Start Date
12-13-2015
Description
This paper reports on a laboratory experiment conducted to investigate interactions between the design of two different corporate sustainability ratings databases, and users’ perceptions of the usefulness of their content. Four heuristics were investigated: the for-profit status of the company that produced the database, the company’s strategic ties, the perceived ease-of-use of the database itself, and its perceived credibility. A dual-process theoretical lens was applied. Findings support the importance of three of the four heuristic cues for influencing perceptions of content usefulness. Both credibility and For-profit status functioned as both heuristic cues and as argument factors, suggesting that their influence is systematic and enduring. Ease-of-use was the most influential overall, particularly in interaction with user expertise. Implications for the design of sustainability ratings databases are discussed, along with ongoing research efforts.
Recommended Citation
Watts, Stephanie, "Corporate Sustainability Ratings Databases:Maximizing perceived content usefuless" (2015). ICIS 2015 Proceedings. 2.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2015/proceedings/Sustainability/2
Corporate Sustainability Ratings Databases:Maximizing perceived content usefuless
This paper reports on a laboratory experiment conducted to investigate interactions between the design of two different corporate sustainability ratings databases, and users’ perceptions of the usefulness of their content. Four heuristics were investigated: the for-profit status of the company that produced the database, the company’s strategic ties, the perceived ease-of-use of the database itself, and its perceived credibility. A dual-process theoretical lens was applied. Findings support the importance of three of the four heuristic cues for influencing perceptions of content usefulness. Both credibility and For-profit status functioned as both heuristic cues and as argument factors, suggesting that their influence is systematic and enduring. Ease-of-use was the most influential overall, particularly in interaction with user expertise. Implications for the design of sustainability ratings databases are discussed, along with ongoing research efforts.