USING AN ATTRIBUTE-BASED DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR USER-CUSTOMIZED PRODUCTS ONLINE: AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION.

Author List: Kamis, Arnold; Koufaris, Marios; Stern, Tziporah;
MIS Quarterly, 2008, Volume 32, Issue 1, Page 159-177.
In the decision support systems literature, most studies have concentrated on the direct effects of DSS use and design on decision outcomes and user performance in the workplace. Fewer DSS studies have integrated decision process variables, such as user beliefs and attitudes, in their models. In this paper, we examine the mediating role of decision process variables in the use of an online customer DSS. We do so through an experimental study of an alternative-based and an attribute-based DSS for product customization by online customers. Using cognitive fit and flow theories, we develop a theoretical model with four mediating decision process variables (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, and perceived control) and two of their antecedents: interface design (attribute-based versus alternative-based) and task complexity (choice set size). Our results show that the impact of DSS interface design on behavioral intentions is fully mediated by perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment, although not by perceived control. Specifically, we verify that users of an attribute-based DSS express higher perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment than users of an alternative-based one. In addition, we find that task complexity has an interesting relationship with usefulness and enjoyment, both of which follow an inverted U-shaped curve as choice set size increases. Finally, we find that for users of the alternative-based DSS, perceived ease of use and perceived control decrease as task complexity increases. However, the attribute-based DSS alleviates that decline for both variables. Among other contributions, our results indicate the importance of including decision process variables when studying DSS as well as the complex effect of task complexity on those variables. Our study also provides some important guidelines for online companies that provide customer DSS on their websites, especially the danger of providing too many product choice...
Keywords: Decision support systems; attribute-based decision support systems; decision process; choice set size; task complexity; perceived control; perceived ease of use; perceived usefulness; perceived enjoyment; customization
Algorithm:

List of Topics

#99 0.205 perceived usefulness acceptance use technology ease model usage tam study beliefs intention user intentions users behavioral perceptions determinants constructs studies
#46 0.199 perceived transparency control design enjoyment experience study diagnosticity improve features develop consequences showing user experiential providing antecedents interface effects economy
#113 0.154 support decision dss systems guidance process making environments decisional users features capabilities provide decision-making user paper findings systems.decision components computer-based
#209 0.075 results study research information studies relationship size variables previous variable examining dependent increases empirical variance accounting independent demonstrate important addition
#224 0.061 complexity task environments e-business environment factors technology characteristics literature affect influence role important relationship model organizational contingent actual map dimension
#102 0.060 choice type functions nature paper literature particular implications function examine specific choices extent theoretical design discussion value widely finally adopted
#130 0.060 online users active paper using increasingly informational user data internet overall little various understanding empirical despite lead cascades help availability