictive ability of IT impact on firm revenue and profitability. Our results indicate that investments in growth-oriented applications were directly and positively related to firm revenue. An ANOVA test indicates that the nonlinear approaches provide additional insights that help to better understand the relationship between alignment and performance. The response surface method (RSM) shows that high-end strategic alignment (i.e., fit occurring when business strategy and IT strategy are both high) leads to superior performance compared to low-end strategic alignment (i.e., fit occurring when business strategy and IT strategy are both low). We discuss the implications of this study for research and practice and conclude with suggestions for future research directions.

The spatial, temporal, and configurational characteristics of geographic dispersion in teams

Abstract: As organizations operate across greater distances, scholars are increasingly interested in the work of geographically dispersed teams and the technologies that they use to communicate and coordinate their work. However, research has generally not specified the dimensions (spatial, temporal, or configurational) and degrees of team dispersion, nor has it articulated the theoretical connections between those dimensions and important team outcomes. This research essay expands upon previous field and lab studies of dispersed teamwork by presenting a new conceptualization of dispersion as a continuous, multidimensional construct, in which each dimension is theoretically linked with different outcomes. We illustrate this new conceptualization with a series of examples from real dispersed teams and present implications for research regarding technology use.

Dispositional factors in internet use: personality versus cognitive style

Abstract: This study directly tests the effect of personality and cognitive style on three measures of Internet use. The results support the use of personality-but not cognitive style-as an antecedent variable. After controlling for computer anxiety, self-efficacy, and gender, including the "Big Five" personality factors in the analysis significantly adds to the predictive capabilities of the dependent variables. Including cognitive style does not. The results are discussed in terms of the role of personality and cognitive style in models of technology adoption and use.

The effects of presentation formats and task complexity on online consumers' product understanding

Abstract: This study assesses and compares four product presentation formats currently used online: static pictures, videos without narration, videos with narration, and virtual product experience (VPE), where consumers are able to virtually feel, touch, and try products. The effects of the four presentation formats on consumers' product understanding as well as the moderating role of the complexity of product understanding tasks were examined in a laboratory experiment. Two constructs used to measure product understanding performance are actual product knowledge and perceived website diagnosticity (i.e., the extent to which consumers believe a website is helpful for them to understand products). The experimental results show that (1) both videos and VPE lead to higher perceived website diagnosticity than static pictures; (2) under a moderate task complexity condition, VPE and videos lead to the same level of actual product knowledge, but all are more effective than static pictures; (3) under a high task complexity condition, all four presentation formats are equally effective in terms of actual product knowledge. Moreover, the results also indicate that it is perceived website diagnosticity, not actual product knowledge, that affects the perceived usefulness of websites, which further influences consumers' intentions to revisit the websites.

The contingent effects of training, technical complexity, and task interdependence on successful information systems implementation

Abstract: Research has investigated the main effect of training on information systems implementation success. However, empirical support for this model is inconsistent. We propose a contingent model in which the effect of training on IS implementation success is a function of technical complexity and task interdependence. A meta-analysis of the literature finds strong support for the model, explaining the inconsistent findings reported in the literature. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

The dynamic structure of management support systems: theory development, research focus, and direction

Abstract: Using a systems perspective, a conceptual model is developed that encompasses a broad class of systems whose fundamental purpose is the support of managerial actions and decision making. The term management support systems (MSS) is used to label this broad class. This model is based on an extensive review of the relevant literature and available research. The result provides an integrated systems model of the phenomena involved and points to gaps in the research that arise largely from the attempts to examine various classes of MSS as separate entities. The research presented here is based on the premise that there are fundamental core consistencies or similarities among various types of systems that have evolved in the past several decades to support decision making. It presents a conceptual, theoretical model drawn from findings about various types of support systems described in the literature such as decision support systems (DSS), executive information systems (EIS), knowledge management systems (KMS), and business intelligence (BI). Pragmatic insights are provided by the conceptual model and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Communication media repertoires: dealing with the multiplicity of media choices

Abstract: In today's organizations, employees have an ever-increasing variety of communication media to use in the performance of work activities In this study, we seek to expand our understanding of media usage in organizations where there is a multiplicity of communication media available to employees We use communication media repertoires as the lens through which we explore how media is used in the support of communication-based work performed by individuals in complex organizational settings Data were collected in sales divisions at two large corporations in the information technology industry We compared multiple media use within and between the two sales divisions, and identified similarities and differences in repertoires Our findings suggest that use of repertoires is influenced by institutional conditions (eg, incentives, trust, and physical proximity) and situational conditions (eg, urgency, task, etc), and by routine use of the media over time Based on the findings, we propose a framework for investigating the use of multiple media in organizations through examination of communication media repertoires Implications of these findings for research and practice are discussed

Foreword: special issue on information systems in developing countries

Abstract: The developing countries account for the majority of the world’s population, and are important for this reason alone. In addition, developing countries contain millions of people who lack access to resources such as clean water, adequate housing, and education for satisfying basic human needs. Moreover, many people in developing countries lack the freedom to make choices in their own lives (Sen 1999). These conditions present a moral issue with which we should all be concerned. A further reason to take seriously the “majority world,” from a business and policy perspective, is that the world is becoming increasingly interconnected in economic, social, and cultural terms. Whatever view one takes of trends toward globalization, global business, or global outsourcing, there is agreement that these present important issues and problems, even if one lives in the richer countries. There was at one time some debate as to whether information and communication technologies (ICTs) were relevant to the developing countries, but this debate has been resolved with a clear “yes” answer. The question has now become not whether, but how ICTs can benefit development. ICTs have high potential value across both public and private enterprises; and at multiple levels, for example from software businesses in urban areas to health delivery in rural villages. The application of ICTs to development goals has not always succeeded to date, and indeed there are many examples of partial or complete failure (e.g., Avgerou and Walsham 2000). One particular issue concerns the need to bridge the so-called “digital divide” between those people with the ability to access and use technologies effectively, and those without. The challenge remains to tackle such difficulties and to resolve them.

A task-based model of perceived website complexity

Abstract: In this study, we propose that perceived website complexity (PWC) is central to understanding how sophisticated features of a website (such as animation, audio, video, and rollover effects) affect a visitor's experience at the site. Although previous research suggests that several elements of perceived complexity (e.g., amount of text, animation, graphics, range and consistency of web pages configuring a website, ease of navigating through it, and clarity of hyperlinks) affect important user outcomes, conflicting results yielded by previous research have created an important debate: does complexity enhance or inhibit user experience at a website. In this study, we draw on the task complexity literature to develop a broad and holistic model that examines the antecedents and consequences of PWC. Our results provide two important insights into the relationship between PWC and user outcomes. First, the positive relationship between objective complexity and PWC was moderated by user familiarity. Second, online task goals (goal-directed search and experiential browsing) moderated the relationship between PWC and user satisfaction. Specifically, the relationship between PWC and user satisfaction was negative for goal-directed users and inverted-U for experiential users. The implications of this finding for the practice of website design are discussed.

The interaction of institutionally triggered and technology-triggered social structure change: an investigation of computerized physician order entry

Abstract: Aligning social structures and technology capabilities is a significant challenge to information technology-related organizational change. It is particularly challenging in insti tutionalized settings such as hospitals. We report an interpre Ron Weber was the accepting senior editor for this paper. Robert Heckman served as a reviewer. The associate editor and two additional reviewers chose to remain anonymous. tivefield study of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) at an acute-care hospital, in which we investigated how institutionally triggered and technology-triggered change interacted in complementary processes to engender align ment. Social structure changes included increased inter dependency among clinical departments, multidisciplinary cooperation across clinical disciplines, and standardization in clinical decision-making. Organization members also enacted institutionalized interaction patterns with physicians by deferring to their preferences for CPOE use. The cumula tive influence of change triggers nonetheless facilitated the hospital's realization of clinical goals. We drew on Barley's (1990) roleand network-based model for technology and structure alignment. Nonetheless, we extended this micro level analytic approach to account for the influence of change in the macro-institutional environment. Our analysis clarified the extent of structure change attributable to the CPOE technology and highlighted institutional forces that promoted yet inhibited change. The case also highlighted the impor tance of role networks on the trajectory and outcomes of organizational change processes.

Fighting against windmills: strategic information systems and organizational deep structures

Abstract: This paper focuses on the process of implementing strategic information systems (SIS) by studying the radical changes it may bring to an organization's deep structure. It argues that a full understanding of the process of implementation of such systems should include not only technical aspects but also the social dynamics of an organization; specifically core values, distribution of power and mechanisms of control. A theoretical framework is formulated based on punctuated equilibrium and previous SIS literature, and is applied to an exploratory case study conducted in a Latin American public organization. The case study depicts how the initiative to implement SIS was the result of external and internal disturbances. The case analysis highlights relationships between an organization's deep structure and SIS implementation. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of the study. These include (1) the role of the formal organizational structure in influencing the outcome of SIS implementations, (2) the impact of exogenous contingencies such as elections and external funding that may create a sense of crisis and (3) the influence of newcomers who may be brought in to solve the crisis.

Power, rationality, and the art of living through socio-technical change

Abstract: Most information systems research takes for granted the assumption that IS practice and associated organizational change can be effectively understood as a process of technical reasoning and acting governed by a mix of concerns about software construction, administrative control, and economic gain. Its mission has been to empower managers, IS engineers, and information and communication technology users with knowledge and techniques for effective decision making. However, empirical research frequently encounters human activity that is at odds with the assumed pattern of rational behavior. Recent work tries to explain behavior in IS and organizational change in terms of social processes rather than as a consideration of rational techniques of professional practice. In this paper we address this ambivalence of the IS field with regard to technical/rational knowledge and practice. We draw from the theoretical work of Michel Foucault on power/knowledge and the aesthetics of existence to argue that the rational techniques of IS practice and the power dynamics of an organization and its social context are closely intertwined, requiring each other to be sustained. Furthermore, we develop a context-specific notion of rationality in IS innovation, through which interested parties judge the value of an innovation for their lives and consequently support or subvert its course. We demonstrate these ideas with a case study of a social security organization in Greece.

How habit limits the predictive power of intention

Abstract: Past research in the area of information systems acceptance has primarily focused on initial adoption under the implicit assumption that IS usage is mainly determined by intention. While plausible ...

Integrating scientific with indigenous knowledge: constructing knowledge alliances for land management in india

Abstract: Information systems design and development processes by their very nature involve a multiplicity of knowledge systems, including the technology itself, the methodologies for system development, and knowledge relating to the application domain. When an information system is used to advance socio-economic development in less developed countries (LDCs), there are additional sources contributing to this multiplicity. In the case of land management applications, it is important to consider the knowledge that communities have of the land they inhabit. This paper stresses the importance of constructing knowledge alliances between these multiple knowledge systems in order to support more effective IS development and implementation. The term knowledge alliance refers not merely to the material characteristics of the knowledge inscribed in technology, but also to the indigenous knowledge of the various communities involved. This includes the social setting that has shaped the practices which are responsible for the communities' production, articulation, and use of knowledge. Two key theoretical concepts, namely boundary objects and participation, are drawn upon both to understand the multiplicity of knowledge systems and to suggest possible approaches to the creation of effective knowledge alliances. The empirical setting for this analysis is a study of the use of geographical information systems for land management in India. This research is not of merely theoretical significance, but also carries important practical implications for scientists and administrators involved in the development of IS, particularly in LDCs.

Telemedicine in the upper amazon: interplay with local health care practices

Abstract: This article is based on the introduction of a telemedicine system in the jungles of northeastern Peru. The system was designed by a European consortium led by a Spanish polytechnic in cooperation with two universities in Lima and the Peruvian Ministry of Health. The purpose of the system was to improve health conditions by extending science-based medicine into a region with well-established traditional healing practices. The central analytical focus of this article is on the interplay between the public health care system, which used the telemedicine system, and local health care practices. The manner in which scientific medicine was delivered through information technology and public health care services is analyzed in terms of the health personnel's activity, the local population's conceptions of health, and the trajectories followed by patients seeking recovery. The author participated in the design of the second evaluation of the telemedicine system and acted as a participant observer in the regional hospital and peripheral clinics. In addition to interviewing health care staff from the study area, the author also met with traditional healers, and patients in the districts whether or not they were involved in the telemedicine project. New institutional theory provided the analytical framework for the interpretation of the observed behavior of the public health care staff, traditional healers, and potential patients. Empirically, this study describes the informal aspects of the functioning of the telemedicine system, and its partial mismatch with the definitions of health and illness employed by local communities and healers. An argument is made that people's construction of their health, which is embedded in their normal patterns of action, should be identified, and then considered in the design, implementation, and evaluation of future telemedicine projects. This article problematizes an approach to telemedicine-based health development that is weakly accountable to local social contexts and their diversity.

Cognitive stopping rules for terminating information search in online tasks

Abstract: Online search has become a significant activity in the daily lives of individuals throughout much of the world. The almost instantaneous availability of billions of web pages has caused a revolution in the way people seek information. Despite the increasing importance of online search behavior in decision making and problem solving, very little is known about why people stop searching for information online. In this paper, we review the literature concerning online search and cognitive stopping rules, and then describe specific types of information search tasks. Based on this theoretical development, we generated hypotheses and conducted an experiment with 115 participants each performing three search tasks on the web. Our findings show that people utilize a number of stopping rules to terminate search, and that the stopping rule used depends on the type of task performed. Implications for online information search theory and practice are discussed.