Article:Human innovation, in combination with the internet, networking, and communications technologies have produced a new platform for social and business networking, formation of community, and communication. This emerging phenomenon is generally known as social computing. While there is no widely accepted definition of social computing, we define it as: intra -group social and business actions practiced through group consensus, group cooperation, and group authority, where such actions are made possible through the mediation of information technologies, and where group interaction causes members to conform and influences others to join the group.In this article, we examine the adoption of information technologies in the context of social computing. Most current information systems research on individual technology adoption has focused upon the adoption of technology in organizations and has utilized such technology acceptance models as the TRA 7 and TAM. 5 It has been suggested, however, that a new perspective on adoption may be necessary to fully capture the nature of technology acceptance in social computing situations, 9 where the technology is embraced rather than simply accepted by the user, and where the action made possible by technology is seen as a behavior embedded in society. 3Few studies have investigated technology adoption targeting the individual at the level of society, community, or lifestyle experience. There is little research that approaches adoption in the context of social computing, and to our knowledge, no models have been developed to investigate this phenomenon. This study addresses this gap by developing social constructs and providing a theoretically grounded model for technology adoption in the context of social computing.We develop a cross-disciplinary model of technology adoption to address the multi-faceted context of social computing. Our model suggests that social computing action, social computing consensus, social computing cooperation, and social computing authority are antecedents to social influence, and augment usefulness and ease of use. In social influence, group membership legitimizes actions and the individual is guided by the group's rules of practice. Social influence leads to technology adoption. Technology adoption incorporates two essential elements, the embracement of the technology by individuals and its embedment 3 in society. Each of the model's constructs will be explained in further detail.As Figure 1 demonstrates, while technology may influence society, society often exerts influence on technology. Consider SMS text messaging. A technology that was originally intended to deliver subscriber information was adopted by end users as a vehicle for social behavior. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file swapping offers another example. A technology that was intended to provide an efficient mechanism for remote file access was adopted by end users to create music sharing networks. The strength of social influence is evident, as text messaging has now outpaced voice mobile ca...

Using an interpretive grounded theory research approach, we investigate the utilization of organization-wide information systems in the competitive actions and responses undertaken by top managers to sustain their firms' leading competitive position. Our central contribution is a model that explicates the role of information systems in the process by which competitive actions or responses are conceived, enacted, and executed, and resulting impacts on firm performance—issues that have been largely missing from contemporary research in both the information systems and competitive dynamics domains. This study has important implications for both research and practice. Specifically, researchers should consider organizational context; the intentions and actions of key players; and the process of conceiving, enacting, and executing competitive actions or responses carried out by the organization to account for the impact of information systems on firm performance. Findings suggest that when managers envision information systems as a resource that provides opportunities for competitive actions rather than viewing information systems in a service role, competitive advantages will evolve. Furthermore, practitioners will be better able to leverage information systems investments if they recognize the embedded role of information systems within the competitive actions or responses a firm undertakes to maintain or improve relative performance.

No abstract

Quick Response (QR) codes are two dimensional (matrix) codes that have been developed in ways that allow companies and individuals to sell or market their products, skills, and events quickly and easily. The code can be used to represent data such as a web address or map location that can be scanned quickly by a mobile device such as a smart phone. Tracking inventories and marketers were some of the first uses and users of QR codes because of the ease of deployment and low development cost. The use has also grown quickly amongst individual users who want to transfer information such as sending an invitation, providing details about an event, or even announcing a baby's birth. While there are many advantages in the use of QR codes, there is a negative side that has resulted in end users discontinuing their use. Our paper discusses both the usefulness of QR codes as well as the inconveniences and dangers that they may pose.