The moderating role of customer–technology contact on attitude towards technology-based services

Previous studies in information systems research and service marketing treat customer behaviour towards technology-based services (TBS) homogeneously. However, recent studies recognize that users have different attitude towards different technologies even if these technologies used to support the same service. Drawing on literature from service marketing (i.e. customer contact theory), information systems (unified theory of technology acceptance), and organizational behaviour (task complexity theory), this study proposes a construct that classifies TBS according to the level of customer–technology interaction they require, namely the customer–technology contact (CTC). The moderating effect of this construct on the relationship between individual characteristics – that is technology readiness and attitude towards TBS – is examined through an empirical study. Technology-based retail services scenarios, with different levels of technology contact, are presented to supermarket shoppers (n=600). Results show that CTC, as a unique service attribute, moderates the effect of personality traits to customers’ attitude. The current study introduces this new service attribute that is applicable to ubiquitous computing services, application and design.     

Consumer adoption of RFID-enabled services. Applying an extended UTAUT model

In this article, an extended version of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) is applied to explore the significance of various antecedents of acceptance of eight versions of a radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled service. The results show significant influences from performance expectancy, effort expectancy and technology anxiety on attitude to use RFID-enabled services, while facilitating conditions and attitude to use both have significant influences on intention to use the services. Looking into potential moderating influences, gender moderates most of the relationships in the model while age and experience with identification technology do not seem to be relevant moderators. Exploring the potential moderating influence of context experience, experience of the service context is found to moderate some of the relationships in the model. Managerial implications point to the importance of developing useful and user-friendly services and of communicating the user friendliness to potential customers to avoid the potential negative influence of technology anxiety. Service development and market communication should be sensitive to gender and context experience.     

Associating consumer perceived value with business models for digital services

As digital services increasingly deal with commodity offerings (i.e., digital content and features that are similar between service providers), service providers are seeking to differentiate themselves with variations in their digital service business models. Research, though, has yet to consider the association of consumer perceived value with digital service business models underlying technological innovations. We seek to demonstrate that consumer value for digital service business models may be quite different even when consumers have similar preferences for standard technology characteristics. In the context of this paper, we specifically consider consumer perceived value associated with Personal Health Records (PHRs) and PHR digital business models, through the use of an integrated latent variable and choice empirical model. We find that although consumer perceived value for PHRs is generally high, when offered a choice between three competing PHR business models, consumers state high value for only two of the business models in the choice set: PHRs offered directly by groups of medical providers and Integrated PHRs. These findings suggest that while perceived value may be high for generally considered digital services, variations in the underlying digital service business models are likely to have significant impacts on consumer valuations of digital services.     

How does perceived retail service innovativeness affect retail patronage intentions?

This study aims to conceptualize the effects of perceived retailer service innovativeness (PRSI), perceived service advantage, customer emotional satisfaction, and attitudes to retail patronage intentions. The proposed model is examined by structural equation modelling (SEM) using 1,386 samples from three retail formats in Taiwan. Results suggest that PRSI can be used as a strategic tool to create competitive advantage and customer satisfaction. PRSI is a critical antecedent factor that affects store patronage intentions through material‐based and experience‐based routes. This study affirms that a retailer's ability to offer service innovations, especially free in‐store services, may not immediately increase the financial performance of firms; however, it can change a consumer's attitude towards the store by becoming a critical determinant of success of the retailing system. The research model can be utilized by other retail studies, especially in this era of increased competition when innovation has become a critical strategic tool for differentiation.     

A balanced scorecard for item-level RFID in the retail sector: a Delphi study

Item-level Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) adoption is on the agenda for many retailers. However, before adopting this technology, managers need to be able to identify its direct and indirect benefits. These benefits are expected to be significant and have begun to be studied empirically and analytically in narrow, isolated segments (e.g., supply chain management). In this paper, we focus on applications of RFID in the retail sector, specifically in store operations. We have adapted the balanced scorecard (BSC) model as a decision-making framework to build a holistic model of RFID-enabled changes throughout retail store operations including marketing, merchandising, and supply chain management. After reviewing the existing literature, we conducted a Delphi study in which 10 consultants and senior managers from leading U.S. retailers were interviewed. The results indicate that benefits in the areas of merchandising and marketing may not be realized as directly as those in the supply chain, but their effects should not be underestimated. The proposed BSC model can also indicate potential opportunities for item-level RFID use in retailing and serve as a guideline for further studies.     

Understanding pre-service teachers' computer attitudes: applying and extending the technology acceptance model

Abstract   Computers are increasingly widespread, influencing many aspects of our social and work lives, As we move into a technology-based society, it is important that classroom experiences with computers are made available for all students. The purpose of this study is to examine pre-service teachers' attitudes towards computers. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework, with subjective norm and facilitating conditions acting as external variables. Results shows that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and subjective norm were significant determinants of pre-service computer attitudes. Facilitating conditions did not influence computer attitude directly but through perceived ease of use. These findings demonstrate that social norm and facilitating conditions are potential variables that may be used to extend the TAM for research on computer attitudes.     

The effects of two-way communication and chat service usage on consumer attitudes in the e-commerce retailing sector

In e-commerce retailing (e-retailing), where competitors are only one click away and prices are easy to compare, providing superior customer service and reciprocal communication via a company’s website are important aspects of attracting and retaining customers. One increasingly popular solution to improve customer service is a “live chat” interface that allows consumers to have real-time conversations online with customer service agents. As the literature on the impacts of real-time communication via live chat is currently very limited, this study develops and tests a model that demonstrates the moderating effects of a chat service on the relationship between two-way communication (i.e., a core element of perceived website interactivity) and customer satisfaction, trust, repurchase and word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions. The data for this study were collected via an online survey (N?=?6783) targeting the existing customers of five e-retailers that actively utilize live chats as a customer service tool. The study results show that the extent to which a consumer perceives that an e-retailer is dedicated to fostering two-way communication between the consumer and the seller has significant effects on trust, satisfaction, and repurchase and WOM intentions. Moreover, the results of a multi-group analysis show that the use of a chat service positively moderates these relationships.     

Electronic business adoption by European firms: a cross-country assessment of the facilitators and inhibitors

In this study, we developed a conceptual model for studying the adoption of electronic business (e-business or EB) at the firm level, incorporating six adoption facilitators and inhibitors, based on the technology–organization–environment theoretical framework. Survey data from 3100 businesses and 7500 consumers in eight European countries were used to test the proposed adoption model. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis to assess the reliability and validity of constructs. To examine whether adoption patterns differ across different e-business environments, we divided the full sample into high EB-intensity and low EB-intensity countries. After controlling for variations of industry and country effects, the fitted logit models demonstrated four findings: (1) Technology competence, firm scope and size, consumer readiness, and competitive pressure are significant adoption drivers, while lack of trading partner readiness is a significant adoption inhibitor. (2) As EB-intensity increases, two environmental factors – consumer readiness and lack of trading partner readiness – become less important, while competitive pressure remains significant. (3) In high EB-intensity countries, e-business is no longer a phenomenon dominated by large firms; as more and more firms engage in e-business, network effect works to the advantage of small firms. (4) Firms are more cautious in adopting e-business in high EB-intensity countries – it seems to suggest that the more informed firms are less aggressive in adopting e-business, a somehow surprising result. Explanations and implications are offered.     

Does “Being There” Matter? The Impact of Web-Based and Virtual World’s Shopping Experiences on Consumer Purchase Attitudes

The use of virtual worlds as an emerging technology is already having a significant impact on business to consumer commerce and on corporate Internet retailing strategies. This research investigates consumer behavior in e-commerce retail environments, particularly with respect to consumer attitudes toward using virtual world’s shopping compared to web-based, online shopping for real-world items. We investigate two forms of presence, perceived social presence and telepresence, and their effect on attitudes toward e-commerce, attitudes that ultimately influence the consumer's intention to shop using a particular e-commerce environment. Key implications of this research for researchers and practitioners are discussed.     

RFID: Verbraucherängste und verbraucherschutz

RFID introduction is a hotly debated public policy issue. The technology enables physical environments to become more interactive and supportive by tagging each item with a chip that wirelessly communicates with a service-enriched backend infrastructure. Based on a number of user studies at Humboldt-Universität and at the Auto-ID Center, this article presents the major fears associated with RFID introduction. We show to what extent these fears are justified and derive a number of system requirements for giving users more control over an RFID-enabled IT infrastructure. After presenting several recent technical proposals for privacy protection, we focus on the question of controlled access to RFID tags. We conclude with a proposal for an easy-to-use private password model.     

Adaptive product tracking in RFID-enabled large-scale supply chain

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is gradually being adopted and deployed for product flow management in the supply chain. In order to track RFID-tagged products efficiently in the RFID-enabled, large-scale supply chain, this paper first presents the design of a product tracking system that can collaborate with the EPC Network, a suite of network services for RFID data management in the supply chain. Next, we explain a product monitoring procedure that is performed by comparing the actual path of a product with its planned path. Finally, we develop an adaptive product search algorithm based on a reinforcement learning technique to efficiently locate a product deviated from its planned path. Experiment results are provided to show the performance of the search algorithm.     

Developing and validating a model explaining the assimilation process of RFID: An empirical study

In this research we studied the assimilation process of a technological innovation (i.e. technovation) called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Like many other technovations, RFID is considered as a revolutionary one, but its assimilation is an evolutionary process. Here, we extended the conventional assimilation theories and initiated an intellectual argument by introducing extension as an important stage of assimilation, which is contextual and highly relevant for RFID assimilation process. Data for the empirical tests were collected via survey from 221 livestock farms in Australia that are using RFID for livestock identification and tracing. We examined ten Technology-Organization-Environmental (TOE) factors on four stages of RFID assimilation process. Empirical results, based on Partial Least Square (PLS)-based Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), suggest that assimilation of RFID technovation does involve four stages: initiation, adoption, routinization, and extension. We also found that one single factor may have different effect on different stages of assimilation, which may even be different directioned. For instance, external environmental uncertainty has a positive impact on RFID adoption while it has a negative impact on RFID extension. The paper discusses the results and practical implications in detail.     

Emergency services׳ attitudes towards social media: A quantitative and qualitative survey across Europe

Various studies show that social media is used in emergencies – and that in spite of possible challenges for emergency services, beneficial use cases can be identified. However, relatively little empirical data is available regarding the attitudes of emergency services towards social media, and almost none of a comparative nature. This article summarizes the findings of a survey conducted of the EU project ‘EmerGent’ with 761 emergency service staff across 32 European countries from September to December 2014. The main aims of the survey were to explore the attitudes expressed by emergency service staff towards social media for private and organizational use as well as the levels and main factors influencing the current and likely future use of social media in their organizations. Based on our results, we discuss possible enhancements of the emergency management cycle using social media.     

Predicting the use of online information services based on a modified UTAUT model

There is a growing consensus that the conventional technology acceptance model should be modified and expanded to provide a better understanding of the behaviour related to Internet services. Recognising this need, this study re-evaluates the utility of Venkatesh et al.’s [2003. User acceptance of information technology: toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27 (3), 425–478] Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. First, this study proposes a new modified model of technology acceptance by adding the concepts of trust and flow experience to the original UTAUT model. Second, the study investigates how the model's explanatory power changes for different types of Internet services. For this, this study considers two services – ‘e-learning’ and ‘online gaming’ – for their utilitarian and hedonic characteristics, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the proposed model can better explain behavioural intentions towards Internet services than the original model. The two variables – flow experience and trust – contributed to the overall significance of the model. Furthermore, the type of Internet service moderated the effects of the independent variables on behavioural intentions and use behaviour.     

供应链中控制多级存储的射频辨识Push/Pull混合策略设计与仿真

由于射频辨识(radio frequency identification,RFID)激励的电子看板系统能够从远端看见供应链节点企业库存的状况,使得广域分布的供应链多级存储能够实现RFID激励的Pull控制.本文根据供应链分销网络多级存储的结构特点,以及系统运作期间各阶段节点企业的功能,在不同阶段采用不同的控制策略.因此,设计了多种不同的RFID激励的Push/Pull混合控制策略.为了比较和验证各混合策略对多级存储的控制性能,建立了以总库存成本、总缺货损失、总运行成本和库存周转率作为评价策略性能的指标体系.由于供应链系统的动态性与随机性,难以进行数学建模和精确求解,因此基于离散事件系统仿真原理,设计并实现了仿真模型.通过对各策略下多种结构的供应链分销网络多级存储的仿真,验证并分析了制造商阶段采用Push控制,分销商和零售商阶段采用Pull控制的策略的有效性和最优性.     

A two-level advanced production planning and scheduling model for RFID-enabled ubiquitous manufacturing

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology has been used in manufacturing industries to create a RFID-enabled ubiquitous environment, in where ultimate real-time advanced production planning and scheduling (APPS) will be achieved with the goal of collective intelligence. A particular focus has been placed upon using the vast amount of RFID production shop floor data to obtain more precise and reasonable estimates of APPS parameters such as the arrival of customer orders and standard operation times (SOTs). The resulting APPS model is based on hierarchical production decision-making principle to formulate planning and scheduling levels. A RFID-event driven mechanism is adopted to integrate these two levels for collective intelligence. A heuristic approach using a set of rules is utilized to solve the problem. The model is tested through four dimensions, including the impact of rule sequences on decisions, evaluation of released strategy to control the amount of production order from planning to scheduling, comparison with another model and practical operations, as well as model robustness. Two key findings are observed. First, release strategy based on the RFID-enabled real-time information is efficient and effective to reduce the total tardiness by 44.46% averagely. Second, it is observed that the model has the immune ability on disturbances like defects. However, as the increasing of the problem size, the model robustness against emergency orders becomes weak; while, the resistance to machine breakdown is strong oppositely. Findings and observations are summarized into a number of managerial implications for guiding associated end-users for purchasing collective intelligence in practice.     

Age as a moderator of attitude towards technology in the workplace: work motivation and overall job satisfaction

Given the prevalence of technology in the workplace, an understanding of employees' attitudes towards technology is essential. Such attitudes have been linked to such important issues as the successful implementation of new technologies in the workplace, employee intent to use technology, and the actual usage of technology by employees. As a result of the rapidly aging workforce, and because age has been linked to computer use and comfort, it is important to examine the relationship that may exist between age and attitudes towards technology. This study examines age as a moderator of 612 employees' attitudes towards technology in relation to work motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic) and overall job satisfaction. Further, given the technological socialisation of the Generation X (Gen X) versus the Baby Boomers, our sample comprised these two demographics. Hierarchical moderated multiple regression indicates age moderates the relationship between attitude towards technology and intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and to a lesser extent, overall job satisfaction. In each instance, older employees exhibit the strongest relationships with the outcome variables when possessing a high attitude towards technology. In contrast, older employees exhibit the weakest relationships when possessing a low attitude towards technology. These results are supportive of the moderating effect of age on attitude towards technology. Lastly, implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Enabling RFID in retail

The past two years have witnessed an explosion of interest in radio-frequency identification and supporting technologies, due primarily to their rapidly expanding use in tracking grocery products through the supply chain. Currently such applications monitor store-keeping units (SKUs) rather than individual goods, as the relatively high cost of RFID deployment and the very low profit margin of supermarket products make item-level tagging impractical. Yet, economic and technical concerns aside, it is easy to envision a supermarket in which each item is tagged with an RFID label and all shopping carts feature RFID readers. The carts could potentially include onboard computers that recognize products placed inside and that display information and promotions retrieved wirelessly from the system back end. RFID-enabled smart phones, which are commercially available today and becoming increasingly popular, could carry out the same function. Item-level deployment of RFID technology would also allow for quick checkout aisles that scan all products at once and thus eliminate queues, which are consistently reported as one of the most negative aspects of supermarket shopping. A simple extension of this system would be to embed RFID devices in consumers' loyalty or frequent-shopper cards to identify individuals. This could expedite system login and charge the shopping cost directly to the customer's account at the point of sale-unless removed at the POS, item-level tags will inevitably follow the consumer home. This scenario undoubtedly raises numerous privacy concerns.     

Using RFID for the management of pharmaceutical inventory — system optimization and shrinkage control

Motivated by a case study at a radiology practice, we analyze the incremental benefits of RFID technology over barcodes for managing pharmaceutical inventories. Unlike barcode technology, RFID enables accurate real-time visibility, which in turn enables several process improvements. We analyze the impact of automatic counting and discuss the system redesign critical to optimizing the inventory policy and eliminating shrinkage. We show that continuous review is superior to periodic review whenever accurate real-time information is available at no additional cost. We explain how RFID-enabled strategies vary with inventory parameters and provide a cost-benefit analysis for the implementation of RFID for the radiology practice.