IT governance (ITG) is crucial in achieving IT strategic alignment, but many organizations find this to be an elusive goal. We thus expand ITG into two components: ITG mechanisms and ITG principles. We propose that beyond the mere option of ITG mechanisms, organizations must fully embrace the broader “spirit” of ITG, which occurs when an organization is committed to ITG principles coupled with top leadership support. To test our theorization, we first developed and validated two new measures. We used the ITG framework of COBIT to create a measure of commitment to COBIT principles (CCP), and we found that CCP fully mediates ITG mechanisms’ relationship with strategic alignment. We thus illuminate a missing link between adopting ITG mechanisms and achieving strategic alignment by demonstrating the need to focus on ITG principles. We show that top leadership support for IT, including support at the board level, not only enhances CCP but also directly contributes to improved strategic alignment. Our study establishes that adopting ITG mechanisms is necessary but insufficient for achieving strategic alignment. Effective organizations go beyond implementing isolated ITG mechanisms; they fully embrace integrated COBIT-based principles, guided by a strong infusion of top leadership support, including board-level support.

Phishing, or the practice of sending deceptive electronic communications to acquire private information from victims, results in significant financial losses to individuals and businesses. The first goal of this study is to identify situational and personality factors that explain why certain individuals are susceptible to such attacks. The second goal is to test those empirically, along with previously identified factors, to explain the likelihood that an individual will fall victim to a phishing attack. We employed the Delphi method to identify seven personality factors that may influence this susceptibility (trust, distrust, curiosity, entertainment drive, boredom proneness, lack of focus, and risk propensity). Our regression model included these as well as variables examined in previous studies. We find that emails sent from a known source significantly increase user susceptibility to phishing, as does a user’s curiosity, risk propensity, general Internet usage, and Internet anxiety. In post hoc tests, we also find that trust and distrust can be significant predictors of susceptibility and that this significance is dependent on the characteristics of the message.

Trust and distrust are considered crucial elements affecting online relationships – particularly those involving electronic transactions. Although some studies propose that they are distinct, others claim that they are merely opposite ends of one continuum. Further adding to the debate is the possibility of ambivalence, a topic that has not been examined in electronic transaction relationships. Unfortunately, current models of trust and distrust have limitations that impede explanations of how – or even if – ambivalence is generated by feelings of trust and distrust and how these two constructs can best coexist. We thus propose a hybrid model which considers the limitations and strengths of previous models. Namely, we posit that trust and distrust can coexist as separate components with related continua. We use polynomial regression analysis (PRA) and response surface analysis (RSA) to test these complex relationships. Using an empirical study of online consumer behaviour with 521 experienced online consumers, strong empirical validation is found for the model. We examine the effects of ambivalence on the truster’s intentions towards a website and find a small positive effect which increases such intentions. PRA and RSA confirm that trust and distrust are most likely separate components – not opposite ends of a continuum – with related continua. The continua within the subconstructs of trust and distrust likely have more complex and interesting relationships than have been considered previously. These findings lead to interesting future research opportunities on trust, distrust and ambivalence using advanced techniques such as PRA and RSA.

Abstract Privacy concerns can greatly hinder consumers' intentions to interact with a website. The success of a website therefore depends on its ability to improve consumers' perceptions of privacy assurance. Seals and assurance statements are mechanisms often used to increase this assurance; however, the findings of the extant literature regarding the effectiveness of these tools are mixed. We propose a model based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) that explains conditions under which privacy assurance is more or less effective, clarifying the contradictory findings in previous literature. We test our model in a free‐simulation online experiment, and the results of the analysis indicate that the inclusion of assurance statements and the combination, understanding, and assurance of seals influence privacy assurance. Privacy assurance is most effective when seals and statements are accompanied by the peripheral cues of website quality and brand image and when counter‐argumentation—through transaction risk—is minimized. Importantly, we show ELM to be an appropriate theoretical lens to explain the equivocal results in the literature. Finally, we suggest theoretical and practical implications.