A sequential route of data and document qualities, satisfaction and motivations on researchers' data reuse intentions

Abstract

PurposeThis study examined how the qualities of both data and documents of existing datasets can contribute to researchers' satisfaction of data reuse, and how it affects their data reuse intentions mediated by attitudinal and normative beliefs of data reuse.Design/methodology/approachA combined theoretical framework integrating IS (Information Systems) Success Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was utilized to develop the research model of researchers' data reuse, which was evaluated using structural equation modeling based on 820 survey responses from STEM disciplines in the US.FindingsThis study found that both data and document qualities significantly contribute to researchers' satisfaction of data reuse. Then, their satisfaction significantly increases perceived usefulness and subjective norm of data reuse, and it decreases perceived risk associated with data reuse. Finally, both perceived usefulness and subjective norm significantly increases their data reuse intentions.Research limitations/implicationsThe combined theoretical framework integrating IS success model and TPB provides a new theoretical lens in understanding researchers' data reuse behaviors affected by the qualities of both data and documents.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provided several practical implications in promoting and facilitating researchers' data reuse behaviors by improving data and document qualities of existing datasets.Originality/valueThis is one of the initial studies focusing on the roles of data and document qualities in researchers' data reuse, and it provides a systematic view of how data and document qualities influence researchers' data reuse mediated by their satisfaction of data reuse and attitudinal and normative beliefs.