Organizations are investing significant amounts of resources in both internal and external web-based applications. Many of these applications must be used by either employees of the organization or by e-customers of the organization. One of the key components of any web-based application is its interface, and a key criteria in utilization of these web-based applications is the website's usability. This study investigated five criteria that have been suggested to impact an individual's assessment of a website's usability. Utilizing a multi-criteria decision making approach, we were able to assess the relative importance of these criteria as they apply to website usability. Our findings suggest that, similar to the technology adoption literature, ease of use and navigation are two critical components in determining website usability. This study also investigated the impact of specific individual differences (gender, computer anxiety, innovativeness, and computer self-efficacy).

This theory-testing study is an examination of the influences of perceived information quality and perceived e-service quality in determining perceived value, and the influence of these three constructs in determining web site loyalty intentions. The results indicate that 1 perceived e-service quality and perceived information quality similarly influence loyalty intentions, 2 perceived e-service quality more strongly influences perceived value than does perceived information quality, and 3 perceived information quality partially mediates the relationship between perceived e-service quality and perceived value. The model was significant in explaining loyalty intentions.

This article uses institutional theory as a basis to understand organizational processes that influence the extent to which web technologies that support the organization-customer relationship are adopted and subsequently diffused within an organization. The effect of coercive, mimetic, and normative processes that lead an organization to initially implement web technologies, referred to as adoption, differ from how those processes influence an organization to integrate evolving web technologies with business activities, referred to as diffusion. Adoption is presented as homogeneous across organizations and organizational populations, whereas diffusion is homogeneous within organizational populations. A theoretical model and related propositions are provided to guide future research.

Using the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, this research examines how organizations integrate organizational resources with Web technology to implement Web functionalities to support the four stages of the Customer Service Life Cycle (CSLC). This research examines how combinations of Web functionalities impact the relative importance of the stages of the CSLC in determining customer satisfaction. The relative important of the stages of the CSLC varied depending on the product being considered for purchase (textbook, personal computer, and pair of jeans) and the gender of the online customer. Results of six regressions using policy capturing indicate that, overall, customers consider Web functionality support for the pre-purchase stages of the CSLC to be most important, with the requirements stage or acquisition stage consistently being first in importance. Post-purchase support showed increased importance with the purchase of a personal computer and textbook, and with male shoppers. Significant differences were limited with the retirement stage being significantly different from all the other stages in five post hoc tests, and from just the acquisition stage in the jeans test. By considering the products sold online and gender of the targeted online customer, organizations can invest their resources to build Web functionalities that incorporate values, culture, and processes to increase customer satisfaction with the Web site and influence firm performance.

Business-to-consumer Web sites have been used for several years. However, limited research has examined the importance of Web functionalities within Web sites. Web functionalities are an integration of firm resources (based on the resource-based view of the firm). This study queried online customers to determine the importance of various Web functionalities that support the stages of the customer service life cycle. Functionalities for simple searching, shipment tracking, exchanging defective products, and locating special deals were considered most important relative to the customer service life cycle stages. Differences by gender exist, but males and females are consistent about the most important Web functionalities.

ABSTRACT Innovation with information technology (IT) helps companies gain more from their IT investment. IT innovation by individuals can be affected by many factors (such as overload, autonomy, and work / family conflict) and developing a better understanding of these factors can help managers make better decisions about the work environment. Using Partial Least Squares (PLS) to analyze data collected via an online survey from the Pan-Pacific region (n = 233), we found that education, number of extended family members responsible for, and autonomy (work method and work criteria) had a significant effect on trying to innovate with IT. Interestingly, we found that neither work-family conflict nor family-work conflict had a significant direct effect on trying to innovate with IT. Our study found only partial support for previous studies that suggested gender was a significant moderator between perceived overload, autonomy and trying to innovate with information technology. The results of this study are important to both practitioners and researchers as they raise important questions about potential impediments to individual innovation with technology. INTRODUCTION The application of information technology (IT) has become a fundamental component of organizational competitiveness (Ahuja and Thatcher 2005; Hamel 1998). Today's hypercompetitive, global economy requires that organizations be proactive in their utilization of information technologies, or face the possibility of becoming noncompetitive (Nambisan, Agarwal, and Tanniru 1999). Information technology innovation refers to applying computer technology in new ways or acquiring IT applications that are new to a firm (Swanson 1994; Swanson and Ramiller 2004). IT innovation often results from efforts of the information systems (IS) department, but can also be initiated by users (Nambisan, Agarwal, and Tanniru 1999). Individuals can apply existing technological features to a broader range of tasks; they can apply technological features to related tasks; or these individuals can apply technology to tasks that were originally bypassed (Rogers 2003). For example, an employee introduced to new database software might develop a department-specific database application to automate recordkeeping and reporting. Because of the potential benefits from IT innovation at the individual level, it is important that organizations understand what motivates or inhibits individuals from utilizing these technologies in new and innovative ways (Ahuja and Thatcher 2005). Many factors, such as one's attitude toward applying existing technology in new applications, influence IT innovation by individuals (Fichman 2000; Venkatesh, Morris, Davis, and Davis 2003). Attitude is considered an antecedent of intention, which in turn, has been suggested to predict behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen 1975). The problem with intention, however, is that it can be swayed by perceptions of environmental obstacles, and these perceptions cause the individual's goal to become more difficult to obtain (Bagozzi and Warshaw 1990). The individual intending to innovate with information technology must then decide whether to try to achieve that goal despite the perceived obstacles that exist. Research suggests that work and family environment factors influence an individual's trying to innovate (Ahuja and Thatcher 2005; Amabile and Conti 1999). Ahuja and Thatcher (2005) examined the effects of autonomy and overload and the interactions of these two constructs on trying to innovate with IT. The results indicated that autonomy was an antecedent to trying to innovate with information technology, and the relationships between autonomy and trying to innovate, and overload and trying to innovate differed between males and females. Our study is an extension of the work of Ahuja and Thatcher (2005) and investigates whether work-family conflict and/or family-work conflict influences an individual's trying to innovate with information technology. …

Many colleges of business require a course in computer applications concepts, often consisting of spreadsheet and database applications. Quite often, students resist taking the class because they do not see any worth to it, it duplicates what they already have taken, and they already know much of what is purported to be taught in the class. Instructors too are often frustrated with this class. This article suggests that part of the problem is the method of instruction often used: lecture and demonstration of tools followed by end-of-chapter assignments. We propose that problem-based learning is an alternative instructional method that may produce more positive results for students. To examine this approach, a semester-long study involving 186 business school students enrolled in a computer applications concept course of seven different sections was conducted. Student motivation, computer self-efficacy, knowledge, and satisfaction were studied. Results strongly support a problem-based learning approach as an instructional approach to teaching this class. [I]t would be naive to regard PBL [Problem-based Learning] as having reached some final stage of development. Indeed, the problem-based approach is certainly not the end of innovation in professional education. Problem-oriented strategies are but one set of examples of the broader category of systemic educational thinking and approaches which emphasize learning from experience ( Boud & Feletti, 1998a , p. 13).

PurposeThis research aims to investigate the relative importance of five key criteria in assessing web usability. These criteria are navigation, download speed, personalization, ease of use, and accessibility. It is believed that these factors play a significant role in assessing web usability.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized a scenario‐based, multi‐criteria decision‐making approach. The method (policy capturing) utilizes multiple scenarios to determine the relative importance of the criteria of interest. Based on the responses to these scenarios (assessing web usability), linear regressions, and Tukey's honestly significant differences were utilized to determine the relative importance of the five web usability criteria.FindingsThe research indicated that, as expected, ease of use was the criteria that the respondents considered most important in assessing web usability. Interestingly, personalization and customization was consistently reported as the least important criteria. It was also found that males and females view these web usability criteria differently.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study have practical implications for web site designers.Originality/valueThe results indicate that less effort/resources should be devoted to personalization and customization, and more in making sure that web sites are easy to use and have clear navigation capabilities.

ABSTRACT E-commerce can be an important source of competitive advantage for most business organizations, especially small- and medium-sized (SMEs) businesses. Recently, researchers have focused on e-commerce adoption both in the United States and other countries. This study examines the factors that influence e-commerce adoption in Thailand. The results show that the major reason behind e-commerce non-adoption is that the organization is not ready to make that change because of cultural, technological, financial, and/or logistical reasons. Additionally, organizational readiness strongly influences e-commerce implementation, and managerial support and financial, logistical, and technological factors weigh heavily in determining if an SME in Thailand can pursue e-commerce implementation. We believe that the e-commerce adoption model in this study will have both managerial implication for practitioners in Thailand, as well as those in other developing countries, and academic implications for researchers who are interested in e-commerce adoption in developing countries.

Recently, the subject of research relevancy has received a great deal of attention in the IS academic press. Several leading academic journals, such as MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, and Information Resources Management Journal have devoted special issues and/or articles to this topic. Typically, these articles have been opinion pieces from leading IS academics (i.e., Benbasat, Zmud, Robey, Lee, etc.) and have not included significant input from practitioners within the IS area. This chapter tries to capture the IS practitioners’ perspective on research relevance through a survey sent to 400 IS practitioners. The results indicate that IS practitioners (1) do not know where academic research is published; (2) find academic research dated; (3) find academic research difficult to read; and/or (4) find the recommendations included in academic research to be of little value.