Reconceptualizing users: The roles and activities of people as they engage with digital technologies

2023 | Journal of Information Technology | Citations: 0

Authors: Baskerville, Richard L; Myers, Michael D

Abstract: The concept of the user has persisted in information systems research and practi ... Expand

Abstract: The concept of the user has persisted in information systems research and practice since the field’s inception in the 1950s. However, the roles that people play and the activities they perform have changed considerably over time. People now engage with digital technologies for all kinds of activities and in all kinds of ways, including for both personal and professional purposes. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to reconceptualize the term “user.” We discuss the various activities that people engage in with digital technologies, the myriad roles they play, and an essential shift in what the term “user” means. Users might be active in shaping how a particular information system is used, they might be partners with an information system, they might be used by an information system, and they may spend sizable parts of their lives living essentially within information systems. We conclude by discussing the implications for the IS discipline of reconceptualizing the term “user.” Collapse

Topics: IS discipline mobile application societal evaluation criteria IT workforce organizational context

Methods: usage data

Theories: sociotechnical systems theory socio technical theory

How synchronous participation affects the willingness to subscribe to social live streaming services: the role of co-Interactive behavior on Twitch

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Bründl, Simon; Matt, Christian; Hess, Thomas; Engert, Simon

Abstract: Social computing has transformed the content industry. Content providers have ch ... Expand

Abstract: Social computing has transformed the content industry. Content providers have changed from providing merely content to offering social content experiences that allow users not only to passively consume content but also to actively participate. As the latest development, social live streaming services (SLSS) have emerged that enable so-called co-interactive behaviour, i.e., the live interplay between users while co-experiencing content. Yet, it remains unclear how co-interactive behaviour affects the monetisation of social live content. Based on a data set of 868,940 users from 59 gaming channels of the freemium-based SLSS Twitch, we empirically show that co-interactive behaviour has a stronger effect on users’ willingness to subscribe (WTS) than passive and active behaviour. Since we find that a user’s reciprocated interactions also directly increase other users’ WTS, our results call for dismantling the current dichotomy of user participation and social influences in IS research. We suggest a social-experiential perspective that integrates social influences as an inherent part of users’ participation experiences. This novel interactive second-person perspective contributes to research on user engagement and value capture on social content platforms, and it allows SLSS providers to obtain a more precise picture of user value to better develop or adapt their monetisation strategies. Collapse

Topics: participatory design social influence user behavior Twitch application programming interface

Methods: design methodology propensity score matching experimental group descriptive statistic logistic regression

Theories: general systems theory

Breaking bad habits: A field experiment about how routinized work practices can be made more eco-efficient through IS for sensemaking

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Degirmenci, Kenan; Recker, Jan

Abstract: We conducted a field experiment to compare the effects of information systems (I ... Expand

Abstract: We conducted a field experiment to compare the effects of information systems (IS) supporting reflective disclosure and information democratization on the sustainability footprint of a routine organizational work practice, paper printing. We find that both sensemaking processes lead to employees reducing their printing; however, the processes are interchangeable and do not mutually reinforce each other’s effects. This finding contrasts a latent assumption of prior research about a co-dependence between reflective disclosure and infor­ mation democratization, and suggests organizations have a choice in how they can design and use IS to help employees make sense of different possibilities for more eco-efficient work. Collapse

Topics: sensemaking electronic mail environmental sustainability system support systems design

Methods: experiment survey field experiment design artifact generalized linear model

Theories: theory of organizational sensemaking

Impact of Using Online Health Management Tools on Patient Perception of Healthcare Quality: A Multiple Chronic Conditions and Generational Perspective

2023 | Communications of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ghosh, Kaushik; Deokar, Amit; Sen, Sagnika

Abstract: Please cite this article as: Ghosh, K., Deokar, A. V., & Sen, S. (in press). Im ... Expand

Abstract: Please cite this article as: Ghosh, K., Deokar, A. V., & Sen, S. (in press). Impact of using online health management tools on patient perception of healthcare quality: A multiple chronic conditions and generational perspective. Abstract:While access and adoption issues related to online health management tools (OHMT) have been studied in healthcare contexts, questions remain about whether and how their use impacts patients' perceptions of healthcare. Drawing on technology affordance and media synchronicity frameworks, we explore how the existence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC) and differences in usage pattern due to patient's generation impact these relationships. Utilizing HINTS data, this study provides empirical support for a positive relationship between utilization of electronic personal health records (e-PHRs) and healthcare quality perceptions, albeit with a caveat that patients with greater healthcare needs as well as millennial and younger generations do not seem to enjoy the same benefits from increased use of e-PHRs. Furthermore, asynchronous patient-provider electronic communication is yet to achieve positive perceptions of better healthcare quality for most users. This research bears implications for personalization and customization of OHMT to account for variations in patients' healthcare needs and usage patterns. Collapse

Topics: self efficacy affordance communication service infrastructure healthcare data health information system

Methods: survey multiple regression statistical hypothesis test Levene's test descriptive statistic

Theories: media synchronicity theory

Reigniting the flame: Sustaining Usage Through Intermittent Releases of In-game Content

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Ghosh, Shyam; Chakraborty, Soumyakanti

Abstract: Downloadable contents (DLCs) are additional in-game contents that developers r ... Expand

Abstract: Downloadable contents (DLCs) are additional in-game contents that developers release periodically to sustain the interest of users. In this paper, we study the effect of these DLC releases on the usage of a game by analysing actual usage data from 241 DLCs released over a period of 12 years. We use a quasi-experimental analysis to determine the effect on usage, and also investigate the effect of different DLCs categories on usage. We also study the effect of the different categories of game developers, indie and AAA, on the relationship between DLC release and usage. Results indicate that different categories of DLCs have distinct effects on usage. We also find that the release of DLCs of indie games have a greater impact on usage as compared to AAA games. We compare and contrast our results with the extant literature and provide insightful guidelines to game developers on managing DLC releases. Collapse

Topics: website free to play game usage intention missing data

Methods: experimental group usage data quasi experiment Student's t-test parametric test

Theories: theory of consumption value

Information technology as a resource to counter domestic sex trafficking in the United States

2023 | Information Systems Journal | Citations: 2

Authors: Giddens, Laurie; Petter, Stacie; Fullilove, Michael H.

Abstract: Globally, millions of individuals are victims of sex trafficking and are compell ... Expand

Abstract: Globally, millions of individuals are victims of sex trafficking and are compelled to perform sexual acts through force, fraud, or coercion. Law enforcement agencies, non-profit organisations, and social entrepreneurs increasingly are using information technology as a resource to locate, identify, and rescue victims and find, arrest, and convict traffickers. In this qualitative case study, we partnered with a non-profit organisation that trains law enforcement officers to use information technology to counter sex trafficking. For this research study, we observed training courses, interviewed law enforcement officers and non-profit staff, and reviewed technology usage logs and other data sources. Some officers readily used the new information technology post-training, while others failed to use the new technology. Using conservation of resources theory as a sensitising lens, we identify two factors affecting the use of new technology post-training: the level of organisational resources available to individuals and the individual's perceptions of the new information technology as a resource. With these findings, we develop the Resources Model of Information Technology Use to explain how perceptions of organisational and technology resources affect information technology usage patterns and outcomes. Collapse

Topics: information system use system support societal evaluation criteria perceived usefulness information exchange

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding theory development case study personal interview

Theories: conservation of resources theory

Positive Demand Spillover of Popular App Adoption: Implications for Platform Owners’ Management of Complements

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Lee, Mi Hyun; Han, Sang Pil; Park, Sungho; Oh, Wonseok

Abstract: As platform owners interact with end users and complementors, their demand-side ... Expand

Abstract: As platform owners interact with end users and complementors, their demand-side characteristics and performance affect the overall value creation of ecosystems. This research investigated how the emergence of popular complements on a mobile communication platform impacts the usage of other complementary products by the platform’s end users and how platform owners can benefit from such demand spillovers. We identified two different forms of demand spillovers (i.e., backward and forward) and conceptualized how each subsequently affects platform expansion. On the basis of individual user-level app usage data, we empirically demonstrated how the presence of a popular app alters the demand structure of a platform through changes in the usage of other apps operating within it. The findings reveal that popular app adoption by users increases the number of apps used and the duration of app usage, excluding the usage of popular apps, only within the platform offering a popular app. These results support the existence of positive spillovers from popular complement adoption on a platform. Such positive within-platform spillovers are derived from both backward spillovers onto existing apps adopted before popular app adoption and forward spillovers onto new apps to be adopted after the uptake of favored apps. These patterns suggest that positive spillovers of popular app adoption occur through both the increased retrieval of existing apps and reduced uncertainty about newly released apps. Furthermore, forward spillover is considerably stronger than backward spillover, implying that platform owners can reap benefits by coordinating the launch of new complements and the promotion of less-known counterparts to end users with the emergence of a popular app. These results shed light on how platform owners can manage their complements and create value beyond direct contributions from popular complements. History: Yulin Fang, Senior Editor; Yan Huang, Associate Editor. Collapse

Topics: mobile application mobile game Android mobile platform operating system

Methods: experimental group regression analysis method propensity score method longitudinal research propensity score matching

Theories: theory of economic growth

Order matters: Breaking cognitive lock-in through occasional preferential use of a rival app

2023 | Information & Management | Citations: 0

Authors: Li, Jia; Lu, Ying; Peng, Zeyu; Ma, Ling; Liu, Xuan

Abstract: Although growing attention has been paid to the use of competing technologies, l ... Expand

Abstract: Although growing attention has been paid to the use of competing technologies, little is known about how oc­ casional preferential use of the rival system (OPUR) affects individuals’ adoption of the dominant system. In this study, we investigate how OPUR breaks the cognitive lock-in of the dominant system in the app context. The results demonstrate that supplementing OPUR reduces (increases) user access to the dominant (rival) app. In addition, the OPUR effect is more salient for high-demand and female users. Our results demonstrate that OPUR provides a great opportunity for catching-up apps to offset the first-mover advantage of dominant apps. Collapse

Topics: mobile application information system use marketing management WeChat Tencent QQ

Methods: propensity score matching experimental group propensity score method literature study usage data

Theories: unified theory of acceptance and use of technology

Does Data Privacy Regulation Only Benefit Contracting Parties? Evidence from International Digital Product Market

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 1

Authors: Li, Ziru; Lee, Gunwoong; Raghu, T. S.; Shi, Zhan

Abstract: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDRP) is considered a significant step i ... Expand

Abstract: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDRP) is considered a significant step in global privacy laws. Our paper reveals counterintuitive and heterogeneous effects of GDPR on business performance in the digital products market from an international trade perspective. Based on a unique dataset, we empirically examine whether the rollout of the GDPR affects internal and external mobile app performance in European countries by using a difference-in-differences framework. We find that, in European countries, the implementation of GDPR has significantly increased the performance of mobile apps published outside the EU and decreased the performance of mobile apps published within the EU. We further conduct comprehensive robustness checks and explore the mechanisms. This paper reveals that given the more stringent privacy control instituted by GDPR, consumer privacy concerns over foreign products or services largely reduce. European citizens are more open-minded and willing to use foreign digital goods after the rollout of GDPR. Collapse

Topics: mobile application legal context General Data Protection Regulation privacy digital product

Methods: robustness check longitudinal research natural experiment usage data

SOFTWARE-AS-A-SERVICE (SAAS) INNOVATION IN THE CONTEXT OF SOFTWARE INDUSTRY: A RESOURCE ORCHESTRATION PERSPECTIVE

2023 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Liao, Chang-Chien; Peng, Chih-Hung; Chang, Hsin-Lu

Abstract: Cloud computing brings a paradigm shift in the software industry and changes th ... Expand

Abstract: Cloud computing brings a paradigm shift in the software industry and changes the business model of software vendors (SV). Software as a service (SaaS), the most popular form of cloud computing, has been recognized as the fundamental change in the delivery, utilization, and management of software. While the transformation to SaaS requires changes within the organization, SVs must actively take action to attract customers to accept the SaaS business model, the so-called pull strategy. Drawing on the resource orchestration view, we propose that the antecedents (i.e., structuring cloud resources, developing service bundling capability, and leveraging cloud ecosystem) are related to the likelihood of an innovative SaaS, which, in turn, is associated with SaaS attractiveness to users. Our proposed research framework provides a guideline for SV to attract and persuade customers to adopt SaaS solutions actively. Collapse

Topics: software as a service cloud computing innovation management business model value creation

Methods: survey partial least squares path modeling partial least squares regression usage data

Theories: dynamic capabilities theory