Confounding Effects of Construct Overlap: An Example from IS User Satisfaction Theory Available to Purchase

Theoretical constructs serve important roles in facilitating information and knowledge flows among, between and within information systems researchers and practitioners. In order for the benefits of constructs to be fully exploited, they must be appropriately applied and operationalized. Describes a controlled field study, examining users′satisfaction with a decision support system, undertaken to point out the dangers of misapplying constructs and their measurement scales. Particular consideration is given to the risks associated with the use of general instruments in situations where more narrowly focused and context‐specific instruments are preferred.