International Journal of Information Management最新文献

The frequent launch of new product upgrades and the explosion of online user reviews have profoundly impacted consumer purchase behavior in various product categories, especially digital ones. This research examines how the rapid innovation and frequent updates in digital product categories (such as fitness wearables) influence consumer demand and sales of new product generations varying in feature intensity and update frequency. Through a mixed-method approach, this study reveals that consumer feedback and expert feedback polarities differentially impact sales, and these effects are amplified for more complex, rapidly updated products. The results provide empirical validation for key premises argued in the literature that user-generated content helps overcome information asymmetry, but also introduce contingencies based on product characteristics. This study contributes unique evidence substantiating the strategic value of online opinions and interest metrics in an omnichannel context. The findings offer actionable guidance for marketers to leverage consumer insights and tailor digital product positioning amidst information overload.

Freemium business models are a potential monetization strategy wherein companies can persuade consumers to buy premium services by offering a free version with limited functionalities and then benefitting by selling a premium version of the online service. Our empirical investigation followed a mixed-method approach and used meta-analytical data from 55 studies and 15 qualitative interviews. Based on these studies and interviews, we identify key factors influencing consumers’ willingness to pay for freemium services. Additionally, we test moderating effects across different monetization strategies (limited features vs. selling virtual items). The results reveal that the dimensions of perceived value (i.e., functional, hedonic, social, and price value), based on a free version of the service, serve as predictors for willingness to pay for freemium services. Trust in the service provider mediates the effects of dimensions of perceived value on willingness to pay for freemium services. The results also show that these relationships are influenced by the monetization strategy. This study contributes to existing literature by consolidating empirical evidence and offering valuable insights regarding willingness to pay for freemium services. The findings have implications for managers, helping them tailor their monetization strategies based on the type of freemium service.

The primary aim of this study is to explore the gender dynamics within Generative AI (GAI) research through an analysis of 5092 publications post the inception of ChatGPT in November 2022. This investigation seeks to comprehend how gender distribution varies across different research areas and geographical locations in GAI, assess thematic differences in contributions by male and female authors, identify areas of significant female activity, evaluate the impact of policies on gender dynamics, devise strategies to enhance gender diversity and explore how GAI research can propel women's advancement in STEM. The study reveals a dual narrative: a promising rise in female leadership within highly cited GAI research papers, juxtaposed with ongoing gender disparities in single-authored works and primary authorship positions. These findings underscore the unique position of GAI as distinct from traditional STEM fields, owing to its integration of technology with societal demands and its potential to foster increased female participation in STEM through its interdisciplinary approach and societal impact. By aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 5, this research champions inclusive development practices and policy reforms aimed at bolstering gender diversity and inclusivity within GAI research. The insights derived from addressing the research questions show how GAI can make STEM fields more inclusive, diverse, and attuned to societal needs, thereby maximizing the value of female researchers' contributions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a disruptive force that has revolutionized industries and changed business practices. The integration of AI has brought numerous benefits to various functional areas within organizations, with marketing experiencing a significant positive impact. AI technologies have empowered marketers with advanced tools and insights, fostering unparalleled efficiency, personalization, and strategic campaign decision-making. Despite these advancements, the scholarly focus on AI's transformative effects on marketing is limited. This research investigates how AI is currently applied across different marketing functions and its potential future evolution and impact on marketing processes. In a rapidly evolving world, businesses must navigate complexity, innovate, and sustain competitive advantages. Grounding our analysis in previous AI marketing literature, we adopt the dynamic capability theoretical lens, emphasizing how organizations adapt and prosper in changing environments. This study highlights six key marketing areas where AI promises transformative effects, aiming to illuminate the path for future marketing innovations and strategies, including AI-driven customer insights, measuring marketing performance, automated marketing strategies, ethical implications, enhancing customer experiences, and growth opportunities with AI Implementation. While recognizing AI as a positive disruptive force, we also highlight its limitations, potential threats to privacy and security, as well as ramifications of biases, misuse, and dissemination of misinformation. Finally, the article delineates the gaps in the research and formulates questions aimed at advancing knowledge in AI marketing.

Obsolete models, lack of professionalisation and an environment characterised by continuous changes have turned out to be a dangerous mix that has ended up stopping or slowing down the development of the agricultural sector. It is now necessary to design and carry out initiatives that counteract this trend, especially initiatives based on innovation and the use of technology. This article aims to analyse the implications of the new ways of working to be used in spaces created under the umbrella of a new technological order known as metaverse. Through the creation of a community of metaverses, capable of promoting interaction, collaboration and communication between the different agents involved in the value chain of the agricultural sector, the aim of this research is to create an integrated and collaborative trusting environment that allows consensual, well-founded and robust business decisions focused on cost savings and the optimisation of quality and productivity. This research seeks to benefit all agents involved in the agricultural sector value chain. By placing producers at the centre of the system, the approach described in this study aims to avoid the current imbalances between the interests of different agents, while promoting an innovative and sustainable agricultural sector committed to meeting the challenges of today’s society.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a leading role in the digital transformation of enterprises, particularly in the manufacturing industry where it has been responsible for a profound transformation in key business and production operations. Despite the accelerated growth of AI technologies, knowledge of the implementation of AI by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains underexplored. Thus, this study seeks to examine how manufacturing SMEs orchestrate resources for AI implementation. Building on the resource orchestration (RO) theory and recent work on AI implementation, we investigate multiple case studies involving manufacturing SMEs in Sweden operating in the packaging, plastic, and metal sectors. Our findings indicate that SMEs structure a portfolio based on acquiring and accumulating AI resources. AI resources are bundled into learning and governance capabilities to leverage configurations for AI implementation. Through a dynamic process of AI resource orchestration, SMEs effectively leverage AI resources and capabilities by mobilising technologies, coordinating manufacturing processes, and empowering skilled people. This research contributes to existing practice and the academic literature on AI implementation, highlighting how SMEs orchestrate AI resources and capabilities to drive an organisation’s digital transformation whilst creating a competitive advantage.

This study examines the role of explainable AI in the relationship between updating a portfolio of AI applications and performance. Updating a portfolio of AI applications relates to a firm's dynamic capability to respond to the changes of the market. We propose a set of four hypotheses in which the impact of updating the portfolio of AI applications on firm performance is mediated by business process agility. Additionally, we suggest that building explainability into the portfolio of AI applications when firms update their portfolio acts as a moderator to generate greater agility, which in return improves overall firm performance. Data from a survey of IT executives were analyzed to validate our proposed hypotheses. The results from the survey were also evaluated by a qualitative focus group session. This research is a significant contribution to the emerging literature on dynamic capabilities as it presents and tests a theory regarding the influence of the firm capability to update the portfolio of AI applications on agility and firm performance and the role of explainable AI.

An uncertain and complex economic environment requires companies to act quickly and reinvent their business strategies. Innovation has emerged as a strategic imperative to adapt to market changes and remain competitive, while resilience has gained attention as essential for organizations to respond successfully to external environmental pressures. Despite these strategic factors’ importance in unstable environments, little empirical research has analyzed them. Drawing on dynamic capabilities’ theory, our study examines the role of service innovation and organizational resilience in enhancing business performance using a sequential two-stage mixed-methods approach. First, a quantitative study was conducted to test the proposed research model using structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis with a sample of 343 service companies in Spain. Second, a qualitative analysis was performed with 12 interviews with managers to provide additional insights and a detailed understanding of the phenomenon. The results confirm innovation and resilience as key dynamic capabilities to address a changing business landscape and remain competitive. Our findings also reveal the strategic importance of digital tools (social media platforms) and external networks as drivers of service innovation. Managers can use these findings to leverage social media to engage in collaborative networks, enhance innovation and resilience, and succeed in turbulent markets.

During crises, the proliferation of misinformation, often termed "infodemics," can severely compromise Shared Situational Awareness (SSA) and impede effective response. With the advent of technology, social media platforms have become crucial tools for response agencies to counteract misinformation and promote SSA. Yet, the intricate dynamics between information dissemination, communication strategies, and trust, especially in the digital realm, remain underexplored. This research looks at the utilisation of technology, specifically social media platforms like Facebook, by response agencies to navigate the challenges of infodemics. Drawing from Seppänen et al. (2013) SSA model, we identified potential risks in digital crisis communication strategies that might undermine public trust and SSA. We used a netnographic analysis of the response agencies’ social media pages, supplemented by field interviews with agency representatives. Our findings contribute to the fields of Information Systems (IS) and communication by 1) highlighting the potential of technology, particularly social media, in crisis communication and misinformation mitigation, 2) identifying the risks and pitfalls of leveraging digital platforms during crises, and 3) underlying the consequences of diminishing public trust in official digital information channels, offering insights into mitigating misinformation and improving crisis response.

This research examines evolving shopping behaviours as emerging technologies and digital touchpoints increasingly draw shoppers to navigate digital omnichannel environments. While consumers transition from simple interactions with touchpoints to embarking on complex digital journeys, there remains a scarcity of relevant theorising to examine the holistic omnichannel experience. Therefore, our approach adopts a consumer-centric perspective wherein we argue that the specific mindset adopted by consumers during the digital shopping journey significantly shapes their perception of the omnichannel experience. Using three experiments and a survey, we demonstrate that consumers’ perceived quality of the omnichannel journey is mindset dependant, with a maximiser mindset exerting an increased positive effect compared to a satisficer mindset. Furthermore, we delve into the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon to show that consumers’ self-efficacy evaluations mediate the relationship while the quality of the omnichannel configuration moderates it. Finally, we discuss a range of theoretical contributions, providing actionable insights for practitioners seeking to enrich the digital omnichannel experience and effectively engage today’s digital-savvy consumers.