System Quality Factors Research Articles

Investigating the construct validity of quality measures influencing online shopping in a South African context

AbstractOnline shopping has become popular over the years and is a widely used way to purchase goods and services. For online retailers to succeed, it is important that they have a quality website to attract and retain customers. The aim of this study was to investigate the construct validity of three respective measurement instruments related to website quality factors, namely; system, information and service quality factors, which may influence consumers within the online shopping environment in a South African context. Primary data was collected through self-administered questionnaires. The demographic and online shopping profile of the sample are presented and followed by confirmatory and exploratory factors analyses on the three instruments. The confirmatory factor analysis found poor fit for the original hypothesised models for each of the scales; further exploratory factor analyses revealed slightly different dimensionalities underlying the scales, yet these were still somewhat aligned with the theoretical framework from which the original scales were derived. Despite this, the study provides a platform for future revision of the scales and future research into website quality factors within the online shopping environment in a South African context.

E-government system evaluation

PurposeEnterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are complex and comprehensive software designed to integrate business processes and functions. Despite the difficulties and risk, the adoption of ERP systems is expanding rapidly. Universities make large investments in information systems and expect positive impacts. However, universities are facing serious challenges in implementing new technology. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the impact of ERP systems on higher education (HE) from the perspective of stakeholders’ performance.Design/methodology/approachThis research paper conducted a case study of an ERP system in a Saudi university to explore the impact of ERP system on the performance of the system’s stakeholders among the university’s employees.FindingsThe system quality factors (flexibility, compatibility, availability of right data, availability of currency, ease of use and timeliness) were found to affect performance positively, as were service quality factors (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness and assurance). This research further found that factors from pre-implementation, implementation and post-implementation phases had a direct effect on stakeholders’ performance.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research would be useful during the maturity phase to include all stakeholders in several Saudi universities. In addition, more research can be beneficial to test the applicability of the impact of the ERP system on stakeholders’ performance in other public sector organisations and in the private sector.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that organisations in general and HE institutions in particular should focus on the early stages and the implementation phase if they wish to achieve high standards of stakeholder performance.Originality/valueThis research makes a novel contribution by attempting to evaluate the impact of service quality on stakeholder performance in the ERP environment. The contribution uses service quality as a dimension consisting of four factors – reliability, assurance, tangibility and responsiveness. All four factors were found to be significant on ERP stakeholders’ performance.

Modelling End-User of Electronic-Government Service: The Role of Information quality, System Quality and Trust

Many governments around the world increasingly use internet technologies such as electronic government to provide public services. These services range from providing the most basic informational website to deploying sophisticated tools for managing interactions between government agencies and beyond government. Electronic government (e-government) aims to provide a more accurate, easily accessible, cost-effective and time saving for the community. In this study, we develop a new model of e-government adoption service by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) through the incorporation of some variables such as System Quality, Information Quality and Trust. The model is then tested using a large-scale, multi-site survey research of 237 Indonesian citizens. This model will be validated by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The result indicates that System Quality, Information Quality and Trust variables proven to effect user behavior. This study extends the current understanding on the influence of System Quality, Information Quality and Trust factors to researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.

Nonlinear effects in optical signal transmission using a multimode fibre with weak coupling

We present the results of numerical simulation of nonlinear propagation of an optical signal in multimode gradient- and step-index fibres with weak coupling. It is found that when signals propagate in different modes, the system quality factor (Q-factor) for a gradient-index fibre increases with the number of the modes involved. The quality degradation of the transmitted data with increasing the number of the involved modes is demonstrated for the case when the signals in different modes travel at the same velocity. It is shown that the use of a step-index fibre may significantly deteriorate the signal quality due to the presence of a mode with a small dispersion parameter.

Factors determining e‐learning service quality

Abstracte‐Learning courses are fast becoming common‐place, yet the success of these online courses varies considerably. Since limited research addresses the issue of e‐learning quality (ELQ) of service in higher education environments, there is an increasing need to effectively assess ELQ. In this paper, we argue that to obtain a satisfactory e‐learning student experience, we must offer more than access to learning material. The research proposes an extended SERVQUAL model, the ELQ model, which in addition to key service constructs, facilitates consideration of both information and system quality factors. Exploratory Factor Analysis is conducted to investigate the reliability and validity of the measurement model, and multiple regression analysis is used to test the research model. Data analysis reveals that Assurance, Responsiveness, Tangibility, Course Website and Learning Content have a positive correlation with the perception of ELQ. e‐Learning students value a stable, and easy to use e‐learning environment, yet do not perceive empathy and reliability as significant to student perception of ELQ.

The influence of system quality characteristics on health care providers' performance: Empirical evidence from Malaysia.

The Ministry of Health Malaysia initiated the total hospital information system (THIS) as the first national electronic health record system for use in selected public hospitals across the country. Since its implementation 15 years ago, there has been the critical requirement for a systematic evaluation to assess its effectiveness in coping with the current system, task complexity, and rapid technological changes. The study aims to assess system quality factors to predict the performance of electronic health in a single public hospital in Malaysia. Non-probability sampling was employed for data collection among selected providers in a single hospital for two months. Data cleaning and bias checking were performed before final analysis in partial least squares-structural equation modeling. Convergent and discriminant validity assessments were satisfied the required criterions in the reflective measurement model. The structural model output revealed that the proposed adequate infrastructure, system interoperability, security control, and system compatibility were the significant predictors, where system compatibility became the most critical characteristic to influence an individual health care provider's performance. The previous DeLone and McLean information system success models should be extended to incorporate these technological factors in the medical system research domain to examine the effectiveness of modern electronic health record systems. In this study, care providers' performance was expected when the system usage fits with patients' needs that eventually increased their productivity.

전장관리정보시스템 품질이 운영성과에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구 : 지각된 유용성 및 사용자 만족의 역할

ABSTRACT The need and interest for a successful operation of Information System in the defense industry have increased due to a rapid development in ICT. However, research on adderssing such increased demand has been minimal. This paper introduces a Success Model for IS in the defense field based on literature reviews, and proves the performance of the proposed model. The verification results show that the quality factors of IS have positive influence on perceived usefulness and user satisfaction. The results, as well, imply that perceived usefulness and user satisfaction improves the operational performance of IS. Therefore, this study proves that quality factors of IS increase the operational performance through perceived usefulness and user satisfaction. Through this research, the patterns of information utilization in the defense IS is understood, and the directions for improving the operational performance of IS is presented.Key Words : System Quality Factors(시스템 품질요인), Perceived Usefulness(지각된 유용성), User Satisfaction(사용자 만족), Individual Performance(개인성과), Organizational Performance(조직성과)

동기 - 위생 이론 기반의 관광안내정보시스템 평가

This study evaluated Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory and DeLone and McLean’s IS success model by applying a tourism information system, the major means for attracting people to a tourist destination. We set the service quality and entertainment quality as the motivation quality by adding the entertainment quality derived from the hedonic characteristics of information quality, system quality, service quality and a tourism information system, the quality factors commonly used in the information system quality evaluation and set information quality and system quality as hygiene factors and empirically analyzed the effect of the motivation factors and hygiene factors targeting the satisfied group and dissatisfied group according to the use of the tourism information system. According to the analysis results, both ‘Research hypothesis 1’ and ‘Research hypothesis 2’ were adopted and through this, this study is of significance in that it provided a more practical meaning in information system building and rebuilding, maintenance in terms of identifying factors giving more influence to user satisfaction and factors giving more influence to user dissatisfaction among information system quality factors.

모바일 음악 서비스의 지속이용의도에 대한 선행 요인

Recently, many internet users are using mobile music service. In this paper, we aim to examine the effects of system quality factors and relation quality factors on continuance intention in the context of mobile music service. In order to analyze the antecedents of continuance intention, we introduced independent variables such as ease of use, stability, trust, involvement and unity. We also consider customer value and customer satisfaction as mediators. For empirical analysis, we surveyed 240 users of mobile music service. We conduct PLS (Partial Least Square) analysis for SEM (Structural Equation Modeling). As a result, 8 of proposed 12 hypotheses were accepted. Especially, system quality, trust and unity show positive influence on customer satisfaction significantly. Involvement and unity are positively related to customer value. Customer value and customer satisfaction show positive influence on continuance intention significantly. The results of this research can be useful guidelines for mobile music service users and providers.

Determination of System Damping From the Response Amplitude at Resonance

A method for estimating the damping of a vibratory system from the frequency of resonance and the response amplitude at that resonant peak alone is reviewed and applied to the determination of the system loss or quality factors of uniform, rectangular cantilever bare titanium beams and beams with damping enhancing hard coatings. Using results from experiments with several different nonlinear coating systems vibrating in several modes and temperatures, comparisons are given for the damping measures obtained by this method with those obtained by the traditional method for determining system damping from the bandwidth (BW) of the frequency response functions (FRFs). These comparisons, made for strains of engineering interest (to strains over 1000 ppm), show that the BW method generally leads to inflated measures of system energy dissipation and that the inflation (10–70%) depends generally on the degree of nonlinearity, i.e., the extent to which the system loss factor varies with strain amplitude. While developed for the ideal uniform, rectangular, cantilever beam for which the mode shapes are well known, the method may be applied to more complex geometries through the use of a finite element analysis (FEA).

Quantitative assessment of the sensitivity to desertification in the Bradano River basin (Basilicata, southern Italy)

Desertification is a complex environmental phenomenon that affects many regions worldwide, including the Mediterranean area. Its effects, primarily resulting from climate variations and also influenced by human-induced changes, impact upon potential regional progress due to significant economic losses, social problems and ecological damage. The aim of this study was the identification of sensitive areas to desertification at watershed scale, in the Bradano River basin (Basilicata, southern Italy). The analysis was carried out by means of the model developed within the European project MEDALUS (MEditerranean Desertification And Land USe), which identifies prone areas to desertification through the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) index. The model parameters were implemented and processed using a GIS-based approach to evaluate climate, soil, vegetation and management system quality factors, which represent the input for the ESAs assessment. The results indicate that 35% of the study area is highly sensitive to desertification, 49% of the study area has moderate sensitivity to desertification, 12% has low sensitivity and only 4% is non-sensitive to desertification.

Examining the adoption of KMS in organizations from an integrated perspective of technology, individual, and organization

Knowledge management systems (KMS) have been implemented by many organizations to aid in the management of the intellectual property and the development of sustainable competitive advantages. However, despite the efforts of academics and practitioners with regard to promoting the use of KMS, the rate of adoption remains relatively low. Based on the DeLone and McLean’s information system success model, self-efficacy theory, and institutional theory, this study develops a multi-dimensional model to better understand KMS adoption among employees from an integrated perspective of technology, individual, and organization. Survey data collected from 295 employees of a petroleum corporation and its business partners were examined using structural equation modeling to verify the proposed research model. The results indicate that system quality factors, top management support, and organizational rewards are the key determinants of employee adoption of KMS, while KMS self-efficacy is far less important. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Theoretical Study on the Influence of Transmission Parameters on the Transmission Performance of Magnetic Resonance Wireless Power Transmission Systems

Magnetic resonance wireless power transmission technology is based on the phenomenon of resonant coupling to realize non-contact power transmission via near magnetic field. Based on the mutual coupling model of resonance system, the influence laws of system transmission parameters, such as coil coupling coefficients, load resistance, etc., on the transmission performance are theoretically studied in this paper. The research results shows that the power high-efficiency and high-quality transmission does not depend on the large coil loop coupling coefficient and the working frequencies of maximum power and maximum efficiency transmission do not coincide at most condition. Transmission systems with a high resonance frequency can produce high power and efficiency transmission over short distances. In addition, by increasing the coil diameter or wire diameter can improve the system quality factor, and optimize the energy transmission performance.

New parameter identification method for calibrating stiffness of AFM probes

Abstract Although there are many studies in the area of system parameter identification, none of them can be used to calibrate the probes of atomic force microscopes (AFM). We had derived a single-DOF identification method that was proven reliable. However, the original, patented SDOF method was found not sufficiently accurate in some cases when applying to an AFM. This study primarily aims to generalize a method for SDOF systems to multi-DOF systems. Before doing that, we focused on two-DOF structural systems. Unlike the currently used method, the present method can be applied in situ or when the AFM probe is well installed inside the probe clip. To improve the precision of the method, a TDOF model was adopted for observing the dynamic responses. The TDOF system was decomposed into two SDOFs in principal coordinates by using their mode shapes. It is well known that by mode superposition, two modal responses can be superimposed into the system ones. Thus, the present identification method starts by giving a wideband excitation and acquires the responses that were used to lock the damped natural frequency. The excitation frequency was thus changed to find the location where the phase lag is 90°. As a result, the system dissipative energy can be computed under such conditions. Once the energy was obtained, the system damping was readily found, followed by the other system parameters. The present identification method was numerically verified using the MATLAB Simulink Toolbox. The numerical results clearly showed good consistency and very small errors. However, the system quality factors tended to have large identification errors for systems under slightly large damping. Nevertheless, the new method can identify the structural parameters of TDOF systems with viscous damping. In addition to the numerical verification, the method was also experimentally validated. The same procedures as those in an AFM were exactly followed, except that the model was a cantilever beam instead of an AFM probe. The system parameters could be successfully identified even under different damping conditions mimicking air, water as well as #40 lubricants.

A Study on Comparison Analysis of the System Quality Factors between Korea and China Shopping mall Websites

This paper mainly focuses on the system quality factors of a website targeted at shopping mall websites in China and Korea. We categorized six system quality factors and formulated hypotheses regarding how those six factors are different. We also conducted an empirical study to verify hypotheses. Statistical data for an empirical study targeted at undergraduate students in Korea and China, having filled in a questionnaire. Reliability of the collected data was measured, and a T-test of the established hypotheses was carried out. The following describes the results that were found. While the shopping mall websites of two countries showed a difference in terms of quick transition of the web pages or images, ease of use, reliability, and accessibility, they did not show the difference in term of accuracy and the short cut function. We analyzed the causes of the verified results and suggested a strategy to implement the effective shopping mall web sites.

Sensitivity of micromechanical actuation on amorphous to crystalline phase transformations under the influence of Casimir forces

Amorphous to crystalline phase transitions in phase change materials (PCM) can have strong influence on the actuation of microelectromechanical systems under the influence of Casimir forces. Indeed, the bifurcation curves of the stationary equilibrium points and the corresponding phase portraits of the actuation dynamics between gold and AIST (Ag${}_{5}$In${}_{5}$Sb${}_{60}$Te${}_{30}$) PCM, where an increase of the Casimir force of up \ensuremath{\sim}25$%$ has been measured upon crystallization, show strong sensitivity to changes of the Casimir force as the stiffness of the actuating component decreases and/or the effective interaction area of the Casimir force increases, which can also lead to stiction. However, introduction of intrinsic energy dissipation (associated with a finite quality factor of the actuating system) can prevent stiction by driving the system to attenuated motion towards stable equilibrium depending on the PCM state and the system quality factor.

AN EFFICIENT METHOD TO FEED HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES TO FACIAL ANALYSIS SYSTEMS

Image Processing is any form of signal processing for which the image is an input such as a photograph or video frame. The output of image processing may be either an image or a set of characteristics or parameters related to the image. In many facial analysis systems like Face Recognition face is used as an important biometric. Facial analysis systems need High Resolution images for their processing. The video obtained from inexpensive surveillance cameras are of poor quality. Processing of poor quality images leads to unexpected results. To detect face images from a video captured by inexpensive surveillance cameras, we will use AdaBoost algorithm. If we feed those detected face images having low resolution and low quality to face recognition systems they will produce some unstable and erroneous results. Because these systems have problem working with low resolution images. Hence we need a method to bridge the gap between on one hand low- resolution and low-quality images and on the other hand facial analysis systems. Our approach is to use a Reconstruction Based Super Resolution method. In Reconstruction Based Super Resolution method we will generate a face-log containing images of similar frontal faces of the highest possible quality using head pose estimation technique. Then, we use a Learning Based Super-Resolution algorithm applied to the result of the reconstruction-based part to improve the quality by another factor of two. Hence the total system quality factor will be improved by four.

A study of the continuous usage intention of social software in the context of instant messaging

Purpose– As social networking is becoming more popular, social software has achieved an important position in the internet business industry. For social software to be successful, it is crucial to understand how users form their continuous usage intentions toward social software. This paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach– Drawing upon socio-technical and social cognitive perspectives, this study proposes a theory-based model that investigates the interaction effects between social (i.e. perceived user base and relationship commitment) and technical (i.e. perceived system quality) factors of social software, in addition to their direct effects on continuous usage intentions. To empirically validate the proposed research model, a structural equation modelling technique was used.Findings– The results of our model test indicate that all relevant social and technical factors are significant determinants of continuous usage intention. Moreover relationship commitment exhibits a positive interaction effect with perceived system quality on continuous usage intention, while perceived user base does not.Practical implications– Service designers or providers of social software should make an effort to nurture social relationships among users, expand users' social networks, and reinforce users' relationship commitment to their friends.Originality/value– Given the lack of investigations into socio-technical interactions in prior social software studies, the theoretical perspectives and empirical findings of this study are useful to both academics and practitioners. The findings also raise new implications regarding the various types of interactions (e.g. enhancing or suppressing) between the social and technical factors around social software.

대학행정 어플리케이션 이용에 미치는 결정요인: 모바일 환경을 중심으로

The advancement of information and communication technology have brought the increase and the diversification of the digitalized information, which can be shared at any time from any place. Especially, with the recent spread of smartphone usage, the amount and the diversity of information have increased to amounts that are difficult to quantify. Within such an era of accelerated accumulation and diversification of digitalized information, the informatization of universities is becoming a critical factor for institutional advancement. Thus, universities are developing smartphone applications to provide easily accessible administration services, and support the information needs of each administration process by keeping a relationship with students from admission to post-graduation. This research systematically defines a university smartphone application, distinguishes its system quality factors, and studies the effects they have on satisfaction, intention of reuse, and intention of electronic word-of-mouth. The results showed that the security factor of system quality did not have a significant effect on satisfaction. The responsiveness and the empathy factors of service quality did not show a significant effect on satisfaction. Moreover, it was found that a higher user satisfaction for smartphone applications has a significant influence on intention of reuse and on the intention of electronic word-of-mouth.

E-러닝의 시스템품질과 동기화요인이 학업성과에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구 : 학습몰입의 매개효과를 중심으로

Recently, the development of ICT(information & communications technology) with the advent of new media paradigm shift in learning has brought a dramatic impact on the competitiveness of universities. The previous studies on the academic performance of e-learning mainly targeted on e-learning users, studying additional synchronization and system quality factors to measure academic performance. This study empirically analyzed the learning flow and academic performance considering both DeLone & McLean model system quality and synchronizing factors based on ARCS model. Relating to quality and synchronization factors, the academic performance of e-learning system was tested, and the difference between learning flow and academic performance was also analyzed based on time-series data, by the test difference(in the beginning, during, and final of the semester). The results of the study are as follows. First, the study shows that both system quality and synchronization directly affected the learning performance. Thus, when designing e-learning system, it is necessary to consider these two factors at the same time. Second, the indirectly mediating effect on the system quality and synchronization factors turned out to be significant in learning flow. Third, the result of regression analysis on the contents of utilizing dummy variable presents that the teacher`s explanation has greater influence than multimedia has to the academic performance, and furthermore, the test difference showed no significance. Further research should be undertaken to consider the learner`s degree of acceptance which reflects various aspects for building m-learning or u-learning.