Big Data Analytics Usage and Business Performance: Integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Task Technology Fit (TTF) Model

The purpose of this study is to propose a unified model integrating both the technology acceptance model (TAM) and task technology fit (TTF) model, and explore the organizational and environmental fit of the integrated model in order to investigate usage of Big Data Analytics and its effect on business performance. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 280 companies in CPG & Retail, Healthcare, Banking and Telecom in India. The data were analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Further, structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed model. The findings show that the research model for integrating the TAM for adoption and TTF model for utility provides a more comprehensive understanding of Big Data Analytics usage. The study identified task technology fit , individual technology fit, organizational data fit, organizational process fit, and business strategy fit as Tidd important variables for affecting Big Data Analytics usage using perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) as mediating variables. Competitive fit and partner support/customer fit were also found to be directly affecting Big Data Analytics usage, which in turn has significant influence on business performance. The model explained 71.4 percent of Business performance. The integrated model may be used as a guideline to ensure a positive outcome of Big Data Analytics usage in organizations. This study combined both the key ideas of TAM and TTF to show that they were necessary in predicting Big Data Analytics usage and business performance.

Information Systems Values: A Study of the Intranet in Three French Higher Education Institutions

Evaluation of performance of the Information System (IS) function has long been a concern of senior management in organisations. The IS function can impact competitive advantage which is why executives regularly look for evidence of returns on IT investments. The paper reports on a study which investigated how patrimonial value (inherent or actual quality of hardware, software and know‑how) and use value (contribution to the business) influence the success and organisational impact of an intranet. This paper proposes a set of principles for the conduct and implementation of analysis of these two intangible values of IS function. Research was conducted in three field studies of business and engineering schools in France. The data collected in questionnaires were analysed using the PLS structural equation method. This research provides theoretical contributions with a model giving a deeper comprehension of patrimonial value and use value of information systems, as well as explaining the relationships between these two values, success and organisational impact.

Factors Influencing Online Game‑Based Learning Effectiveness

There is a general consensus that games are effective as learning tools. There is however, a lack of knowledgeregarding what makes online games effective as learning tools. The purpose of this study is therefore to answer the question:What are the factors influencing online game‑based learning effectiveness? The aim of this paper is to develop a conceptualframework that reflects the factors influencing online game‑based learning effectiveness. The conceptual frameworkcombines concepts from the Information Systems Success Model, Task‑Technology Fit Model and Flow theory. The studyused a quantitative method. Data was collected using an online instrument. The study used 134 respondents from mainlythe United Kingdom, United States and South Africa. The model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis and testedusing Smart‑PLS to assess path coefficients. The identified factors influencing Knowledge Improvement, the key measurechosen for learning effectiveness with online game‑based learning, are Game‑Task Fit, Flow (where Flow consists ofdimensions of Goal Orientation/Feedback and Concentration) and Perceived Usefulness. The utilitarian factors of Game‑TaskFit and Perceived Usefulness have a stronger effect on Knowledge Improvement than Flow. On the other hand Flow was theonly one of these three variables to have an influence on intensity and frequency of game use, suggesting a hedonicmotivation for intense and frequent game usage. These increases in game usage do not necessarily translate into KnowledgeImprovement suggesting that the link between game use and Knowledge Improvement may not be a simple linearrelationship. Game Quality influences Game‑Task Fit, while Information Quality influences both Flow and Game‑Task Fit.

The Impact of IT‑Business Alignment on SME Performance: The Mediating Effects of Strategic Collaboration, Coordination, and Responsiveness

The alignment between information technology (IT) and business strategy is regarded as an ongoing issue for information systems (IS) researchers and practitioners. Although prior studies suggest the enabling role of IT‑business alignment on firm performance, our understanding of the processes through which such gains are achieved in the small‑to‑medium enterprise (SME) context still remains unclear. Moreover, there is limited research exporing how SMEs employ the alignment between IT and business strategy to work closely with their business partners in order to achieve business competences. In order to address these research gaps, this study investigates whether and how IT‑business alignment enables SMEs to achieve performance goals through developing strategic business activities effectively and efficiently. Using structural equation modelling analyses of survey responses collected from 211 Australian high growth SMEs, we find positive, significant, and impactful linkages between IT‑business alignment, strategic collaboration, coordination, responsiveness, and SME performance. The results also show that strategic collaboration, coordination, and responsiveness fully mediate the relationship between IT‑business alignment and SME performance. This study contributes to the IS research by providing empirically‑supported explanations for the critical role of IT‑business alignment in SME success. More significantly, through investigating the effect of IT‑business alignment at the inter‑mediate business process level, this research provides new insights to understand the underlying influential mechanisms of IT‑business alignment in the SME context. These findings have important implications for SME business managers.

Sandbox Environments in an ERP System Context: Examining User Attitude and Satisfaction

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are large complex software packages that are widely usedin organizations today. Due to the complexity, sandbox environments are often used for training on ERPsystems. This study examines the effectiveness of training using a sandbox environment, specifically examininguser attitudes, users’ perception of financial knowledge gained, and user satisfaction in the ERP environmentwhile learning financial concepts. The theoretical framework is based on the Technology Acceptance Modelwith additional factors predicted to impact users’ attitude and satisfaction. Data were collected from 124subjects who voluntarily participated in the study. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the data.The results of this study should help organizations understand the factors impacting user attitudes on ERPtraining leading to higher self‑perception of knowledge gains and task completion satisfaction. In addition, thisstudy provides the results of using ERP systems as a tool for financial education.

Augmenting the Business Intelligence Lifecycle Model with Usability: Using eye‑Tracking to Discover the why of Usability Problems

Humans and machines generate data at an alarming rate but still struggle to analyse and process this data fast enough. In order to meet this rising demand, business intelligence (BI) software firms are constantly incorporating new reporting or analytical functionalities in their software. At the same time, in order to be used optimally, they must ensure these features do not overwhelm users. There has however recently been cases where organisations, even after significant monetary investments, fail to realise the full potential of BI tools, sometimes reporting less than 20% utilisation. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible causes of the low utilisation and test the inclusion of a BI usability process. The study uses an off‑the‑shelf tool as a matter of convenience but proposes that including an empirical evaluation process as part of the BI design and development could increase BI adoption and usage. A small feasibility study was conducted to determine whether eye‑tracking is viable as a means of determining why the usability problems exist. Findings suggest that analysis of eye‑tracking data, together with traditional usability measures offer insight into how users solve problems and use the BI tool. Therefore, it will be a valuable aid in the design and testing of BI tools before release to enhance the usability therefore and potentially increase adoption and usage rates and should be included as a phase in the design and development lifecycle.

Cultural Influence on e‑Government Development

E‑government development varies across countries. This study aims to examine the impact of national culture on e‑government development across 78 countries. The dimensions of national culture are power distance, individualism, masculinity, long‑term orientation, uncertainty avoidance, and indulgence. The paper also examines the role of GDP per capita on e‑government development. The result shows that individualism and long‑term orientation are positively related to e‑government development, whereas power distance is negatively related to e‑government development. Also, GDP per capita is found to be significantly impacting e‑government development. Multi‑level interaction effect of GDP per capita and culture on e‑government development is discussed. The paper outlines the implications of results and strategies to design culturally acceptable e‑government policies. The paper argues that growth in economic prosperity cannot guarantee e‑government development, and national culture must be included in a holistic discussion of the development.

The Relationship Between Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) and Facilitators to Achieve Successful Business Outcomes in South Korean Organizations

Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) is an important process in the implementation and use of IT systems in today’s dynamic and increasingly digitalized organizations. However, SISP is not a straightforward task, it is a process that covers simultaneous multiple planning issues often in changing environmental and organizational climates. Although SISP has been widely studied, and evaluating the SISP process has matured, theory on SISP facilitators that enable successful outcomes remain sparse. The main objective of this paper is to explore such facilitators and to investigate their relationship and contribution in achieving SISP success. By postal surveying a random sample of managers with SISP experience in South Korean organizations, we modeled the relationship between facilitators of SISP and their outcomes. The study used Structural Equation Modelling to analyze and validate its findings. This study suggests that facilitators positively affect successful SISP through business and IT alignment. It also demonstrates that effective SISP has a positive effect on organizational outcomes by ensuring organizational capabilities and IT infrastructure flexibility. The findings of this study expounding the role of facilitators adds to the theory of SISP and provides a guide to planners and managers responsible for information systems.

O2O Adoption Benefits: A Managerial Perspective of Customer Benefits

Online‑to‑offline (O2O) is a fast‑growing business innovation, pointing online customers to physical locations where they can more closely inspect – and purchase – their desired products, or can collect them after ordering online. However, the growth of O2O may be limited by the lack of reliable understanding of its benefits to customers. This study aims to remedy this lack of knowledge, by analyzing the transcripts of 24 semi‑structured interviews with managers. The study finds that O2O benefits customers in three main ways: (1) making more informed decisions, (2) receiving timely information on discounts and sales, leading to time and cost savings, and (3) having direct interaction opportunities with the business ‑ something which is not the case in a pure online business. Contrary to general understanding, the results show that offering discounts as a benefit to customers is an approach that is not necessarily applicable across‑the‑board, because in some industries the margins are too low to offer any discounts. Further work may be needed to examine the relevance of discount as a customer benefit proposition for adopting O2O. We also find that the time saving benefit to customers remains a contentious issue, as the availability of too much choice may lead to customers spending too much time investigating the product/service, thereby delaying their decisions and ultimately negating any benefits. The results contribute to e‑commerce literature in building the theoretical understanding of the perceived benefits of O2O for customers from a managerial perspective. The identification of O2O benefits for customers will also help in understanding the behaviors and intentions as well as perceived value of adoption and acceptance of newer forms of technological ‑oriented innovations such as O2O in general. Managers can use the results for business‑case development and strategizing benefits realization of adopting O2O. The results will help managers in creating tailored strategies to integrate features and functionalities in the software products used for O2O to ensure that identified benefits are provided to the customers, thus improving the chances of successful realization.

Evaluation of Serious Game User Experience: the Role of Emotions

Serious games are slowly becoming a part of educational systems and corporate training facilities in lots of fields such as industry, health, management, etc. Despite this, the academic knowledge on these artefacts is still limited. The research reported in this paper examined emotional implications of serious games on the user experience. This correlational research observed the relationships between factors of serious gaming and emotions. Fifty students took part in the study. The participants used a serious game on the security of an Information System and answered a structured questionnaire. The data was analysed by Spearman’s correlation. The results show that the quality components of the multimedia system and the quality of the content of the game are correlated with emotions, satisfaction and intention to use. Moreover, they show that emotions are correlated with satisfaction, learning and success of the serious game. Satisfaction and learning play a key role in these programs. If serious game training is to have some efficiency, a deeper understanding of the factors that lead to the success of these applications is required. These factors are all levers of control that affect the perception and emotions of the user. Understanding these mechanisms could eventually lead to more effective serious games.