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Research Article

An Empirical Study on the Effects of Ubiquitous Decision Support Systems on Work Performance, Job Commitment, and Decision Quality through Individual Absorptive Capacity

Lee, Geonchang1 · Seo, Yeonguk1 · Han, Minhui2

1 Sungkyunkwan University, 2 LG CNS

Published: January 2009 · Vol. 38 No. 5 · pp. 1307-1328
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Abstract

In the field of IS/IT studies, a research issue of exploring the effect of ubiquitous DSS (decision support system) on users’ task performance, job involvement, and decision quality has remained an unsolved topic so far. Especially, after an individual absorptive capacity is known to play a crucial role in how to apply the ubiquitous DSS to tasks creatively and effectively, it becomes imperative for researchers to pursue this research topic. However, due to the fact that it is very difficult to find a relevant ubiquitous DSS working actively in the real-world job fields, this research topic has been looming in the IS/IT fields as one of must-do study topics. In this perspective, this study is aimed at investigating the research topic discussed so far in an empirical way. We adopt the MDS(Mobile Delivery System) as a working ubiquitous DSS and apply it to the following research purposes. First, regarding connectivity and context-awareness as the two core functions of the target ubiquitous DSS, we test how those core functions of the ubiquitous DSS affect an individual absorptive capacity. Second, we test how the individual absorptive capacity influences task performance, job involvement, and decision quality as well. To collect valid survey data, we contacted delivery workers who are known to always bring their own ubiquitous DSS called MDS during work and use it for communicating with others and exchanging their location information and other relevant data. Therefore, total 140 valid questionnaire data were collected from the delivery workers through interview process, and a financial incentive was provided in return for those respondents. Applying the PLS (Partial Least Square) to the survey data, we performed reliability and validity tests. Hypotheses tests revealed that all the paths proved statistically valid under more than 95% confidence level. Implications are as follows. First, an individual absorptive capacity is positively influenced by the connectivity and contextawareness functions provided by the ubiquitous DSS. In other words, when individuals feel capable of accessing the relevant source of target information and data and obtaining useful information and data for their works, they can perform their works more successfully. Second, since the individual absorptive capacity can be improved by adopting the ubiquitous DSS like MDS as one of useful mobile devices, companies should provide relevant type of ubiquitous DSS devices to the workers and encourage them to take advantage of the devices in the process of their works.
Keywords: 상황인식업무성과유비쿼터스 의사결정지원시스템유비쿼터스 접근성의사결정의 질흡수역량