ELECTRONIC COMMERCE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT:

A COMPARISON OF USER AND IT

Douglas Havelka Deepak Khazanchi

Abstract
Based on the theory of reasoned action and previous research identifying differences in beliefs between IS
specialists and IS users, this paper outlines a proposed study to investigate differences/similarities in beliefs
of users and developers in the context of electronic commerce application development projects. The authors
are currently in the process of collecting data to address research question posed in this proposal.

Introduction
The fact that users and IS specialists have different expert knowledge is the fundamental reason it is desirable to include both
groups in systems development projects. However, these same differences have been suggested as a leading cause of systems
development failure (Ackoff, 1967; Churchman and Schainblatt, 1965; Cushing, 1990; Newman and Noble, 1990; Newman and
Robey, 1992; Robey, et al., 1989; Robey, et al., 1993). Different backgrounds, training, language, situational or other power, and
many other factors lead IS specialists and IS users to hold different beliefs about the development process and their interaction
with one another(Cushing, 1990). Differences between users and IS specialists in attitudes, beliefs, value sets, and cognitive
orientations have been proposed as plausible explanations for friction during systems development (Cushing, 1990; Kaiser and
Srinivasan, 1982). Research focusing on the effects of differences between users and IS specialists have found that beliefs may
be moderated by situational and other attenuating factors that may be controlled by managers (Kaiser and Srinivasan, 1982; (Olson
and Ives, 1981; Tait and Vessey, 1988). In particular, one study concluded that the most significant finding was the lack of
agreement between the users and the information systems manager regarding the appropriate extent of user participation (Ives
and Olson, 1984). This finding illustrates the need for understanding and identifying differences in beliefs, attitudes, and
experiences between users and IT professionals prior to a development project’s start to allow managers to take prescriptive action
to improve the project’s likelihood of success. The importance of identifying and attempting to reduce the negative consequences
of differences between users and IS specialists have been addressed in other areas of systems development, but never within the
Electronic Commerce (EC) application development domain.

This issue is especially important in the e-commerce arena. A survey of 100 InfoWorld readers about their company’s e-business
initiatives found that nearly 80% had e-business projects in place and the same number reported that their firms considered these
projects to be a high priority or critical for the success of their organization. On the other hand, another survey of (Dineley, 2000)
300 firms reported that most firms do not know “how to make effective e-commerce projects happen” (Fogarty, 2000). Many of
the reasons cited for the failure of EC projects are similar to traditional systems development projects. For example, Treagus
(2000) asserts that as web sites have “extended beyond communications into the delivery of e-commerce services and customer-
facing IT systems,” many (EC) projects continue to fail because they do not meet “customer needs.” Similarly, others (Liebmann,
2000) argue that although overall quality of a Web site in terms of factors such as interface design, links to back office
applications and rich content is important, adding nifty features that allow customization based on individual customer needs can
motivate a customer to make a purchasing decision. In fact, e-business projects “face the same demands, pressures and risks as
any other kind of IT development project, but to a greater degree” (Yourdon, 2000). The fundamental difference between IT
development and e-business system is its “potential to cause a fundamental change in an organization’s business
strategy”(Yourdon, 2000).

576 2001 — Seventh Americas Conference on Information Systems

Theoretical Foundation
The beliefs of individuals are thought to be the initial determining factor influencing their behavior (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975).
According to the Theory of Reasoned Action, beliefs influence attitudes that in turn influence behavior. If this theory holds, it
would be expected that users’ and IT professionals’ beliefs toward information systems and the systems development process
would influence their attitudes toward the development process and their behaviors during this process. Differences in these
beliefs may cause conflict, ineffective communication, or other dysfunctional behavior during this interaction. As such, these
beliefs and the differences between users and IS specialists beliefs may represent important antecedents to their interaction during
the development process. In general, this body of work suggests that the same differences between users and IS specialists that
make their interaction during systems development desirable, influences the beliefs they hold toward the development process.
Further, these beliefs, and the differences between these beliefs, may represent important factors or conditions that management
may control prior to the development process. This research project attempts to empirically identify the relevant beliefs of users
and IT professionals, and the differences in these beliefs, toward the EC application development process.

Research Question
Based on the review of prior research and the Theory of Reasoned Action, interaction between users and IT professionals during
e-commerce application development may be influenced by their beliefs regarding the activities to be performed. It is proposed
that differences in these beliefs are a cause of friction or conflict during the EC application development process. Therefore, the
research questions to be addressed by this study can be stated as:

1. What are the beliefs of users-clients toward the EC application development process?
2. What are the beliefs of IT professionals toward the EC application development process?
3. Are there differences between users’ beliefs and EC developers regarding the critical factors associated with EC application
development?
4. Do user perceptions of EC initiatives in general differ from IT professionals?

Research Design
To address the above research questions, a survey instrument has been developed to measure both the users’ and the IT
professionals’ beliefs about the EC application development process. This survey is based on prior research performed to identify
a comprehensive set of factors believed to impact the systems development process (Havelka, et al., 1998). The questionnaire
is composed of 30 scales measuring various aspects of an e-commerce application development project. The survey data is being
collected through a web site and preliminary results indicate no significant problems associated with the instrument. The sampling
frame is segregated into two groups. The first is composed of users that have had some experience with the EC application
development process. The second is IT professionals who have had experience with EC application development projects. The
target subjects include employees of firms with ongoing and/or new EC initiatives, employees of smaller consulting organizations
and their clients, as well as some of the larger IT consulting companies. The anticipated number of subjects is around 300.

In order to compare the beliefs of users and IT professionals regarding the EC application development process an analysis of
variance for two multivariate populations will be performed. This analysis will produce a Wilks’ lambda test statistic that yields
the F statistic. The null hypothesis of equal ratings will be rejected at a p <= .05. Further analysis of the ratings will be performed
using individual analysis of variance to test each of the factors separately. Also, an analysis of the data using PROC MULTTEST
of SAS/STAT to simultaneously consider each of the pair wise comparisons given thirty factors will be performed.

Conclusion
The proposition that differences exist between users and IT professionals is widely held. What impact these differences have on
the EC application development process, if any, is unknown at this time. In this study, the differences in beliefs between users
and IT professionals toward the EC application development process will be explored. The identification of these differences
should allow project managers the ability to take prescriptive action to improve the likelihood of success for EC application
development projects.

2001 — Seventh Americas Conference on Information Systems 577

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578 2001 — Seventh Americas Conference on Information Systems