A Short-Form Measure of User Information Satisfaction: A Psychometric Evaluation and Notes on Use

Long-term effects of COVID-19 on work routines and organizational culture - A case study within higher education's administration

As a sudden, external event, the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly disrupted the workplace and required organizations to digitalize their working approaches. To understand how such external events affect organizations in the short- and long-term, we investigated the case of a higher education institution's administration, which combines features of public and private organizations. We applied a longitudinal case study and conducted interviews with 39 German higher education institution (HEI) employees at two time points during the first (2020) and second (2021) lockdown. Content analyses revealed that a general openness toward change and distinct technical infrastructure enabled efficient coping with the pandemic despite struggles with digitalization and rigidity. Advantages in work outcomes were contrasted with losses in social interactions. Flexible models (e.g., working from home or the office) were desirable long-term work concepts. We integrated our findings in a framework on factors that contribute to supporting organizational adaptations and derived practical recommendations.

System quality, information quality, satisfaction and acceptance of online learning platform among college students in the context of online learning and blended learning

The paper was based on the User Satisfaction and Technology Acceptance Integration Theory (USATA). The authors analyzed the factors that affect college students' acceptance and satisfaction of online learning platform, as well as the differences in the relationship between various factors in blended learning scenario and online learning scenario. The results showed that the quality of online learning platform and information quality affect user satisfaction, and satisfaction affects usefulness and ease of use, and then affect attitude and intention. The comparison between the two groups showed that there were significant differences in the impact of information quality on information satisfaction and the impact of perceived usefulness on usage intention. In the online learning scenario, the endogenous latent variables of the model had higher explanatory power, which indicates that learners are more dependent on the quality and relevant characteristics of the learning platform in the online learning scenario.

Why enterprise resource planning initiatives do succeed in the long run: A case-based causal network

Despite remarkable academic efforts, why Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) post-implementation success occurs still remains elusive. A reason for this shortage may be the insufficient addressing of an ERP-specific interior boundary condition, i.e., the multi-stakeholder perspective, in explaining this phenomenon. This issue may entail a gap between how ERP success is supposed to occur and how ERP success may actually occur, leading to theoretical inconsistency when investigating its causal roots. Through a case-based, inductive approach, this manuscript presents an ERP success causal network that embeds the overlooked boundary condition and offers a theoretical explanation of why the most relevant observed causal relationships may occur. The results provide a deeper understanding of the ERP success causal mechanisms and informative managerial suggestions to steer ERP initiatives towards long-haul success.

Poor resource capital of micro-entrepreneurs: the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation

Purpose

Understanding the micro-start-up resources and its relationships with entrepreneurial orientation and performance is unique because it operates a business in a poor resource setting. However, poor resource settings of micro-start-up are not adequately examined into the literature in relation to entrepreneurial orientation and performance. Therefore, grounded on resource-based view, this paper aims to attempt to examine the relationships between resource capital, entrepreneurial orientation and performance in a developing country context.

Design/methodology/approach

To establish this, the authors conducted a survey among 180 micro-entrepreneurs from Bangladesh and analyzed the data using the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach.

Findings

The results demonstrate the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation on the relationship between human and financial resources and performance, while having partial mediating influence between social resource and performance, therefore indicating the importance of resources for determining business outcomes for micro-entrepreneurs.

Research limitations/implications

These results extend theoretical explanations of micro-entrepreneurship within the poor resource setting context. The findings have implications for identifying micro-firms likely to succeed for the purpose of strategic allocation of resources and supports; they also provide future research avenues.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous study has established that entrepreneurial orientation plays a critical and mediating role between resource capital and micro-firm performance in a poor resource setting.

Empirical Modeling of Customer Satisfaction for E-Services in Cross-Border E-Commerce

This paper presents an empirical analysis of significant features of the e-service satisfaction model (ESM) as an important element of a sharing economy. Customer satisfaction is regarded as one determining factor in the success of businesses. Therefore, customer satisfaction is considered one of the most critical features that determine the success of activities conducted by online businesses for cross-border e-commerce. Therefore, companies essentially need to measure the interaction and satisfaction level of their customers to improve the performance of their business. In this study, we employed content validity, exploratory factor analysis, constructive testing, and cluster discrimination to examine the survey instrument and test the e-service satisfaction model (ESM) in the context of e-commerce. To ensure the validation of measurement models and the proposed instruments, structural equation modeling was applied through SPSS AMOS software. According to the results of our study, the presented survey instrument is a strong and reliable tool to create customer interaction in cross-border e-commerce by identifying the various key factors affecting customer satisfaction.

Financial Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Spillover Effects on Burnout-Disengagement Relationships and Performance of Employees Who Moonlight

The novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has magnified the issue of financial insecurity. However, its effect on individual-organizational relations and, consequently, on organizational performance remains understudied. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the spillover effect of financial insecurity on the burnout-disengagement relationship during the pandemic. The authors investigate in particular whether the spillover effect influences the performance of moonlighting employees and also explore the mediating effect of disengagement on the relationship between financial insecurity and burnout interaction effect and the performance (i.e., mediated-moderation). This study collected responses from 162 public and private sector employees who are engaged in moonlighting activities in Malaysia. The results from the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed greater levels of financial insecurity and burnout associated with greater levels of work disengagement. The analysis of the interaction-moderation effect showed that when financial insecurity rises, the burnout effect on work disengagement increases among moonlighters. Using the PROCESS macro model, the results displayed burnout as a predictor of extra-role performance via a moderated (financial insecurity) mediation (work disengagement) relationship. Going forward, this study not only opens new avenues for research into the financial consequences of COVID-19 but also calls on managers to take proactive steps to mitigate the negative effect of the pandemic on the performance of moonlighting employees to keep them in the profession.

The Impact of Enviropreneurial Orientation on Small Firms’ Business Performance: The Mediation of Green Marketing Mix and Eco-Labeling Strategies

Global green trends are creating new challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs worldwide with customers now more environmentally aware and willing to pay extra for green services and products. In considering this phenomenon, the current study focuses on the positive influence of enviropreneurial orientation on the business performance of small firms and explores the mediation effects of green marketing mix and eco-labeling strategies. Drawing upon the natural resource-based view (NRBV) and the dynamic capability view (DCV), we tested our multiple mediation model with a sample of owners/managers of 160 small firms from Bangladesh, with these firms coming from the sectors of trading, manufacturing, and services. To test the study’s hypotheses, we employed the variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) method, using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The results reveal that green marketing mix and eco-labeling strategies transmit the effect of enviropreneurial orientation to business performance of small firms. Both strategies are found to be mediators in the relationship between enviropreneurial orientation and business performance of small firms. The study also offers suggestions for future research.

Mitigating manifest supply chain disruptions

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand if organizations can leverage recovery/continuous improvement (RCI) capabilities and two competencies to mitigate manifest supply chain (SC) disruptions. Specifically, the authors examine how learning from previous experience and SC disruption-orientation affects organizations’ capability to recover/continuously improve once a SC disruption has manifested. In addition, knowing that organizational inertia likely exists during disruptions, the authors examine the mediating effects of routine rigidity on proposed relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

To determine how these antecedents impact an organization’s RCI capabilities, the authors collected survey data from 219 procurement managers and analyzed these records using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results indicate that by fostering SC disruption-orientation and developing competencies to learn from previous experience, firms can enhance their RCI capabilities, which in turn improves operational performance. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate how routine rigidity mediates the positive effects these antecedents have on the RCI capabilities construct.

Originality/value

By developing these risk management (RM) tactics and managing routine rigidity, organizations broaden their continuous improvement capability, which enables practitioners to respond to and recover from manifest disruptions. When used in conjunction with other RM tactics, such as inventory and/or redundant capacity, organizations can address an array of disruption scenarios.

Trust and distrust in information systems at the workplace

Digitalization of work processes is advancing, and this is increasingly supported by complex information systems (IS). However, whether such systems are used by employees largely depends on users’ trust in these IS. Because there are few systematic studies on this topic, this research provides an initial exploration and validation of preconditions for trust in work-related IS. In Study 1, N = 30 professionals were asked to describe occupational incidents in which they had highly trusted or distrusted an IS. Content analysis of 111 critical incidents described in the in-depth interviews led to 12 predictors of trust and distrust in IS, which partly correspond to the structure of the established IS success model (Delone & McLean, 2003) but also exceed this structure. The resulting integrative model of trust in IS at work was validated in Study 2 using an online questionnaire with N = 179 professionals. Based on regression analyses, reliability (system quality) and credibility (information quality) of IS were identified as the most important predictors for both trust and distrust in IS at work. Contrasting analyses revealed diverging qualities of trust and distrust in IS : whereas well-being and performance were rated higher in trust events, experienced strain was rated higher in distrust events. Together, this study offers a first comprehensive model of trust in IS at work based on systematic empirical research. In addition to implications for theory advancement, we suggest practical implications for how to support trust and to avoid distrust in IS at work.

E-procurement quality from an internal customer perspective

Purpose

Despite significant investment in e-procurement by many organisations, perceived failings in the quality of such technologies and of the support provided to use them – termed here e-procurement quality – continue to generate resistance from internal customers who must assimilate e-procurement into their daily routines. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to advance the understanding of e-procurement quality from an internal customer perspective and to develop, refine, and validate construct measures.

Design/methodology/approach

Research was undertaken in the UK and the Netherlands incorporating a literature review, a qualitative study with 58 interviews, a quantitative study with 274 survey respondents, and a replication study with 154 survey respondents.

Findings

Analysis reveals that e-procurement quality comprises five universally applicable dimensions: processing, content, usability, professionalism, and training. A sixth dimension, specification, appears to be applicable, but context specific.

Originality/value

The study represents one of the most extensive investigations of e-procurement quality to date and is the first to examine its underlying dimensional structure. The multi-item scales developed and validated using a mixed-methods process are suitable for theory building and testing, as well as providing useful diagnostic value to practitioners.

Understanding Trust in IT Artifacts

This paper studies the role of trust and trustworthiness as it applies to inanimate software artifacts. Extrapolating from the meaning and theory of interpersonal trust and supporting theories, this study develops software artifact trustworthiness and trust scales for the context of antiviral software. The proposed constructs deal with trustworthiness beliefs in software predictability and performance, corresponding respectively to a partial conceptual overlap with the interpersonal trustworthiness beliefs of predictability and ability. Data collected from 232 users support the psychometric properties of the new scales and demonstrate their nomological validity. The analysis shows that in the case of this software artifact, trustworthiness but not trust, predicts user satisfaction. This is in apparent contrast to interpersonal trust in online contexts where trust and trustworthiness are mostly indistinguishable, and where in the few cases that trust was studied separately from trustworthiness, trust had always been a significant predictor. The importance of trustworthiness, but apparently not of trust, in a software artifact is discussed.

Don't mind the gap

When researchers are interested in capturing perceived discrepancies--for example, the perceived alignment between organizational and business-unit strategies, or the perceived gap between expected and received service delivery--many different measurement approaches are available. This paper presents a psychometric analysis of the various measures available to capture perceived discrepancies or gaps. More specifically, a set of comparative survey-based measures, drawn from published research across various disciplines, including marketing, information systems, and organizational behavior, are examined for their applicability.

Evolving MCDM applications using hybrid expert-based ISM and DEMATEL models: an example of sustainable ecotourism

Ecological degradation is an escalating global threat. Increasingly, people are expressing awareness and priority for concerns about environmental problems surrounding them. Environmental protection issues are highlighted. An appropriate information technology tool, the growing popular social network system (virtual community, VC), facilitates public education and engagement with applications for existent problems effectively. Particularly, the exploration of related involvement behavior of VC member engagement is an interesting topic. Nevertheless, member engagement processes comprise interrelated sub-processes that reflect an interactive experience within VCs as well as the value co-creation model. To address the top-focused ecotourism VCs, this study presents an application of a hybrid expert-based ISM model and DEMATEL model based on multi-criteria decision making tools to investigate the complex multidimensional and dynamic nature of member engagement. Our research findings provide insightful managerial implications and suggest that the viral marketing of ecotourism protection is concerned with practitioners and academicians alike.

Perceived Technical Service Quality and Information Satisfaction at the Ministry of Communications, Kuwait

Information technology (IT) has become the backbone for many of today’s organizations in the private and public sectors. However, identifying users’ information satisfaction as well as their perception of the strengths and weaknesses of IT service represents a major challenge for IT management. This research explored the perceived IT service quality (SQ) and user satisfaction (US), the effect of SQ on US, and the impact of a number of demographic and situational characteristics on SQ and US in the Ministry of Communications (MOC) of Kuwait. Three SQ dimensions have emerged, including empathy/assurance, reliability, and tangibles. Users, however, are not certain about the quality of the provided IT service. They are also somewhat satisfied with the systems they regularly use. Age, nationality, job type, sector type, and system use varyingly affect SQ and US. SQ has also emerged as an important determinant of US. These findings as well as their implications are further discussed in the paper.

A Case Study on the Impact of Customization, Fitness, and Operational Characteristics on Enterprise-Wide System Success, User Satisfaction, and System Use

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system success is of paramount importance for almost all organizations, as it is a prerequisite for improved and continuous benefit-realization. This study investigates the impact of ERP business dynamics (i.e., system customization required), system fitness (i.e., process fit, data fit, and user interface fit) and functional area operational characteristics on ERP system success, user satisfaction and system use. The author draws on relevant theoretical background information to construct the research model. Surveys are administered to 91 ERP system users within a multinational food company; in-depth interviews are also conducted with some system users. Empirical results indicate that the amount of ERP system customizations and/or modifications does not have any substantial impact on ERP system use or user satisfaction. In terms of ERP system fitness, these systems are found to be more suitable for complex, functional-area operational environments. The results show that only user interface fit positively affects ERP system use, while only process fit positively influences ERP system user satisfaction. In addition, different degrees of information quality, system quality and service quality have diverse effects on some of the relationships investigated. Finally, the perceived net benefit from an ERP system depends on how the ERP system is used, rather than the management level of the users.

A pseudo‐longitudinal study of intranet use in hospitals

Purpose

This paper investigates the roles of the time for system enhancement, work place relocation, and other organizational constructs, such as organization support, task characteristics, intranet characteristics and user characteristics in the use of intranet and web‐enabled applications (IWAs) for supporting management accounting in public hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was carried out in Hong Kong public hospitals, and a pseudo‐longitudinal study spans a duration of one‐and‐a‐half years to observe changes that occur over time. A two‐phased survey research which investigated how the use of IWAs supports management accounting was also conducted for this study.

Findings

The survey results unearthed a number of findings. In the phase I survey, intranet user information satisfaction had a direct significant impact on information quality of management accounting systems (MASIQ). The extent of task characteristics also improves the performance of MASIQ. However, mixed research results were found regarding the presence of top management support and IS experience of users and their contribution to intranet user information satisfaction and MASIQ. User training also did not show any significant impact on intranet user information satisfaction and MASIQ. The phase II survey results reflect two additional findings. First, workplace relocation (one office management practice) was found to have a negative impact on the support of management accounting. Second, the time for system enhancement improves the acceptance of IWAs in public hospitals.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides support for certain prior research findings though some other findings were not consistent with expectations. The study was based on 157 hospital executives in the phase I survey and 147 hospital executives in the phase II survey. The findings are generalized reliably to the population studied – Hong Kong public hospitals. More research is needed for explorations of these findings. The research results contribute to the knowledge of uses of intranet for management accounting and control in public hospitals.

Practical implications

The research offers insights into management accounting and control systems, as they are implemented through intranet in public hospitals. Work place relocation is less effective for grouping talents to work in offices at different locations. Face‐to‐face communication at a workplace is more efficient than communication through intranet applications. The study reinforced the belief that top management support is of prior concern in improving managerial performance.

Originality/value

The roles of IWAs on the time for system enhancement and workplace relocation have not previously been studied. The results provide some useful support of prior findings and some modifications as well as extensions that further understanding in these areas.

A Study on User Satisfaction regarding the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for Medication

OBJECTIVES

Many medication errors can occur when ordering and dispensing medicine in hospitals. The clinical decision support system (CDSS) is widely used in an effort to reduce medication errors. This study focused on the evaluation of user satisfaction with the CDSS for medication at a university hospital. Specifically, this study aimed to identify the factors influencing user satisfaction and to examine user requirements in order to further improve user satisfaction and drug safety.

METHODS

The study was based on survey data from 218 users (103 doctors, 103 nurses, and 15 pharmacists) at a university hospital that uses the CDSS. In order to identify the factors influencing user satisfaction with the CDSS, a multiple linear regression was performed. In order to compare the satisfaction level among the professional groups, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed.

RESULTS

The reliability of information, decision supporting capability, and departmental support were significant factors in influencing user satisfaction. In addition, nurses were the most satisfied group, followed by pharmacists and doctors according to the ANOVA. Areas for further improvement in enhancing drug safety were real time information searching and decision supporting capabilities to prevent adverse drug events (ADE) in a timely manner.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that the CDSS users were generally satisfied with the system and that it complements the nationwide drug utilization review (DUR) system in reducing ADE. Further CDSS evaluation in other hospitals is needed to improve user satisfaction and drug safety.

Hospital information systems: measuring end user computing satisfaction (EUCS)

Over the past decade, hospitals in Greece have made significant investments in adopting and implementing new hospital information systems (HISs). Whether these investments will prove beneficial for these organizations depends on the support that will be provided to ensure the effective use of the information systems implemented and also on the satisfaction of its users, which is one of the most important determinants of the success of these systems. Measuring end-user computing satisfaction has a long history within the IS discipline. A number of attempts have been made to evaluate the overall post hoc impact of HIS, focusing on the end-users and more specifically on their satisfaction and the parameters that determine it. The purpose of this paper is to build further upon the existing body of the relevant knowledge by testing past models and suggesting new conceptual perspectives on how end-user computing satisfaction (EUCS) is formed among hospital information system users. All models are empirically tested using data from hospital information system (HIS) users (283). Correlation, explanatory and confirmation factor analysis was performed to test the reliability and validity of the measurement models. The structural equation modeling technique was also used to evaluate the causal models. The empirical results of the study provide support for the EUCS model (incorporating new factors) and enhance the generalizability of the EUCS instrument and its robustness as a valid measure of computing satisfaction and a surrogate for system success in a variety of cultural and linguistic settings. Although the psychometric properties of EUCS appear to be robust across studies and user groups, it should not be considered as the final chapter in the validation and refinement of these scales. Continuing efforts should be made to validate and extend the instrument.

Design and validation of a questionnaire to measure the attitudes of hospital staff concerning pandemic influenza

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

When pandemics lead to a higher workload in the healthcare sector, the attitude of healthcare staff and, more importantly, the ability to predict the rate of absence due to sickness are crucial factors in emergency preparedness and resource allocation. The aim of this study was to design and validate a questionnaire to measure the attitude of hospital staff toward work attendance during an influenza pandemic.

METHOD

An online questionnaire was designed and electronically distributed to the staff of a teaching medical institution in the United Kingdom. The questionnaire was designed de novo following discussions with colleagues at Imperial College and with reference to the literature on the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic. The questionnaire included 15 independent fact variables and 33 dependent measure variables. A total of 367 responses were received in this survey.

RESULTS

The data from the measurement variables were not normally distributed. Three different methods (standardized residuals, Mahalanobis distance and Cook's distance) were used to identify the outliers. In all, 19 respondents (5.17%) were identified as outliers and were excluded. The responses to this questionnaire had a wide range of missing data, from 1 to 74 cases in the measured variables. To improve the quality of the data, missing value analysis, using Expectation Maximization Algorithm (EMA) with a non-normal distribution model, was applied to the responses. The collected data were checked for homoscedasticity and multicollinearity of the variables. These tests suggested that some of the questions should be merged. In the last step, the reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated. This process showed that three questions reduced the reliability of the questionnaire. Removing those questions helped to achieve the desired level of reliability.

CONCLUSION

With the changes proposed in this article, the questionnaire for measuring staff attitudes concerning pandemic influenza can be converted to a standardized and validated questionnaire to properly measure the expectations and attendance of healthcare staff in the event of pandemic flu.