Investigating ownership and the willingness to share information online (original) (raw)
Related papers
Communication Research, 2006
When group members exchange information via shared databases people are often reluctant to contribute information they possess. This is explained by the fact that this kind of information exchange represents a social dilemma. This article applies critical concepts of dilemma theory to the interpretation of database information exchange as a social dilemma and tests their effects experimentally. A pre-study with the experimental task ensures that people perceive database information exchange as a social dilemma, and two experiments investigate three factors influencing this dilemma: 1. a person's metaknowledge about the importance of his information for the other group members, 2. a use-related bonus system which rewards contribution of important information, and 3. costs incurred by the contribution of important or less important information. As dependent variables people's contribution behavior as well as their subjective perception of the dilemma structure are considered. The results show that metaknowledge enhances the quality of contributions, especially in combination with a userelated bonus system, whereas increased contribution costs influence the contribution behavior negatively.
The Impact of Cognitive Anchors on Information-Sharing Behavior
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2013
In computer-supported information exchange, people frequently tend to withhold their own information and free-ride on the others' contributions. In doing so, they save costs (time and effort) and maximize their own benefit. However, if everyone behaved in this way, there would be no information sharing at all. In this experiment, we tested if the presentation of a random number could serve as a cognitive anchor and influence the amount of shared information. The experimental setting had all the features of an information-exchange dilemma. Before participants could share information, a random generator presented a random number. It was found that this number served as a cognitive anchor and influenced both the participants' behavioral intentions and their actual behavior. Particularly, the high anchor increased cooperation, even though enhanced cooperation was obviously detrimental to the individual's own benefit.
Information Sharing: As a Type of Information Behavior
Proceedings of the Annual Conference of Cais Actes Du Congres Annuel De L Acsi, 2013
The paper proposes a general definition of information-sharing behavior, which illuminates the characteristics of information-sharing behavior in comparison to other types of information behavior. The paper proposes an approach to measure the level of information sharing in supply chains by integrating its six underlying indicators into a composite index. Résumé : Cette communication présente une définition générale du comportement de partage de l'information, laquelle met en relief les caractéristiques du comportement de partage de l'information comparé à d'autres types de comportements informationnels. Cette communication propose une approche pour mesurer le niveau de partage d'information dans les chaînes d'approvisionnement par l'intégration de six indicateurs sous-jacents à l'intérieur d'un indice composé.
Using electronic media for information sharing activities: a replication and extension
International Conference on Information Systems, 2000
This article reports a replication and extension of a study that explored individual perceptions of factors that underlie the use of electronic media (electronic mail, worldwide web , list serves, and other collaborative systems). The original study was conducted in a single Australian university. The study was replicated in a Canadian university. The replication allowed testing of the enlarged research model that involves organizational culture variables as well as attitudes toward information policies. Overall, the expanded research model includes culture variables, task and technology related variables, as well as individual attitudes and beliefs. We found that task and technology related variables explained more of the use of electronic media for sharing than culture related variables or the individual attitudes and beliefs. Specifically, task interdependence, perceived information usefulness and the user's computer comfort were most strongly associated with the person's use of electronic media. Two dimensions, employee orientation and need for achievement, of organizational culture had a significant influence on the use of electronic media for information sharing activities although less strongly than the task and technology related variables. Of the individual attitudes and beliefs, attitudes about information policies had a significant influence on the use of electronic media for information sharing activities. Besides the value of replication of a research model in another culture, the study contributed to the information systems literature by developing initial scales for two new constructs: attitudes about information policies and information culture. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE-DEMOCRATICNESS-Source: Hofstede et al. (1990) "Management authority should be questioned" "I prefer a consultative manager" "It is undesirable that authority be questioned" (reverse coded) Staples and Jarvenpaa Item Wording 132 OPEN INFORMATION CULTURE-Source: Scholz (1990) and Davenport (1995) The instructions given to respondents were: "How would you describe the attitudes and behavior relative to information in general (i.e., all types) in your department? (circle one number in each line)" A scale, ranging from 1 to 7, was positioned between the two anchor labels, with 4 being labeled "neutral" so respondents indicated, by circling one number, where they felt their department was on the scale. Closed versus open information behavior Rumor-and intuition-based versus factually-oriented Suspicious versus confident ORGANIC INFORMATION CULTURE-Source: Scholz (1990) and Davenport (1995) Internally focused vs. externally focused Controlling vs. empowering Centralized vs. decentralized Hierarchic vs. non
The Cost of Sharing: The Effect of Sharing Inclination on Information Overload
Information Systems: Behavioral & Social Methods eJournal, 2016
Current research on social media emphasizes that sharing information comes with great benefits to the individual who shares. In this paper, we adopt a different perspective by arguing that individuals with a high inclination to share information through social media also incur substantial cognitive costs. In particular, we hypothesize that during two phases of the sharing process, information appraisal and asynchronous interactivity, the sharer is confronted with information processing requirements that considerably draw on his or her limited cognitive capacity and thus increase the likelihood of experiencing information overload. We furthermore argue that this effect is more pronounced for individuals with a high compared to low need for cognition because they feel particularly motivated to process information. Our hypotheses are supported by a large survey-generated dataset (n=30,392) from six countries. We additionally find a positive direct effect of need for cognition on inform...
The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 2000
This article reports an exploratory investigation of individual perceptions of factors that underlie the use of collaborative electronic media (electronic mail, World Wide Web, list serves, and other collaborative systems) for sharing information in a large state university in Australia. The model builds on the Constant et al.'s theory of information sharing. We propose that perceptions of information culture, attitudes regarding information ownership and propensity to share, as well as task and personal factors in¯uence people's use of collaborative media. We found that task characteristics (task interdependence), perceived information usefulness and the user's computer comfort were most strongly associated with the person's use of collaborative media. Consistent with Constant et al.'s earlier ®ndings, views of information ownership and propensity to share were signi®cantly related to use. Interestingly, use of electronic media for sharing information and contacting people was weakly associated with a more structured, closed information culture. This implies that heavy users and sharers want more structured information¯ow in place, possibly due to their need to have reliable access to other individual's knowledge and information. Contrary to suggestions in the literature, a fully open, organic information culture may not always be most desirable. Implications for knowledge managers, practitioners and researchers are suggested.
Knowledge sharing in information systems development: A social interdependence perspective
2010
We first define knowledge sharing in ISD and compare it with other similar concepts in the IS literature. Prior studies related to knowledge sharing between business and IT professionals are then reviewed to identify gaps in the existing literature. We then describe the relevance and use of the theory of social interdependence, which posits that goal, task, and reward interdependencies promote interactions, for explaining knowledge sharing between the subgroups of business professionals and external IT consultants during ISD. 2.1 Defining Knowledge Sharing in IS Development Knowledge sharing implies a relationship between two parties-one that possesses the knowledge and the other that requires the knowledge (Hendriks, 1999). It has been defined as a conscious act to participate in knowledge exchange even when there is no external compulsion to do so (Davenport, 1997). It has also been defined as revealing the presence of pertinent knowledge without necessarily transmitting it in its entirety (Tiwana and McLean, 2005). Building on these definitions, we define knowledge sharing in our study's context as the extent to which the subgroups of business professionals and external IT consultants consciously reveal the presence of and exchange pertinent knowledge with one another 2. Central to the concept of knowledge sharing is the idea of knowledge exchange between participants. Participants (i.e., business professionals and external IT consultants in our study) engage in two-way interactions and shift between the roles of knowledge source and recipient in knowledge sharing. Thus knowledge sharing refers to the bidirectional exchange of knowledge and differs from other concepts such as knowledge transfer, which refers to the unidirectional flow of knowledge from a source to the recipient (Joshi et al., 2007). 2.2 Review of Studies on Knowledge Sharing between Business and IT Professionals Prior studies on knowledge sharing between business and IT professionals have provided insights on its antecedents. In reviewing the studies, we organize the antecedents identified based on the key elements of communication proposed in the communication perspective (Berlo, 1960). Organizing the antecedents allows us to better summarize the state of research on knowledge sharing and identify gaps in prior research. The communication perspective identifies sender, receiver, channel, transmission, and effect as the basic elements of communication (see Table 1). The perspective is relevant for understanding knowledge sharing because these elements are inherent in knowledge sharing 3 (Joshi et al., 2007). In the context of knowledge sharing, sender corresponds to the source contributing knowledge in a particular exchange. Receiver is the entity which acquires the knowledge. Channel corresponds to the medium through which knowledge is shared (e.g., face-to-face meetings, computer, phone, documents). Transmission refers to the actual process and activity of sending and receiving knowledge through designated channels. Its effectiveness is affected by factors such as motivation and nature of a social relationship. Effect refers to the outcome of knowledge sharing such as performance, learning, and satisfaction. In previous studies, encoding competency, which indicates a source's command of language and ability to express knowledge clearly, has been identified as a key characteristic of knowledge source (