- 2015-03-09 (x)
- Buse, Kathleen R. (x)
- Aversano, Nina (x)
- Search results
Search results
Show moreAmbiguity about firm and competitor competencies and resources challenges managerial decision making, especially in developing countries where asymmetric information is higher than in the developed ones. Although a number of scholars have addressed “causal ambiguity” and its relationship with firm resources and competencies, and theorists have suggested a positive relationship between it and organizational performance, these links remain unclear. On one hand, ambiguity may protect a firm because competitors cannot easily imitate it (Alvarez & Antolin, 2005). On the other hand, causal ambiguity may impede imitation of valuable resources within the firm, limiting management´s ability to manage resources and competencies for competitive advantage (Szulanski, 1996). Our research, based on interviews with CEOs and Board Directors of large and medium sized Chilean corporations, illuminates the role of ambiguity and its impact on the performance of firms in developing markets. In contrast to claims about its deleterious effect on performance, our data revealed that CEOs of Chilean companies are quite comfortable with causal ambiguity and appreciate its potential.
Doctorate of Management Programs
Show less
Show moreCell phone density in G8 countries ranges between 80 and 90 percent – except in the US where some 35 % of Americans have failed to adopt the technology. The relative reluctance of US consumers to embrace cellular technology is puzzling given that the barriers for use appear to be low and the benefits high. If rejection was the simple inverse of adoption, we would expect people to reject cellular telephony based on negative evaluations of usefulness and ease of use, dominant constructs in technology acceptance models. This research suggests, however, that barriers to cell phone rejection transcend those traditionally tapped in the vast literature that explains adoption. We used qualitative semi-structured interviews and a written survey instrument to probe the attitudes and beliefs of cell phone rejecters and discovered that personality attributes and powerful social/psychological perceptions about consequence of use may better explain rejection. Our findings imply that beliefs about dystopian consequences to self and society as a result of cell phone usage trump perceptions of convenience and efficiency in the formation of attitudes that drive the adoption decision.
Doctorate of Management Programs
Show less
Show moreOver 40% of all consumers in the United States reject mobile telephones. Exploring this puzzling question becomes all the more interesting given that mobile telephones clearly meet the criteria of the prevailing Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Technology Acceptance Model 2 (TAM2). Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, social influence, and cognitive instrumental processes all influence user acceptance or adoption behavior, yet there are still a large number of people who do not accept this innovation. There is a dearth of academic research on why consumers reject technology; specifically mobile telephone technology. The review of the literature and the theory speaks to the need for further research in this area and for the need to expand upon current theories which focus solely on technology acceptance. This research will apply explore the question of why some people refuse to use the mobile telephone. The knowledge gained from this study should lead to a broader understanding of technology rejection, which can be applied to other consumer products.
Doctorate of Management Programs
Show less