This study investigates initial trust formation in Internet shopping from the perspective of the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) by conducting a 2 ϫ ϫ 2 factorial laboratory experiment. Based on data collected from 160 respondents, the results indicate that display of third-party seals and product information quality positively affects consumers' trust toward an e-tailer through assurance perception and result demonstrability, respectively. Besides, one's product involvement and trait anxiety play moderating roles. As predicted in ELM, consumers with high involvement and low anxiety build their trust via central route exclusively, whereas consumers with low involvement or high anxiety build their trust via peripheral route exclusively. The results suggest that customizing the persuasive arguments for different consumers is a critical strategy for initial on-line trust building.

The purpose of this study was to explore a substantial phenomenon related to flow experiences (immersion) in text-based interaction systems. Most previous research emphasizes the effects of challenge/skill, focused attention, telepresence, web characteristics, and systems' interface design on users' flow experiences in online environments. However, text-based interaction systems without telepresence features and web characteristics still seem to create opportunities for flow experience. To explore this phenomenon, this study incorporates subject involvement and interpersonal interaction as critical antecedents into the model of flow experience, as well as considers the existence of telepresence. Results reveal that subject involvement, interpersonal interaction, and interactivity speed are critical to focused attention, which enhances users' immersion. With regard to the effect of telepresence, the perceived attractiveness of the interface is a significant facilitator determining users' immersion in web-based, rather than in text-based, interaction environments. Interactivity speed is unrelated to immersion in both web-based and text-based interaction environments. The influence of interpersonal involvement is diminished in web-based interaction environments. The implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

In this research, we investigated the differences in the roles and responsibilities across the CIO's job across three main regions of one country -China. In particular, we studied how CIOs of Hong Kong, mainland China, and Taiwan varied across the regions. We found that the roles and responsibilities of China's CIOs were influenced by the region's government strategy and the maturity of its technology infrastructure. Our second finding was that the degree to which a CIO's ability to evolve his/her roles and responsibilities is constrained / supported by the ability to collaborate with the government's infrastructure and to access technological resources. And our third finding was that a CIO's exposure to global business partner's operations, technologies, and processes facilitated the need for the executive to further develop and mature their roles and responsibilities.CIOs roles have evolved to reflect the information systems (IS) infrastructure and strategy of their own firms, leading to two versions of the role: one, an executive-level manager who is focused on the firm's strategy and processes; the other a technical manager focused on minimizing costs by rationalizing and leveraging the existing IS infrastructure. The degree to which a firm has standardized its IS architecture infrastructure and the degree to which IS enables core products, services, processes, or competitive advantage of the firm impacts the nature of the role.

Organizations are evolving into a flatter structure with fewer intermediate organizational levels. Especially. fewer middle managers are needed to relay communications up and down the hierarchy. As information technology is deployed for competitive advantage, fulfilling internal communication becomes as crucial as fulfilling external communications with suppliers and customers. Fulfilling internal communications is especially crucial because incorporation of social (organizational) values and corporate culture requires communication. As the role of communication expands, the role of information technology in promoting communication is fostering experimentation in organizing work and in management practices. For example, electronic mail promotes equality and consensus in a manner that enables participatory rather than authoritarian management. An infrastructure network is a telecommunications network that provides basic communication senices on which public, e.g. government, or private organizations depend for their survival. An infrastructure network is distinguished from any ordinary communications facility because it is both pervasive and comprehensive to promote group participation. An infrastructure network is further distinguished by its robustness that allows sufficient bandwidth for substantial resource sharing. Infrastructure networks represent a vital opportunity for newlyindustrialized nations in Asia. In these nations, through effective communication, social values related to the 'group' will produce a better payoff. This payoff would result from the momentum and partnerslup experience generated by recmt economic success. Also, the relatively smaller size of these nations would enable easier networking. Finally, as demonstrated by their success and as a result of their smaller scale, the ability of these nations to focus on what needs to be done will ensure the wise investment of funds earned from economic success in projects that will guarantee future success. This paper recommends the development of infrastructure networks including national and local networks as well as gateways (to other national networks) and other network, e.g. data bases, resources. The involvement of all constituencies, government and education as well as the private sector, will encourage experiments with information technology in organizing work and in management practices that incorporate social values.Requests for reprints should be Sent to

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