Differential Impact of Content in Online Communication on Heterogeneous Candidates: A Field Study in Technical Recruitment

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Aggarwal, Rohit; Lee, Michael J.; Midha, Vishal

Abstract: Recruitment is a critical activity for companies, and the research community has ... Expand

Abstract: Recruitment is a critical activity for companies, and the research community has also shown significant interest in examining technology recruitment. Companies often communicate how they value their employees along with job requirements to potential candidates in a bid to attract them. However, there is an overall lack of understanding of how candidates react to such information and how their motivation toward the job changes with such online communication. Although there is substantial work that examines the decision-making process of managers who do technical hiring, to the best of our knowledge, there is a paucity of work that investigates the decision-making process of technical candidates. The broad research question studied is how including certain content in online communication about a technical job opportunity may (de)motivate heterogeneous candidates differently in applying for the job. We theorize the underlying process of how including certain content in online job communication may influence candidates’ propensity to apply and their minimum acceptable salary increase if they were to join the company. Additionally, we capture mediating variables that influence the effect of different online content on candidates’ propensity to apply and on candidates’ minimum acceptable salary increase. By testing actual job application behavior in a field study, we confirmed the content that can attract high performers while discouraging low performers from applying.History: Yong Tan, Senior Editor; Yan Huang, Associate Editor.Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1120. Collapse

Topics: social media electronic mail IS economics economic surplus IT workforce

Methods: experimental group survey field study factor analysis descriptive statistic

Theories: motivation theory

Brand Crisis and Customer Relationship Management on Social Media: Evidence from a Natural Experiment from the Airline Industry

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Al Balawi, Ramah; Hu, Yuheng; Qiu, Liangfei

Abstract: In this study, we investigate the effect of a brand crisis on the customer relat ... Expand

Abstract: In this study, we investigate the effect of a brand crisis on the customer relationship management (CRM) efforts of brands on social media. Despite the opportunities social media offers to brands to connect and engage with customers, it is still unclear how a brand crisis can change a brand’s social CRM efforts. Social media platforms can amplify the negative consequences of a brand crisis. However, the unique and public nature of social media platforms can offer new means for brands to handle a brand crisis and publicly manage their customer relationships. Compared with traditional CRM, social media enables brands to communicate with their customers publicly, which can strengthen their relationships with customers and maintain higher levels of customer engagement. Leveraging a natural experiment setting, we investigate the impact of the United Airlines crisis on three dimensions of social CRM efforts: informativeness, timeliness, and attentiveness. Contrary to traditional CRM efforts and recommendations, we find that the brand crisis increases informativeness efforts but reduces timeliness and attentiveness efforts.History: Yong Tan, Senior Editor; Beibei Li, Associate Editor.Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1159. Collapse

Topics: social media Twitter customer service customer satisfaction customer relationship management

Methods: mediation analysis longitudinal research robustness check natural experiment experimental group

Too Tired and in Too Good of a Mood to Worry About Privacy: Explaining the Privacy Paradox Through the Lens of Effort Level in Information Processing

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Alashoor, Tawfiq; Keil, Mark; Smith, H. Jeff; McConnell, Allen R.

Abstract: The confluence of digital transactions, growing cybersecurity threats, and the i ... Expand

Abstract: The confluence of digital transactions, growing cybersecurity threats, and the internet of the future (e.g., web 3.0 and the metaverse) have made information privacy increasingly important to consumers and companies that rely on consumers willingly sharing their personal information. Although information privacy has been of interest to researchers for decades and much has been learned, one thing that perplexes scholars is the privacy paradox, which we define as a mismatch between stated privacy concerns and actual disclosure behaviors. In this paper, we shed light on this phenomenon and show that low-effort information processing triggered by cognitive depletion (Experiment 1), positive mood (Experiment 2), or both (Experiment 3) significantly attenuates the association between stated privacy concerns and disclosure behaviors. These findings do not indicate that individuals do not care about privacy because we find consistent evidence in the three experiments for a significant negative association between stated privacy concerns and disclosure behaviors when individuals have sufficient cognitive capacity (Experiment 1), experience a negative (or neutral) mood (Experiment 2), or have sufficient cognitive capacity coupled with a negative mood state (Experiment 3). Our findings reveal that the paradox is neither an absolute phenomenon nor a myth, but its existence is conditional on contextual factors, including psychological factors related to information processing. We discuss our contribution to privacy theory and provide implications for consumers, companies, and policymakers. History: Alessandro Acquisti, Senior Editor; Idris Adjerid, Associate Editor. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1182. Collapse

Topics: information privacy concern privacy decision making mobile application task productivity

Methods: experiment descriptive statistic statistical hypothesis test theory development Student's t-test

Theories: elaboration likelihood model

Impressionable or Immune? Examining the Influence of Marquee Sellers in B2B Secondary Market Platforms for IT Products

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Alhauli, Abdullah; Elmaghraby, Wedad J.; Gopal, Anandasivam

Abstract: Although digital platforms have become mainstream, there still remain some unans ... Expand

Abstract: Although digital platforms have become mainstream, there still remain some unanswered questions pertaining to managing platform ecosystems. One such unexplored question pertains to the effect of marquee sellers on the platform—marquee sellers arguably attract other sellers and buyers to the platform, thereby enhancing the platform’s value. In this paper, we study how adding a marquee seller to a business-to-business (B2B) secondary-market platform for IT products affects other sellers, in terms of the prices they obtain for comparable products. Using proprietary data on B2B secondary-market auctions obtained from a platform provider, we show that the entry of a marquee seller has a positive effect on the prices obtained by other sellers on the platform, reflecting a reference-price effect. We further show that this positive effect on final prices is moderated by the extent to which bidders are active on multiple seller sites on the same platform and the extent to which bidders participate in the marquee seller site. We explain these effects using theory in multihoming and involvement, in terms of how reference prices are set. Our work extends the platforms literature by considering the specific influence of a marquee seller on other sellers, thereby informing platform owners on the implications of the advice to add more marquee sellers to platforms. We also contribute to the literature on secondary markets for durable, used IT products, which are instrumental in reducing electronic waste and mitigating the environmental damage done by electronic products in landfills.History: Raghu Santanam, Senior Editor; Pallab Sanyal, Associate Editor.Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1137. Collapse

Topics: Apple iPhone business-to-business willingness to pay network effect mobile system

Methods: robustness check descriptive statistic statistical hypothesis test post-hoc analysis ordinary least square

Theories: involvement theory

Human vs. Automated Sales Agents: How and Why Customer Responses Shift Across Sales Stages

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Adam, Martin; Roethke, Konstantin; Benlian, Alexander

Abstract: Customers in sales processes increasingly encounter automated sales agents (ASAs ... Expand

Abstract: Customers in sales processes increasingly encounter automated sales agents (ASAs) that complement or replace human sales agents (HSAs). Yet, little is known about whether, how, and why customers respond to ASAs in contrast to HSAs across successive decision stages of the same sales process. Even less is known about customer responses to HSA-ASA combinations, where both agents assume distinct roles and focus on complementary tasks that are traditionally performed by only one single sales agent. Against this backdrop, this paper explores the influence of increasingly common sales representative (rep) types (i.e., ASA, HSA, and HSA-ASA) on customer decisions across sales stages. Drawing on information processing theory and the literature on hedonic-utilitarian decision making, we investigate customer responses to text-based ASAs from vendor companies in two common early stages of email sales processes (i.e., sales initiation stages) when customers successively decide whether to indicate their initial interest in an offer and then, whether to provide their contact information. Specifically, we conducted two complementary multi-decision experiments, namely (1) a randomized field experiment in a high-stakes sales initiation setting (n = 325) and (2) a subsequent randomized online experiment to complement the real-world insights (n = 408). Our core findings reveal reversing effect patterns of sales rep types across stages: although customers are more likely to indicate their initial interest to HSAs (versus ASAs) because of HSAs’ higher levels of social presence, they are less likely to provide contact information to HSAs because of HSAs’ lower levels of performance expectancy and effort expectancy. We also show that HSA-ASA combinations can be reasonable options for single ASAs, yet contextual features of the sales setting may affect differential customer responses to HSA-ASA combinations (versus ASAs) in each sales stage. Taken together, we uncover shifting effect patterns in customer responses to sales rep types across successive sales stages and shed light on the consecutive underlying mechanisms that explain these shifts. These findings have significant implications for vendor companies seeking to allocate HSAs and/or ASAs effectively across various decision stages in sales processes and beyond. History: Wonseok Oh, Senior Editor and Khim Yong Goh; Associate Editor. Funding: This work was supported by the Center for Responsible Digitality (ZEVEDI) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) [Grant 471168026]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1171. Collapse

Topics: electronic mail social presence decision making recommender system information system use

Methods: experiment randomized field experiment regression analysis method experimental task field experiment

Theories: information processing theory

The Consequences of Rating Inflation on Platforms: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Aziz, Arslan; Li, Hui; Telang, Rahul

Abstract: Informative online ratings enable digital platforms to reduce the search cost fo ... Expand

Abstract: Informative online ratings enable digital platforms to reduce the search cost for buyers to find good sellers. However, rating inflation, a phenomenon in which average rating increases and rating variance across listings decreases, threatens the informativeness of ratings. We empirically identify the consequences of rating inflation by conducting a quasi-experiment with a digital platform that exogenously changed its rating display rule in a treated neighborhood, which resulted in rating inflation. Using a differences-in-differences approach, we find that platforms benefit from one aspect of rating inflation: user purchases and seller sales increase because of the increased average rating. However, they also face negative consequences: rating inflation causes a decrease in user trial and a greater concentration of sales among popular restaurants. Overall, our results illustrate the potential consequences of rating inflation that platforms need to consider when designing and managing their rating system.History: Xiaoquan (Michael) Zhang, Senior Editor; Gordon Burtch, Associate Editor.Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1134. Collapse

Topics: digital platform mobile application word of mouth ease of use consumer behavior

Methods: experiment pilot experiment experimental group robustness check quasi experiment

Digital “x”—Charting a Path for Digital-Themed Research

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Baiyere, Abayomi; Grover, Varun; Lyytinen, Kalle J.; Woerner, Stephanie; Gupta, Alok

Abstract: As of late, the use of “digital” as a qualifier to established research concepts ... Expand

Abstract: As of late, the use of “digital” as a qualifier to established research concepts is increasing. However, we have yet to clearly establish what makes a “digital x” concept distinct from an “IT x” concept when “x” stands for well-established concepts such as strategy, infrastructure, innovation, or transformation, among others. In this paper, we review the need for, and merit of, labeling focal concepts in our field as “digital x” in contrast to using the dominant, incumbent label of “IT x.” We position the shift as a call to attend to new salient features that characterize contemporary settings of information technology use and its effects. Recognizing this need, we develop guidelines for future research by arguing what novel phenomena the label of “digital x” foregrounds and how insights gained through such foregrounding contribute to scholarship in ways that the term “IT x” does not. By doing so, this paper promotes clarity for the use of the digital x concepts and introduces explicit guidelines to delineate between the nascent stream of digital x research and established modes of IT x research. We hope that the essay helps information systems scholars and scholars in neighboring disciplines attending to digital phenomena identify novel research opportunities grounded on sound conceptual foundations that will foster cumulative generation of knowledge around digital x.History: Paul Pavlou served as the Senior Editor and the Associate Editor for this article.Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1186. Collapse

Topics: knowledge representation information system use digital transformation marketing management organizational transformation

Methods: ontological modelling ethnography design artifact theory development survey

Theories: semiotic theory

Self-reporting Limitations in Information Systems Design Science Research

2023 | Business & Information Systems Engineering | Citations: 0

Authors: Barata, João; da Cunha, Paulo Rupino; de Figueiredo, António Dias

Abstract: Besides increasing transparency and demonstrating awareness of the author, self- ... Expand

Abstract: Besides increasing transparency and demonstrating awareness of the author, self-reported limitations enable other researchers to effectively learn from, build on, validate, and extend the original work. However, this topic is understudied in information systems design science research (IS DSR). The study has assessed 243 IS DSR papers published in the period 2013–2022 and built a typology of the 19 most relevant limitations, organized into four categories: (1) Input Knowledge and Technology, (2) Research Process, (3) Resulting Artifact, and (4) Design Knowledge. Further, the contribution suggests actions to mitigate each type of limitation throughout the entire IS DSR project lifecycle. The authors have also created guidelines to report the limitations in a useful way for knowledge accumulation. The proposed typology and guidelines enable reviewers and editors to better frame self-reported limitations, assess rigor and relevance more systematically, and provide more precise feedback. Moreover, the contribution may help design researchers identify, mitigate, and effectively communicate the uncertainties inherent to all scientific advances. Collapse

Methods: literature sample literature study design science theory development synthesis

Value Implications of Sourcing Electronic Health Records: The Role of Physician Practice Integration

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Bardhan, Indranil R.; Bao, Chenzhang; Ayabakan, Sezgin

Abstract: Should hospitals source electronic health records (EHR) systems from a single ve ... Expand

Abstract: Should hospitals source electronic health records (EHR) systems from a single vendor or multiple vendors to deliver high-value care? We study hospitals’ EHR sourcing strategies based on their degree of integration with physician practices and its impact on the value of healthcare delivered. We propose a novel framework to define healthcare value as the extent to which a hospital effectively expends clinical resources to deliver services that improve patient outcomes. Drawing on modular systems and transaction cost economics theories, we propose a moderated-mediation model that explores the pathways through which EHR sourcing strategies can create value in healthcare. We test our research hypotheses on a large, longitudinal sample of U.S. hospitals and observe that hospitals with EHR configurations closer to single sourcing strategies exhibit greater health information sharing compared with hospitals with multisourced EHR systems. Furthermore, we find that hospital-physician practice integration moderates the impact of single sourcing on health information sharing, which in turn, improves value. Specifically, tighter integration between hospitals and physician practices can create greater value if it is aligned with hospitals’ EHR sourcing strategies. As the healthcare industry moves toward value-based payment reform, our findings provide a useful roadmap to practitioners and policy makers to improve the performance of hospitals and healthcare providers. History: Rajiv Kohli, Senior Editor; Sunil Wattal, Associate Editor. Funding: I.R. Bardhan thanks the Foster Parker Centennial Professorship and the Dean’s Research Excellence Grant at the McCombs School of Business at UT Austin for generous financial support. C. Bao thanks the Spears Fellowship at Oklahoma State University for financial support. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1183. Collapse

Topics: information exchange healthcare data health information system accounting database system

Methods: longitudinal research survey robustness check econometric modeling design artifact

Theories: transaction cost economics general systems theory institutional theory

All External Reference Prices Are Not the Same: How Magnitude, Source, and Fairness Shape Payment for Digital Goods

2023 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 0

Authors: Bassellier, Geneviève; Ramaprasad, Jui

Abstract: External reference prices (ERPs) are recognized to influence consumers’ payment ... Expand

Abstract: External reference prices (ERPs) are recognized to influence consumers’ payment for physical goods. We examine the role of ERPs in a digital goods context, emphasizing the importance of disentangling the effects of two components of ERPs: the magnitude and the source. We first examine the impact of the price magnitude and then investigate how the impact of ERP magnitude is moderated by its source―the specific context in which the reference price is set—and by its perceived fairness. Using a laboratory experiment with 471 participants, we first establish that as an ERP increases, payment for digital songs also increases. Furthermore, the source of the ERP motivates payment differently. Indeed, consumers’ willingness to pay is more strongly influenced by a price recommended by the site than by information on the price paid by others. Last, we show that the perceived fairness of the ERP matters. Results indicate that when the ERP is perceived to be high, the marginal effect of an increase in ERP on payment is smaller than when it is perceived to be fair. We contribute to the understanding of the effect of ERPs in digital context, where the source of an ERP can be varied, and perception of fairness can be heterogenous across consumers. This has implications for the design of digital platforms seeking to sell digital goods using a flexible pricing scheme. History: Anandasivam Gopal, Senior Editor; Sunil Wattal, Associate Editor. Funding: This work was supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada [Insight Development Grant 430-2017-01055]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2023.1206. Collapse

Topics: enterprise resource planning digital good website price management digital platform

Methods: experiment Student's t-test survey regression analysis method laboratory experiment

Theories: behavioral economics