Patterns of information systems low use, discontinued use and rejection : the case of a flawed in-store app implementation

Nthubu, Boineelo R and Fayoumi, Amjad and Dalcher, Darren (2024) Patterns of information systems low use, discontinued use and rejection : the case of a flawed in-store app implementation. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

Text (2024Nthubuphd)
Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 April 2029.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial.
Download (0B)

Text (2024Nthubuphd)
Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 April 2029.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial.
Download (0B)

Text (2024Nthubuphd)
Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 April 2029.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial.
Download (0B)

Text (2024Nthubuphd)
Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 April 2029.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial.
Download (0B)

Text (2024Nthubuphd) - Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 April 2029.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial.
Download (0B)

Text (2024Nthubuphd)
2024Nthubuphd.pdf - Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only until 30 April 2029.
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial.
Download (2MB)

Abstract

Organisations introduce information systems (IS) with the anticipation of widespread use among targeted users. While the IS literature extensively explores factors that drive system use, not all implementations achieve the anticipated use by target users. This thesis investigates the patterns of low use, discontinued use and rejection observed when introducing a new information system through a case study. The thesis is structured into three papers, each respectively addressing these observed patterns. Paper I identifies design-based inhibitors contributing to low system use in the context of a UK (United Kingdom) supermarket chain in-store shopping app. The paper employs the Theory of Technology Usage Inhibitors to explore design-based inhibitors, utilising a topic modelling approach on 1857 iOS and 4850 Android reviews. The findings reveal intrinsic and extrinsic inhibitors, with Android users reporting more intrinsic design-based inhibitors. This study contributes to the literature by conceptualising design-based inhibitors and expanding the theory of Technology Usage Inhibitors in the context of in-store shopping apps, providing crucial design insights for effective app design. Paper II unpacks the affordances sought by early and late adopters and the resulting patterns of discontinuance when they failed to actualise the affordances. The paper utilises data from 22 semi-structured interviews and 20 observation sessions with early and late adopters from a specific supermarket store within the chain. In addition, the paper utilises 73 documents from the store. The findings reveal that early and late adopters seek different affordances, and failing to actualise these affordances leads to various discontinuance patterns. Paper II enriches IS discontinuance literature by providing theoretical links between affordances and discontinued use patterns. The paper contributes design principles for designers and retailers to retain users. Paper III focuses on consumers who rejected the app and explores their reasons for rejection. This paper categorises these rejecters into total, moderate and passive through thematic and hierarchical analysis of semi-structured interviews with 32 rejecters from a supermarket store. Total rejecters are primarily driven by the flawed design to reject the system completely, while moderate and passive rejecters are primarily driven by a flawed implementation of the system. Paper III contributes to the literature on IS rejection by categorising rejecters and identifying that moderate and passive rejecters are more likely to consider future adoption if their concerns are addressed. This paper also contributes design principles to aid in the design of better in-store shopping apps. This thesis significantly contributes to both theory and practice. It offers novel insights into the implications of design on user behaviour. The thesis provides an in-depth understanding of the challenges of introducing a new system, encompassing low use, discontinued use and rejection. Furthermore, the thesis provides design principles for app designers and retailers to avoid design and implementation flaws and similar patterns of low use, discontinued use and rejection.