Gamified monetary reward designs: Offering certain versus chance-based rewards

2023 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 0

Authors: Adam, Martin; Reinelt, Annika; Roethke, Konstantin

Abstract: To motivate visitors to engage with websites, e-tailers widely employ monetary r ... Expand

Abstract: To motivate visitors to engage with websites, e-tailers widely employ monetary rewards (e.g., vouchers, discounts) in their website designs. With advances in user interface technologies, many e-tailers have started to offer gamified monetary reward designs (MRDs), which require visitors to earn the monetary reward by playing a game, rather than simply claiming the reward. However, little is known about whether and why gamified MRDs engage visitors compared to their non-gamified counterpart. Even less is known about the effectiveness of gamified MRDs when providing certain or chance-based rewards, in that visitors do or do not know what reward they will gain for successfully performing in the game. Drawing on cognitive evaluation theory, we investigate gamified MRDs with certain or chance-based rewards and contrast them to non-gamified MRDs with certain rewards in user registration systems. Our results from a multi-method approach encompassing the complementary features of a randomised field experiment (N = 651) and a randomised online experiment (N = 330) demonstrate differential effects of the three investigated MRDs on user registration. Visitors encountering either type of gamified MRD are more likely to register than those encountering a non-gamified MRD. Moreover, gamified MRDs with chance-based rewards have the highest likelihood of user registrations. We also show that MRDs have distinct indirect effects on user registration via anticipated experiences of competence and sensation. Overall, the paper offers theoretical insights and practical guidance on how and why gamified MRDs are effective for e-tailers. Collapse

Topics: website electronic mail electronic commerce gamification website design

Methods: experiment randomized field experiment survey experimental task mixed method

Theories: cognitive evaluation theory self determination theory

Responsible innovation with digital platforms: Cases in India and Canada

2023 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 6

Authors: Ahuja, Suchit; Chan, Yolande E.; Krishnamurthy, Rashmi

Abstract: Marginalized communities globally encounter grand challenges such as lack of acc ... Expand

Abstract: Marginalized communities globally encounter grand challenges such as lack of access to education, healthcare, and sustained livelihoods. Several initiatives to address these complex, global problems have resulted in fragmented solutions. Recognizing this, there have been several calls for the study of responsible innovation (RI) to address grand challenges. Digital platforms such as AirBnB, Uber and so forth have now become commonplace and are known to generate economic value but also face criticism for being exploitative and exclusive. Only a handful of studies show how similar platforms can innovate responsibly to serve marginalized communities by generating simultaneous economic and social value. To address this gap, our study examines the cases of two platforms that orchestrated ecosystems consisting of individuals from marginalized communities, government agencies, and other entities to provide physical, digital and societal solutions based on principles of RI. We contribute to the RI and IS literatures to show how RI solutions can be fostered through digital platforms to address grand challenges. The article provides empirical evidence of all four dimensions of the RI framework—anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion, and responsiveness - and their operationalization through digital platforms. This research lays the foundation for future studies at the intersection of RI and digital platforms literature. The study also provides practice insights on developing digital platform solutions for marginalized communities to address grand challenges and is useful to policymakers to formulate appropriate interventions. It pushes the theoretical and practice boundaries of our understanding of RI and digital platforms. Collapse

Topics: digital platform mobile application social media innovation management business model

Methods: qualitative interview theory development case study triangulation archival research

Theories: theory of economic development

On Predicting ESG Ratings Using Dynamic Company Networks

2023 | ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ang, Gary; Guo, Zhiling; Lim, Ee-Peng

Abstract: Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations play an increasingly i ... Expand

Abstract: Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations play an increasingly important role due to the growing focus on sustainability globally. Entities, such as banks and investors, utilize ESG ratings of companies issued by specialized rating agencies to evaluate ESG risks of companies. The process of assigning ESG ratings by human analysts is however laborious and time intensive. Developing methods to predict ESG ratings could alleviate such challenges, allow ESG ratings to be generated in a more timely manner, cover more companies, and be more accessible. Most works study the effects of ESG ratings on target variables such as stock prices or financial fundamentals of companies, but few works study how different types of company information can be utilized to predict ESG ratings. Previous works also largely focus on using only the financial information of individual companies to predict ESG ratings, leaving out the different types of inter-company relationship networks. Such inter-company relationship networks are typically dynamic, i.e., they evolve across time. In this paper, we focus on utilizing dynamic inter-company relationships for ESG ratings prediction, and examine the relative importance of different financial and dynamic network information in this prediction task. Our analysis shows that utilizing dynamic inter-company network information, based on common director, common investor and news event-based knowledge graph relationships, can significantly improve ESG rating prediction performance. Robustness checks over different time-periods and different number of time-steps in the future further validate these insights. Collapse

Topics: shapley additive explanation knowledge graph database system missing data network effect

Methods: machine learning econometric modeling longitudinal research Granger causality robustness check

Human vs. Automated Sales Agents: How and Why Customer Responses Shift Across Sales Stages

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Adam, Martin; Roethke, Konstantin; Benlian, Alexander

Abstract: Customers in sales processes increasingly encounter automated sales agents (ASAs ... Expand

Abstract: Customers in sales processes increasingly encounter automated sales agents (ASAs) that complement or replace human sales agents (HSAs). Yet, little is known about whether, how, and why customers respond to ASAs in contrast to HSAs across successive decision stages of the same sales process. Even less is known about customer responses to HSA-ASA combinations, where both agents assume distinct roles and focus on complementary tasks that are traditionally performed by only one single sales agent. Against this backdrop, this paper explores the influence of increasingly common sales representative (rep) types (i.e., ASA, HSA, and HSA-ASA) on customer decisions across sales stages. Drawing on information processing theory and the literature on hedonic-utilitarian decision making, we investigate customer responses to text-based ASAs from vendor companies in two common early stages of email sales processes (i.e., sales initiation stages) when customers successively decide whether to indicate their initial interest in an offer and then, whether to provide their contact information. Specifically, we conducted two complementary multi-decision experiments, namely (1) a randomized field experiment in a high-stakes sales initiation setting (n = 325) and (2) a subsequent randomized online experiment to complement the real-world insights (n = 408). Our core findings reveal reversing effect patterns of sales rep types across stages: although customers are more likely to indicate their initial interest to HSAs (versus ASAs) because of HSAs’ higher levels of social presence, they are less likely to provide contact information to HSAs because of HSAs’ lower levels of performance expectancy and effort expectancy. We also show that HSA-ASA combinations can be reasonable options for single ASAs, yet contextual features of the sales setting may affect differential customer responses to HSA-ASA combinations (versus ASAs) in each sales stage. Taken together, we uncover shifting effect patterns in customer responses to sales rep types across successive sales stages and shed light on the consecutive underlying mechanisms that explain these shifts. These findings have significant implications for vendor companies seeking to allocate HSAs and/or ASAs effectively across various decision stages in sales processes and beyond. History: Wonseok Oh, Senior Editor and Khim Yong Goh; Associate Editor. Funding: This work was supported by the Center for Responsible Digitality (ZEVEDI) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) [Grant 471168026]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1171. Collapse

Topics: electronic mail social presence decision making recommender system information system use

Methods: experiment randomized field experiment regression analysis method experimental task field experiment

Theories: information processing theory

Equity Crowdfunding and Access to Capital for User Entrepreneurs: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment

2023 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Bapna, Sofia; Ganco, Martin

Abstract: We examine whether equity crowdfunding democratizes access to funding for nontr ... Expand

Abstract: We examine whether equity crowdfunding democratizes access to funding for nontraditional user entrepreneurs. User entrepreneurs start by creating a product to serve their own unmet needs with no expectations of monetary profit, then later decide to commercialize the product through entrepreneurship. In contrast, traditional (producer) entrepreneurs take a more profit-driven path to entrepreneurship and start by identifying an opportunity that has commercial potential. Through a randomized field experiment, we randomly reveal to some investors that a firm producing a product used by musicians is founded by a musician and conceal this founder-related information from other investors. Revealing the information suggests that the firm is a user innovator firm and concealing it suggests that the firm is a traditional producer firm. We find that investors are significantly more interested in the traditional producer firm. Through an additional field experiment, we identify that the bias against user entrepreneurs is statistical (based on a response to limited information) rather than taste based (based on an idiosyncratic dislike). Our findings suggest that user entrepreneurs can mitigate investor bias by displaying signals of quality such as those regarding firm growth and broad product appeal. Collapse

Topics: electronic mail crowdfunding crowdsourcing logistics management entrepreneurship

Methods: experiment survey expert panel regression analysis method field experiment

USING ALGORITHMIC NUDGES TO SAVE ENERGY AND WATER: A PROPOSAL FOR A LONGITUDINAL FIELD EXPERIMENT

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Beermann, Vincent; Rieder, Annamina

Abstract: Energy and water consumption are significant sources of greenhouse gas emission ... Expand

Abstract: Energy and water consumption are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions. While facilitating conservation behaviors in private households can help to mitigate these emissions, the effects of such mitigations are often indirect and delayed. Presenting meaningful feedback about consumption can help to make clear the positive effects of conservation behaviors to those who undertake them. We propose a large-scale field experiment to increase energy and water conservation through algorithmic econudges. We use smart metering data to provide transparency, social references, and information about the environmental effects of conservation behavior. The proposed research is planned in a longitudinal design for 8 weeks in the winter of 2022/23 in Germany. The findings are expected to contribute to scholarly research on nudging and practice as well as to housing providers and policymakers who are interested in green nudging. Collapse

Topics: sensemaking mobile application user interface usability smart metering

Methods: experiment computational algorithm field experiment longitudinal research experimental group

Whistleblowing and Group Affiliation: The Role of Group Cohesion and the Locus of the Wrongdoer in Reporting Decisions

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Bergemann, Patrick; Aven, Brandy

Abstract: Conventional accounts describe whistleblowing as prosocial behavior, where whist ... Expand

Abstract: Conventional accounts describe whistleblowing as prosocial behavior, where whistleblowers are largely driven by a desire to help or improve their organization. Yet individuals are not only members of their organization; they also belong to internal social groups that affect behavior and influence decision making. In this paper, we focus on these intraorganizational dynamics and theorize two ways in which group affiliations are likely to affect whistleblowing. When an individual observes wrongdoing committed by a person affiliated with the same group, higher group cohesion decreases the likelihood of blowing the whistle because of potential whistleblowers’ greater loyalties toward group members and a desire to protect the reputation of the group. When an individual observes wrongdoing committed by a person not affiliated with the same group, higher group cohesion increases the likelihood of blowing the whistle, as potential whistleblowers feel they have the support of fellow group members, lessening fears of retaliation. Using unique data on actual and hypothetical whistleblowing among U.S. federal employees in 24 departments and agencies coupled with a vignette experiment, we find support for our arguments. By showing how group affiliations inform whistleblowing decisions, we reveal how variation in social structure leads to heterogeneity in responses to wrongdoing. Together, these results reveal tradeoffs in the detection of misconduct and help explain why wrongdoing in organizations may be so difficult to eradicate. Collapse

Topics: anonymity missing data electronic mail

Methods: survey experiment hierarchical linear modeling mixed method theory development

Microfoundations of Adaptive Search in Complex Tasks: The Role of Cognitive Abilities and Styles

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 1

Authors: Bergenholtz, Carsten; Vuculescu, Oana; Amidi, Ali

Abstract: Problem-solving in complex environments requires a cognitively demanding search ... Expand

Abstract: Problem-solving in complex environments requires a cognitively demanding search for task solutions. Managing this search process presents a major challenge in organizations. We contribute to the literature on this topic by providing new evidence on the cognitive antecedents that shape how individuals search when engaged in complex problem-solving tasks. We present results from three laboratory studies, wherein 335 individuals solved a complex task. In doing so, they generated behavioral data coupled with survey-based measurements of the individuals’ cognitive styles and performance-based tests of their cognitive abilities. Our data analysis contributes to the current literature by documenting systematic heterogeneity in the persistence and distance of search that can be explained by the participants’ level of creativity, attention to detail, and executive functions. We extend the research on the microfoundations of adaptive search by linking cognitive antecedents with a complex search task, widening our insight into what search behavior certain cognitive microfoundations lead to, and showing how managers can more effectively shape organizational search.History: This paper has been accepted for the Organization Science Special Issue on Experiments in Organizational Theory.Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2023.1654. Collapse

Topics: decision making logistics management problem solving anonymity competitive advantage

Methods: laboratory experiment survey qualitative interview experimental task generalized linear model

Theories: ambidexterity theory

Network Centralization and Collective Adaptability to a Shifting Environment

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 1

Authors: Bernstein, Ethan S.; Shore, Jesse C.; Jang, Alice J.

Abstract: We study the connection between communication network structure and an organizat ... Expand

Abstract: We study the connection between communication network structure and an organization’s collective adaptability to a shifting environment. Research has shown that network centralization—the degree to which communication flows disproportionately through one or more members of the organization rather than being more equally distributed—interferes with collective problem-solving by obstructing the integration of existing ideas, information, and solutions in the network. We hypothesize that the mechanisms responsible for that poor integration of ideas, information, and solutions would nevertheless prove beneficial for problems requiring adaptation to a shifting environment. We conducted a 1,620-subject randomized online laboratory experiment, testing the effect of seven network structures on problem-solving success. To simulate a shifting environment, we designed a murder mystery task and manipulated when each piece of information could be found: early information encouraged an inferior consensus, requiring a collective shift of solution after more information emerged. We find that when the communication network within an organization is more centralized, it achieves the benefits of connectivity (spread of novel better solutions) without the costs (getting stuck on an existing inferior solution). We also find, however, that these benefits of centralization only materialize in networks with two-way flow of information and not when information only flows from the center of the network outward (as can occur in hierarchical structures or digitally mediated communication). We draw on these findings to reconceptualize theory on the impact of centralization—and how it affects conformity pressure (lock-in) and awareness of diverse ideas (learning)—on collective problem-solving that demands adaptation.History: This paper has been accepted for the Organization Science Special Issue on Experiments in Organizational Theory.Funding: The authors acknowledge financial support from the Division of Research at the Harvard Business School for making this research possible. Collapse

Topics: social influence problem solving internet technology social network debugging

Methods: experiment machine learning simulation Poisson regression logistic regression

Theories: organizational theory

Can Fact-Checking Influence User Beliefs About Misinformation Claims: An Examination of Contingent Effects

2023 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 0

Authors: Bhattacherjee, Anol

Abstract: Prior research has suggested that corrective fact-checking has inconsistent eff ... Expand

Abstract: Prior research has suggested that corrective fact-checking has inconsistent effects on beliefs about online misinformation claims. This study attempts to explain this inconsistency using three contingent factorsclaim-source credibility, fact-checker credibility, and attitude strength-which respectively relate to three key parties in the fact-checking process: the source of a misleading claim, the fact-checker, and the user evaluating the fact-check. I hypothesize the interplay between these factors, which is tested using two online experiments on COVID-19-related misinformation with over 900 participants. Multilevel analysis of pretest-posttest, repeated measures data supports the hypothesized moderating effects and offers additional insights about how these effects vary between earlier versus later phases of misinformation cycles. The paper concludes with a discussion of contributions to research and practice. Collapse

Topics: misinformation pandemic BuzzFeed covid 19 user attitude

Methods: experiment regression analysis method longitudinal research statistical power analysis theoretical contribution