Testing a Causal Model of End-User Application Effectiveness

Abstract

Abstract:The purpose of this exploratory research was empirically to examine several logical relationships between key variables in order to create a causal model of end-user application effectiveness. To test the hypotheses, a survey-based field study was conducted in forty large organizations with a total of 506 usable responses. The data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) multivariate path analysis statistical technique. The preliminary empirical evidence provides general support for most of the key relationships contained in the model. Both the model based on the original sample and the validation of that model, based on the holdback sample, had good overall fits to the data. Of the important contributions, the end-users' motivation to develop new applications was found to be the most significant, showing the strongest positive path coefficient with application utilization. Perceived organizational support of EUC was found to be indirectly related to improved end-user information satisfaction and application utilization. Given a limited set of organizational resources, we suggest that managers invest time and money in improving organizational support of EUC where the immediate payoff may not be readily evident.Key Words and Phrases: end-user computingapplication developmentinformation system effectivenessuser satisfactionapplication utilizationpartial least squares (PLS) modeling Additional informationNotes on contributorsDonald L. AmorosoDonald L. Amoroso is Assistant Professor of Information Systems at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He holds a Ph.D. in MIS from the University of Georgia, and has ten years experience in the information systems field, with a wide range of technical, managerial, and consultative positions including the Bureau of Land Management and Canada Post Dr. Amoroso has published in leading information systems journals such as the Journal of Management Information Systems, Information and Management, Data Base, and Information Resource Management Journal. His current research is on measuring the impact of emerging technologies, specifically in the areas of information engineering and creativity in systems design.Paul H. CheneyPaul H. Cheney is Professor and Chair of Information Systems and Decision Sciences at the University of South Florida. He received his doctorate in MIS from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Cheney has published several texts and has authored over thirty scholarly articles in journals such as Decision Sciences, Journal of Management Information Systems, MIS Quarterly, and the Academy of Management Journal. He has served with over a hundred firms, including Ford and Exxon. Dr. Cheney is internationally known in the areas of office automation, end-user computing. and implementation management, and is a well-known speaker before professional groups.