The 50 most-cited articles in Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 2018

Blockchain technology is often referred to as a groundbreaking innovation and the harbinger of a new economic era. Blockchains may be capable of engendering a new type of economic system: the blockchain economy. In the blockchain economy, agreed-upon transactions would be enforced autonomously, following rules defined by smart contracts. The blockchain economy would manifest itself in a new form of organizational design—decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO)—which are organizations with governance rules specified in the blockchain. We discuss the blockchain economy along dimensions defined in the IT governance literature: decision rights, accountability, and incentives. Our case study of a DAO illustrates that governance in the blockchain economy may depart radically from established notions of governance. Using the three governance dimensions, we propose a novel IT governance framework and a research agenda for governance in the blockchain economy. We challenge common assumptions in the blockchain discourse, and propose promising information systems research related to these…

Many enterprises have not progressed their blockchain solutions beyond proofs-ofconcept. Daunting managerial challenges in the areas of standards, regulations, shared governance models and viable ecosystems impede progress. We describe the strategies that LO3 Energy, Moog, Inc. and the Center for Supply Chain Studies are pursuing to address these challenges.Click here for free presentation slides (pdf)

In this paper, we explore drivers, objectives, success factors, and implications of digital transformation. This investigation is conducted through a systematic literature review that focuses on empirical contributions in the Information Systems (IS) field. By reviewing prevailing empirical contributions on digital transformation, we provide insight into why organizations undergo digital transformation, how to accomplish such a transformation, and how digital transformation affects an organization.

Although different types of teams increasingly employ embodied physical action (EPA) robots as a collaborative technology to accomplish their work, we know very little about what makes such teams successful. This paper has two objectives: the first is to examine whether a team’s emotional attachment to its robots can lead to better team performance and viability; the second is to determine whether robot and team identification can promote a team’s emotional attachment to its robots. To achieve these objectives, we conducted a between-subjects experiment with 57 teams working with robots. Teams performed better and were more viable when they were emotionally attached to their robots. Both robot and team identification increased a team’s emotional attachment to its robots. Results of this study have implications for collaboration using EPA robots specifically and for collaboration technology in general.

The proliferation of information and communication technologies such as instant messenger has created an increasing number of workplace interruptions that cause employee stress and productivity losses across the world. This growth in interruptions has paralleled another trend: the graying of the workforce, signifying that the labor force is aging rapidly. Insights from theories of stress and cognitive aging suggest that older people may be particularly vulnerable to the negative consequences of interruptions. Hence, this study examines whether, how, and why technology-mediated interruptions impact stress and task performance differently for older compared to younger adults. The study develops a mediated moderation model explaining why older people may be more susceptible to the negative impacts of technology-mediated interruptions than younger people, in terms of greater mental workload, more stress, and lower performance. The model hypothesizes that age acts as a moderator of the interruption-stress relationship due to age-related differences in inhibitory effectiveness, computer…

The era of big data provides many opportunities for conducting impactful research from both data-driven and theory-driven perspectives. However, data-driven and theory-driven research have progressed somewhat independently. In this paper, we develop a framework that articulates important differences between these two perspectives and propose a role for information systems research at their intersection. The framework presents a set of pathways that combine the data-driven and theory-driven perspectives. From these pathways, we derive a set of challenges, and show how they can be addressed by research in information systems. By doing so, we identify an important role that information systems research can play in advancing both data-driven and theory-driven research in the era of big data.

This study proposes a conceptional framework of artificial intelligence (AI) technology application for human resource management (HRM). Based on the theory of the six basic dimensions of human resource management, which includes human resource strategy and planning, recruitment, training and development process, performance management, salary evaluation, and the employee relationship management, is combine with its potential corresponding AI technology application. With the cases analysis on recruitment of leap.ai and online training of Baidu, the recruitment dimension and training dimension with AI are further explored. Finally, the practical implication and future study are supplemented. This AIHRM conceptual model provides suggestions and directions for the development of AI in enterprise human resource management.

The increasing adoption of digital platforms as a new mode of organizing economic and social activities has led to a growing interest in research on this topic amongst IS scholars. As a result, the digital platforms literature has grown significantly over the last decade. Yet, scholars call for more research on the topic as platforms evolve and many questions remain unanswered. There is therefore a need to take stock of the existing literature in order to gain better visibility of what has been achieved and what directions future research can take. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on digital platforms including 96 articles, covering IS and management journals. Key findings of this study show an ambiguity in the current conceptualization of digital platforms. They also highlight the multi-dimensional nature of digital platforms which reflects the heterogeneity of their manifestations in practice.

Organizations use security education, training, and awareness (SETA) programs to counter internal security threats and promote compliance with information security policies. Yet, employees often use neutralization techniques to rationalize noncompliant behavior. We investigated three theory-based communication approaches that can be incorporated into SETA programs to help increase compliance behavior: (1) informational communication designed to explain why policies are important; (2) normative communication designed to explain that other employees would not violate policies; and (3) antineutralization communication designed to inhibit rationalization. We conducted a repeated measures factorial design survey using a survey panel of full-time working adults provided by Qualtrics. Participants received a SETA communication with a combination of one to three persuasion statements (informational influence, normative influence statement, and/or an antineutralization), followed by a scenario description that asked for their intentions to comply with the security policy. We found that both…

A key challenge in designing conversational user interfaces is to make the conversation between the user and the system feel natural and human-like. In order to increase perceived humanness, many systems with conversational user interfaces (e.g., chatbots) use response delays to simulate the time it would take humans to respond to a message. However, delayed responses may also negatively impact user satisfaction, particularly in situations where fast response times are expected, such as in customer service. This paper reports the findings of an online experiment in a customer service context that investigates how user perceptions differ when interacting with a chatbot that sends dynamically delayed responses compared to a chatbot that sends near-instant responses. The dynamic delay length was calculated based on the complexity of the response and complexity of the previous message. Our results indicate that dynamic response delays not only increase users' perception of humanness and social presence, but also lead to greater satisfaction with the overall chatbot interaction. Building…

The deep embeddedness of information systems (IS) in many areas of human activity poses a dual challenge to the IS discipline: advancing an expanding disciplinary boundary that includes an increasing set of IS topics; and engaging with other disciplines in order to understand IS-enabled phenomena. An inability to meet these challenges could lead to conceptually stunted development of the IS discipline, missed opportunities to inform other disciplines and a failure to effectively contribute to solving the pressing problems of our time. We undertook this study to investigate both how IS research has addressed these challenges in the past and how it can continue to do so in the future. Drawing on the concept of knowledge-materialization through knowledge-creating practice, and based on approaches for disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge creation, we theorize four different types of knowledge contribution that IS researchers can produce, encompassing both an intradisciplinary and an interdisciplinary view. We then analyze a wide-ranging sample of research studies published in…

This paper presents a polylithic framework of review and theory development (RTD) papers. Based upon a reflective analysis of review papers that I have written, read, and/or reviewed, I build a framework suggesting four types of RTD papers: organizing reviews, assessing reviews, specific-theorizing reviews, and broad-theorizing reviews. The four types vary according to the research focus and research objectives, with research focus ranging from primarily description to the identification of gaps, and research objective ranging from primarily synthesizing to primarily theorizing. The framework and accompanying discussion are intended to provide scholars a perspective of the different ways that theory development and review papers intersect. The paper proposes criteria to help evaluate the quality of RTD papers and provides suggestions to authors on how to craft RTD papers.

The rise of digital technologies has become an important driver for change in multiple industries. Therefore, firms need to develop digital capabilities to manage the transformation process successfully. Prior research assumes that the development of a specific set of digital capabilities leads to higher digital maturity. However, a measurement framework for digital maturity does not exist in scholarly work. Therefore, this paper develops a conceptualization and measuremnent model for digital maturity.

The improved performance of technological capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), including computer vision and natural language processing, makes it possible to enhance existing and to develop new types of information systems. We refer

Smart tourism destination as: an innovative tourist destination, built on an infrastructure of state-of-the-art technology guaranteeing the sustainable development of tourist areas, accessible to everyone, which facilitates the visitor’s interaction with and integration into his or her surroundings, increases the quality of the experience at the destination, and improves residents’ quality of life. Lopez de Avila (2015). Smart tourism involves multiple components and layers of “smart” include (1) Smart Destinations which was special cases of smart cities integration of ICT’s into physical infrastructure, (2) Smart experience which specifically focus on technology-mediated tourism experience and their engagement through personalization, context-awareness and real-time monitoring, (3) Smart business refer to the complex business ecosystem that creates and supports the exchange of touristic resource and the co-creation of tourism experience. Gretzel et al, (2015). Smart tourism also clearly relies on the ability to not only collect enormous of data but to intelligently store, process,…

To address unexpected events rapidly and creatively, organizations increasingly need to rely on their ability for managerial improvisation. We identify two digital capabilities - a flexible IT infrastructure and a well-developed information management capability - that organizations can use to foster managerial improvisation and can leverage, depending on the type of unexpected event. Weak digital capabilities may limit the effectiveness of managerial improvisation, as may organizational structures and culture.Click here for free presentation slides (pdf)

Following Demetis & Lee (2016) who showed how systems theorizing can be conducted on the basis of a few systems principles, in this conceptual paper, we apply these principles to theorize about the systemic character of technology and investigate the role reversal in the relationship between humans and technology. By applying systems-theoretical requirements outlined by Demetis & Lee, we examine conditions for the systemic character of technology and, based on our theoretical discussion, we argue that humans can now be considered artifacts shaped and used by the (system of) technology rather than vice versa. We argue that the role reversal has considerable implications for the field of information systems that has thus far focused only on the use of the IT artifact by humans. We illustrate these ideas with empirical material from a well-known case from the financial markets: the collapse (“Flash Crash”) of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Robotic process automation (RPA) is a promising new technology that can generate significant returns on investment for companies. RPA also provides a new business opportunity for BPO (business process outsourcing) providers. This article describes the RPA journey of OpusCapita, a BPO provider that first created a strong internal RPA capability and then extended its operations to providing RPA services to clients. The lessons learned from this case are valuable for BPO providers both for internal RPA adoption and for offering RPA services to clients.Click here for free presentation slides (pdf)

Artificial intelligence (AI) will change the world and higher education is no exception. AI will change the way we work, the way we learn, and the way we live. This study analyzes the impact of artificial intelligence on higher education. Specifically, this qualitative research will study the changes in higher education caused by AI. This study will also look at how higher education can contribute to AI development. Further, this research will examine the use of AI in higher education delivery and support. As a pioneering research in this field, this study will provide insightful information for educators and detailed knowledge for academic theory building.

We are on the cusp of creating realistic, interactive, fully rendered human faces on computers that transcend the “uncanny valley,” widely known for capturing the phenomenon of “eeriness” in faces that are almost, but not fully realistic. Because humans are hardwired to respond to faces in uniquely positive ways, artificial realistic faces hold great promise for advancing human interaction with machines. For example, realistic avatars will enable presentation of human actors in virtual collaboration settings with new levels of realism; artificial natural faces will allow the embodiment of cognitive agents, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri, putting us on a path to create “artificial human” entities in the near future. In this conceptual paper, we introduce natural face technology (NFT) and its potential for creating realistic visual presence (RVP), a sensation of presence in interaction with a digital actor, as if present with another human. We contribute a forward-looking research agenda to information systems (IS) research, comprising terminology, early conceptual work,…

This study advances our understanding of consumer evaluation of search product review content, which can vary in its concreteness, by considering contextual review cues that are often tagged to product review content. Anchoring on construal level theory, we differentiate two forms of contextual review cue—namely, temporal cue (i.e., when the review was posted) and social cue (i.e., who posted the review)—and posit their individual and joint moderation effects on the relationship between product review content and perceived review helpfulness. The experimental results reveal interesting insights. First, when the temporal cue indicates near distance, concrete product review content is perceived as more helpful. By contrast, abstract review content is perceived as more helpful when the temporal cue is distant. Second, social cues are non-instrumental in affecting the evaluation of concrete product review content; however, near social cues have bearings on the evaluation of abstract product review content. Third, we also find a significant joint effect of temporal and social cues on the…

Digital transformation has a significant impact on customer experience which is directly related to the profitability and even the survivability of an organisation. There is, however, lack of understanding of the critical success factors of digital transformation for improving customer experience. This paper presents an investigation of the critical success factors of digital transformation for improving customer experience in organisations. A conceptual framework is developed based on a review of the related literature. Semi-structured interviews with the use of the Delphi method have been conducted. This leads to the identification of the critical success factors of digital transformation for improving customer experience in organisations. Such findings can help organisations develop appropriate strategies and policies to better implement digital transformation programs for improving customer experience.

Confronted with the imperatives of a digital world, firms are striving to become agile, resulting in a large-scale agile transformation as part of their organizational digital transformation. Although initial research exists, empirical literature on the p

This paper primarily investigates sensitivity towards patients’ values in the designs of the information and communication technologies (ICTs) that are capable of empowering them. We focus on the role of ICTs in self-management (SM) of diabetes, a chronic disease. Chronic diseases, declared an invisible epidemic by the World Health Organization, cause and perpetuate poverty and impede the economic development of many countries. As a means of informing the design of ICTs that facilitate self-management, we draw on value sensitive design (VSD) to conduct an in-depth interpretive field study to reveal the values that are important to diabetic patients. Specifically, we reveal twelve values shared by these patients: accessibility, accountability, autonomy, compliance, dignity, empathy, feedback, hope, joy, privacy, sense-making, and trust. A conceptual model emerged from analyzing interviews with diabetic patients; this model explains how these values, which are integrated into ICT features, afford or constrain patients’ abilities to self-manage their activities. This study makes…

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is advancing, and its application are widely used in many fields. AI chatbots powered by natural language processing are being integrated in numerous industries. AI chatbots help to improve customer services and enhance customer experiences. There is lack of study about the interactions between human and chatbots. As chatbots are designed to make interactions that are closer and more personal to the user, the way users communicate and interact with chatbots will differ from non-AI machines. Based on self-determination theory, this research aims to study the differences in system satisfaction between chatbot system and website system, and what factors determine satisfaction. The proposed research model hypothesizes the relationship between perceived autonomy, perceived competence, cognitive load, performance satisfaction, process satisfaction, and system satisfaction. It is proposed that the model will be tested using experimental survey.

Because design is a practice, a theory of design is not possible in the same sense as a theory of chemistry is. Socio-psychological theories of what designers do are not design theories. Knowledge of how to design cannot be reduced to theory, for reasons that grow out of the philosophy of science. This paper suggests, however, that there can be a theory of design in the sense of supporting theory, drawn from other disciplines, that employs a level or style of analysis that is uniquely suited to design practice. In particular, design theory might involve incompletely described objects or teleological explanation, since these are key features of design, and since the design process can be understood as moving from a functional description to a physical description of an object.

Privacy has become the key concern of many users when they are confronted with friend requests on online social networking websites. Nonetheless, users’ responses to friend requests seem at times inconsistent with their concerns about potential privacy implications. They accept friend requests and expose their personal profiles to largely unfamiliar others even though they are aware of the risks involved. Drawing on impression formation theory and the privacy calculus perspective, this paper elucidates the intriguing roles of privacy risks and expected social capital gains in social connectivity management by examining the key types of social information that users consider and their behavioral responses to online friend requests. We conducted a scenario-based experiment with 141 subjects. Our results indicate that individuals utilize two key types of social information; namely, network mutuality and profile diagnosticity in evaluating privacy risks and expected social capital gains. In addition, we find that privacy risks and expected social capital gains powerfully predict the…

Digital infrastructures enable delivery of information services in functional areas such as health, payment, and transportation by providing a sociotechnical foundation for partnership governance, resource reuse, and system integration. To effectively serve emerging possibilities and changing purposes, however, a key question concerns how an infrastructure can be extended to cater for future services in its functional area. In this paper, we approach such digital infrastructure growth as a challenge of aligning new partners whose digital capabilities spur innovative services that attract more users. We advance an initial typology that covers four growth tactics (i.e., adding services, inventing processes, opening identifiers, and providing interfaces) with the potential to set extension of infrastructures in motion. We then explore the proposed typology by investigating the ways in which its particular tactics successfully extended the scope of a digital infrastructure for public transportation in Stockholm, Sweden. Our insights invite IS scholars to engage more deeply in the…

Augmented Reality (AR) based teaching and learning has evolved rapidly over the past years. Re-searchers have shown that AR has the potential to deliver persuasive learning experiences in for-mal teaching (e.g., in classrooms) and in informal learning environments (e.g., museums). Howev-er, comparatively little extant research is firmly grounded in learning theories and applies rigor-ous empirical methods to evaluate the effect of AR on learning performance. In order to build a cumulative body of knowledge on AR-based instructional design and its effectiveness, it is neces-sary to consolidate both the theoretical foundations of and empirical evidence for using AR for teaching and learning. Against this background we conducted a focused systematic literature re-view on theoretical and empirical foundations of AR in education. We identify theory-based de-sign elements and empirical measures for developing and applying AR teaching and learning ap-plications and consolidate them in a design framework.

We live in a time when anyone can change from a passive bystander to an active communicator during a crisis. This makes user-generated content a potentially valuable source of information for emergency management agencies. However, at present, agencies still hesitate to use social media during crises. This research seeks to identify the challenges emergency management agencies face in using social media analytics within their organisations. We conducted a systematic literature review and interviewed ten emergency management professionals across six expert interview sessions. Afterwards, we used the Technology-Organization-Environment Framework to conceptualise our findings. Our study reveals fruitful opportunities for the continuous collaboration of both information systems research and emergency management agencies. Accordingly, information systems research can support emergency management agencies in using social media data for efficient crisis management by enhancing awareness of the benefits of social media analytics and helping to overcome organisational and technological…

Agile software development methods are widespread in industry, and there is a wealth of academic research and practitioner publications currently available from this perspective. With the rise of Agile within companies worldwide, it is increasingly important for information systems education to keep up with this trend to ensure curriculum and courses are up-to-date. Students in the computing disciplines must be prepared to enter a job market where Agile is commonplace. As such, the topic of Agile in teaching and learning is critically important. The current special issue includes a rich collection of articles providing information systems educators with research-based, practical approaches for both teaching Agile (“the what”) and using Agile as a pedagogical approach (“the how”). In an effort to assist information systems educators categorize the growing amount of literature related to Agile in teaching and learning, a conceptual framework is provided which places the literature along the two axes of pedagogy (“the how”) and the content (“the what”) ranging from other, non-Agile to…

Blockchain technology, the underpinning of Bitcoin, has been widely acknowledged as the technical innovation of the 21st century. But even after a decade since its inception, Bitcoin is still the only widely known and somewhat mainstream application of the technology. In this study, we conduct an inductive content analysis of archival data to identify 16 barriers inhibiting the mainstream adoption of the blockchain technology. The barriers to the adoption of a technology are not simply the opposites of the enablers. Thus, we advocate that an understanding of the barriers will aid in the recognition of the limitations of the current state of blockchain technology. The barriers identified can guide future work by academics and practitioners and help attain technical maturity.

In the current information systems security (ISS) research, new theory contributions are especially valued. This research typically reflects the following formula: Suggest a new theory (or set of constructs) of ISS and show that it is empirically supported, then suggest another new theory (or set of constructs with some linkages) and show that it is empirically supported, and so on. Despite the merits of this approach, it leaves out many important scientific aspects. For example, after more than 30 years of ISS research, (1) we know little about the conditions and situations to which new theories (or constructs) do not apply; (2) we do not know which new theories are more effective than others in solving an ISS problem; and (3) we have not demonstrated that our best research, or new theoretical contributions, can beat industry best practices or practitioners’ intuitive approaches. We suggest that ISS research be examined in terms of long-term research programs comprising four levels: metalevel research, basic research, applied research, and postintervention research. The ultimate…

Much interest exists in using Enterprise Resource Planning simulation (ERPsim) games to help students learn complex concepts involved in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. However, little research has explored factors that contribute to team performance duringan ERPsim game. The current study investigated teamwork as a contributor to team performance in the context of a competition. The research measured teamwork in five dimensions: contributing to the team’s work, interacting with teammates, keeping the teamon track, expecting quality, and having relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA). Net income was the measure for team performance. Participants also rated their satisfaction with their team. Data from 62 student teams showedthat all five teamwork dimensions had a positive correlation with net income. Moreover, all correlations were statistically significant except the relationship between keeping the team on track and net income. Teams with relevant KSA were more likely to generate higher net income. Expecting quality was the second most significant dimension,…

This research-perspective article reviews and contributes to the literature that explains how to deter internal computer abuse (ICA), which is criminal computer behavior committed by organizational insiders. ICA accounts for a large portion of insider trading, fraud, embezzlement, the selling of trade secrets, customer privacy violations, and other criminal behaviors, all of which are highly damaging to organizations. Although ICA represents a momentous threat for organizations, and despite numerous calls to examine this behavior, the academic response has thus far been lukewarm. However, a few security researchers have examined ICA’s influence in an organizational context and addressed potential means of deterring it. However, the results of these studies have been mixed, leading to a debate on the applicability of deterrence theory (DT) to ICA. We argue that more compelling opportunities will arise in DT research if security researchers more deeply study its assumptions and more carefully recontextualize it. The purpose of this article is to advance a deterrence research agenda…

In this paper, we describe how changes in the availability of information artifacts—in particular, information and communication technologies (ICTs)—among smallholder farmers in Ghana, led to a process of hybridization of information practices, and how this process could be linked to underlying institutional change. We use the notions of institutional carriers and activity systems to study the evolution of the prevailing “smallholder” institutional logic of Ghanaian agriculture toward an incoming “value-chain” institutional logic concerned with linking farmers to output markets, improving the knowledge base in agriculture, and increasing its information intensity. We draw on a mixed-methods approach, including in-depth qualitative interviews, focus groups, observations, and detailed secondary quantitative data. We cultivate activity theory as a practice-based lens for structuring inquiry into institutional change. We find that information artifacts served to link the activities of farmers that were embedded in the smallholder logic with those of agricultural-development actors that…

This paper systematically reviews the state of the art of the literature and practices of enhancing learning and teaching through crowdsourcing. We refer to these emerging phenomena as “crowdsourcing for education” (CfE). Based on 51 relevant initiatives in practice, which we identified, we develop a definition and a taxonomy of CfE, and analysed CfE following the structure of what, who, why and how. We find that crowdsourcing has been used and benefits education in four ways: creating educational contents, providing practical experience, facilitating the exchange of complementary knowledge, and augmenting feedback. Eight principal motivations are reported to have led people to participate in CfE systems according to existing studies. This paper supports future research by developing a framework for CfE and providing a research agenda.

Digital transformation becomes increasingly important to business research and practice. Transform-ing businesses poses various opportunities (e.g., creating novel business models) but, in contrast, con-stitutes numerous of challenges (e.g., changing processes and organizational structures). As Infor-mation Systems (IS) can support such transformation, it is assumed that it has great potential in digi-talization too. Thus, there is a rising amount of digital transformation-literature in IS. However, be-cause of the popularity as well as heterogeneous fields of application and types of research, a consoli-dated overview of digital transformation is necessary. Accordingly, this study derives a taxonomy of digital transformation to structure the field. Based on (1) a literature review and (2) a taxonomy-development approach, we developed a taxonomy that consists of research-relevant aspects (e.g., most studies use qualitative approaches; limited studies use design science research) as well as topic-related aspects (e.g., manufacturing and public sectors, enterprise architecture,…

The high proliferation of mobile instant messaging (MIM) among university students creates opportunities for a new wave of mobile learning. However, correlational methods for assessing factors that influence student performance impacts on MIM platforms for learning are blurry. The task-technology fit theory has been widely used in the past in predicting performance impacts of users after using new technology. Despite the momentum gained by this framework in the information systems community, it lacks focus on user characteristics. The purpose of this study is to develop an extended model for task-technology fit through an integration of individual antecedent characteristics. Data were collected from 223 participants using a survey questionnaire. The analysis was performed using the partial least squares approach to structural equation modelling. The findings of the study confirmed the original task-technology fit hypotheses considered in this study. Study findings associated with individual antecedent characteristics indicate that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of…

This paper primarily investigates sensitivity towards patients’ values in the designs of the information and communication technologies (ICTs) that are capable of empowering them. We focus on the role of ICTs in self-management (SM) of diabetes, a chronic disease. Chronic diseases, declared an invisible epidemic by the World Health Organization, cause and perpetuate poverty and impede the economic development of many countries. As a means of informing the design of ICTs that facilitate self-management, we draw on value sensitive design (VSD) to conduct an in-depth interpretive field study to reveal the values that are important to diabetic patients. Specifically, we reveal twelve values shared by these patients: accessibility, accountability, autonomy, compliance, dignity, empathy, feedback, hope, joy, privacy, sense-making, and trust. A conceptual model emerged from analyzing interviews with diabetic patients; this model explains how these values, which are integrated into ICT features, afford or constrain patients’ abilities to self-manage their activities. This study makes…

Agile methods such as Scrum that emphasize technical, communication, and teamwork skills have been practiced by IT professionals to effectively deliver software products of good quality. The same methods combined with pedagogies of engagement can potentially be used in the setting of higher education to promote effective group learning in software development classrooms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to integrate both Scrum and cooperative learning guidelines into a systems analysis and design classroom to promote the skills of teamwork, communication, and problem-solving while learning systems analysis and design methods. This integration was implemented in a sophomore, semi-capstone design course where students were engaged in collaborative classroom activities. Two different approaches – overlapped approach and delayed approach – were used in two different semesters for this implementation. Based on the analysis of student performance in the course, student reflections on their team performance, and student overall perceptions of the teaching approach, this study…

Conversational agents (CA) interact in natural language. This emulation of human-to-human communication represents the distinct characteristic of CAs and makes research on CAs inseparable from questions regarding anthropomorphism “ the attribution of huma

IT-innovation triggers the transformation of society, working life and the behavior of people. Digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation are buzzwords in this context. While existing publications discuss the benefits and consequences connected to the three terms, a proper conceptualization of them is still not available. A common understanding is that digitization and digitalization trigger digital phenomena which allow organizations to operationalize the process of digital transformation. Prior research identified some phenomena, like collaboration and sharing, but a structured analysis of the occurring phenomena is still missing. Embedding digital transformation and the phenomena into the context of socio-technical systems, we conduct a structured literature review to suggest theoretically and practically relevant definitions for the aforementioned terms and create an overview of relevant phenomena. We show that digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation are often used without selective distinctions, even though that it is not appropriate as each term…

While adolescents have embraced a variety of online tools in recent years, little attention has been devoted to examining cyberbullying through specific tools. Addressing this gap in the literature, the present study examines the moderating effect of parental mediation strategies (i.e., restrictive, coviewing, instructive) on the associations between cyberbullying victimization and adjustment difficulties (i.e., depression, anxiety) among 567 U.S. (52% female) adolescents in the eighth grade (age ranging from 13-15 years). I employed a longitudinal design, with assessments in the spring of seventh (Time 1; T1) grade and the spring of eighth grade (Time 2; T2). The findings revealed that T1 cyberbullying victimization was positively related to restrictive mediation and to T2 depression and anxiety. In contrast, coviewing mediation and instructive mediation were each negatively associated with cyberbullying victimization and T2 depression and anxiety. High levels of instructive mediation and low levels of restrictive mediation made the associations between T1 cyberbullying…

The information systems research on generativity promises unprompted, innovative inputs from uncoordinated audiences, whose participation with heterogeneous technological resources generates diverse outputs and opens new possibilities. The question is how to perpetuate the openness on which the outputs of generativity rely. We advance, as a potential mechanism of generativity, the concept of digital probes, which leverage human and technological resources in hybrid digital and physical environments. The aesthetically rich probes challenge values, identities, and practices, cultivating emotional tensions that can reveal previously unexplored and unimagined possibilities, resulting in novel ideas, thoughts, and expressions. The new possibilities reveal what is hidden; reconfigure practices; cross-appropriate technological and social resources; and thereby further expand what can be experienced, viewed, and imagined. Further, the new possibilities draw new actors that again view things differently and seek different experiences, thus fueling emotional tensions that in turn open new…

Warning messages are being discussed as a possible mechanism to contain the circulation of false information on social media. Their effectiveness for this purpose, however, is unclear. This article describes a survey experiment carried out to test two des

With the increasing digitalization of the economy, it is becoming increasingly important for organizations to embrace digital innovation. The emergence of blockchain technology exemplifies the disruptive impact of digital innovation and, simultaneously, poses challenges for organizations. Hence, organizations are in transition with regard to fostering its organizational adoption. This kind of adoption is reflected in far-reaching measures in terms of technology, organization, and people. The measures are governed by project management that aligns internal measures with the outside environment. Based on this framework, our research builds on an empirical study to explore the organizational adoption of blockchain technology. We conducted in-depth interviews in 11 cases with experts leading the adoption of blockchain. The objective of our study is to better understand organizational adoption and to explore the factors influencing adoption. Our results uncover a multitude of factors and inherent tensions. The paper’s contributions are twofold. First, our findings can be used as…

Health information systems (HIS) in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been often implemented under the international pressure of accounting for healthcare investments. The idea behind robust and efficient HIS is that health information can allow healthcare managers and providers to better plan and monitor health services, which may translate into better health outcomes. Yet, researchers have often criticized the use of HIS as accountability tools as being counterproductive by making health information more meaningful to national governments and international agencies than those in charge of local health services. In this paper, I analyze how HIS influence the emergence of local accountability practices and their consequences for healthcare provision. I build a theoretical perspective from structuration theory and integrate it with the technology domain of HIS. I use this perspective to analyze a case study of HIS in Kenya. This study raises implications for the use of structuration theory in understanding accountability and the role of IT materiality in processes of…

The rapid growth of successful sharing economy businesses like Airbnb and Uber poses a threat to traditional value chains. However, many lesser-known sharing platforms have faced serious setbacks and ceased to operate. We have compiled a profile of failed sharing businesses so that others can learn from their mistakes. Our research identified seven common reasons for the failures and four significant differences between failed and successful sharing businesses. Our findings will help managers of aspiring sharing businesses to mitigate the risks of entering the sharing market.Click here for free presentation slides (pdf)

IS literature has predominantly taken a black box perspective on IS certifications and studied their diverse set of outcomes, such as signaling superior quality and increased customer trust. As a result, there is little understanding about the structure of certifications and its role in decision makers’ evaluations of certifications to achieve these outcomes. However, idiosyncrasies of novel IT services, such as cloud services, create a need for “unblackboxing” certifications and theorizing about their constituting structural building blocks and structural elements, as well as examining key features that might lead to a more favorable evaluation of a certification by decision makers. To advance theory building on certifications, this article develops an empirically grounded typology of certifications’ key structural building blocks and structural elements, and examines how they interpret substantive features within these elements. Using evidence from 20 interviews with decision makers from a wide range of industries in the context of cloud service certifications, we find that a…