Adoption of Biometric Authentication Systems: Implications for Research and Practice in the Deployment of End-User Security Systems

Recent security lapses have demonstrated the importance of augmenting authentication protocols in sensitive areas of the economy, such as financial services and banking. In addition, new legislative requirements for secondary authentication mechanisms have highlighted the use of biometric technology as a reliable, but not required, means of authentication. The focus of this study examines the factors that influence the adoption of biometric authentication in organizations. The research model measures the relative contribution that variables in three categories (External Pressure, Readiness, and Perceived Benefits) have in the intent to adopt biometric authentication in financial services institutions. Managers of these institutions were surveyed, and the resulting model indicates that, as expected, the intent to adopt is driven by competitive factors, an organization's financial resources, and the perceived benefits associated with the technology. An important unanticipated finding from this research is that managerial support was not shown to be significantly related to adoption intent, which may be attributed to the context of biometric systems adoption. This research advances our understanding of the adoption literature by demonstrating how structural factors can influence the decisions made by organizational actors and by applying theories of adoption to a new technology—biometrics.     

Adoption and Use of Electronic Meeting Systems in Large Australian and New Zealand Organizations

As globalization increases and competition grows, firms are becoming increasingly dependent upon group work and collaboration. The recent surge of reengineering efforts to reinforce a process view of organizational work and the emergence of virtual corporations spanning the globe indicate that firms are relying more on group work today than ever before. Information technology (IT) may have the capability to greatly enhance the quality of collaboration in accomplishing group tasks. This paper focuses on electronic meeting systems (EMS), which are mostly aimed at supporting group work in a face-to-face setting, and empirically assesses their adoption and use in supporting task-oriented collaborative work in Australian and New Zealand organizations. Results from survey data collected from 147 organizations indicate that EMS adoption has been somewhat limited. Most organizations had not adopted EMS to support group work. Further, both the level of adoption and level of use of EMS within the organizations was very low. Barriers to adoption were identified along with implications for future research. Organizational barriers, including compatibility with cognitive styles, lack of incentives and resistance to change, were the most important adoption obstacles. Technological and costs issues were somewhat less significant. Overall, the findings are fairly similar to the US study on which the survey instrument was based, though some adoption differences occurred which may be related to the structure and ownership of the organizations.     

A Cross-Regional Exploration of Barriers to the Adoption and Use of Electronic Meeting Systems

Electronic Meeting Systems (EMS) are intended to support group collaboration in completing tasks. While there have been many case studies and laboratory experiments on how EMS can support group tasks, large scale macro investigations exploring EMS adoption and use have been practically non-existent. Furthermore, while several barriers to EMS adoption and use have been suggested, their validation across organizations remains unexplored. We undertook a global initiative to explore information technology support for task-oriented collaboration in the US, Australia, Hong Kong, and Norway. In this paper, we focus specifically on assessing the adoption and use of EMS, and barriers to their adoption and use in organizations across the four regions. Our results suggest that EMS currently have limited adoption and are used infrequently across all the four regions. A further investigation into barriers to EMS adoption and use suggests that significant numbers of respondents do agree with a list of fourteen suggested barriers. However, while there is significant agreement between two countries (US & Australia) over how these barriers are ranked, there is no significant agreement between the remaining pairs of countries. Implications of our findings are discussed for practitioners and researchers.     

Organizational Adoption of Web 2.0 Technologies: An Empirical Analysis

While Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, wikis, and social networks have been popular in the consumer space, there is significant variation in adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in business. Yet, little is known about why firms adopt Web 2.0 technologies. There is a paucity of empirical research examining the antecedents of the use of Web 2.0 technologies in organizations. Drawing on the Technological-Organizational-Environmental theoretical framework, our study presents and empirically tests a model of factors associated with organizational adoption of Web 2.0 technologies. We find that importance to open standards is positively associated with the propensity for adoption of Web 2.0 technologies. Further, larger organizations are found to have a higher propensity for adoption. Finally, industry knowledge intensity is found to be positively associated with a higher propensity for adoption. Our results suggest that open architectures, firm size, and industry knowledge intensity play pivotal roles in Web 2.0 technology adoption. The study sheds light on antecedents of organizational adoption of Web 2.0 technologies and can help researchers and practitioners build an understanding of what factors are likely to motivate firms to adopt Web 2.0 technologies.     

Logistics Information System Evaluation: Assessing External Technology Integration and Supporting Organizational Learning

Firms often outsource the development and acquisition of logistics information systems (LIS) needed to improve logistics processes. Managers tasked with such outsourcing decisions often struggle to understand and balance the external technology's impact on existing logistics processes, individual stakeholders, firm strategies, and the financial and operational performance of the firm. Unfortunately, research is limited on (1) methods for evaluating the performance capabilities of systems from external sources prior to full implementation, and (2) the impact of external technology integration (ETI) on organizational behavior and learning related to a firm's logistics processes. Through the lens of organizational learning (OL) theory, this research uses a case study approach to examine the transportation division of a major U.S.‐based fuel retailer to gain insights on the management control of ETI efforts. The study builds theory to fill important literature gaps then develops a conceptual framework and supporting propositions to inform future research on logistics ETI. The findings highlight important OL implications for firms involved in ETI efforts and also provide a practically relevant management control tool that can be used by logistics practitioners.     

关于企业信息化建设起步阶段运维外包的思考

针对信息化建设处于起步阶段的企业如何进行有效地运维外包的问题,从运维外包的必要性、运维工作四个发展阶段、明确外包工作界面、防止外包的负面影响及选择合适的外包服务提供商等等方面进行阐述,找到运维外包的解决办法。     

Organizational Diffusion of Information Technology

Information cxchange within U.S. and Japanese firms is explored. Usage of traditional communication forms (verbal, doc- uments, conferences), FAX, and computer based information technol- ogies (computers, electronic ordering systems, local area networks, point-of-sale systems, and value added networks) are examined. While U.S. firms are found to adopt computer based technologies more aggressively, Japanese firms utilize FAX transmission more. To explain pattern differences, two cultural theories are contrasted. E.T. Hall's communication context theory is more consistent with the findings than Geert Hofstede's work-related values dimensions.     

黑龙江省信息技术外包企业提升竞争力的对策研究

在黑龙江省转变经济增长方式过程中,信息技术外包业正发挥着越来越重要的作用,逐步成为经济发展新的增长点之一。加快黑龙江省信息技术外包发展,必须突破当前市场环境、人力资源和相关政策法规等因素的制约,大力提升企业市场竞争力。政府应建立健全相关的政策法规,为进一步发挥产业园区的集群效应创造条件;引导企业成立行业协会。以促进企业自律。信息技术外包服务企业应深入分析自身的优劣势,制定科学的发展战略,改进人力资源管理机制,加大技术创新力度,提升信息安全管理水平,从而全方位提升信息技术外包企业的竞争力。     

展览服务外包边界的决定及其组织形式

为了降低交易成本,充分利用组织内外两种资源,企业的服务外包活动已成为经济全球化的一种新标志和一种新的商业模式。本文试图将外包思想运用于作为一个复杂的服务系统的展览活动。基于外包动机的一般微观分析,展览服务外包的边界取决于外包的利益与成本的边际考量。在当前展览活动的外部制度环境和技术环境产生变革的情况下,外包的边界会随着外包收益的显现和交易成本的降低而趋于扩大。而随着展览服务外包边界的最终确定,展览活动的组织形式势必发生新的变化,演变成分工协作的网络动态组织。     

浅析我国中小企业会计服务外包

国际数据公司在一份研究报告中提出,2008年全球财务和会计外包市场规模已达到470多亿美元,可见,会计服务外包得到了迅猛的发展。而在我国,会计服务外包还处于初步发展阶段。为此,结合我国中小企业的特点,就会计服务外包对中小企业发展的必要性、中小企业会计服务外包存在的问题及对策等方面进行探析,并展望了会计服务外包未来在我国的前景。     

离岸服务外包承接能力的影响因素分析

本文在现有研究和相关理论基础上,选取了5个影响发展中国家承接离岸服务外包的主要因素,并利用23个主要接包国的面板数据对其进行了实证检验。结果发现:一国人力资本禀赋越丰富、经济自由度越高、IT基础设施水平越完善,语言文化与欧美等主要发包国越接近,其承接离岸服务外包的能力越强。考虑到服务提供的质量,劳动力成本相对较高的发展中国家在承接离岸服务外包方面具有优势。     

服务中小企业信息技术采纳推荐系统的研究

本文针对目前我国中小企业信息技术采纳遇到的诸多问题,分析了中小企业的自身特点并提出通过推荐系统消除在信息技术采纳过程中产生的信息不对称现象,从而有效地帮助企业进行合理的信息技术采纳,降低信息化建设投资的风险,使中小企业在信息化建设中实现效益最大化。     

Government Programs and Diffusion of Innovations in Taiwan: An Empirical Study of Household Technology Adoption Rates

ABSTRACT

This research mirrors Olshavsky's (1980) groundbreaking study by using penetration data for household technologies in Taiwan. Results support conventional wisdom that adoption rates are increasing over time. Moreover, rates were negatively associated with price. This research goes beyond Olshavsky by examining whether adoption rates differ across geographical regions types (i.e., rural, townships, and metropolitan). Adoption rates for nine household technologies at the three geographical types are not significantly different. Support is lent to the proposition that government rural development policies promoting education and physical infrastructures have fostered relatively equal diffusion patterns of household technologies in Taiwan.     

The Influence of Partner Knowledge Complementarities on the Effectiveness of IT Outsourcing

Despite the importance of knowledge complementarities to inter-firm cooperation, few researchers in information systems (IS) have examined, to date, the construct of knowledge complementarities (KC), and none have examined its role in the success of IT outsourcing alliances. In this paper, we distinguish between potential knowledge complementarities (PKC) and synergistic value, which comprise KC. PKC is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct encompassing knowledge types (similar and specialized) and knowledge domains (business and IT). Further, we examine the extent to which PKC between the client and the vendor promotes success in IT outsourcing alliances. This research also includes relative absorptive capacity because it is relevant when complementary knowledge flows between organizations. We used data from a field study of 81 firms in Korea to test the proposed model. Our findings indicate that each dimension of PKC contributes uniquely to knowledge complementarities. The results also show that PKC is significantly associated with IT outsourcing effectiveness. Relative absorptive capacity is found to be a moderator between PKC and IT outsourcing effectiveness. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in the paper.     

Local Dealer Adoption of a Foreign Manufacturer-Sponsored Internet-Based Information System

ABSTRACT

Firms often use Internet-based interorganizational information systems (IBIS) to facilitate the integration of information and communication between channel members. However, in practice firms are sometimes reluctant or even refuse to adopt such systems, especially when sponsored by a foreign manufacturer to local dealers. This article presents an empirical study of 80 dealers faced with the IBIS decision from a large international tire manufacturer. The results indicate that perceived financial and usage benefits of the IBIS and security are important determinants of dealer adoption of an IBIS. Further, the results indicate that higher IBIS adoption levels correspond to changes in the nature of the channel relationship, operational and exchange benefits, and commitment of the dealer to the manufacturer.     

The Medicare Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program: First-Year Adoption Response from Inpatient Hospitals

This study investigates electronic health records (EHR) adoption among inpatient hospitals in response to the first operational year of the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. Profile analysis of public attestation datasets finds both system adoption rates and implemented functionalities to have been significantly influenced by the incentive program’s attributes. Key dates and periods in the program’s well-publicized timeline were usually accompanied by spikes in the number of attested systems and/or dips in advanced functionalities. The implication is that hospitals have responded to the program by swiftly implementing EHR systems with capabilities just sufficient to meet program requirements, in order to be able to promptly file attestations and thus claim their incentive payments. The program therefore appears to have yielded mixed results. While it seems to have induced more hospitals to acquire EHR systems, the implemented systems generally possess minimal functionalities, suggesting that adopters have leveraged the program’s rules in order to maximize their own short-term gains.     

Using GSS to Design Organizational Processes and Information Systems: An Action Research Study on Collaborative Business Engineering

During an action research study a collaborative business engineering approach was developed, applied, and evaluated. Key characteristic of the approach is its focus on the participative design of organizational processes and supporting information systems. Following the approach, various design activities are carried out in close cooperation with groups of stakeholders supported by a Group Support System (GSS). This paper describes and reflects on the execution of these collaborative design activities in a police organization. Lessons learned with respect to GSS and collaborative design are formulated. Key insights illustrate the stakeholders' perception of the group technology and the way in which it facilitated an efficient design process.     

中印两国IT服务外包国际竞争力比较研究

为了对中印两国的IT服务外包的竞争力进行比较全面地分析和评价,从两国IT业发展的现状、IT服务外包的现状进行比较,并运用贸易竞争优势指数（TCI）、显性比较优势指数（RCA）和IT服务贸易开放度（SO）三种指标体系对两国的IT服务外包业进行定量的分析。得出结论,印度IT业由于国内市场需求不足且增长缓慢,依赖于承接国外的离岸外包,而中国的IT业服务外包多是在国内进行的在岸外包。因此,中国要发展自己的IT业,必须立足国内市场,结合自身实际情况,制定合理的发展战略,积极发展自己的IT离岸外包。     

Outsourcing of Information Systems Functions in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: A Test of a Multi-Theoretical Model

In this paper determinants of information systems (IS) outsourcing are deduced from transaction cost economic theory, resource-based theory and power theory. They are summarized in a theoretical framework which is tested using a sample of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. The results show that internal performance and know-how deficits vis-à-vis external service providers are key determinants that explain why different IS functions are outsourced to varying degrees in SMEs. Moreover, the determinants of IS functions were found to partially differ between IS functions. Revised reprint of an article from WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK 43(4)2001:339–350.

What do we know about fashion adoption groups? A proposal and test of a model of fashion adoption

The purpose of this paper is threefold: (1) to identify gaps in the literature and inconsistencies between empirical data and Rogers' diffusion of innovations model originally outlined in 1962; (2) to propose a model of fashion adoption; and (3) to conduct an empirical test of the proposed model. The proposed model varies from Rogers' model as follows: four (vs. five) ideal‐type adopter groups with unique names and clear operational definitions; proportional distribution of consumers among groups; clear method of statistically identifying group members; categorization based on fashion innovativeness and opinion leadership; and standard procedure for identifying groups based on mean and standard deviation. The proposed model offers greater precision and provides results that are comparable across studies. The model was analyzed empirically using four methods of categorizing participants into fashion adoption groups (independent variable) and fashion involvement as the dependent variable. Participants in the study were 309 students from two universities. The analysis using the proposed model provided clear‐cut results that supported the hypothesis that higher levels of consumers' fashion involvement increased the probability of earlier adoption. Results from the other three analyses were not as clear‐cut. Based on the model for fashion adoption presented in this paper, the foundation is primed for development of a theory of fashion adoption. The proposed model offers a solution to the problem of identifying fashion adoption groups, plus, the solution achieves the desired effect with the simplest effort and is undertaken with appropriate methods.