Effective use of analytic DSS and job performance: Looking beyond technology acceptance

ABSTRACT

This study extends and test the work done on effective use of information systems (IS) by developing measures for this construct which expands the conceptualization of use beyond the popular technology acceptance model (TAM). Effective use posits dimensions of use (informed action, representational fidelity, and transparent interaction) which are intended to measure a user’s ability to effectively use an IS in a given context. Moving beyond simple adoption and use contexts is an important distinction that expands researcher’s and practitioner’s ability to assess usage effectiveness. In a work context, it is more important to have high performance and effective usage of systems in comparison to just having high usage rates. Therefore this study uses the context of analytic decision support systems (DSS) and tests the relationship between the proposed dimensions of effective use and job performance. A survey (N = 265) of executives with work experience using analytic DSS was conducted to maximize realism and generalizability. This study is the first to empirically test the proposed relationships of effective use to performance. Results indicate that informed action is a significant predictor of individual job performance. However, representational fidelity and transparent interaction are not significant predictors of job performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Effective use
• job performance
• scale development
• informed action
• representational fidelity
• transparent interaction
• survey methodology

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Damon E. Campbell

Damon E. Campbell is a professor of information systems and holds the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Chair of Business Administration at the Else School of Management at Millsaps College. He earned M.B.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington State University. His research interests include e-commerce, human–computer interaction, and interface design. Dr. Campbell has published in such journals as Information Systems Research, Decision Sciences, Journal of Management Information Systems, Journal of the Association for Information Systems, Journal of Commerce Research, and in various conference proceedings.

Nicholas Roberts

Nicholas Roberts is an associate professor of computer information systems in the College of Business at Colorado State University. He received his Ph.D. from Clemson University. His research interests include the determination of the business value of information technologies and organizational learning. Dr. Roberts’ research can be found in such journals as MIS Quarterly, Journal of Management Information Systems, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Information & Management, European Journal of Information Systems, ACM SIGMIS Database, and Journal of Business Research.