Understanding the role of an IT artifact in online service continuance: An extended perspective of user satisfaction

Given increasing investment in an IT (information technology) artifact (i.e., online service website), it is becoming important to retain existing customers. In order to help link website design and investment decisions to the strategy for retaining customers, we propose a model by extending the user satisfaction perspective into research on online service continuance. We empirically tested the model within the context of a social network service. The analysis results found that website information satisfaction and system satisfaction play key roles in forming continuance intention through perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment. It is also noted that computer anxiety serves as an important moderator toward continuance intention. Theoretical and practical implications are offered for better understanding of the role of the IT artifact in online service post-adoption phenomena.     

Towards an integrated measurement of IS project performance: The project performance scorecard

Determining the contribution of information system (IS) projects is a difficult endeavour. This research presents a framework for evaluating and measuring IS project performance that seek to address this problem while moving away from the reliance on the traditional assessment method (time, cost, specifications). When IS projects fail or succeed is difficult to determine what conditions enabled the outcome. However, if we are to develop a higher level of IS project management competence we need frameworks that can help in assessing IS project outcomes while critically reflecting and learning from IS project management practices. The Project Performance Scorecard (PPS) recommended here is one framework that can help to advance our understanding IS project management and evaluation approaches. This framework integrates concepts from existing models of IS success, the Balanced Scorecard and project management practices. A case study approach is used to illustrate the use of the PPS, and offers insights into how it can be useful in assessing the performance of IS projects.

Understanding post‐adoption IS usage stages: an empirical assessment of self‐service information systems

Organisations have invested in self‐service information systems (IS) to provide a direct interface for service delivery. Enriching the usage of these systems can provide organisations with immense benefits. However, limited research has been directed towards understanding post‐adoption IS usage behaviour in general and specifically in the context of self‐service IS. This study proposes post‐adoption IS usage behaviour as a broader concept constituting feature level usage of IS, integration of IS in the work system and exploration of new uses of IS. We evaluate how the new conceptualisation can be used to classify users at different stages of self‐service IS usage. Further, we examine user perceptions that differentiate among the users situated at different self‐service IS usage stages. Data were collected in the context of a self‐service Web‐based IS to validate the post‐adoption IS usage constructs and to examine the proposed thesis. The newly developed conceptual structure and measures for post‐adoption IS usage behaviour exhibit strong psychometric properties. The analysis shows three distinct post‐adoption IS usage stages and highlights that usefulness, user‐initiated learning, ease of use, satisfaction and voluntariness of use differentiate users at the different stages of post‐adoption IS usage. The results show that these variables aggregate into value confirmation and learning orientation as two higher‐level concepts. Further, we evaluate the predictive efficacy of the research model in classifying users into different post‐adoption self‐service IS usage stages. Implications are drawn for future research.     

Discrepancies between desired and perceived measures of performance of IS professionals: Views of the IS professionals themselves and the users

Evaluation of IS professionals is difficult. Measures are seldom fully defined and suffer from the inability of a user to consider differences between expectations and perceptions of performance. In addition, expected levels of performance and perceived levels of performance depend on the satisfaction of each group of stakeholders. Discrepancy theory leads one to expect that satisfaction is highest when performance matches expectations. To explore this gap in different groups, a sample of users and a matched sample of IS professionals was investigated in order to determine the relationship between the performance gap and satisfaction with the system on the part of the users and careers on the part of the IS professionals. Larger gaps were found to be associated with poor satisfaction in both samples. Additionally, each group had a different set of expectations, indicating that the measures did not represent the same expectation or meanings to different stakeholders. Thus, management should strive to promote uniform understanding of the measures employed in IS professional performance evaluation by all stakeholders and manage expectations according to the metrics selected.     

A multimedia social interaction service for inclusive community living: Initial user trials

The move from institution to community care has resulted in many people receiving care at home. For some, disability or frailty restricts their involvement in social activities outside the home, resulting in unacceptable social isolation. This problem is compounded if the person has a speech or language impairment. In this paper, we will describe a communication service designed to provide nonspeaking people with a means to interact socially when living independently, based on the sharing of stories using pictures and other media. Initial exploration on the usability of the system by a pair of representative users will be described. Published online: 6 November 2002     

360°‐viewable cylindrical integral imaging system using a 3‐D/2‐D switchable and flexible backlight

Abstract— A 360°‐viewable cylindrical three‐dimensional (3‐D) display system based on integral imaging has been implemented. The proposed system is composed of a cylindrically arranged electroluminescent (EL) pinhole film, an EL film backlight, a barrier structure, and a transmission‐type flexible display panel. The cylindrically arranged point‐light‐source array, which is generated by the EL pinhole film reconstructs 360°‐viewable virtual 3‐D images at the center of the cylinder. In addition, the proposed system provides 3‐D/2‐D convertibility using the switching of EL pinhole film from a point light source to a surface light source. In this paper, the principle of operation, analysis of the viewing parameters, and the experimental results are presented.     

Measuring and evaluating IS expectations and benefit success from B2B electronic trading: a new survey approach

This article demonstrates a survey approach for measuring and evaluating IS benefit success from business-to-business (B2B) electronic trading. This article is of significance in demonstrating practical benefit success mechanisms for evaluating complex IS projects. A new survey approach is used to help evaluate the IS benefit success for each participating organisation. Disconfirmation theory and the expectations paradigm are used to justify the overall approach taken. A central tenet of the overall evaluation approach has been the need for a combined evaluation of benefit success based on interpreting or diagnosing two outcomes: (a) the ‘realised benefit outcome’ (RBO), or the actual number of realised strategic and operational benefits a company has achieved, regardless of initial expectations, as well as (b) the ‘benefit state outcome’ (BSO), or the extent of benefit planning gap (BPG) experienced within each company relative to their original expectations. This article demonstrates in detail how to measure benefit success from survey data using a perceptual self-assessed rating instrument. The approach will be useful for other academics and practitioners in the development of usable IS benefits evaluation mechanisms.     

服务组合排编规范性能分析研究

伴随Web服务而生的服务组装技术,因能实现服务的复用和增值而成为学术界和工业界关注的焦点。目前主流的服务组合规范可以分为基于编写（orchestration-based规范,如WS-BPEL）和基于排编（choreography-based规范,如WSCI和WS-CDL）两大类。目前对服务组合规范的研究多偏重于功能分析和性质验证的方面,而数量化特性,特别是性能的研究却相对薄弱。运用随机Petri网对基于WSCI规范描述的服务组合进行了建模和性能分析。基于WSCI的组合服务转换为随机Petri网描述,在其基础上导出连续时间马氏过程的状态变迁模型,在马氏过程的转移强度矩阵上进行一系列计算以获得对性能的评价。在实例研究中运用蒙特卡洛实验和置信区间分析的方法,对上一步获得的理论结果进行了检验。     

Senior managers’ perception on green information systems (IS) adoption and environmental performance: Results from a field survey

Based on a Belief-Action-Outcome framework, we produced a model that shows senior managers’ perception of both the antecedents to and the consequences of Green IS adoption by a firm. This conceptual model and its associated hypotheses were empirically tested using a dataset generated from a survey of 405 organizations. The results suggest that coercive pressure influences the attitude toward Green IS adoption while mimetic pressure does not. In addition, we found that there was a significant relationship between Green IS adoption, attitude, and consideration of future consequences. Finally, we found that only long term Green IS adoption was positively related to environmental performance.     

Uncertainty in cloud service relationships: Uncovering the differential effect of three social influence processes on potential and current users

Consumer cloud services are characterized by uncertainty before usage but also for individuals who are already using the service. Our cloud service relationship model posits that individuals facing continuous uncertainty during adoption and continuance decisions rely on their social environment to make evaluations and decisions. Drawing on a representative dataset of 2011 Internet users, we distinguish three social influence processes from social influence theory (identification, internalization, and compliance) and uncover their differential effect on potential and current users’ uncertainty evaluations and on usage intentions. Our results can help cloud providers to successfully manage their relationships with potential and current users.     

The flipside of ubiquitous connectivity enabled by smartphone-based social networking service: Social presence and privacy concern

The spread of smartphones triggers the universal use of smartphone-based social networking services (SNS) by satisfying users' needs for maintaining seamless, constant connection and developing intimate relationships with others, such as family, friends, and acquaintances. Under the circumstances, this study examines the consequences of ubiquitous connectivity, considering that it is a typical characteristic of mobile technologies. More specifically, this study addresses both sides of ubiquitous connectivity due to smartphone-based SNS namely, social presence and privacy concern. Furthermore, the study verifies the role of enjoyment which has been argued as a key determinant of the continued use of hedonic IS. The results show that first, ubiquitous connectivity increases social presence and privacy concern simultaneously. Second, enjoyment derives from not only ubiquitous connectivity but also social presence and privacy concern. Finally, smartphone-based SNS continuance intention is determined by enjoyment, social presence, and privacy concern. Discussion and implications on the results are presented.     

Keeping the user in the cloud: a cognitive social capital antecedent to use continuance and trust-commitment in personal cloud storage services

While personal cloud storage services are popular, providers experience difficulty retaining users. Two explanations of user continuance intention, being use continuance theory and trust-commitment theory, emerge from prior literature. However, there is no unifying theoretical lens to reconcile these two explanations. We use a cognitive social capital explanation to unify these two literature streams. We apply our research model to 237 cloud storage users. We find that the cognitive social capital lens significantly predicts both use continuance intention and trust-commitment in personal cloud storage services. Implications for cloud service providers are offered.     

Stability‐ and performance‐robustness tradeoffs: MIMO mixed‐µ vs complex‐µ design

We present a non‐trivial case study designed to highlight some of the practical issues that arise when using mixed‐µ or complex‐µ robust synthesis methodologies. By considering a multi‐input multi‐output three‐cart mass–spring–dashpot (MSD) with uncertain parameters and dynamics, it is demonstrated that optimized performance (disturbance‐rejection) is reduced as the level of uncertainty in one or two real parameters is increased. Comparisons are made (a) in the frequency domain, (b) by RMS values of key signals and (c) in time‐domain simulations. The mixed‐µ controllers designed are shown to yield superior performance as compared with the classical complex‐µ design. The singular value decomposition analysis shows the directionality changes resulting from different uncertainty levels and from the use of different frequency weights. The nominal and marginal stability regions of the closed‐loop system are studied and discussed, illustrating how stability margins can be extended at the cost of reducing performance. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Exploring continued online service usage behavior: The roles of self-image congruity and regret

The expectation–confirmation model (ECM) of continued information systems (IS) use has proven to be successful across online service contexts. Previous studies based on ECM have focused on a referent (i.e., comparison standard) that is centered on the target IS (i.e., target online service). The effect of this referent, captured through confirmation, has been strongly demonstrated. Yet, few studies have explored the saliency of two additional reference effects, captured through self-image congruity and regret, in online service continuance. To fill this knowledge gap, this paper attempts to develop a research model that extends the ECM perspective in view of the additional contributions of regret and self-image congruity on two post-adoption beliefs (perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment) and continuance intention. For this extension, we synthesized the extant literature on continued IS use, self-image congruity, and regret. The model was empirically tested within the context of a social network service. Our analysis result shows that self-image congruity plays a key role in forming the two post-adoption beliefs. It is also found that the absolute effect of regret on continuance intention is larger than the effects of other antecedents identified in IS. Overall, this study preliminarily confirms the salience of self-image congruity and regret in online service continuance.     

Firm actions,user engagement,and firm performance: A mediated model with evidences from internet service firms

As firms’ essential stakeholder, users can be evoked by the information from firms’ action. Users interpret relevant cues from the information and respond to it through engagement behavior such as online word of mouth through social media. Drawing on the information processing theory, this study develops a model of how user engagement behavior mediates the relationship between a firm’s actions and performance. The theoretical model is tested in two empirical studies. One uses actions of six representative Internet service firms and their users’ online word-of-mouth behavior over a 50-month period. The second is a two-stage controlled laboratory experiment designed to establish causal linkages between firm actions and user engagement. The study provides support for its hypotheses and offers several key findings. First, the firm’s actions influence user engagement behavior. Specifically, when a firm launches a larger number of actions, users are engaged in a higher volume of activities and deeper activities. When a firm employs actions that are simpler and easier to understand, users are engaged in deeper activities but not necessarily a larger volume of activities. Second, user engagement is a missing link between a firm’s actions and performance. Specifically, engagement depth positively mediates the effects of both action volume and action simplicity on performance. By contrast, engagement breadth positively mediates the effect of action volume but not the effect of action simplicity on performance. Collectively, the study contributes to a clearer understanding of the role of users in firms’ actions and provides key insights regarding how firms benefit from user engagement.     

The social implications of casual online gaming: Examining the effects of competitive setting and performance outcome on player perceptions

The theory of bounded generalized reciprocity has recently been applied to the study of video games, particularly those that offer cooperative and competitive settings. Emphasizing casual online gameplay, this study investigates how individuals respond to manipulated performance feedback in either a competitive or cooperative game play setting. An interaction between competitive setting and performance feedback was detected on measures of interpersonal liking and perceived competence. Specifically, perceptions of partners and competitors were relatively favorable in the cooperation/success and competition/failure conditions, respectively. On the other hand, participants rated their partners and competitors less favorably during cooperative failure and competitive success, possibly reflecting a unique self-serving bias. The results also suggest that individuals in a cooperative setting experience greater enjoyment than those in a competitive setting. The effectiveness of the two manipulations in this study may also have important implications for the design of serious or educational games, which often have the goal of strategically motivating players in an attempt to promote desired outcomes.     

Exploring the dual outcomes of mobile social networking service enjoyment: The roles of social self-efficacy and habit

Enjoyment experience has been generally regarded as a positive element which can drive various aspects of system usage. Little research has examined its potential adverse outcomes, especially in an emerging mobile services context. This study investigates the dual effects of enjoyment on mobile social networking service (Mobile SNS) usage behaviors by focusing on not only its positive outcomes but also its potential adverse consequences. In addition, this study explores the impacts of social self-efficacy and habit on these dual causal processes. A research model is developed and empirically tested using data collected from 398 mobile SNS users in China. The structural equation modeling analysis results indicate that enjoyment significantly affects both mobile SNS high engagement and mobile SNS addiction behaviors. Mobile SNS habit mediates the associations between mobile SNS enjoyment and mobile SNS addiction behaviors. Social self-efficacy directly affects mobile SNS users' enjoyment experience, and it also has important indirect impacts on the dual processes by effectively enhancing mobile SNS users' high engagement and alleviating their addiction behaviors. The theoretical and practical implications of our findings are also discussed.     

OWS性能监测评价方法研究及其原型系统实现——以OGC WMS为例

针对互联网上所共享发布的开放地理空间联盟网络服务（OWS）经常会出现不能访问或运行速度缓慢而导致难以利用的问题,为测试和评价这些地理信息服务的可用性和性能,通过研究OWS服务的固有特点,提出了实时监测OWS状态的动态规划模型和基于评价因子、评价权重等参数的评价模型,用以实现对OWS的监测与评价;基于上述模型与因子,设计开发了面向OWS的实时监测和性能评价原型系统,并以OGC网络地图服务（WMS）为例对模型与原型系统进行了实验验证。结果表明：该系统能够对相应的OWS进行实时监测与评价,所提的监测与评价方法与模型可为用户在众多的服务资源中获取其所感兴趣的数据提供参考信息,为地理信息服务使用者查找更优的服务资源提供帮助。     

Mechanical ventilation and thoracic artificial lung assistance during mechanical circulatory support with PUCA pump: In silico study

Patients assisted with left ventricular assist device (LVAD) may require prolonged mechanical ventilatory assistance secondary to postoperative respiratory failure. The goal of this work is the study of the interdependent effects LVAD like pulsatile catheter (PUCA) pump and mechanical ventilatory support or thoracic artificial lung (TAL), by the hemodynamic point of view, using a numerical simulator of the human cardiovascular system. In the simulator, different circulatory sections are described using lumped parameter models. Lumped parameter models have been designed to describe the hydrodynamic behavior of both PUCA pump and thoracic artificial lung. Ventricular behavior atrial and septum functions were reproduced using variable elastance model. Starting from simulated pathological conditions we studied the effects produced on some hemodynamic variables by simultaneous PUCA pump, thoracic artificial lung or mechanical ventilation assistance. Thoracic artificial lung was applied in parallel or in hybrid mode. The effects of mechanical ventilation have been simulated by changing mean intrathoracic pressure value from −4 mmHg to +5 mmHg. The hemodynamic variables observed during the simulations, in different assisted conditions, were: left and right ventricular end systolic (diastolic) volume, systolic/diastolic aortic pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, left and right mean atrial pressure, mean systemic venous pressure and the total blood flow. Results show that the application of PUCA (without mechanical ventilatory assistance) increases the total blood flow, reduces the left ventricular end systolic volume and increases the diastolic aortic pressure. Parallel TAL assistance increases the right ventricular end diastolic (systolic) volume reduction both when PUCA is switched “ON” and both when PUCA is switched “OFF”. By switching “OFF” the PUCA pump, it seems that parallel thoracic artificial lung assistance produces a greater cardiac output (respect to hybrid TAL assistance).