International Journal of Information Management最新文献

Resource seeking is crucial for individual and organizational success only if it is effective in convincing the resource provider to offer the needed resource. Computer-mediated communication theories provide insight into an ideal match between media and communication tasks, but typically treat task as attainment of mutual understanding between communicating partners. Instead, we developed theoretical models for media perceptions and the subsequent media choice as a behavioral decision process considering the characteristics of the resource-seeking context. In an experiment with 119 participants, we found that face-to-face resource seeking is vastly more effective than an email request regardless of the level of closeness between communication partners, but requesters underestimate the difference between the two channels. A consecutive study with 121 participants revealed that this underestimation combined with the fear of embarrassment and awkwardness lead requesters to select the less effective channel (email). Our findings have practical implications, and contribute to media selection theories by calling for focus on the characteristics of the communication goal and the source of irrationality in media selection decisions.

Knowledge management (KM) impacts have typically been examined on the value of knowledge to organizations but not individuals. This paper uses survey data (186 employees) and qualitative data (300 + employees) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to examine the effects of four KM mechanisms (social learning, learning from others through IT, learning from IT, and IT-based knowledge substitution) and common knowledge on the individual and organizational value of knowledge. The results indicate that common knowledge and the two interpersonal mechanisms (social learning, learning from others through IT) enhance the perceived value of knowledge at both levels, but both mechanisms that rely on IT for the knowledge (learning from IT, IT-based knowledge substitution) reduce the perceived knowledge value at one level and have no significant effect at the other level. Further, common knowledge strengthens the positive effects of both interpersonal mechanisms, and weakens the negative effects of IT-based knowledge substitution, on perceived value of knowledge at both levels.

Rapid adoption of virtual-reality-assisted retail applications is inadvertently reshaping consumer buying patterns, making it crucial for businesses to enhance their shopping experience. This new scenario challenges marketers with unique hurdles in both the commercialization of products and in managing information cues derived via VR retailing. Therefore, this study examined consumers’ impulsive behavior and unplanned purchases in a virtual retail store, using self-reports and electroencephalography. Borrowing assorted perspectives from retailing, virtual reality, and neuromarketing literature, we extended the stimulus-organism-response framework to evaluate how unplanned behavior evolves through conscious and unconscious measures. We found that consumers’ impulsiveness was significantly associated with their unplanned expenditure and the number of unplanned purchases. Using mediation analysis, we observed that flow experience during shopping partially mediated the relationship between the sense of presence and the desire to stay longer in a virtual shopping store. Desire to stay in the virtual store positively influenced store satisfaction, basket-size deviation, and budget deviation. Additionally, cognitive workload obtained via electroencephalogram revealed significant differences during both planned and unplanned purchases. These findings provide fresh opportunities for retailers to leverage the disruptive potential of immersive and interactive virtual technology to transform consumer shopping experiences.

News source evaluations based on fact-checking can help curb the consumption and spread of fake news on social media. Prior research has primarily considered source evaluations with intuitive icons that indicate whether or not news sources are reputable. But can we increase the power of these icons by adding more detailed information about the evaluation that explains the reasons for the icon? What additional benefit would such evaluation details bring? Would they have the same effect for both positive and negative evaluations? We conducted two online experiments to understand the effects of a source evaluation icon (a positive or negative summary of the evaluation) and more detailed evaluation information explaining the reasons for the icon. Our results show an asymmetric effect of positive and negative icons and details. Negative icons reduced the believability of the articles, but adding evaluation details supporting the icon had no additional effect. In contrast, positive icons had no significant effects, but adding evaluation details significantly increased believability. We also found that users were more likely to view the evaluation details when the content of the article aligned with their pre-existing opinions, but the valence of the icon (positive or negative) did not affect this decision.

The complex and uncertain environment of the humanitarian response to crises can lead to data bias, which can affect decision-making. Evidence of data bias in crisis information management (CIM) remains scattered despite its potentially significant impact on crisis response. To understand what biases emerge in complex crises and how they affect CIM, we conducted a combined interview and document analysis study. Focusing on the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, i.e., the conflict in Yemen, we conducted 25 interviews with managers and analysts of response organizations, and assessed 47 reports and datasets created by response organizations in Yemen. We find evidence of a cycle of bias reinforcement through which bias cascades between field, headquarters and donor levels of crisis response. Researchers, as well as practitioners, need to consider these underlying biases and reinforcement loops because they influence what data can be collected when, by whom, from whom, and how the data is shared and used. To the CIM literature, we contribute an in-depth understanding of how four types of data bias emerge in crises: political, accessibility, topical, and sampling bias.

To cope with the digital transition exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, managers of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to adopt innovative practices to face uncertain scenarios and create long-term value, identified as transformational entrepreneurship practices. Among emerging digital technologies, digital platforms are shaping and outgrowing the e-commerce channel representing a potential opportunity for manufacturing SMEs to embrace digital transformation. Drawing on affordance theory, this research uses a mixed method approach to investigate how manufacturing SMEs’ e-commerce commitment and digital platform adoption stimulate the actualization of three e-commerce affordances: consumer knowledge generation, internationalization, and customer diversification. Based on survey responses from 165 manufacturing SME managers, we find that direct selling through owned websites actualizes consumer knowledge generation and internationalization, indirect selling actualizes customer diversification and internationalization, and agency selling through third-party platforms actualizes all three affordances. The relationship between e-commerce commitment and ecommerce performance is mediated by consumer knowledge generation and internationalization but not by customer diversification. A fsQCA analysis outlines seven configurations actualizing these e-commerce affordances by pairing different ecommerce approaches with degrees of e-commerce commitment. Finally, an analysis of open-ended questions from 24 respondents complements the study and deeply interprets the seven unique configurations outlined.

With growing investment into the metaverse or metaverses, the required hardware and software is becoming more powerful and cheaper, and tech firms’ expectations for this market are high. In parallel, consumer brands are claiming their digital real estate as consumers seek experiences beyond those available in the real world. Having people engage on this platform is important for all stakeholders. To address this much needed level of engagement, this editorial introduces the concept of immersive time (ImT), which is described as the conscious, deliberate, and dedicated time spent using a headset and other accessories to continually engage in the metaverse, presumably at least in part to escape the real world. Once in ImT, there are rather limited opportunities to multitask and simultaneously devote time to the activities within the metaverse and the real world. As such, while prolonged ImT is important for the stakeholders, it is imperative to recognize the inherent dark sides of this time. Understanding ImT has important implications for researchers and practitioners (including tech developers, and brand and marketing managers who contemplate their metaverse strategies), and policymakers who aim to ensure customers’ safety when immersing in the metaverse. This editorial concludes with an agenda for future research to enhance our understanding of consumer behaviors and engagement in the metaverse.

This article provides a summary of the manuscripts included within the special issue entitled Digital platforms and transformational entrepreneurship. The concept of transformational entrepreneurship has emerged recently as a phenomenon to implement effective and efficient entrepreneurial behaviours. Currently, digital platforms offer opportunities for entrepreneurs and their ventures, to enable transformation entrepreneurship. Recent global crisis such as Covid-19 have accelerated this trend. This special issue explores this phenomenon and offers insights into best practice to enable effective digital transformational entrepreneurship.