%T How Trust Leads to Commitment on Microsourcing Platforms: Unraveling the Effects of Governance and Third-Party Mechanisms on Triadic Microsourcing Relationships
%0 Journal Article
%A Guo, Wenbo
%A Straub, Detmar W.
%A Zhang, Pengzhu
%A Cai, Zhao
%B Management Information Systems Quarterly
%D 2021
%8 September  1, 2021
%V 45
%N 3
%P 1309-1348
%U https://aisel.aisnet.org/misq/vol45/iss3/13
%X IS research has extensively examined the role of trust in client-vendor relationships, as well as the role of governance in information technology (IT) outsourcing, but little research has been carried out on the latest manifestation of outsourcing—namely, microsourcing, i.e., the sourcing of smaller scale projects. To extend the literature on the traditional IT outsourcing literature—a stream that largely focuses on medium-to-large scale offline projects—we investigate how to develop trust and commitment in a triadic microsourcing relationship which includes the microsourcer, the microsourcee, and the microsourcing platform (MP). We draw on transaction cost economics (TCE) to theorize a model specifically adapted to the microsourcing phenomenon to scrutinize the influences of formal contractual mechanisms, relational mechanisms, and third-party mechanisms. Combining data from a matched sample of microsourcers and microsourcees on the leading Chinese MP, Zbj.com, the paper deploys degree-symmetric modeling (DSM) for construct conceptualization, measurement, and data analysis. DSM is consistent with the holistic view used to develop the research model for triadic relationships. Findings confirm that the MP is critical in delivering governance mechanisms to ensure the development of triadic trust and commitment. The results suggest that researchers and practitioners should pay closer attention to triadic trust and commitment building through proper governance mechanisms in the online microsourcing marketplace. We argue that this work could be extended to other online digital platforms that involve multiple transacting parties.


%T MISQ Volume 45, Issue 3 Table of Contents
%B Management Information Systems Quarterly
%D 2021
%8 September  1, 2021
%V 45
%N 3
%P i-ii
%U https://aisel.aisnet.org/misq/vol45/iss3/1


%T Subject Index for Volume 45
%B Management Information Systems Quarterly
%D 2021
%8 December  2, 2021
%V 45
%N 4
%P 2281-2284
%U https://aisel.aisnet.org/misq/vol45/iss4/25


%T Decentralized Multi-Agent System Applied to the Decision Making Process of the Microgrid Restoration Procedure towards Sustainability
%A Rokrok, Ebrahim
%A Shafie-khah, Miadreza
%A Osório, Gerardo
%A Carvalho, João P. P.
%A Catalao, Joao
%B Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences 2019 (HICSS-52)
%D 2019
%8 January  8, 2019
%U https://aisel.aisnet.org/hicss-52/da/sustainability/2
%X A significant procedure to ensure the consumer supply is Power System Restoration (PSR). Due to the increase of the number of distributed generators in the grid, it is possible to shift from the conventional PSR to a new strategy involving the use of distributed energy resources (DER). In this paper, a decentralized multi-agent system (MAS) is proposed to cope with the restoration procedure in a microgrid (MG). Each agent is assigned to a specific consumer or microsource (MS), communicating with other agents at every stage of the restoration procedure so that a common decision is reached. The 0/1 knapsack problem is the problem that every agent solves to determine the best load connection sequence during the restoration of the MG. Two different case studies are used to test the MAS on a dynamically modeled benchmark MG: a total blackout and a partial blackout. Regarding the partial blackout case, demand response emergency programs are considered to manage the loads in the MG. The MAS is developed in Matlab/Simulink environment and by performing the corresponding dynamic simulations it is possible to validate this system towards sustainability.


%T A Thematic Analysis of Software Developers’ Experience in online sourcing marketplaces
%0 Journal Article
%A Lavilles, Rabby Q.
%A Sison, Raymund C.
%B PACIS 2017 Proceedings
%D 2017
%8 July  1, 2017
%U https://aisel.aisnet.org/pacis2017/260
%X Online sourcing marketplaces (OSMs) enable the hiring of skilled workers around the globe. It becomes a significant factor for the increasing recognition of online sourcing as an alternative outsourcing option. Despite the adoption of individuals and small and medium enterprises, there is a dearth of study that looks into the service providers (workers) in OSM. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the experiences of online workers from the Philippines, particularly software developers engaged in independent online work. Findings found at least six themes prevalent to online software developers (OSDs) including uncertainty and transitions, trust and work agreements, reputation and client relationships, accomplishing tasks, platforms and software support, and work practices. The study suggests that by looking at the experiences of software developers, current and future clients (employers) can gain insights in considering this outsourcing option. Moreover, OSMs can consider the needs of OSDs presented in this study as inputs in customizing their services.


%T IT INNOVATIONS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EMERGING ECONOMIES - IS CLOUD COMPUTING A MAGIC INGREDIENT FOR EGYPTIAN ENTREPRENEURS?
%A El-Gazzar, Rania
%A Henriksen, Helle
%A Wahid, Fathul
%B Research Papers
%D 2017
%8 June 10, 2017
%P 1044-1061
%U https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2017_rp/68
%X Using the concept of affordances as an analytical lens, this study aims to understand the use of Cloud Computing (CC) by Egyptian entrepreneurs. The study analyses impact of CC on their businesses and its inhibiting and enabling factors. In general, Egyptian entrepreneurs have positive perceptions of CC and note its various actualized affordances: accessing information technology (IT) resources rapidly, broadening reach and transferring responsibility. The use of CC has yielded diverse effects: shortened time to market, reduced costs, a diversified audience and more useful feedback. We also identify what inhibits the use of CC, including transparency and corruption problems, limited support for online transactions, unsupportive government policies, low appreciation from the domestic market, cumbersome bureaucracy, account hacking and unreliable infrastructure. Finally, we also reveal some enabling factors, including institutional support, overseas market potential and CC uptake (i.e., growing use).
