Agarwal, Ritu

The Creation of Social Value: Can an Online Health Community Reduce Rural-Urban Health Disparities? (MIS Quarterly, 2016)

Hide

Authors:

Goh, Jie Mein; Gao, Guodong (Gordon); Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

The striking growth of online communities in recent years has sparked significant interest in understanding and quantifying benefits of participation. While research has begun to document the economic outcomes associated with online communities, quantifying the social value created in these collectives has been largely overlooked. This study proposes that online health communities create social value by addressing ruralÐurban health disparities via improved health capabilities. Using a unique data set from a rare disease community, we provide one of the first empirical studies of social value creation. Our quantitative analysis using exponential random graph models reveals patterns of social support exchanged between users and the variations in these patterns based on users' location. We find that, overall, urban users are net suppliers of social support while rural participants are net recipients, suggesting that technology-mediated online health communities are able to alleviate ruralÐurban health disparities. This study advances extant understanding of value production in online collectives, and yields implications for policy.

EditorialãEvolvable Systems: Through the Looking Glass of IS (Information Systems Research, 2015)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Tiwana, Amrit;

Abstract:

We explore how ÒRed QueenÓ competition is increasing the competitive premium on ÒevolvableÓ information systems (IS). Ephemeral market advantage coupled with relentless innovation spawning trends such as the Internet-of-Things and additive manufacturing are amplifying the importance of evolvable systems across all industries. We discuss uncharted theoretical and empirical territory for IS research on evolvable systems. The elusiveness of some of these phenomena to other disciplines offers a unique opportunity for IS scholars.

Vocal Minority and Silent Majority: How Do Online Ratings Reflect Population Perceptions of Quality? (MIS Quarterly, 2015)

Show

Authors:

Gao, Guodong (Gordon); Greenwood, Brad N.; McCullough, Jeff; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

Consumer-generated ratings typically share an objective of illuminating the quality of a product or service for other buyers. While ratings have become ubiquitous and influential on the Internet, surprisingly little empirical research has investigated how these online assessments reflect the opinion of the population at large, especially in the domain of professional services where quality is often opaque to consumers. Building on the word-of-mouth literature, we examine the relationship between online ratings and population perceptions of physician quality. Our study builds on prior work by leveraging a unique dataset which includes direct measures of both the offline population's perception of physician quality and consumer-generated online reviews. As a result, we are able to examine how online ratings reflect patients' opinions about physician quality. In sharp contrast to the widely voiced concerns by medical practitioners, we find that physicians who are rated lower in quality by the patient population are less likely to be rated online. Although ratings provided online are positively correlated with patient population opinions, the online ratings tend to be exaggerated at the upper end of the quality spectrum. This study is the first to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between online ratings and the underlying consumer-perceived quality, and extends prior research on online word-of-mouth to the domain of professional services.

The Effects of Diversity in Global, Distributed Collectives: A Study of Open Source Project Success. (Information Systems Research, 2013)

Show

Authors:

Daniel, Sherae; Agarwal, Ritu; Stewart, Katherine J.;

Abstract:

Diversity is a defining characteristic of global collectives facilitated by the Internet. Though substantial evidence suggests that diversity has profound implications for a variety of outcomes including performance, member engagement, and withdrawal behavior, the effects of diversity have been predominantly investigated in the context of organizational workgroups or virtual teams. We use a diversity lens to study the success of nontraditional virtual work groups exemplified by open source software (OSS) projects. Building on the diversity literature, we propose that three types of diversity (separation, variety, and disparity) influence two critical outcomes for OSS projects: community engagement and market success. We draw on the OSS literature to further suggest that the effects of diversity on market success are moderated by the application development stage. We instantiate the operational definitions of three forms of diversity to the unique context of open source projects. Using archival data from 357 projects hosted on SourceForge, we find that disparity diversity, reflecting variation in participants' contribution-based reputation, is positively associated with success. The impact of separation diversity, conceptualized as culture and measured as diversity in the spoken language and country of participants, has a negative impact on community engagement but an unexpected positive effect on market success. Variety diversity, reflected in dispersion in project participant roles, positively influences community engagement and market success. The impact of diversity on market success is conditional on the development stage of the project. We discuss how the study's findings advance the literature on antecedents of OSS success, expand our theoretical understanding of diversity, and present the practical implications of the results for managers of distributed collectives.

IMPACTFUL RESEARCH ON TRANSFORMATIONAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: AN OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM NEW AUDIENCES. (MIS Quarterly, 2013)

Show

Authors:

Jr., Henry C. Lucas; Agarwal, Ritu; Clemons, Eric K.; Sawy, Omar A. El; Weber, Bruce;

Abstract:

Information technology has arguably been one of the most important drivers of economic and social value in the last 50 years, enabling transformational change in virtually every aspect of society. Although the Information Systems community is engaged in significant research on IT, the reach of our findings may be limited. In this commentary, our objective is to focus the IS community's attention on the striking transformations in economic and social systems spawned by IT and to encourage more research that offers useful implications for policy. We present examples of transformations occurring in four distinct sectors of the economy and propose policy-relevant questions that need to be addressed. We urge researchers to write papers based on their findings that inform policy makers, managers, and decision makers about the issues that transformational technologies raise. Finally, we suggest a new outlet to publish these essays on the implications of transformational informational technology.

Electronic Health Records Assimilation and Physician Identity Evolution: An Identity Theory Perspective. (Information Systems Research, 2012)

Show

Authors:

Mishra, Abhay Nath; Anderson, Catherine; Angust, Corey M.; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

With the lack of timely and relevant patient information at the point of care increasingly being linked to adverse medical outcomes, effective management and exchange of patient data has emerged as a strategic imperative for the healthcare industry. Healthcare informaticians have suggested that electronic health record systems (EHRS) can facilitate information sharing within and between healthcare stakeholders such as physician practices, hospitals, insurance companies, and laboratories. We examine the assimilation of EHRS in physician practices through a novel and understudied theoretical lens of physicians' identities. Physician practices and the physicians that lead them occupy a central position in the healthcare value chain and possess a number of unique characteristics that differentiate them from other institutional contexts, including a strong sense of affiliation with other physicians, potent professional identities, and a desire for autonomy. We investigate two salient physician identities, those of careprovider and physician community, grounded in the roles physicians play and the groups with which they affiliate. We argue that these identities and their evolution, triggered by EHRS, manifest as both identity reinforcement and deterioration, and are important drivers of EHRS assimilation. We use survey data from 206 physician practices, spread across the United States, to test our theoretical model. Results suggest that physician community identity reinforcement and physician community identity deterioration directly influence the assimilation of EHRS. We further find that the effects of careprovider identity reinforcement and careprovider identity deterioration on EHRS assimilation are moderated by governmental influence. Theoretical and pragmatic implications of the findings are discussed.

Effects of Individual Self-Protection, Industry Self-Regulation, and Government Regulation on Privacy Concerns: A Study of Location-Based Services. (Information Systems Research, 2012)

Show

Authors:

Xu, Heng; Teo, Hock-Hai; Tan, Bernard C. Y.; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

This study seeks to clarify the nature of control in the context of information privacy to generate insights into the effects of different privacy assurance approaches on context-specific concerns for information privacy. We theorize that such effects are exhibited through mediation by perceived control over personal information and develop arguments in support of the interaction effects involving different privacy assurance approaches (individual self-protection, industry self-regulation, and government legislation). We test the research model in the context of location-based services using data obtained from 178 individuals in Singapore. In general, the results support our core assertion that perceived control over personal information is a key factor affecting context-specific concerns for information privacy. In addition to enhancing our theoretical understanding of the link between control and privacy concerns, these findings have important implications for service providers and consumers as well as for regulatory bodies and technology developers.

Everybody Needs Somebody: The Influence of Team Network Structure on Information Technology Use. (Journal of Management Information Systems, 2012)

Show

Authors:

Magni, Massimo; Angst, Corey M.; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

Team network structure has been shown to be an important determinant of both team and individual performance outcomes, yet few studies have investigated the relationship between team network structure and technology usage behaviors. Drawing from social network and technology use literature, we examine how the structure of a team's advice-seeking network affects individual use of a newly implemented information technology. We develop cross-level hypotheses related to the effects of the structure of mutually interconnected ties within the team (i.e., internal closure) as well as the structure of nonredundant ties outside the team boundaries (i.e., external bridging). The hypotheses are tested in a field study of 265 employees working in 44 teams in a large financial services institution. Results show that internal closure has a U-shaped effect on individual use such that individual usage of the system is higher when the number of internal advice-seeking ties within the team is low or high, suggesting that medium levels of internal closure are the least desirable network configurations because in such instances teams neither realize the benefits of high closure information sharing nor are they able to avoid in-group biases associated with low closure conditions. Our results also reveal that in addition to having a direct positive effect on individual use, external bridging interacts with internal closure in a complex manner. The U-shaped effect of closure is dominant when bridging is high but assumes an inverted U-shaped pattern when bridging is low. Several implications for managers follow from these findings. First, in order to increase usage of technology, in teams characterized by low internal closure, managers should encourage the development of ties across team boundaries. Second, managers should maximize within-team interconnections in order to facilitate the circulation of external knowledge within team boundaries. Finally, managers should be aware that maximizing internal closure by facilitating interconnections among team members could be dangerous if not accompanied by mechanisms for external bridging.

Competing "Creatively" in Sponsored Search Markets: The Effect of Rank, Differentiation Strategy, and Competition on Performance. (Information Systems Research, 2011)

Show

Authors:

Animesh, Animesh; Viswanathan, Siva; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

Although efficiency-enhancing features of online markets have been well studied, much less is known about firms' differentiation strategies in these competitive markets or the outcomes of such differentiation. This study examines competition among firms in online sponsored search markets—one of the fastest growing and most competitive of online markets. We develop and test a model that predicts the clickthrough rate (CTR) of a seller's listing in a sponsored search setting. Drawing on consumer search theory and competitive positioning strategies, we theorize that CTR is jointly driven by a seller's positioning strategy as reflected by the unique selling proposition (USP) in its "ad creative," by its rank in a sponsored search listing, and by the nature of competition around the focal firm's listing. We use data from a field experiment conducted by a leading firm in the mortgage industry where the firm varied its rank and USP dynamically. Results suggest that sponsored search listings can act as effective customer segmentation mechanisms, consistent with a model of consumer search in directional markets. We further find that the effect on CTR of a firm's positioning strategy and its rank in a listing is strongly moderated by its ability to differentiate itself from adjacent rivals. We discuss the implications of our findings for sellers' strategies in sponsored search markets and for extending the understanding of consumer search behavior in directional markets.

The Digitization of Healthcare: Boundary Risks, Emotion, and Consumer Willingness to Disclose Personal Health Information. (Information Systems Research, 2011)

Show

Authors:

Anderson, Catherine L.; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

As healthcare becomes increasingly digitized, the promise of improved care enabled by technological advances inevitably must be traded off against any unintended negative consequences. There is little else that is as consequential to an individual as his or her health. In this context, the privacy of one's personal health information has escalated as a matter of significant concern for the public. We pose the question: under what circumstances will individuals be willing to disclose identified personal health information and permit it to be digitized? Using privacy boundary theory and recent developments in the literature related to risk-as-feelings as the core conceptual foundation, we propose and test a model explicating the role played by type of information requested (general health, mental health, genetic), the purpose for which it is to be used (patient care, research, marketing), and the requesting stakeholder (doctors/hospitals, the government, pharmaceutical companies) in an individual's willingness to disclose personal health information. Furthermore, we explore the impact of emotion linked to one's health condition on willingness to disclose. Results from a nationally representative sample of over 1,000 adults underscore the complexity of the health information disclosure decision and show that emotion plays a significant role, highlighting the need for re-examining the timing of consent. Theoretically, the study extends the dominant cognitive-consequentialist approach to privacy by incorporating the role of emotion. It further refines the privacy calculus to incorporate the moderating influence of contextual factors salient in the healthcare setting. The practical implications of this study include an improved understanding of consumer concerns and potential impacts regarding the electronic storage of health information that can be used to craft policy.

Evolving Work Routines: Adaptive Routinization of Information Technology in Healthcare. (Information Systems Research, 2011)

Show

Authors:

Goh, Jie Mein; Gao, Guodong (Gordon); Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

Despite the significant potential for performance gains from health IT (HIT), there has been limited study of the mechanisms underlying successful HIT implementations. We conducted an extensive longitudinal field study to gain an understanding of the interplay between technology and patterns of clinical work embodied in routines. We use the analytical device of narrative networks to identify where and how HIT influences patterns of work. We further draw upon adaptive structuration theory to conceptualize HIT as an intervention that alters the flow of events in a narrative network. Our findings suggest that the key to successful implementation is to manage the co-evolution process between routines and HIT and to actively orchestrate a virtuous cycle through agentic action. We propose a dynamic process model of adaptive routinization of HIT that delineates the major channels through which HIT and routines interact, identifies the different stages in the dynamic co-evolution process, and isolates the pivotal role of two forms of agency in enabling the virtuous cycle of co-evolution. This is one of the first studies to offer a processual, microlevel analysis of HIT implementation in a clinical setting.

THE VALUE OF IT-ENABLED RETAILER LEARNING: PERSONALIZED PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS AND CUSTOMER STORE LOYALTY IN ELECTRONIC MARKETS. (MIS Quarterly, 2011)

Show

Authors:

Zhang, Tongxiao (Catherine); Agarwal, Ritu; Henry C. Lucas, Jr.;

Abstract:

Recent research has acknowledged the key role of information technology in helping build stronger and more enduring customer relationships. Personalized product recommendations (PPRs) adapted to individual customers' preferences and tastes are one IT-enabled strategy that has been widely adopted by online retailers to enhance customers' shopping experience. Although many online retailers have implemented PPRs on their electronic storefronts to improve customer retention, empirical evidence for the effects of PPRs on retention in sparse, and the limited anecdotal evidence is contradictory. We draw upon the household production function model in the consumer economics literature to develop a theoretical framework that explains the mechanisms through which PPRs influence customer store loyalty in electronic markets. We suggest that retailer learning that occurs as a result of customer knowledge obtained to enable personalization influences the efficiency of the online product brokering activity. Data collected from a two-phase lab experiment with 253 student subjects where the quality of PPRs was manipulated are used to empirically test the predictions of the theoretical model. Empirical analyses of the data indicate that retailer learning reflected in higher quality PPRs is associated with lower product screening cost, but higher product evaluation cost. We further find that higher quality PPRs are associated with greater value derived by consumers from the online product brokering activity in terms of higher decision making quality, which is positively associated with repurchase intention. The paper presents the implications, limitations, and contributions of this study along with areas for future research.

Technological Frames, Organizational Capabilities, and IT Use: An Empirical Investigation of Electronic Procurement. (Information Systems Research, 2010)

Show

Authors:

Mishra, Abhay Nath; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

The process by which organizations incorporate technological innovations into existing routines and use them on a regular basis persists as a central concern in the literature. Although we now have a fairly robust understanding of the drivers of innovation adoption, the use of innovations is less understood. In this paper, we draw on two streams of literature, managerial and organizational sensemaking, and organizational capabilities that have hitherto been used independently, to investigate organizational use of information technology (IT)-based innovations. Building on and extending prior work, we posit that organizational capabilities serve as complements to managers' technological frames related to an innovation. We focus on the use of an important technological innovation-business-to-business (B2B) electronic markets for procurement. We examine interactions between three technological frames-benefits frame, threat frame, and adjustment frame, and two organizational capabilities-technological opportunism and technological sophistication, and their relationship with the use of B2B electronic markets in firms. We test our research model using survey data collected from 292 firms. Results largely support the proposed conceptualization and shed new light on the key factors associated with firms' use of B2B electronic markets. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

The Digital Transformation of Healthcare: Current Status and the Road Ahead. (Information Systems Research, 2010)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Gao, Guodong(Gordan); DesRoches, Catherine; Jha, Ashish K.;

Abstract:

As the United States expends extraordinary efforts toward the digitization of its health-care system, and as policy makers across the globe look to information technology (IT) as a means of making health-care systems safer, more affordable, and more accessible, a rare and remarkable opportunity has emerged for the information systems research community to leverage its in-depth knowledge to both advance theory and influence practice and policy. Although health IT (HIT) has tremendous potential to improve quality and reduce costs in healthcare, significant challenges need to be overcome to fully realize this potential. In this commentary, we survey the landscape of existing studies on HIT to provide an overview of the current status of HIT research. We then identify three major areas that warrant further research: (1) HIT design, implementation, and meaningful use; (2) measurement and quantification of HIT payoff and impact; and (3) extending the traditional realm of HIT. We discuss specific research questions in each domain and suggest appropriate methods to approach them. We encourage information systems scholars to become active participants in the global discourse on health-care transformation through IT.

PRACTICING SAFE COMPUTING: A MULTIMETHOD EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF HOME COMPUTER USER SECURITY BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS. (MIS Quarterly, 2010)

Show

Authors:

Anderson, Catherine L.; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

Although firms are expending substantial resources to develop technology and processes that can help safeguard the security of their computing assets, increased attention is being focused on the role people play in maintaining a safe computing environment. Unlike employees in a work setting, home users are not subject to training, nor are they protected by a technical staff dedicated to keeping security software and hardware current. Thus, with over one billion people with access to the Internet, individual home computer users represent a significant point of weakness in achieving the security of the cyber infrastructure. We study the phenomenon of conscientious cybercitizens, defined as individuals who are motivated to take the necessary precautions under their direct control to secure their own computer and the Internet in a home setting. Using a multidisciplinary, phased approach, we develop a conceptual model of the conscientious cybercitizen. We present results from two studies--a survey and an experiment--conducted to understand the drivers of intentions to perform security-related behavior, and the interventions that can positively influence these drivers. In the first study, we use protection motivation theory as the underlying conceptual foundation and extend the theory by drawing upon the public goods literature and the concept of psychological ownership. Results from a survey of 594 home computer users from a wide range of demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds suggest that a home computer user's intention to perform security-related behavior is influenced by a combination of cognitive, social, and psychological components. In the second study, we draw upon the concepts of goal framing and self-view to examine how the proximal drivers of intentions to perform security-related behavior identified in the first study can be influenced by appropriate messaging. An experiment with 101 subjects is used to test the research hypotheses. Overall, the two studies shed important new light on creating more conscientious cybercitizens. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Social Interactions and the "Digital Divide": Explaining Variations in Internet Use. (Information Systems Research, 2009)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Animesh, Animesh; Prasad, Kislaya;

Abstract:

Given the increasingly important role of the Internet in education, healthcare, and other essential services, it is important that we develop an understanding of the "digital divide." Despite the widespread diffusion of the Web and related technologies, pockets remain where the Internet is used sparingly, if at all. There are large geographic variations, as well as variations across ethnic and racial lines. Prior research suggests that individual, household, and regional differences are responsible for this disparity. We argue for an alternative explanation: Individual choice is subject to social influence ("peer effects") that emanates from geographic proximity; this influence is the cause of the excess variation. We test this assertion with empirical analysis of a data set compiled from a number of sources. We find, first, that widespread Internet use among people who live in proximity has a direct effect on an individual's propensity to go online. Using data on residential segregation, we test the proposition that the Internet usage patterns of people who live in more ethnically isolated regions will more closely resemble usage patterns of their ethnic group. Finally, we examine the moderating impact of housing density and directly measured social interactions on the relationship between Internet use and peer effects. Results are consistent across analyses and provide strong evidence of peer effects, suggesting that individual Internet use is influenced by local patterns of usage. Implications for public policy and the diffusion of the Internet are discussed.

A Control Theory Perspective on Agile Methodology Use and Changing User Requirements. (Information Systems Research, 2009)

Show

Authors:

Maruping, Likoebe M.; Venkatesh, Viswanath; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

In this paper, we draw on control theory to understand the conditions under which the use of agile practices is most effective in improving software project quality. Although agile development methodologies offer the potential of improving software development outcomes, limited research has examined how project managers can structure the software development environment to maximize the benefits of agile methodology use during a project. As a result, project managers have little guidance on how to manage teams who are using agile methodologies. Arguing that the most effective control modes are those that provide teams with autonomy in determining the methods for achieving project objectives, we propose hypotheses related to the interaction between control modes, agile methodology use, and requirements change. We test the model in a field study of 862 software developers in 110 teams. The model explains substantial variance in four objective measures of project quality—bug severity, component complexity, coordinative complexity, and dynamic complexity. Results largely support our hypotheses, highlighting the interplay between project control, agile methodology use, and requirements change. The findings contribute to extant literature by integrating control theory into the growing literature on agile methodology use and by identifying specific contingencies affecting the efficacy of different control modes. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our results.

The Role of Push--Pull Technology in Privacy Calculus: The Case of Location-Based Services. (Journal of Management Information Systems, 2009)

Show

Authors:

Xu, Heng; Teo, Hock-Hai; Tan, Bernard C. Y.; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

Location-based services (LBS) use positioning technologies to provide individual users with reachability and accessibility that would otherwise not be available in the conventional commercial realm. While LBS confer greater connectivity and personalization on consumers, they also threaten users' information privacy through granular tracking of their preferences, behaviors, and identity. To address privacy concerns in the LBS context, this study extends the privacy calculus model to explore the role of information delivery mechanisms (pull and push) in the efficacy of three privacy intervention approaches (compensation, industry self-regulation, and government regulation) in influencing individual privacy decision making. The research model was tested using data gathered from 528 respondents through a quasi-experimental survey method. Structural equations modeling using partial least squares validated the instrument and the proposed model. Results suggest that the effects of the three privacy intervention approaches on an individual's privacy calculus vary based on the type of information delivery mechanism (pull and push). Results suggest that providing financial compensation for push-based LBS is more important than it is for pull-based LBS. Moreover, this study shows that privacy advocates and government legislators should not treat all types of LBS as undifferentiated but could instead specifically target certain types of services.

ADOPTION OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IN THE PRESENCE OF PRIVACY CONCERNS: THE ELABORATION LIKELIHOOD MODEL AND INDIVIDUAL PERSUASION. (MIS Quarterly, 2009)

Show

Authors:

Angst, Corey M.; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

Within the emerging context of the digitization of health care, electronic health records (EHRs) constitute a significant technological advance in the way medical information is stored, communicated, and processed by the multiple parties involved in health care delivery. However, in spite of the anticipated value potential of this technology, there is widespread concern that consumer privacy issues may impede its diffusion. In this study, we pose the question: Can individuals be persuaded to change their attitudes and opt-in behavioral intentions toward EHRs, and allow their medical information to be digitized even in the presence of significant privacy concerns? To investigate this question, we integrate an individual's concern for information privacy (CFIP) with the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) to examine attitude change and likelihood of opting-in to an EHR system. We theorize that issue involvement and argument framing interact to influence attitude change, and that concern for information privacy further moderates the effects of these variables. We also propose that likelihood of adoption is driven by concern for information privacy and attitude. We test our predictions using an experiment with 366 subjects where we manipulate the framing of the arguments supporting EHRs. We find that an individual's CFIP interacts with argument framing and issue involvement to affect attitudes toward the use of EHRs. In addition, results suggest that attitude toward EHR use and CFIP directly influence opt-in behavioral intentions. An important finding for both theory and practice is that even when people have high concerns for privacy, their attitudes can be positively altered with appropriate message framing. These results as well as other theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Marketspace or Marketplace? Online Information Search and Channel Outcomes in Auto Retailing. (Information Systems Research, 2008)

Show

Authors:

Kuruzovich, Jason; Viswanathan, Siva; Agarwal, Ritu; Gosain, Sanjay; Weitzman, Scott;

Abstract:

The growth of the Internet has spawned an increasing number of online information sources (OISs). The effect of OISs on consumer information search processes has been particularly striking in sectors such as auto retailing, where the typical consumer has conventionally been confronted with an unpleasant and inefficient purchase process. However, the relationships between the information found in the online "marketspace," consumer search in the offline "marketplace," and other aspects of the multichannel shopping process are not well understood. This study examines the differential impact of price and product information found in the marketspace, relating consumers' information needs and information retrieval from OISs to three shoppingrelated outcomes—purchase based on online infomediary referral (i.e., referred purchase), intensity of search in the marketplace, and online search satisfaction. We draw on a large data set of more than 16,000 new vehicle purchasers who reported using the Web for search related to their new vehicle purchase. We find that OISs offer different levels of price and product information and consumers are differentiated in their ability to retrieve this information. Further, the retrieval of price versus product information online has important implications for whether consumers consummate their online search through referred purchase or extend their search into the physical marketplace. Our results suggest different business models for infomediaries providing price and product information and underscore the need for designing information provisioning systems of OISs to facilitate transition between the marketspace and the marketplace.

The Interplay Between Digital and Social Networks. (Information Systems Research, 2008)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Gupta, Anil K.; Kraut, Robert E.;

Abstract:

Social networks constructed on digital platforms are becoming increasingly pervasive in all aspects of individual and organizational life. This special issue of Information Systems Research includes 10 papers that focus on the interplay between digital and social networks. The interplay draws attention to the fact that digital interaction among individuals and organizations is almost always embedded in, influenced by, and in turn influences a social network. The papers in this special issue collectively shed light on the technical, behavioral, and economic challenges and implications of such networks and contribute to our understanding of how the power of such networks can be harnessed.

Through a Glass Darkly: Information Technology Design, Identity Verification, and Knowledge Contribution in Online Communities. (Information Systems Research, 2007)

Show

Authors:

Ma, Meng; Agarwal, Ritu;

Abstract:

A variety of information technology (IT) artifacts, such as those supporting reputation management and digital archives of past interactions, are commonly deployed to support online communities. Despite their ubiquity, theoretical and empirical research investigating the impact of such IT-based features on online community communication and interaction is limited. Drawing on the social psychology literature, we describe an identity-based view to understand how the use of IT-based features in online communities is associated with online knowledge contribution. Specifically, the use of four categories of IT artifacts--those supporting virtual co-presence, persistent labeling, self-presentation, and deep profiling--is proposed to enhance perceived identity verification, which thereafter promotes satisfaction and knowledge contribution. To test the theoretical model, we surveyed more than 650 members of two online communities. In addition to the positive effects of community IT artifacts on perceived identity verification, we also find that perceived identity verification is strongly linked to member satisfaction and knowledge contribution. This paper offers a new perspective on the mechanisms through which IT features facilitate computer-mediated knowledge sharing, and it yields important implications for the design of the supporting IT infrastructure.

RECONCEPTUALIZING COMPATIBILITY BELIEFS IN TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE RESEARCH. (MIS Quarterly, 2006)

Show

Authors:

Karahanna, Elena; Agarwal, Ritu; Angst, Corey M.;

Abstract:

Theoretical and empirical research in technology acceptance, while acknowledging the importance of individual beliefs about the compatibility of a technology, has produced equivocal results. This study focuses on further conceptual development of this important belief in technology acceptance. Unlike much prior research that has focused on only a limited aspect of compatibility, we provide a more comprehensive conceptual definition that disaggregates the content of compatibility into four distinct and separable constructs: compatibility with preferred work style, compatibility with existing work practices, compatibility with prior experience, and compatibility with values. We suggest that the form of the multidimensional compatibility construct is best modeled as a multivariate structural model. Based on their conceptual definitions, we develop operational measures for the four compatibility variables. We assess the nomological validity of our conceptualization by situating it within the technology acceptance model. In contrast to prior research, which has regarded beliefs of compatibility as an independent antecedent of technology acceptance outcomes, we posit causal linkages not only among the four compatibility beliefs, but also between compatibility beliefs and usefulness, and ease of use. We test our theoretical model with a field sample of 278 users of a customer relationship management system in the context of a large bank. Scale validation indicates that the operational measures of compatibility developed in this study have acceptable psychometric properties, which support the existence of four distinct constructs. Results largely support the theorized relationships.

IT Human Resource Management Configurations and IT Turnover: Theoretical Synthesis and Empirical Analysis. (Information Systems Research, 2005)

Show

Authors:

Ferratt, Thomas W.; Agarwal, Ritu; Brown, Carol V.; Moore, Jo Ellen;

Abstract:

Increasingly, scholars and practitioners acknowledge that information technology (IT) human capital is a strategic resource and that its effective management represents a significant organizational capability. We use configurational theory to examine organizational practices related to the management of IT human capital. In contrast to much prior work in IT human resource management (HRM) that is focused at the individual level, our inquiry is focused at the organizational level of analysis. Building on strategic human resource management (SHRM) research in general and research on the management of IT professionals in particular, we examine the broad question: Are different configurations of IT HRM practices associated with different IT staff turnover rates? A multidimensional view of IT HRM practices is presented, based on prior IT and SHRM literature. We formalize hypotheses regarding the relationship of turnover with configurations of IT HRM practices grounded in prior theory and empirical research. Based on survey responses from 106 organizations, IT HRM dimensions and configurations are derived and the hypotheses are tested. A five-configuration solution, obtained via cluster analysis, includes two contrasting configurations consistent with two archetypes found in the prior literature. Specifically, the configuration with a human capital focus has lower turnover than the task-focused configuration, providing support for our first hypothesis. Although the hypothesis on intermediate configurations and their relationship with turnover is not supported, we discover and interpret three additional configurations that embody patterns of practices with unique emphases. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS IDENTITY CRISIS: FOCUSING ON HIGH-VISIBILITY AND HIGH-IMPACT RESEARCH. (MIS Quarterly, 2005)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Lucas Jr., Henry C.;

Abstract:

This paper presents an alternative view of the Information Systems identity crisis described recently by Benbasat and Zmud (2003). We agree with many of their observations, but we are concerned with their prescription for IS research. We critique their discussion of errors of inclusion and exclusion in IS research and highlight the potential misinterpretations that are possible from a literal reading of their comments. Our conclusion is that following Benbasat and Zmud's nomological net will result in a micro focus for IS research. The results of such a focus are potentially dangerous for the field. They could result in the elimination of IS from many academic programs. We present an alternative set of heuristics that can be used to assess what lies within the domain of IS scholarship. We argue that the IS community has a powerful story to tell about the transformational impact of information technology. We believe that a significant portion of our research should be macro studies of the impact of IT. It is important for academic colleagues, deans, and managers to understand the transformational power of the technology. As IS researchers with deep knowledge of the underlying artifact, we are best positioned to do such research.

SOURCES OF INFLUENCE ON BELIEFS ABOUT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USE: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE WORKERS. (MIS Quarterly, 2003)

Show

Authors:

Lewis, William; Agarwal, Ritu; Sambamurthy, Vallabh;

Abstract:

Individual beliefs about technology use have been shown to have a profound impact on subsequent behaviors toward information technology (IT). This research note builds upon and extends prior research examining factors that influence key individual beliefs about technology use. It is argued that individuals form beliefs about their use of information technologies within a broad milieu of influences emanating from the individual, institutional, and social contexts in which they interact with IT. We examine the simultaneous effects of these three sets of influences on beliefs about usefulness and ease of use in the context of a contemporary technology targeted at autonomous knowledge workers. Our findings suggest that beliefs about technology use can be influenced by top management commitment to new technology and the individual factors of personal innovativeness and self-efficacy. Surprisingly, social influences from multiple sources exhibited no significant effects. Theoretical and practical implications are offered.

Assessing a Firm's Web Presence: A Heuristic Evaluation Procedure for the Measurement of Usability. (Information Systems Research, 2002)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Venkatesh, Viswanath;

Abstract:

Web site usability is a critical metric for assessing the quality of a firm's Web presence. A measure of usability must not only provide a global rating for a specific Web site, ideally it should also illuminate specific strengths and weaknesses associated with site design. In this paper, we describe a heuristic evaluation procedure for examining the usability guidelines developed by Microsoft. We present the categories and subcategories comprising these guidelines, and discuss the development of an instrument that operationalizes the measurement of usability. The proposed instrument was tested in a heuristic evaluation study where 1,475 users rated multiple Web sites from four different industry sectors: airlines, online bookstores, automobile manufacturers, and car rental agencies. To enhance the external validity of the study, users were asked to assume the role of a consumer or an investor when assessing usability. Empirical results suggest that the evaluation procedure, the instrument, as well as the usability metric exhibit good properties. Implications of the findings for researchers, for Web site designers, and for heuristic evaluation methods in usability testing are offered.

Research Report: The Evolving Relationship Between General and Specific Computer Self-Efficacy--An Empirical Assessment. (Information Systems Research, 2000)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Sambamurthy, Vallabh; Stair, Ralph M.;

Abstract:

The concept of computer self-efficacy (CSE) recently has been proposed as important to the study of individual, behavior toward information technology. This paper extends current understanding about the concept of self-efficacy in the context of computer software. We describe how two broad types of computer self-efficacy beliefs, general self-efficacy and task- specific self-efficacy, are constructed across different computing tasks by suggesting that initial general CSE beliefs will strongly predict subsequent specific CSE beliefs. The theorized causal relationships illustrate the malleability and development of CSE beliefs over time, within a training environment where individuals are progressively provided with greater opportunity for hands-on experience and practice with different software. Consistent with the findings of prior research, judgments of self-efficacy then serve as key antecedents of the perceived cognitive effort (ease of use) associated with technology usage. Further, we theorize that self-efficacy judgments in the task domain of computing are strongly influenced by the extent to which individuals believe that they are personally innovative with respect to information technology. Panel data were collected using a longitudinal research design within a training context where 186 subjects were taught two software packages in a sequential manner over a 14-week period. The emergent patterns of the hypothesized relationships are examined using structural equation modeling techniques. Results largely support the relationships posited.

ALIGNING THE IT HUMAN RESOURCE WITH BUSINESS VISION: THE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE AT 3M. (MIS Quarterly, 2000)

Show

Authors:

Roepke, Robert; Agarwal, Ritu; Ferratt, Thomas W.;

Abstract:

Increasingly, business leaders are demanding that IT play the role of a business partner and a strategic enabler. In such an environment, IT human capital has assumed considerable significance. Insightful IT leaders recognize that the greatest impediments to success are often related to people rather than to information, technology, and systems. What is not quite clear to IT leaders, however, is exactly how to develop and leverage this human capital in support of business needs. The transformation of IT from a back-office support role to a strategic business partner requires new roles and competencies for IT leaders and professionals. Key challenges for IT leaders are to envision these roles and competencies and to develop and implement programs to translate this vision to reality. This paper describes the IT human resource vision that is guiding such a transformation at 3M--a large multi-product, diversified manufacturing firm (1998 sales: $15 billion)--and focuses on the implementation of its leadership initiative. This initiative was instrumental in not only allowing 3M to develop needed skills and behaviors among its IT professionals, it also helped 3M evade an industry-wide recruitment and retention trend. The major conceptual models guiding the leadership initiative as well as implementation details are presented. Challenges encountered on the way and the lessons learned from the journey are discussed. 3M's experiences provide opportunities for managers in other organizations to develop valuable insights regarding the management of human capital in IT.

TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN: COGNITIVE ABSORPTION AND BELIEFS ABOUT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USAGE. (MIS Quarterly, 2000)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Karahanna, Elena;

Abstract:

The article discusses the paper "Time Flies When You're Having Fun: Cognitive Absorption and Beliefs About Information Technology Usage," by Ritu Agarwai and Elena Karahanna.

ORGANIZATIONAL MECHANISMS FOR ENHANCING USER INNOVATION IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. (MIS Quarterly, 1999)

Show

Authors:

Nambisan, Satish; Agarwal, Ritu; Tanniru, Mohan;

Abstract:

This article comments on a study looking at the value of information technology employees outside of the IT department and how they contribute to the health of companies in many ways. The authors of the study believe that IT professionals are often overlooked as sources of innovation in companies and look at organizational mechanisms which have an impact on the propensity to innovate in IT. They studied several aspects of IT including planning, advisory boards, customer support units and more. Using evidence from both a Delphi study of a group of senior managers and a field study of three medium-sized organizations, the authors demonstrated that all but the first of their 14 named mechanisms have statistically discernible impacts on innovation.

A Conceptual and Operational Definition of Personal Innovativeness in the Domain of Information Technology. (Information Systems Research, 1998)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Prasad, Jayesh;

Abstract:

The acceptance of new information technologies by their intended users persists as an important issue for researchers and practitioners of information systems. Several models have been developed in the literature to facilitate understanding of the process by which new information technologies are adopted. This paper proposes a new construct that further illuminates the relationships explicit in the technology acceptance models and describes an operational measure for this construct that possesses desirable psychometric properties. The construct, personal innovativeness in the domain of information technology, is hypothesized to exhibit moderating effects on the antecedents as well as the consequences of individual perceptions about a new information technology. The construct was developed and validated in the context of the innovation represented by the World-Wide Web. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Cognitive Fit in Requirements Modeling: A Study of Object and Process Methodologies. (Journal of Management Information Systems, 1996)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Sinha, Atish P.; Tanniru, Mohan;

Abstract:

Requirements modeling constitutes one of the most important phases of the systems development life cycle. Despite the proliferation of methodologies and models for requirements analysis, empirical work examining their relative efficacy is limited. This paper presents an empirical examination of object-oriented and process-oriented methodologies as applied to object-oriented and process-oriented tasks. The conceptual basis of the research model is derived from the theory of cognitive fit, which posits that superior problem-solving performance will result when the problem-solving task and the problem-solving tool emphasize the same type of information. Two groups of subjects participated in an experiment that required them to construct solutions to two requirements-modeling tasks, one process-oriented and the other object-oriented. One group employed the object-oriented tool while the other used the process-oriented tool. As predicted by the theory of cognitive fit, superior performance was observed when the process-oriented tool was applied to the process-oriented task. For the object-oriented task, however, the performance effects of cognitive fit require further investigation since there was no difference in subject performance across the two tools.

Knowledge-Based Support for Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Judgments in Resource Allocation Decisions. (Journal of Management Information Systems, 1992)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Tanniru, Mohan R.; Dacruz, Marcos;

Abstract:

The allocation of scarce resources to competing information systems project opportunities is a key activity performed by the MIS planning group. Performing this task typically involves consideration of both quantitative as well as qualitative aspects of projects. Research in human information processing and cognitive psychology suggests that decision makers are often subject to biases that tend to assign greater salience to quantitative as opposed to qualitative and intangible factors. To help overcome such biases and to provide flexible decision support to the project selection committee, a knowledge-based system has been developed. Knowledge captured in the system was extracted from industry practitioners responsible for the project selection decision. The system architecture represents an integration of database, modeling, and expert system capabilities. It supports both intelligence and design phases of project selection and can assess the impact of a selected portfolio on an organization's cash flow. The operation of the system is illustrated through an extended example.

Knowledge Acquisition Using Structured Interviewing: An Empirical Investigation. (Journal of Management Information Systems, 1990)

Show

Authors:

Agarwal, Ritu; Tanniru, Mohan R.;

Abstract:

The knowledge acquisition problem endures as a bottleneck in the construction of expert system knowledge bases. Despite the recent proliferation of techniques and the availability of more sophisticated methods for this task, the interview technique continues to be widely used, especially in business domains. This paper reports the results of an experiment conducted to compare the unstructured knowledge acquisition interview with a specific type of structured knowledge acquisition interview. Structure for the interview was provided by a domain model of the business decision-making activity that attempted to capture the subjective and qualitative aspects of decision making. Senior managers from industry served as the subjects in the experiment. The interview technique was evaluated along efficiency and effectiveness dimensions. Results indicate improved performance with the structured interviewing method.