Symbolic Shareholder Democracy: Toward a Behavioral Understanding of the Role of Shareholder Voting in CEO Dismissals

2023 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Andrei, Alina G.; van Oosterhout, J. (Hans); Sauerwald, Steve

Abstract: We investigate the effect of expressive shareholder dissent voting, in which sha ... Expand

Abstract: We investigate the effect of expressive shareholder dissent voting, in which shareholders use their votes symbolically to express their discontent with management, on subsequent chief executive officer (CEO) dismissals. Using the routine but highly symbolic executive board discharge proposal voted on at the annual shareholder meetings of German firms, we argue that the board of directors understands these votes as a “vote of confidence in management” that challenges the CEO’s mandate to lead the firm. Arguing that board chairs are uniquely positioned to take up the stance of a steward of the firm and its leadership, we examine how independent and family board chairs moderate the board’s response to expressive voting dissent. Using a sample of German public firms over the period 2008–2015, we find that expressive voting dissent increases the chance of CEO dismissal increasingly with the level of dissent expressed. Contrary to prevailing agency theoretical expectations, we do not find that independent chairs are more responsive to expressive voting dissent, nor that this relationship is strengthened by the degree of minority institutional investor ownership of the firm. Consistent with the symbolic perspective on shareholder voting that we seek to develop, however, we find that family chairs are more likely to lead the board to dismiss the CEO due to the intrinsic disvalue they incur from symbolic leadership legitimacy challenges in their firms, and that the positive effect of having a family chair on the dissent induced chance of CEO dismissal is strengthened by the level of family ownership in the firm. Funding: A University of Illinois at Chicago Summer Research Grant is gratefully acknowledged for S. Sauerwald. Collapse

Topics: corporate governance financial performance accounting organizational productivity

Methods: theory development statistical hypothesis test post-hoc analysis longitudinal research survival analysis

Theories: stewardship theory behavioral theory

IT Professionals in the Gig Economy

2023 | Business & Information Systems Engineering | Citations: 0

Authors: Gussek, Lisa; Wiesche, Manuel

Abstract: When IT work is performed through digital labor markets, IT professionals have a ... Expand

Abstract: When IT work is performed through digital labor markets, IT professionals have a high degree of personal responsibility for their careers and must use appropriate strategies to be successful. This paper investigates the success of IT freelancers on digital labor platforms. Drawing on signaling theory, a dataset of 7166 IT freelancers is used to examine how activating, pointing, and supporting signals lead to success. Analysis was carried out using negative binomial regression. The results indicate that the three signaling types positively influence the objective career success of IT freelancers. This paper contributes to the literature by testing signaling theory in the new context of digital labor platforms, investigating IT specifics, and proposing support as a new type of signal for IT professionals on digital labor platforms. In practice, the results provide guidelines for IT freelancers to improve their success within their careers. Collapse

Topics: IT career human resource management IT skill IT workforce system support

Methods: digital trace data regression analysis method descriptive statistic computational algorithm statistical hypothesis test

Theories: signaling theory

Are we on the right track? an update to Lyytinen et al.’s commentary on why the old world cannot publish

2023 | European Journal of Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Mettler, Tobias; Sunyaev, Ali

Abstract: In a thought-provoking paper published in EJIS more than a decade ago, Lyytinen ... Expand

Abstract: In a thought-provoking paper published in EJIS more than a decade ago, Lyytinen and colleagues asked the question, why does the “old world” perform poorly in high academic impact publishing? This triggered a lively debate on the epistemological and methodological traditions, preferences, and research practices of Europeans versus North Americans that has lasted until today. Is it still true, we asked ourselves, that European scholars generate less academic impact than their North American colleagues? Is the European research context indeed disadvantageous for developing high academic impact research? In this paper, we set out to explore these questions by analysing the Google Scholar profiles of 1713 IS researchers from all over the world. Our findings show that Northern and Western European scholars no longer seem to differ significantly from their North American peers, even though the different research contexts still exercise a certain level of influence. However, is this a development the “old world” desires? We provide an assessment and some suggestions for the future of European IS research. Collapse

Topics: IT investment productivity IS discipline Google+ problem solving

Methods: ANOVA parametric test bibliometric analysis statistical hypothesis test robust regression

Changebots - Designing Chatbots to Support Blood Donor Behaviour Change

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Müller, Helena; Reuter-Oppermann, Melanie

Abstract: Even though blood products cannot be produced artificially, but are important f ... Expand

Abstract: Even though blood products cannot be produced artificially, but are important for many surgeries and treatments, less than 1 % of the population donates blood in countries like South Africa or Ghana. Therefore, efficient and successful blood donor mobilisation and management are important. We argue that a chatbot offers easy access to information for all types of donors and can support the transition of non-, first-time or lapsed donors to regular donors. By applying the design science research methodology, we have developed a chatbot for all donor types in South Africa and Ghana. We performed two design cycles, collaborating with experts from three blood services and grounding our research on existing and derived behavioural change models. The chatbot was positively evaluated in two workshops that included focus group discussions and online surveys. Collapse

Topics: Google+ website usability mobile application conversational agent

Methods: chatbot survey design science design artifact design principle

Theories: behavioral theory

e-Justice for Socioeconomic Development

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Roztocki, Narcyz; Strzelczyk, Wojciech; Weistroffer, Heinz Roland

Abstract: e-Justice, also called cyberjustice, refers to the incorporation of information ... Expand

Abstract: e-Justice, also called cyberjustice, refers to the incorporation of information and communication technologies (ICT) into the justice system. This includes offering court services via electronic means as well as other digital services for dispute resolution purposes. The objective of this study is to explore the potential contribution of e-justice as one of the components of e-democracy to socioeconomic development. Based on the analysis of the examples of e-justice initiatives, an initial, conceptual framework that links socioeconomic development with e-justice is constructed. Collapse

Topics: negotiation support system

Methods: case study

One for all, all for one: Social considerations in user acceptance of contact tracing apps using longitudinal evidence from Germany and Switzerland

2022 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 5

Authors: Abramova, Olga; Wagner, Amina; Olt, Christian M.; Buxmann, Peter

Abstract: We propose a conceptual model of acceptance of contact tracing apps based on the ... Expand

Abstract: We propose a conceptual model of acceptance of contact tracing apps based on the privacy calculus perspective. Moving beyond the duality of personal benefits and privacy risks, we theorize that users hold social consider­ ations (i.e., social benefits and risks) that underlie their acceptance decisions. To test our propositions, we chose the context of COVID-19 contact tracing apps and conducted a qualitative pre-study and longitudinal quanti­ tative main study with 589 participants from Germany and Switzerland. Our findings confirm the prominence of individual privacy calculus in explaining intention to use and actual behavior. While privacy risks are a sig­ nificant determinant of intention to use, social risks (operationalized as fear of mass surveillance) have a notably stronger impact. Our mediation analysis suggests that social risks represent the underlying mechanism behind the observed negative link between individual privacy risks and contact tracing apps’ acceptance. Furthermore, we find a substantial intention–behavior gap. Collapse

Topics: privacy mobile application usage intention pandemic technology adoption

Methods: survey longitudinal research mixed method conceptual modelling statistical hypothesis test

Theories: privacy calculus theory

No matter what the name, we’re all the same? Examining ethnic online discrimination in ridesharing marketplaces

2022 | Electronic Markets | Citations: 0

Authors: Abramova, Olga

Abstract: Sharing marketplaces emerged as the new Holy Grail of value creation by enabling ... Expand

Abstract: Sharing marketplaces emerged as the new Holy Grail of value creation by enabling exchanges between strangers. Identity reveal, encouraged by platforms, cuts both ways: While inducing pre-transaction confidence, it is suspected of backfiring on the information senders with its discriminative potential. This study employs a discrete choice experiment to explore the role of names as signifiers of discriminative peculiarities and the importance of accompanying cues in peer choices of a ridesharing offer. We quantify users’ preferences for quality signals in monetary terms and evidence comparative disadvantage of Middle Eastern descent male names for drivers and co-travelers. It translates into a lower willingness to accept and pay for an offer. Market simulations confirm the robustness of the findings. Further, we discover that females are choosier and include more signifiers of involuntary personal attributes in their decision-making. Price discounts and positive information only partly compensate for the initial disadvantage, and identity concealment is perceived negatively. Collapse

Topics: ride sharing platform sharing platform pseudonymity electronic market mobile application

Methods: simulation experiment discrete choice experiment survey triangulation

Theories: economic theory

Category Evolution Under Conditions of Stigma: The Segregation of Abortion Provision into Specialist Clinics in the United States

2022 | Organization Science | Citations: 0

Authors: Augustine, Grace L.; Piazza, Alessandro

Abstract: Organizational involvement in stigmatized practices, that is, practices that att ... Expand

Abstract: Organizational involvement in stigmatized practices, that is, practices that attract substantial societal condemnation, is often challenging, inasmuch as it requires the successful management of stakeholder disapproval. In this regard, existing work on organizational stigma has highlighted the advantages of situating stigmatized practices within large, generalist organizations, because doing so allows for stigma dilution—that is, organizations can reduce stakeholder disapproval by increasing their relative engagement in uncontested practices, thereby straddling multiple categories in the eyes of audiences. This line of argument, however, runs counter to the empirical observation that stigmatized practices often remain overwhelmingly concentrated within smaller, specialist organizations, even though these are often not optimally positioned to cope with stigma. In this paper, therefore, we undertake an in-depth historical analysis of a revelatory case—abortion provision in the United States following the landmark Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision—to build theory of how stigmatized categories can come to be populated predominantly by specialists. Building on primary and secondary archival materials, we identify three mechanisms that shaped category evolution and resulted in the de facto segregation of abortion into specialist organizations: the founding of freestanding facilities by values-driven providers, the exit of generalist organizations from the category, and the involuntary specialization of remaining providers, as customers no longer frequented them for other services and they soon became labeled simply as “abortion clinics.” We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for the stigma literature and the generalizability of our theorizing to other settings. Collapse

Topics: strategic management

Methods: archival research case study theory development qualitative interview triangulation

Cascading Digital Options and the Evolution of Digital Infrastructures: The Case of IIoT

2022 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 1

Authors: Drechsler, Katharina; Grisold, Thomas; Seidel, Stefan

Abstract: Digital infrastructures provide a space where possibilities for innovation cont ... Expand

Abstract: Digital infrastructures provide a space where possibilities for innovation continuously emerge. They are not stable entities but are evolving. Their boundaries are subject to constant negotiation among multiple organizational actors as well as changing connections of digital technologies, operations, and users. In this paper, we explore the evolution of an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) infrastructure in a leading manufacturing company. We find that the IIoT infrastructure provided actionable spaces upon which organizational actors discovered opportunities for improving process performance which, in turn, led to investment decisions. We explain this process through the lens of digital options theory and highlight how IIoT infrastructure provides the material foundation for the identification of digital options, how the realization of digital options leads to the emergence of more digital options, and how these "cascading" digital options are implicated in the evolution of IIoT infrastructure. We discuss theoretical and practical implications. Collapse

Topics: information technology infrastructure mobile system internet of things cloud computing innovation management

Methods: qualitative interview case study theory development grounded theory computational algorithm

Theories: options theory

Organizational readiness to adopt artificial intelligence in the exhibition sector in Western Europe

2022 | International Journal of Information Management | Citations: 4

Authors: Hradecky, David; Kennell, James; Cai, Wenjie; Davidson, Rob

Abstract: This exploratory study explores perceptions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ... Expand

Abstract: This exploratory study explores perceptions of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and organizational readiness to adopt AI, in the exhibition sector of the events industry. A theoretical framework synthesizing the Technology - Or­ ganization - Environment framework and the Technology Readiness Index was developed to guide this quali­ tative study. Seventeen senior managerial representatives from exhibition organizations across nine Western European countries were interviewed, and a reflexive thematic approach was adopted to analyse the data. The findings suggest that the European exhibition industry is a slow adopter of AI, which may impact its future competitiveness, despite the stimulus provided to AI adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic. The degree of confidence in organizational technological practices, financial resources, the size of the organization, and issues of data management and protection, as well as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, motivate or inhibit readiness for AI adoption in the event industry. A new Exhibition Sector Readiness for AI Adoption Model is presented in this research that managers and researchers can use to analyze inhibitors and motivations for AI adoption, which is contextualized for the current challenges facing the exhibitions sector. Collapse

Topics: artificial intelligence technology adoption privacy data management decision making

Methods: qualitative interview synthesis facial recognition system biometric measurement qualitative coding

Theories: theory of everything unified theory of acceptance and use of technology technology acceptance model technology acceptance theory