Deriving Trust Supporting Components for Ubiquitous Information Systems
Series
Research on IT, service, innovation, collaboration
ISBN
978-3-86219-638-8
Type
book
Date Issued
2014
Author(s)
Abstract
Purpose: Ubiquitous information systems are proposed to represent a fundamental paradigm shift in IS research. Despite the advantages of such systems, they also come with disadvantages, such as their increasing automation and opaqueness. When aiming to develop ubiquitous information systems that are readily adopted and used by their intended users, those disadvantages need to be addressed. Building user trust in new technologies comparable to UIS has been shown to be a suitable approach in the past. However, IS trust research needs to overcome five challenges to empower researchers and practitioners to design more trustworthy ubiquitous information systems that are more readily adopted and used by their intended users: 1) measurement model misspecification issues, 2) a lack of formative measurement models, 3) a lack of insights on the importance of different foci of trust, 4) the use of interpersonal trust theory when studying trust relationships between humans and IT artifacts, and 5) the lack of guidance of IT artifact design. These five challenges will be identified and addressed in this dissertation.
Methodology: This dissertation follows a multi-method approach aimed at identifying
and helping to overcoming the five challenges. First, the five challenges are identified in a systematic literature review. Afterwards, three studies which rely on laboratory experimentation and structural equation modeling contribute to solving the first four challenges. Finally, a study combining design research and laboratory experimentation addresses the fifth challenge.
Findings: Among others, the dissertation provides three core findings. First, different foci of trust in the context of ubiquitous information systems adoption are identified and their importance is evaluated. Second, based on the first result, a model explaining the formation of trust in a ubiquitous information system is developed and evaluated. Third, a method which empowers researchers and practitioners to derive trust supporting components for ubiquitous information systems is developed. The application and evaluation of the method verifies that the method is suitable to develop effective trust supporting components for ubiquitous information systems, which, in turn, increase the trustworthiness of the system and the users' intention to use it.
Theoretical contribution: Related to the three core findings, the dissertation provides three core theoretical contributions. First, a theory of explanation and prediction of the importance of different foci of trust in the context of ubiquitous information systems adoption is developed. According to this theory, trust in the system itself is the most important focus of trust followed by trust in the providers of the system. Second, a theory of explanation and predicting for the formation of trust in a ubiquitous information system is developed. The theory shows that trust in such a system consists of three dimensions - performance, process and purpose - which are formed by several antecedents. Third, a theory of design and action, showing how the theoretical insights on trust can be used to develop more trustworthy ubiquitous information systems is developed. Using this method, trust supporting components can be derived for a specific ubiquitous information system. Other theoretical contributions are the assessment of the current state of the art of IS trust research focusing on the readiness to inform the development of more trustworthy ubiquitous information systems, and the assessment of the value of formative measurement models for designing information systems.
Practical contribution: The method for deriving trust supporting components for
ubiquitous information systems resembles the major practical contribution of this
dissertation. The method empowers practitioners to derive trust supporting components for their specific ubiquitous information systems. They can rely on the
presented method to guide them throughout the course of this process. The application and evaluation of the method shows that this will lead to the development of more trustworthy ubiquitous information systems that are more readily adopted and used by their intended users. Other practical contributions are the developed measurement instruments, the identification of the importance of trust in the provider of an ubiquitous information system, the identified antecedents of trust in ubiquitous information systems, and the four derived and evaluated trust supporting components.
Outlook: The dissertation provides future research possibilities in multiple areas.
Regarding the refinement of the method, insights on NeuroIS and design patterns
could further increase the rigor of development activities one and five. Regarding the applicability of the method, its suitability to derive trust supporting components for other classes of information systems should be assessed. Furthermore, it should be adaptable for deriving design elements related to other theoretical constructs when other suitable starting points can be identified; in the case of trust, these are the uncertainties. Regarding IS trust research, the importance of trust in the providers of ubiquitous information systems has been highlighted, and future research should investigate how this focus of trust forms and how it can be supported. The identification of multiple foci also calls for an examination as to whether single foci can be isolated and studied without taking the others into account.
Methodology: This dissertation follows a multi-method approach aimed at identifying
and helping to overcoming the five challenges. First, the five challenges are identified in a systematic literature review. Afterwards, three studies which rely on laboratory experimentation and structural equation modeling contribute to solving the first four challenges. Finally, a study combining design research and laboratory experimentation addresses the fifth challenge.
Findings: Among others, the dissertation provides three core findings. First, different foci of trust in the context of ubiquitous information systems adoption are identified and their importance is evaluated. Second, based on the first result, a model explaining the formation of trust in a ubiquitous information system is developed and evaluated. Third, a method which empowers researchers and practitioners to derive trust supporting components for ubiquitous information systems is developed. The application and evaluation of the method verifies that the method is suitable to develop effective trust supporting components for ubiquitous information systems, which, in turn, increase the trustworthiness of the system and the users' intention to use it.
Theoretical contribution: Related to the three core findings, the dissertation provides three core theoretical contributions. First, a theory of explanation and prediction of the importance of different foci of trust in the context of ubiquitous information systems adoption is developed. According to this theory, trust in the system itself is the most important focus of trust followed by trust in the providers of the system. Second, a theory of explanation and predicting for the formation of trust in a ubiquitous information system is developed. The theory shows that trust in such a system consists of three dimensions - performance, process and purpose - which are formed by several antecedents. Third, a theory of design and action, showing how the theoretical insights on trust can be used to develop more trustworthy ubiquitous information systems is developed. Using this method, trust supporting components can be derived for a specific ubiquitous information system. Other theoretical contributions are the assessment of the current state of the art of IS trust research focusing on the readiness to inform the development of more trustworthy ubiquitous information systems, and the assessment of the value of formative measurement models for designing information systems.
Practical contribution: The method for deriving trust supporting components for
ubiquitous information systems resembles the major practical contribution of this
dissertation. The method empowers practitioners to derive trust supporting components for their specific ubiquitous information systems. They can rely on the
presented method to guide them throughout the course of this process. The application and evaluation of the method shows that this will lead to the development of more trustworthy ubiquitous information systems that are more readily adopted and used by their intended users. Other practical contributions are the developed measurement instruments, the identification of the importance of trust in the provider of an ubiquitous information system, the identified antecedents of trust in ubiquitous information systems, and the four derived and evaluated trust supporting components.
Outlook: The dissertation provides future research possibilities in multiple areas.
Regarding the refinement of the method, insights on NeuroIS and design patterns
could further increase the rigor of development activities one and five. Regarding the applicability of the method, its suitability to derive trust supporting components for other classes of information systems should be assessed. Furthermore, it should be adaptable for deriving design elements related to other theoretical constructs when other suitable starting points can be identified; in the case of trust, these are the uncertainties. Regarding IS trust research, the importance of trust in the providers of ubiquitous information systems has been highlighted, and future research should investigate how this focus of trust forms and how it can be supported. The identification of multiple foci also calls for an examination as to whether single foci can be isolated and studied without taking the others into account.
Language
English
Keywords
Ubiquitous information systems
trust
multifoci trust
trust in ubiquitous information systems
trust supporting components
method for deriving trust supporting components for ubiquitous information systems.
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
SoM - Business Innovation
Refereed
No
Publisher
Kassel University Press
Publisher place
Kassel
Volume
1. Aufl.
Number
Bd. 1
Start page
250
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
229701