Self-efficacy beliefs, computer training and psychological well-being among information and communication technology workers

This study examines the factorial structure of self-efficacy and the relationship among different levels of self-efficacy (i.e., generalised, professional and computer) and psychological well-being and training among Information and Communication Technology (ICT) workers. The sample was made up of 496 workers from different occupational sectors using ICT in their jobs and a subsample of these workers who were trained in ICT. Results show that (1) the generalised-specific structure is maintained in the three levels as expected but in fours factors: i.e., generalised self-efficacy, professional self-confidence, achieving professional objectives and computer self-efficacy. (2) There is a negative and significant relationship between self-efficacy and different psychological well-being indicators. (3) Computer attitudes moderated the relationship between computer training (i.e., number of training hours) and professional self-confidence. So far, workers with high positive attitude towards ICT, when number of hours are high, their levels of professional self-confidence increase, but it depends on the number of training hours (i.e. more training hours, more self-confidence). However, workers with low levels of positive attitude towards ICT experimented a decrease in professional self-confidence. In conclusion, training has not a direct influence on self-efficacy but moderated by type of training. Limitations of the study and practical implications of these findings are discussed.     

The significance of attitudes towards evidence-based practice in information technology use in the health sector: an empirical investigation

The article investigates the relationship between attitudes towards evidence-based practice (EBP) and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in practice and demonstrates that the poor correlation reported in the literature is a methodological artifact rather than a substantive fact. Results are based on structured surveying of 1015 medical and nursing staff, drawn from 15 Greek hospitals. We used unfolding item response theory models to demonstrate that by placing the statements assessing attitude towards EBP and ICT self-reported use on a single attitude–behaviour continuum, behaviour statements have a systematically different location on the attitude–behaviour continuum from the attitude statements. Based on the latent probabilistic relation among attitudes towards EBP and ICT use, the practical implications of the study are discussed.     

Translating evolving technology use into user stories: Technology life narratives of consumer technology use

People acquire and buy technology in stores or online in the same way as any other consumer product, so understanding the user as a consumer of technology is essential. In this study, we investigate how the use of ubiquitous consumer technology evolves over time and suggest a theoretical account of how use evolves into different patterns of embodiment. Empirically, we followed 15 consumers of smartphones during a 6‐month field study and collected data via interviews, survey, and focus groups. Analytically, we view the user as a consumer of technology and develop three technology life narratives as patterns of embodiment. As a theoretical lens, we draw upon the theory of consumption values and approached use as a dynamic consumption process in which different values drive use over time. We found three distinct patterns of embodiment: that of conditionalists, aesthetic socialites, and functional enthusiasts. Conditionalists are pragmatic and use technology only when the device fulfils pre‐existing needs and the preferred alternative is unavailable. Aesthetic socialites use the technology as a fashion accessory and to manage their personal relationships. Functional enthusiasts are gadget lovers whose tinkering for the sake of exploration leads them to discover new needs that the technology can fulfil. Besides the three patterns of embodiment, we discovered a type of use that we argue falls outside of the values described in the theory of consumption values. This is the use of technology without any identifiable purpose other than just using the technology, which is driven by expositional value.     

Australian managers'' perceptions, attitudes and use of information technology

Survey data collected from 268 managers were used to examine the direct application and importance of Information Technology (IT), specifically computer application systems, to the jobs and skills that they possessed. The results showed that the majority of participants had access to and used at least the traditional computer applications, namely word processing, spreadsheets and presentation graphics. The influence of a training exercise on participants' attitudes towards specific systems and concepts was also examined. The result demonstrated a favourable shift in attitude as an outcome of the management training program.     

运用互联网+云技术,提升物业信息化管理

本文通过将深入研究国网娄底供电公司调通大楼运用互联网和云技术+物业管理的模式,将物业的综合服务、安保服务、保洁服务、绿化服务及其他服务内容,通过管理平台实现物业管理的信息化和实时化;构建快速的信息沟通和反馈渠道,建立完善的服务监管平台。     

The use of information and communication technology in the sea fishing industry

The advent of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has profoundly altered relations between vessels and the shore. Thanks to ICTs, vessels are no longer cut off from land. The technologies in use in today's fisheries, however, remain fairly rudimentary. This article describes the use of ICTs aboard offshore fishing vessels. It relies on the concepts of ‘instruments’ and ‘usage scheme’ defined by Rabardel (Rabardel, P., 1995. Les hommes et les technologies. Paris: Armand Colin) and analyses the use of ICTs in terms of objectives, information sought and communication targets. It points to the prevalence of vessel-to-vessel interchange, and to a frequent use of ICTs to seek out and locate fish. It shows the existence of a ‘key instrument’, the Inmarsat standard C, and defines the way in which fishermen are organised in cognition-sharing networks.     

浅谈互助教学在高校信息技术教学中的运用

现在的社会是信息社会,大范围的信息交流需要借助信息技术技术的运用。现在的高校学习越来越重视了信息技术的学习,信息技术教学是高校为社会输送信息技术人才的重要的方式,在现在的高校信息技术教学中,互助教学是信息技术课堂上常用的教学方式。本文将从信息技术课堂上互助教学的必要性出发,分析互助教学运用中应注意的问题,以及互助教学在高校信息技术教学如何运用。     

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.     

An empirical study of occupational stress,attitudes and health among information systems personnel

This paper investigates occupational stress, Type A behavior pattern, work attitudes, health symptoms, and health behaviors among information systems personnel. Hundreds of research studies have been conducted on the stress associated with working in various occupations. Unfortunately, information systems is one occupation that has not been included in these stress studies. The present study investigated the stress, work attitudes, and health behaviors of 446 information systems personnel employed in 18 different organizations. Type A behavior pattern was found to be a significant moderator for some of the stressor-criterion associations. The findings suggest that more managerial understanding of person-environment fit in general and the individual employee's predisposition toward the Type A behavior pattern specifically may be beneficial in attempting to initiate, nurture, and sustain a productive and healthy work atmosphere.     

Cultural diversity and information and communication technology impacts on global virtual teams: An exploratory study

Modern organizations face many significant challenges because of turbulent environments and a competitive global economy. Among these challenges are the use of information and communication technology (ICT), a multicultural workforce, and organizational designs that involve global virtual teams. Ad hoc teams create both opportunities and challenges for organizations and many organizations are trying to understand how the virtual environment affects team effectiveness. Our exploratory study focused on the effects of cultural diversity and ICT on team effectiveness. Interviews with 41 team members from nine countries employed by a Fortune 500 corporation were analyzed. Results suggested that cultural diversity had a positive influence on decision-making and a negative influence on communication. ICT mitigated the negative impact on intercultural communication and supported the positive impact on decision-making. Effective technologies for intercultural communication included e-mail, teleconferencing combined with e-Meetings, and team rooms. Cultural diversity influenced selection of the communication media.     

蓟县卫生专网及信息系统的主要安全威胁及防御技术应用

分析蓟县卫生专用网络的网络拓扑结构及信息系统的安全隐患,提出该专用网络及信息系统面临的主要安全威胁和相应的安全防御技术,保障网络及信息系统的安全稳定运行。     

The motivation of information technology consultants: The struggle with social dimensions and identity

Increasingly, customer companies hire external information technology (IT) consultants, often on a special project basis. These consultants are employees of professional service firms, although they receive their assignments from the hiring companies, report to them, and are supervised by them. Using semistructured interviews with 12 IT consultants in Sweden, we examine the factors that influence their work motivation, including the effect of this dual allegiance—to the service firm and to the customer company. The data indicate that the primary motivators are the variety in tasks and the opportunity to influence and/or manage an entire project. Neither monetary incentives nor the consultancy firm norms are strong motivators. A factor that affects work behavior and motivation is the subordinate identity that IT consultants must assume with their powerful clients. The article concludes with practical suggestions for managers who seek to understand what motivates employees who work at a distance, under external control. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Effects of social and technology overload on psychological well-being in young South Korean adults: The mediatory role of social network service addiction

This study examined the effects of social and information technology overload on psychological well-being. It also explored the mediating role of social network service (SNS) addiction in the hypothesized relationships between these variables. A sample of 419 college students and employees in their 20s and 30s, who were SNS users in South Korea, participated in the study. The results showed that social and information technology overload did not exert a direct impact on psychological well-being. SNS addiction served as a mediator in the relationships between these variables. The theoretical contributions and useful managerial implications of the study, with respect to reducing SNS users' addiction and improving their psychological well-being, were described.     

信息技术对管理沟通的影响

随着现代化企业管理制度的不断革新,企业的管理者逐渐对信息交流以及员工间的信息沟通给予了高度重视。在信息技术的高度发展下,管理者与员工间的沟通更为便捷、高效,达到的沟通效果也是更加令人满意。文中首先对信息技术及其重要性进行分析,然后,探索信息技术的不断改进对管理沟通的重要促进作用。     

Toward more effective management of information technology benefits

A critical issue facing senior executives is how to improve the return on their information technology (IT) investments. The results of numerous studies are inconclusive as they have failed to show conclusively that IT investments produce expected payoffs. The purpose of this paper is to offer an explanation for the perceived lack of IT payoff and show how managers can improve the return on their IT investments. We argue that IT can provide significant benefits, but in many cases these benefits are not captured by the firm that made the investment. Instead, a large portion of the benefits are reaped by a variety of participants or stakeholders. The implications of this for managers is that they need to view IT payoff as a portfolio of benefits across many stakeholders. They must also understand and manage the distribution of the benefits within the portfolio to assure that benefits are transferred to the bottom line. The paper offers a framework for analyzing the nature and distribution of IT benefits among various stakeholder groups and concludes with a set of guidelines for measuring and managing these benefits.     

Effects of information technology alignment and information sharing on supply chain operational performance

The paper aims to investigate the effects of information technology (IT) alignment and information sharing on operational performance in the context of supply chain. Based on the resource-based view, this study identifies IT alignment and information sharing as specific resources/capabilities for supply chain partnership. Data from 141 Chinese manufacturers are collected to test the relationships among IT alignment, information sharing, and operational performance. The results show that (1) both IT alignment and information sharing have direct and positive effects on operational performance, (2) IT alignment has an indirect effect on operational performance through information sharing, and (3) IT alignment and information sharing have different emphases in operational performance improvement. The resource-capability-performance paradigm is extended to supply chain context in the emerging economy. Chinese managers may have different emphases on IT resource/information sharing capability deployment for operational efficiency and effectiveness.     

A 10-year assessment of information and communication technology tasks required in undergraduate agriculture courses

This study sought to assess required information and communication technology (ICT) tasks in selected undergraduate agriculture courses in a land-grant university during a 10-year period. Selected agriculture faculty members in the fall 1999 (n = 63), 2004 (n = 55), and 2009 (n = 64) semesters were surveyed to determine the ICT tasks they required of students. There were significant (p < .05) increases in the number of required Internet and electronic mail tasks between 1999 and 2009; but no significant changes in the number of word processing, computer graphics, spreadsheet, database, or miscellaneous ICT tasks required over the period. In 1999, three specific tasks (receive electronic mail, search the Internet, and type a lab or project report) were required in more than 50% of courses; in 2009, these three tasks plus three additional tasks (send electronic mail, submit assignments as attached electronic mail files, and use Blackboard^© to acquire course information) were required in a majority of courses. Faculty with higher levels of self-perceived ICT skills and those teaching higher-level courses tended to require larger and more diverse sets of ICT tasks than other faculty. Course level explained the largest proportion of unique variance in the number of required spreadsheet, word processing, computer graphics, and miscellaneous ICT tasks. Self-perceived ICT skills and course level explained approximately equal amounts of the unique variance in total ICT tasks required. Both the quantity and complexity of ICT in undergraduate agriculture courses should be increased.     

The dark side of information technology use

A large body of research has considered the positive aspects of information technology (IT) use. However, emerging research and practice commentary is beginning to focus on complex and often alarming ways in which use of IT affects organisational and social life. This Special Issue focuses on these ‘dark’ effects of IT use.     

The impact of information technology on individual and firm marketing performance

The perceived impacts of information technology use on firm marketing organization performance are examined. A theoretical model is presented linking organizational and end-user traits, information quality, system/service quality, industry traits, and tasks performed using a system to perceptions of organizational performance impacts through ease of system use, perceived individual performance impacts (i.e. perceived usefulness), attitudes toward using the system, and system use. The empirical examination uses a mail survey of US marketing executives to collect the data. The quantitative technique used is structural equation modeling. The results indicate that measures of organizational traits, individual traits, information quality, system/service quality, and tasks performed using the system impact perceived performance of the marketing organization mediated individual performance impacts (i.e. perceived usefulness), attitudes toward using the system, and system use. Managerial implications and conclusions are presented based upon these results.     

The impact of information technology on individual and firm marketing performance

The perceived impacts of information technology use on firm marketing organization performance are examined. A theoretical model is presented linking organizational and end-user traits, information quality, system/service quality, industry traits, and tasks performed using a system to perceptions of organizational performance impacts through ease of system use, perceived individual performance impacts (i.e. perceived usefulness), attitudes toward using the system, and system use. The empirical examination uses a mail survey of US marketing executives to collect the data. The quantitative technique used is structural equation modeling. The results indicate that measures of organizational traits, individual traits, information quality, system/service quality, and tasks performed using the system impact perceived performance of the marketing organization mediated individual performance impacts (i.e. perceived usefulness), attitudes toward using the system, and system use. Managerial implications and conclusions are presented based upon these results.