Separate versus joint evaluation: The roles of evaluation mode and construal level in technology adoption

Candy K Y Ho, Weiling Ke, Hefu Liu, Patrick Y.K. Chau

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

    26 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Nowadays, people are faced with choices between or among alternative systems (joint evaluation, or JE mode), as opposed to evaluating only one system in isolation (separate evaluation, or SE mode). This research investigates how users make technology adoption decisions in these two contexts. Based on the context-specific theorization framework proposed by Hong et al. (2014) and integrating general evaluability theory and construal level theory, we theorize how evaluation mode (JE versus SE), as a usage context variable, interacts with other aspects of IS contexts to influence technology adoption. The IS contexts considered in this work include a user characteristic variable (construal level) and technology-related factors (perceived ease of use, PEoU, and perceived usefulness, PU). In two studies (N = 272 and N = 112), participants were presented with two new e-learning systems either in JE or SE mode. Because study (1) was conducted in two natural settings and study (2) had participants randomly assigned to manipulated evaluation modes, these two studies complement each other to offer internal and external validities. We found that in JE a higher construal level strengthened the effect of PEoU but weakened that of PU on technology adoption. These effects were reversed in SE. The findings suggest that users' technology choices and preferences can be reversed by simply presenting the target system in different ways.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)725-746
    Number of pages22
    JournalMIS Quarterly
    Volume44
    Issue number2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2020

    Scopus Subject Areas

    • Management Information Systems
    • Information Systems
    • Computer Science Applications
    • Information Systems and Management

    User-Defined Keywords

    • Construal level
    • Evaluation mode
    • Joint evaluation
    • Separate evaluation
    • Technology adoption

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