Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology as a Global Learning Tool: Information Systems Success and Control Belief Perspectives

Abstract

Voice over Internet Protocol- (VoIP) enabled online learning service providers struggling with high attrition rates and low customer loyalty issues despite VoIP’s high degree of system fit for online global learning applications. Effective solutions to this prevalent problem rely on the understanding of system quality, information quality, and individual beliefs about the usefulness of this technology. This research aims to provide insights into increasing the loyalty of users to VoIP-enabled global learning programs from the perspectives of information systems (IS) success and control belief. A theoretical model is proposed to integrate seven major constructs of IS success and planned behavior theory. We tested our model using the path analysis of data collected from an experiment where 66 undergraduate students from the USA and Taiwan worked in pairs using Skype to improve their English and intercultural communication skills. Data analysis results showed that information quality and perceived behavioral control are much more important than system quality in increasing satisfaction with the use of Skype. An increase in user satisfaction can lead to an improvement in intercultural communication competence and to increased user loyalty. Theoretical and practical implications are drawn from the findings to conclude this study.

Keywords

• Information quality, VoIP, Global learning tool, Perceived behavioral control, User satisfaction, Individual performance

References

1. Ahituv, N. (1980). A systematic approach toward assessing the value of an information system. MIS Quarterly, 4(4), 61-75.
2. Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior, In J. Kuhl and J. Beckmann (Eds.), Action-control: From cognition to behavior (pp. 11-39). Heidelberg: Springer.
3. Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211.
4. Alagic, M., Rimmington, G.M., & Orel, T. (2009). Third place learning environments: Perspective sharing and perspective taking. International Journal of Advanced Corporate Learning, 2(4), 4-8.
5. Alavi, M. & Joachimsthaler, E.A. (1992). Revisiting DSS implementation research: A meta-analysis of the literature and suggestions for researchers. MIS Quarterly, 16(1), 95-116.
6. Alshare, K.A. & Lane, P.L. (2011). Predicting student-perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction in ERP courses: An empirical investigation. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 28(1), 571-584.
7. Bandura, A. (1977a) Social learning theory. New York: Prentice Hall.
8. Beamer, L. (1992). Bridging business culture. China Business Review, 25, 54-58.

9. Bearden, W. O. & Teel, J. E. (1983). An investigation of personal influences on consumer complaining. Journal of Marketing Research, 20, 21-28.
10. Bennett, M. J. (1993). Towards ethnorelativism: A developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In M. R. Paige (Ed.), Education for the intercultural experience (pp. 109-135). Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.
11. Bharati, P. (2003). People and information matter: Task support satisfaction from the other side. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 43(2), 93-102.
12. Boehle, S. (2005). The state of the e-learning market. Training, 42(9), 12-18.
13. Bolton, R. (1998). A dynamic model of the duration of the customer's relationship with a continuous service provider: The role of satisfaction. Marketing Science, 17(1), 45-65.
14. Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon, United Kingdom: Multilingual Matters.
15. Chan, R.Y.K. & Lau, L.B.Y. (2002). Explaining green purchasing behavior: A cross-cultural study on American and Chinese consumers. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 14(2/3), 9- 40.
16. Chen, G. M. & Starosta, W. J. (2000). The development and validation of the intercultural sensitivity scale. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of National Communication Association, Seattle, WA. Retrieved from ERIC database.
17. Cherry, J. (2006). The impact of normative influence and locus of control on ethical judgments and intentions: A cross-cultural comparison. Journal of Business Ethics, 68(20), 113-132.
18. Chin, W. (1998). Issues and opinion on structural equation modeling. MIS Quarterly, 22(1), 7-16.
19. Chin, W., Marcolin, B. & Newsted, P. (2003). A partial least squares latent variable modeling approach for measuring interaction effects: Results from a Monte Carlo simulation study and an electronic mail adoption study. Information Systems Research, 14(2), 189-217.
20. Coyle, J. R. & Thorson, E. (2001). The effects of progressive levels of interactivity and vividness in web marketing sites. Journal of Advertising, 30(3), 65-77.
21. Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16, 297-334.
22. Daft, R.L. & Lengel, R.H. (1984). Information richness: A new approach to managerial behavior and organizational design. In: L.L. Cummings & B. M. Staw (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior 6, (pp. 191-233). Homewood, IL: JAI Press.
23. Davis, F., Bagozzi, R., & Warshaw, P. (1989). User acceptance of computer technology: A comparison of two theoretical models. Management Science, 35(8), 982-1003.
24. Deardorff, D. K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcome of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10(3), 241– 266.
25. DeLone, W.H. & McLean, E.R. (1992). Information system success: The quest for dependent variable, Information Systems Research, 3(1), 60-95.
26. DeLone, W.H. & McLean, E.R. (2004). Measuring e-commerce Success: Applying the DeLone & McLean Information Systems Success Model. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 9(1), 31-47.
27. Dillenbourg, P., Baker, M., Blaye, A., & O'Malley, C. (1995) The evolution of research on collaborative learning. In E. Spada & P. Reiman (Eds.), Learning in humans and machine: Towards an interdisciplinary learning science (pp. 189-211) Oxford: Elsevier.
28. Fennes, H. & Hapgood, K. (1997). Intercultural learning in the classroom: Crossing borders. London: Cassell.
29. Fornell, C. & Larcker, V.F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50.
30. Friedman, T. (2005). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
31. George, D. & Mallery, P. (2003). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference. 11.0 update (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
32. Gudykunst, W. B., Wiseman, R. L., & Hammer, M. R. (1977). Determinants of a sojourner’s attitudinal satisfaction: A path model. In B. D. Ruben (Ed.), Communication yearbook (pp. 415–425). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.
33. Han, J.K., Chung, S.W., & Sohn, Y.S. (2009). Technology convergence: When do consumers prefer converged products to dedicated products? Journal of Marketing, 73(4), 97-108.
34. Henderson, J.K. (2005). Language diversity in international management teams. International Studies of Management and Organization, 35, 66-82.
35. Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
36. Holsapple, C.W. & Lee-Post, A. (2006). Defining, assessing, and promoting e-learning success: An information systems perspective. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 4(1), 67- 85.
37. Hou, C. (2012). Examining the effect of user satisfaction on system usage and individual performance with business intelligent systems: An empirical study of Taiwan’s electronics industry. International Journal of Information Management, 32(6), 560-573.
38. Hwang, A. & Francesco, A.M. (2010). The influence of individualism-collectivism and power distance on use of feedback channels and consequences for learning. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 9(2), 243-257.
39. Kayes, D. C. (2002). Experiential learning and its critics: Preserving the role of experience in management learning and education. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(2), 137-149.
40. Kearsley, G. (2000). Learning and teaching in cyberspace. Retrieved on 5 September 2000 from http://home.sprynet.com~gkearsley/chapts.htm.
41. Kettinger, W.J., Park, S., & Smith, J. (2009). Understanding the consequences of information systems service quality on IS service reuse. Information & Management, 46(6), 335-341.
42. Kim, Y., Krishnan, R., & Argote, L. (2012). The learning curve of knowledge workers in a professional call center. Information Systems Research, 23(3), 887-902.
43. Kim, K., Trimi, S., Park, H., & Rhee, S. (2012). The impact of CMS quality on the outcomes of e- learning systems in higher education: An empirical study. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 10(4), 575-587.
44. Kulkarni, U.R., Ravindran, S., & Freeze, R. (2006). A knowledge management success model: Theoretical development and empirical validation. Journal of Management Information Systems, 23(3), 309-347.
45. Lim, K.H., & Benbasat, I. (2000). The effect of multimedia on perceived equivocality and perceived usefulness on information systems. MIS Quarterly, 24(3), 449-471.
46. MacKnight, C. B. (2000). Teaching critical thinking through online discussions. Educause Quarterly, 4, 38-41.
47. McNair, L.D. & Paretti, M.C. (201). Activity theory, speech acts, and the “Doctrine of Infelicity”: Connecting language and technology in globally networked learning environments. Journal of Business & Technical Communication, 24(3), 323-357.
48. Mintzberg, H. & Gosling, J. (2002). Educating managers beyond borders. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(1), 64-76.
49. Moore, M. G. (1983). The individual adult learner. In M. Tight (Ed.), Adult learning and education (pp. 153-168). London: Croom Helm.
50. Muilenberg, L. & Berge, Z. (2002). A framework for designing question for online learning. Retrieved on 22 August, 2002 from http://www.ssn.flinders.edu.au/innovations/ teacherresources.html
51. Nayeem, T. (2012). Cultural influences on consumer behavior. International Journal of Business & Management, 7(21), 78-91.
52. Negash, S. (2010). Learning assessment of a videoconference-based training: Lessons from medical training between USA and Ethiopia. Information Technology for Development, 16(3), 212- 231.
53. NetworkWorld Asia (Sep/Oct, 2011). VoIP market set to generate $40 billion a year by 2015. NetworkWorld Asia, 8(3), 5.
54. Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
55. Oliver, R. L. (1981). Measurement and evaluation of satisfaction processes in retail settings. Journal of Retailing, 57(3), 25-48.
56. Rabasso, C.A. & Rabasso, J. (2011). Educating responsible transcultural managers for open environments and organizations. International Journal of Employment Studies, 19(2), 33-61.
57. Reichheld, F. F. (1993). Loyalty-based management. Harvard Business Review, 71(2), 64-73.
58. Ritchie, W.J., Drew, S.A., Srite, M., Andrews, P., & Carter, J.E. (2011). Application of a learning management system for knowledge management: Adoption and cross-cultural factors. Knowledge & Process Management, 18(2), 75-84.
59. Rotter, J.B. (1966). Generalized expectations for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80, 1-28.
60. Ruiz, C., Sanz, S., & Tronch, J. (2008). Motivators and inhibitors of distance-learning courses adoption: The case of Spanish consumers. In M. Negash, A. Whitman, K. Woszczynski, Y. Hoganson, & H. Mattord (Eds.), Handbook of distance learning for real-time and asynchronous information technology education (pp. 296-316). Hershey (PA): IGI Global.
61. Saba, F. & Shearer, R. L. (1994). Verifying key theoretical concepts in a dynamic model of distance education. The American Journal of Distance Education, 8(1), 36-59.
62. Salter, G. (2000). Making use of online discussion groups. Journal of the Australian Council for Computers in Education, 15(2), 5-10.
63. Schaupp, L.C., Belanger, F., & Fan, W. (2009). Examining the success of websites beyond e- commerce: An extension of the IS success model. The Journal of Computer Information Systems, 49(4), 42-52.
64. Seilgman, M.E.P. (1975). Helplessness. San Francisco: Freeman.
65. Shankar, V., Smith, A., & Rangaswamy, A. (2003). Customer satisfaction and loyalty in online and offline environments. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 20, 153-175.
66. Simsek, A. & Nuss, S. (2010). Snapshots of a culture: How do American and Turkish elementary students represent their cultural identities using technology as a means of expression and communication? Contemporary Educational Technology, 1(4), 288-305.
67. Straub, D.W. (1994). The effect of culture on IT diffusion: Email and fax in Japan and the U.S., Information Systems Research, 5(1), 23-47.
68. Srite, M. & Karahanna, E. (2006). The role of espoused national cultural values in technology acceptance. MIS Quarterly, 30(3), 679-704.
69. Tan, W., Tan, C., & Teo, H. (2012) Conveying information effectively in a virtual world: Insights from synthesized task closure and media richness. Journal of the American Society for Information Science & Technology, 63(6), 1198-1212.
70. Triki, A. & Ouerghi, O. (2007). The Tunisian E-learning experience: A focus on the main actors perceptions. In L. Gómez, D. Martí, and I. Candel (Eds.), International Association of Technology, Education and Development Conference Proceedings. Valencia: IATED.
71. Vannoy, S. A. & Chen, C.H. (2012). Intercultural communication competence via IP services applications: A modified task-technology fit perspective. Journal of Global Information Technology Management, 15(3), 55-80.
72. Wallston, K.A. (1989). Assessment of control in health care settings. In A. Steptoe and A. Appels (Eds.) Stress, personal control and health (pp. 85-105). Chicester, England: Wiley.
73. Wang, W., Hsieh, J.P., Butler, J.E., & Hsu, S.H. (2008). Innovate with complex information technologies: A theoretical model and empirical examination. The Journal of Computer Information Systems, 49(1), 27-36.
74. Wedemeyer, C. A. (1981). Learning at the back door: Reflections on non-traditional learning in the lifespan. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
75. Wixom, B.H. & Todd, P.A. (2005). A theoretical integration of user satisfaction and technology acceptance. Information Systems Research, 16(1), 85-102.
76. Yang, H. (2007). Assessing the effects of e-quality and e-satisfaction on website loyalty. International Journal of Mathematics and Computer in Simulation, 1(3), 288-294.
77. Yu, H. (2012). Intercultural competence in technical communication: A working definition and review of assessment methods. Technical Communication Quarterly, 21(2), 168-186.
78. Zeithaml, V.A., Berry, L.L., & Parasuraman, A. (1996). The behavioural consequences of service quality. Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 31-46.
79. Correspondence: Charlie C. Chen, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Information
80. Systems, Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, United States.