Social network,social trust and shared goals in organizational knowledge sharing

The aim of our study was to further develop an understanding of social capital in organizational-knowledge-sharing. We first developed a measurement tool and then a theoretical framework in which three social capital factors (social network, social trust, and shared goals) were combined with the theory of reasoned action; their relationships were then examined using confirmatory factoring analysis. We then surveyed of 190 managers from Hong Kong firms, we confirm that a social network and shared goals significantly contributed to a person's volition to share knowledge, and directly contributed to the perceived social pressure of the organization. The social trust has however showed no direct effect on the attitude and subjective norm of sharing knowledge.     

Intuition,risk, and the formation of online trust

Understanding how consumers evaluate website trustworthiness is a critical factor for online vendors. The dominant view espouses a deliberative trust formation process whereby shoppers evaluate security certificates, return policies, user feedback and the like, implying a highly rational underlying trust calculus. In this paper we use a laboratory experiment to explore an alternative perspective, based on the non-rational associative reasoning approach. Our findings show that when faced with a no-risk hypothetical decision about whether or not they would purchase a book from an online bookseller, subjects’ decision-making processes were indeed consistent with the dominant deliberative view. However, when confronted with a decision entailing risk (i.e., sharing sensitive personal information with an unknown website), subjects became reliant on their non-rational, gut-level intuition. We adopt a dual-process reasoning theory to make sense of these findings, and recommend that vendors take into account associative reasoning factors when designing online interfaces. Future research directions are provided.     

Students’ participation intention in an online discussion forum: Why is computer-mediated interaction attractive?

Anecdotal evidence indicates that an online discussion forum may not be utilized to its full potential in enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching due to a lower than expected student participation rate. This paper seeks to identify the motivational behavioral factors influencing students’ intention to participate in an online discussion forums (ODF). Drawing on the literature on social psychology and applying the theory of reasoned action, we develop a conceptual model of intention to participate in an online discussion forum and empirically test the hypotheses in a cross-sectional quantitative survey. The findings indicate that expectancy on hedonic outcome and utilitarian outcome and peer pressure positively influence the participation intention of students. Also, the perceived importance of learning positively moderates the relationship between utilitarian outcome expectancy and participation intention. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Effects of visual and linguistic anthropomorphic cues on social perception,self-awareness,and information disclosure in a health website

Acknowledging the lack of studies examining both visual and linguistic anthropomorphic cues and the underlying mechanisms of their effects, we investigated how the different modalities of anthropomorphic cues in a health website influenced information disclosure. In a 2 (visual cues: human vs. non-human image) × 2 (linguistic cues: conversational vs. impersonal language) × 2 (question type: less vs. more sensitive questions) between-subjects experiment (N = 254), participants registered with a mock-up health website. We assessed a behavioral outcome of not disclosing personal information and psychological outcomes of social perception and self-awareness as potential mediators. Results revealed distinctive effects of the two modalities of the anthropomorphic cues. Anthropomorphic images, on one hand, increased public and private self-awareness, and public self-awareness in turn led to less information disclosure. Anthropomorphic language, on the other hand, heightened social perception and promoted information disclosure, but social perception did not predict the disclosure. These results indicate unique underlying mechanisms of the effects of anthropomorphism: priming effect of visual cues, and communicative effects of linguistic cues.     

Extent of private information disclosure on online social networks: An exploration of Facebook mobile phone users

The present study adopts the Communication Privacy Management theory and investigates the factors that influence the extent of private information disclosure of Facebook mobile phone users. Using a sample size of 488 adult mobile phone users, the study further investigates the differential impact of age on the extent of private information disclosure. Results from the logistic regressions run reveal that use of smartphones to access social networking sites, use of multiple social networks, and being female decrease the likelihood of private information disclosure. In addition, usability problems increase the likelihood of information disclosure by older adults. The analyses show no association between perceived benefit and private information disclosure.     

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.     

Belief, information acquisition, and trust in multi-agent systems—A modal logic formulation

In this paper, we consider the influence of trust on the assimilation of acquired information into an agent's belief. By use of modal logic, we semantically and axiomatically characterize the relationship among belief, information acquisition and trust. The belief and information acquisition operators are respectively represented by KD45 and KD normal modalities, whereas trust is denoted by a modal operator with minimal semantics. One characteristic axiom of the basic system is if agent i believes that agent j has told him the truth of p and he trusts the judgement of j on p, then he will also believe p. In addition to the basic system, some variants and further axioms for trust and information acquisition are also presented to show the expressive richness of the logic. The applications of the logic to computer security and database reasoning are also suggested by its connection with some previous works.     

The causal relationship between risk and trust in the online marketplace: A bidirectional perspective

Trust and perceived risk have been identified as the two primary factors affecting engagement in online transactions. However, earlier studies have conceptualized the directionality of the causal link between these two factors differently. Some researchers have conceptualized trust as an antecedent to risk, while others see it as a consequence. To resolve this issue, we develop a bidirectional model in which trust and perceived risk mutually influence each other. We then test the ability of the bidirectional model to provide a more realistic explanation of buyers' decision-making than previously offered unidirectional models. In a sample of 747 experienced buyers in the online marketplace, we find a reciprocal and nearly equal effect of trust and perceived risk. The results of the study reveal that the direct effect of trust on transaction intention is highly significant, whereas that of perceived risk is insignificant. Based on these empirical findings, we discuss the implications of our research, including the appropriateness of our research question and several paradoxes identified in prior studies.     

Website design,trust and culture: An eight country investigation

User perceptions of website design (for Information Content, Information Design, Navigation Design, Visual Design), Website Trust, and Transaction Security are examined for differences in an eight country sample. Motivation for the investigation includes: (1) to test and compare user reactions to website design in countries with different degrees of uncertainty avoidance, (2) to consider user reactions based on country economic and technological conditions related to the theory of institutional trust and social capital, and (3) to extend clustering theory and the GLOBE cultural cluster model to determine if culturally similar countries group regarding user perceptions of websites. Overall and as predicted, users in low uncertainty avoidance, high institutional trust and social capital countries such as Canada and the USA have the most favorable perceptions of website design. An interesting finding is that while country economic and technological conditions may temper user perceptions in some instances, overall culture is a stronger predictor. Clustering theory is a useful determinant of user perceptions, and there is strong support that users within a given cultural cluster have similar requirements regarding website design.     

A methodology for estimating the value of privacy in information disclosure systems

In many types of information systems, users face an implicit tradeoff between disclosing personal information and receiving benefits, such as discounts by an electronic commerce service that requires users to divulge some personal information. While these benefits are relatively measurable, the value of privacy involved in disclosing the information is much less tangible, making it hard to design and evaluate information systems that manage personal information. Meanwhile, existing methods to assess and measure the value of privacy, such as self-reported questionnaires, are notoriously unrelated of real–world behavior. To overcome this obstacle, we propose a methodology called VOPE (Value of Privacy Estimator), which relies on behavioral economics' Prospect Theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979) and valuates people's privacy preferences in information disclosure scenarios. VOPE is based on an iterative and responsive methodology in which users take or leave a transaction that includes a component of information disclosure. To evaluate the method, we conduct an empirical experiment (n = 195), estimating people's privacy valuations in electronic commerce transactions. We report on the convergence of estimations and validate our results by comparing the values to theoretical projections of existing results (Tsai, Egelman, Cranor, & Acquisti, 2011), and to another independent experiment that required participants to rank the sensitivity of information disclosure transactions. Finally, we discuss how information systems designers and regulators can use VOPE to create and to oversee systems that balance privacy and utility.     

The management of information technology, governance, and managerial characteristics

Abstract. Using a sample of Fortune 500 industrial firms, this study hypothesizes that various infra-organizational factors, including those commonly associated with agency, governance and managerial characteristics of the firm, that affect the decision to create a top management executive position for a chief information officer (CIO). Statistically meaningful relationships were observed between the creation of a top executive CIO position and (1) top management's equity interests, (2) the number of outside directors on the board, (3) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) age, and (4) CEO Experience.     

Young people,disclosure of personal information and online privacy: Control,choice and consequences

This paper examines the privacy implications of the different online practices in which young people disclose personal information, and how associated configurations of choice and control create possibilities for violations of online privacy. The implications of the commercial and non-commercial use of young peoples' personal information are examined, with a specific focus on how this can potentially facilitate cyberbullying. The paper suggests that educational strategies should more clearly focus on encouraging young people to protect their online privacy, encourage control over disclosure practices, and consider the potential commercial and non-commercial uses of their information. There is a need for development of these strategies to be informed by empirical research exploring the everyday contexts and social norms which influence young peoples' online behaviour. Such an evidence-base can inform a critical review of educational, legal and regulatory actions which aim to protect their online privacy and safety.     

Understanding trust in ms-commerce: The roles of reported experience,linguistic style,profile photo,emotional, and cognitive trust

This paper examines what influences trust in mobile social commerce environment. Drawing on trust-based acceptance model (i.e. cognitive and emotional trust) and online review features (i.e. profile photo, linguistic style, and reported experience), we examine how these factors affect trust in mobile social commerce. Hypotheses were tested using survey data. The results of our model showed that there are significant influences of profile photo, reported experience, cognitive, and emotional trust towards trust in ms-commerce. This work contributes to existing literature by examining the roles of previous trust in mobile payments and online reviews on trust in mobile social commerce.     

Gen Y customer loyalty in online shopping: An integrated model of trust,user experience and branding

Generational theory posits that generational cohorts develop similar attitudes and beliefs. Gen Y, Millennials, will become the largest customer segment for hotels worldwide. This group likes to travel and prefers to spend money on experiences rather than materialistic items. Their responses to online marketing is expected to be different as they process website information five times faster than older generations and are the most emotional and least loyal customers compared to all other generations. The aim of this research is to develop and test a comprehensive model that explains how Gen Y develops loyalty to a hotel booking website. To test the research model, an online survey was distributed to a systematic random sample of 2500 Gen Yers. Findings highlight that trust is the most important antecedent of e-loyalty in online shopping for Gen Y customers. Brand equity is also a key precursor of e-loyalty. Finally, a positive online experience (flow), is also a significant precursor of e-loyalty for this cohort.     

Media multitasking performance: Role of message relevance and formatting cues in online environments

In this study, strategies involving use of message relevance and formatting cues were tested with the objective of enhancing media multitasking performance. Three memory measures, free recall, aided/cued recall, and recognition were used as dependent variables for the study.     

Distinguishing the effects of B2B information quality,system quality,and service outcome quality on trust and distrust

Successful business-to-business (B2B) data exchanges can help firms improve inter-organizational cooperation and operational practices, thereby increasing competitive advantage. However, data exchange quality and trust are not assured. Further, although researchers have examined how trust in the exchange partner relates to data exchange system success, both trust and distrust may be important to consider. Using two-factor theory and trust theory, we examine the differential impacts of information quality, system quality, and service outcome quality on trusting and distrusting beliefs. We also study whether trusting and distrusting beliefs have differential influences on relationship commitment and perceived risk. Results from a laboratory experiment show that information quality, a process (i.e., motivating) factor, more strongly influences trusting beliefs than distrusting beliefs, whereas service outcome quality, an outcome (i.e., hygiene) factor, more strongly influences distrusting beliefs. Also, while trusting beliefs has a significantly stronger influence on relationship commitment, trusting and distrusting beliefs have equivalent effects on perceived risk. Implications and ways to expand this research are discussed.     

Domestic Technology Adoption: Comparison of Innovation Adoption Models and Moderators

Domestic technologies, such as assistant robots, have the potential to provide considerable assistance to families in societies with aging populations and increasing labor costs. This study intends 1) to test a series of innovation adoption theories to examine which models may better predict consumer behavioral intention toward the use of domestic technologies and 2) to examine whether lead‐usership and global identity predict intentions. With the floor cleaning robots as target products of the survey and employing a sample of 299 potential consumers in Taiwan, a rapidly aging society, this study finds: 1) the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model accounts for 55% of the variance and better predicts purchase intention than the technology acceptance model and the theory of reasoned action. 2) In the nested TPB model, the effects of usefulness and ease of use on intentions are fully mediated by attitude. 3) When including 2 additional constructs, global identity and lead‐usership, the explanatory power of the extended TPB model rises from 55% to 66%. 4) Lead‐usership moderates the link between attitude and intentions, that is, the stronger the lead‐usership the weaker the effect of attitude on intentions. 5) As lead‐usership and global identity are included in the model, the impact of perceived behavioral control vanishes. 6) Subjective norms moderate (weakening) the effect of attitude on adoption intentions; thus, word of mouth and peer pressure could be powerful communication tools to persuade follower consumers to adopt domestic technologies, such as family robots.     

Trusting expert- versus user-generated ratings online: The role of information volume,valence, and consumer characteristics

The warranting principle, signaling theory, and theories of informational social influence suggest conditions when either user-generated information, or information originating from traditional experts, might be privileged online. A random sample of 1207 U.S.-based adults with Internet access completed an experiment that manipulated the source, volume, and valence of online movie ratings in order to test predictions derived from these perspectives. Results indicated that ratings volume is positively associated with trust of, reliance on, and confidence in user-generated content, as well as the congruence between one’s own and others’ opinions; that ratings source and volume interact to impact credibility perceptions, reliance on user-generated information, and opinion congruence, such that people tend to favor experts when there is low information volume, but favor user-generated information under conditions of high information volume; and that people’s opinions and behavioral intentions converge with the online ratings information to which they are exposed. In addition, these effects apply more strongly to people more conversant with user-generated content. Results indicate important theoretical extensions by demonstrating that social information online may be filtered through signals indicating its veracity, which may not apply equally to all social media users.     

When trust and distrust collide online: The engenderment and role of consumer ambivalence in online consumer behavior

Trust and distrust are both considered to be crucial in online truster–trustee relationships. Although some research has proposed that trust and distrust are distinct, other research continues to hold that they are merely opposite ends of the same continuum. Given this debate, it is important to consider how distrust is distinguished from trust. To that end, this paper extends the nomological network of distrust and introduces two novel antecedents never introduced in online behavior literature: situational abnormalities and suspicion. For this nomological network, we also propose that trust and distrust coexist in online e-commerce relationships and can result in ambivalence when they both have high attitudinal values (represented in emotions, beliefs, or behaviors).Using an empirical study of online consumer behavior with 521 experienced online consumers, we found strong empirical validation for our newly proposed model. We provide evidence that suspicion and situational abnormalities are separate, important antecedents to distrust. We also examine the effect of ambivalence on the truster’s intentions toward the website and find a small positive effect that increases the user’s intentions toward the website. Finally, we empirically demonstrate the coexistence of trust and distrust as separate constructs and emphasize that distrust has a much larger impact on the truster’s intentions than does trust. We conclude with implications for theory and practice, along with a discussion of the limitations of and future opportunities revealed by this study.     

Adolescents' privacy concerns and information disclosure online: The role of parents and the Internet

This study investigated the role of parents and the Internet in adolescents' online privacy concerns and information disclosing behaviors. Specifically, instructive and restrictive parental mediation, adolescents' self-disclosure to parents about their Internet experiences, time spent on the Internet, and participation in online communication activities were examined as factors that may impact adolescents' concerns about online privacy, willingness to disclose personally identifiable information, and actual disclosure of personal information online. A survey conducted in Singapore with 746 adolescents aged 12–18 revealed that instructive parental mediation based on parent-adolescent communication was more effective than restrictive parental mediation based on rule-making and controlling in reducing information disclosure among adolescents. Adolescents' self-disclosure to parents about their Internet experiences was found to be positively associated with their privacy concerns but did not foster privacy protection behaviors. While online chatting had a positive relationship with privacy concerns, excessive use of the Internet and frequent participation in social networking and online gaming resulted in increased information disclosure.