Information product: How information consumers' perception of 'Fitness for use' can be affected

Abstract

Emerging paradigms such as big data, business data analytics and business data science increased the importance of focusing on the notion of data and information quality more than before. Although more mechanized processes are being used to prepare pieces of information to be fit-for-use for information consumers, how information consumers perceive the quality of information and its difference with the actual quality of information gets more important as information consumers are at the position to judge the quality. Motivated by the notion of Perceived Information Quality (PIQ), this study explains the role of adoption and implementation of Information Technology (IT) in the process of perceiving information quality by information consumers. For the purpose of this research, seven Iranian organizations were studied. Due to lack of proper communication and institutional link between these organizations and the technology developers, it has been challenging for the studied organizations to implement the adopted technologies in the context of use. This study finds that the solution which is provided for information quality issues after the implementation of a type of information technology has direct impact on perceived information quality. This solution can be the combination of technical solutions by the technology developers and contextual-situated solutions by local experts and the balance of these solutions can influence the information consumers' perception. This research unfolds how the mechanism of technology implementation may reform the perceived information quality by drawing upon Information Product theory from the literature of information quality and the theory of Social Learning from the literature of social studies of technology. This mechanism of influence can be conceptualized as follows: a generic type of information technology is perceived to be useful and adopted by an organization. The organization faces challenges in implementing the new technology including dealing with information quality issues due to specific institutional and organizational context. The organization tries to provide a combination of solutions to overcome this challenge. The type and balance of solutions can form the perceived information quality by information consumers within the organization.