Sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with a learning management system in post-adoption stage: A critical incident technique approach

Abstract

This study investigates the factors that generate user satisfaction and the factors that generate user dissatisfaction during post-adoption usage of an information system. Drawing on the theoretical assumptions from Oliver’s expectation–confirmation theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory and Kano’s satisfaction model, we propose a generic theoretical framework that argues environmental factors and job-specific outcome factors may generate satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The framework extends our understanding of user satisfaction and dissatisfaction and helps to clarify and categorize the factors that are salient for generating user satisfaction and dissatisfaction. By collecting text data responses using open-ended survey questions following critical incident technique and analyzing them, we identify a list of factors that generate user satisfaction and a list of factors that generate dissatisfaction in a learning management system utilization context. The results of our research are that satisfaction is generated by both environmental and job-specific factors, while dissatisfaction is generated only by environmental factors. Overall, the results suggest that sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction mostly differ in a particular context.