Bridging e-business and added trust: keys to e-business growth

Systems based on a proper public-key infrastructure (PKI) architecture offer the missing trust and interoperability necessary for e-commerce expansion. As the number of services available to users continues to increase, so will the need to maintain the user's identity in a secured, trusted manner. The user name and password concept has worked thus far but lacks the portability and scalability that global e-commerce demands. An interoperable PKI system that offers trust services between users will become a common industry practice. We envision that the future global e-commerce system should work with various devices, from desktops to handheld computers. Eventually one certificate will represent an individual across multiple services and devices     

Effects of innovativeness and trust on web survey participation

Responding to suggestions of prior research for examining the psychological constructs involved in a decision for or against participation in web surveys, this paper investigated the effects of trust in sponsor and personal innovativeness on potential respondents’ participation intention. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), two alternative models were empirically tested in which the roles of trust and innovativeness were theorized differently—either as moderators of the effects which perceived behavioral control and attitude have on participation intention (moderator model) or as direct determinants of the attitude, perceived behavioral control and intention (direct effects model). Data was collected from a sample of 131 university students enrolled in a computer course. The results of our study indicated that: (1) TPB could satisfactorily predict the behavioral intention with up to 44% variation of the intention being predicted by the model; (2) trust in sponsor and personal web innovativeness exerted direct determinant effects rather than moderate effects on participation attitude and perceived behavioral control, which in turn significantly affected participation intention; and (3) integrating the variables of trust and personal innovativeness into TPB model enhanced the prediction effect.     

Predicting user satisfaction,strain and system usage of employee self-services

In this study, we explore attitudinal and behavioural patterns when using employee self-service (ESS) systems by using an expanded technology acceptance model (TAM). We examine the relationship between organizational support and information policy on the one hand and ease of use and usefulness on the other, and then the relationship between ease of use and usefulness with satisfaction, strain and system usage. To explore question order effects, user satisfaction was assessed prior to or after survey items. Data was collected from 517 employees using an ESS system. Results from partial least squares structural equation modelling suggests that (a) organizational support and information policy were positively related to ease of use, (b) usefulness was positively related to satisfaction and system usage, (c) ease of use and usefulness were negatively related to user strain and (d) ease of use fully mediates the relation between organizational support and strain as well as between information policy and strain. Evidence for a question order effect was found with increased satisfaction judgements, when satisfaction was assessed after the survey items. Results are discussed in terms of the theoretical and methodological aspects of the TAM and their implications for ESS system implementation.     

Assessment of employees’ perceptions of service quality and satisfaction with e-business

In a competitive environment of frequent and rapid change, electronic business (e-business), whose supply, production, and logistics and distribution networks are enabled digitally, is increasingly dependent on electronic interconnections that are innovative in their functionality. Conceivably, its ability to deliver functions and services is closely associated with and helpful for the completion of employees’ tasks and jobs, leading to service quality being critically important for both the employees and e-business (EB). On the other hand, since EB utilizes enterprise applications, user satisfaction, as a surrogate measure of information system (IS) or information technology (IT) effectiveness/success is also important for enterprise applications success. Thus, this research attempts to extrapolate the results of marketing research concerning customers’ perceptions of service quality and IS/IT research as to employees’ perceptions of service quality with EB. First, we revise the SERVQUAL instrument to fit the new context of EB and measure employees’ perceived service quality with EB. Based on a survey of 161 respondents practicing mostly in seven international electronic businesses in Taiwan, a 13-item EB-SERVQUAL instrument is proposed. This can be used to improve and diagnose the service quality of EB. Second, we examine user satisfaction with enterprise applications and its causal link in relation to service quality with EB. The instrument and our findings in this paper will be valuable to researchers and practitioners interested in designing, implementing, and managing EB.     

An investigation of the effect of online consumer trust on expectation, satisfaction, and post-expectation

This study proposes a framework regarding the relationship between consumer trust, satisfaction, expectation, and post-expectation in the context of electronic commerce. In particular, the framework draws together from three theories: social exchange theory, expectation-confirmation theory, and post-acceptance model of IS continuance. Following the longitudinal pre-purchase and post-purchase stages, this study provides a theoretical framework combining trust, expectation, satisfaction, and post-expectation (i.e., perceived usefulness) and tests the proposed model empirically using Internet consumer behavior data collected via two rounds of Web surveys. The empirical findings suggest that both consumer’s trust and expectation have positive influences on consumer’s satisfaction; a significant and positive relationship is detected between consumer’s trust and expectation; customer’s satisfaction and perceived usefulness as post-expectation belief are important predictors of repurchase intention. In consequence, the study provides a framework explaining the subsequent relationships of trust, expectation, confirmation, satisfaction, post-expectation, and repurchase intention (i.e., consumer trust → expectation → confirmation → satisfaction → post-expectation → repurchase intention) across pre-purchase and post-purchase stages. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

The role played by perceived usability,satisfaction and consumer trust on website loyalty

We performed a study to determine the influence that perceived usability has on the user's loyalty to websites that they visit. The results of the empirical analysis confirmed that the trust of the user increases when the user perceived that the system was usable and that there was a consequent increase in the degree of website loyalty. In the same way, greater usability was found to have a positive influence on user satisfaction, and this also generated greater website loyalty. Finally, it was found that user trust was partially dependent on the degree of consumer website satisfaction.     

The influence of technology readiness on satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward self-service technologies

Today’s competitive world is increasingly characterized by technology-assisted services and transactions. Self-service technologies (SSTs) continue to be a critical component of customer–firm interactions but not all customers like to use SSTs or are ready to use them. In this study, we examine the role of customer’s technology readiness (TR) and assess the influence of TR on both satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward SSTs. We first review the relevant literature on technology readiness, satisfaction and behavioral intentions, then explore their relationships, and present our research framework and hypotheses. This model was tested with a sample of 413 consumers. The hypothesized model was statistically significantly supported, indicating that TR does influence customer satisfaction and behavioral intention with SSTs. Implications of the results are then discussed.     

Feedback mechanisms and consumer satisfaction,trust and repurchase intention in online retail

We introduce a key construct, perceived effectiveness of feedback mechanisms (PEFMs), to analyze moderating effects of PEFMs on the relationship between consumers’ satisfaction, trust, and repurchase intention. We find that (1) PEFMs negatively moderate the satisfaction–trust relationship; (2) PEFMs positively moderate the trust–repurchase intention relationship; (3) provider recommendations and customer reviews are complementary with customers’ trust but can substitute for prior experience with products.     

Exploring the role of e-learning readiness on student satisfaction and motivation in flipped classroom

Decrease in student satisfaction and motivation in flipped classroom (FC) model of instruction is among frequently observed problems. And these problems could reduce the efficiency of FC model. It is believed that the problems related to student satisfaction and motivation in FC model of instruction are related to the e-learning readiness of the students. The purpose of the current study was to explore the impact of the e-learning readiness of the students on student satisfaction and motivation in FC model of instruction. The study was carried out with 236 undergraduate students taking Computing I class taught using FC model of instruction. Data were collected from three self-report instruments: E-learning Readiness Scale (subscales: ‘computer self-efficacy’, ‘internet self-efficacy’, ‘online communication self-efficacy’, ‘self-directed learning’, ‘learner control’ and ‘motivation towards e-learning’), Satisfaction Scale and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. The path analyses with structural equation modelling (SEM) further verified that students' e-learning readiness were related to their satisfaction and motivation while undertaking academic tasks in FC model of instruction. The results of the study indicated that students' e-learning readiness was a significant predictor of their satisfaction and motivation in FC model of instruction. Findings were presented and discussed for future studies and applications.     

Job and organizational determinants of nursing home employee commitment,job satisfaction and intent to turnover

The purpose of this study was to examine whether job characteristics, the work environment, participation in quality improvement activities and facility quality improvement environment predicted employee commitment and job satisfaction in nursing homes, and whether those same predictors and commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intention. A total of 6584 nursing home employees from 76 nursing homes in a midwestern state participated. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The results supported the hypotheses that job and organizational factors predicted commitment and satisfaction while commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intentions. The implications for retaining nursing home employees are discussed.     

Job and organizational determinants of nursing home employee commitment, job satisfaction and intent to turnover

The purpose of this study was to examine whether job characteristics, the work environment, participation in quality improvement activities and facility quality improvement environment predicted employee commitment and job satisfaction in nursing homes, and whether those same predictors and commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intention. A total of 6,584 nursing home employees from 76 nursing homes in a midwestern state participated. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The results supported the hypotheses that job and organizational factors predicted commitment and satisfaction while commitment and satisfaction predicted turnover intentions. The implications for retaining nursing home employees are discussed.     

The mediating effect of rewarding on the relationship between employee involvement and job satisfaction

Employee support provides enormous benefits to help sustain a competitive advantage, respond to changes more quickly than competitors, and position the organization ahead of others. Awareness of this fact triggers organizations to prepare new motivational programs and practices. Employee involvement and rewards are among the many ways to achieve employee job satisfaction and motivational needs. Employee involvement entails giving employees an opportunity to influence decisions and actions regarding their jobs. Furthermore, rewards have the potential to prompt employees to act in line with organizational goals. This study aims to examine the relationship between employee involvement and job satisfaction based on the mediation effect of rewarding. Four hundred employees from the financial sector responded to a questionnaire. The relationship between employee involvement and job satisfaction was tested using hierarchical linear regression analysis. Results revealed that rewarding does mediate the relationship between employee involvement and job satisfaction. Organizations that give priority to employee needs and motivational processes should take both employee involvement and rewarding into consideration.     

Antecedents of application service continuance: A synthesis of satisfaction and trust

Although ASP (Application Service Provider) has the potential to fundamentally change the manner in which IT services are provided for user firms, current ASPs often fail to provide good results in accumulating and retaining customers. To fill the gap between the expected benefits of application service and its disappointing results in the real world, we present a conceptual model including three quality measures – System Quality, Information Quality, and Service Quality. To extend the horizons of ASP acceptance, this study sharpens the model that these quality measures regulate Satisfaction and Trust, which lead to Continuance Intention. We test the research model and hypotheses through the use of the data from 203 small and medium enterprises with application service experience. Data analysis results using LISREL reveal that Satisfaction and Trust have significant effects on a client firm’s Continuance Intention. Trust is found to be the most salient determinant while previous studies mainly focused on the role of Satisfaction. Furthermore, an empirical support is found for the direct effect of Service Quality on Continuance Intention as well as its mediating effects.     

Clarifying the effects of Internet monitoring on job attitudes: The mediating role of employee trust

The Internet is a fast growing mechanism for providing workplace monitoring. We examined how its implementation affects employees’ trust in the organization. We hypothesized that giving employees advance notice of monitoring and providing them a justification for it would enhance their trust. We investigated how employees’ perceptions of organizational support prior to monitoring moderated these relationships by conducting a longitudinal field experiment. We found that advance notice and perceived organizational support exerted significant main and interactive effects on post-implementation trust. In turn, trust significantly affected employees’ job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions.     

Integrating market,technology, and policy opportunities in e-business strategy

This article is a call to arms for electronic business managers and researchers to increase their attention to the emerging “policy” frontiers and employ theories and methods integrating policy with market and technology issues. The e-business environment is growing more complex—not just economically, but socially, politically, and legally—and firms must manage this complexity with strategies that match the amount and variety of complexity in their environment. In many e-business firms, there is a notable disdain toward emerging policy developments or even a mind set that e-business is beyond emerging social conventions, politics and the law (or at least beyond the reach of regulators). In the emerging global policy landscape, few firms can afford this hands-off attitude toward policy and maintain their chance of survival. E-business firms must integrate their policy strategies with their technology and market strategies. We outline five broad questions for researchers to help e-business firms address the interdependent challenges of market, technology and policy environments.     

Realising B2B e-commerce benefits: the link with IT maturity,evaluation practices,and B2BEC adoption readiness

Actual realisation of business-to-business electronic commerce (B2B e-commerce) benefits from IT investments has been a critical issue for large organisations. However, relatively little research has been undertaken to determine the drivers for realising B2B e-commerce benefits within these organisations. A survey research was conducted to examine the relationships between B2B e-commerce benefits, IT investment evaluation methodologies (IEM), IT benefit realisation processes (BRP), B2B e-commerce adoption readiness, and IT maturity in large Australian organisations. An IT investment management model was developed to test these relationships. The results had empirically validated the model and indicate that a higher level of BRP adoption and increased level of B2B e-commerce adoption readiness had a significant direct relationship with B2B e-commerce benefits. In addition, the level of B2B e-commerce adoption readiness, and the level of IEM and BRP adoption were significantly influenced by the level of IT maturity. However, the use of IEM alone had only an indirect positive influence on B2B e-commerce benefits through the higher level of BRP adoption and increased level of B2B e-commerce adoption readiness.     

Effect of trust level on mobile banking satisfaction: a multi-group analysis of information system success instruments

Mobile banking is increasingly being used for banking service applications. However, few empirical studies have been conducted on mobile banking services. Therefore, the current study focuses on whether or not trust in mobile banking influences the relationship between customer satisfaction and perceptions of the system quality, information quality and information presentation of mobile banking. Using the partial least squares approach, the analysis reveals that information quality and system quality influence customer satisfaction, whereas information presentation does not have an effect on customer satisfaction. Moreover, the research model articulates how perceptions of the system quality, information quality and information presentation of mobile banking moderated by trust influence customer satisfaction with this type of service.