Digital/virtual gift purchasing and giving (gifting thereafter) is a business model that has emerged in the context of the social live streaming service (SLSS). In this study, we argue that both SLSS and its gifting model are largely established upon the application of game and game-like design elements and principles in the non-game environment – a process known as gamification. The system and content qualities of SLSS gamification exercise activating effects on users’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for gifting behavior – a transactional process that can serve as a novel model for the electronic commerce (E-Commerce) industry to leverage customers’ transactional behaviors. Built upon the gamification literature, this study develops a research model to investigate SLSS gamification and its motivating effects on users’ gifting behaviors. The model is validated using a cross-sectional field survey of 697 SLSS users. The theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations and future research are discussed in the Chinese E-Commerce context.

Task-related conflict and person-related conflict in software testing are inevitable and can impact the effectiveness and efficiency of the software development process. The dimensionality of conflict in software testing is reasonably well understood, although in past research both types of conflict have frequently been modeled as reflective constructs that can obstruct the effectiveness of their use as organizational assessment and training tools. One contribution of this study is an empirical model of conflict sources in software engineering; such sources of conflict threaten to derail efficient software development outcomes in firms. A second contribution of this research is the development of a formative measurement model for purposes of development of assessing task conflict and person conflict in software teams. These validated measures can be utilized as training and development instruments for on-the-job remediation of development team conflict. As is indicated in the organizational behavior and software engineering literature, deploying valid measures of workplace stressors such as conflict can lead to the managerial application of effective strategies and tactics to improve workplace morale and satisfaction, to the great benefit of productivity and retention.

Social media offers customers a unique service value proposition. Recognizing service value as a pivotal concept, this study develops an aggregate construct of online social value, whereby customers evaluate utilitarian and hedonic benefits relative to what they must sacrifice in effort and risk in deriving a value calculation of online social networking services which predicts satisfaction and continued use of online social media, such as Facebook. By empirically testing a model that explains online social value, this research contributes to information systems (IS) theory by introducing a customer value perspective in the social media context and helps service providers by identifying factors predicting satisfaction and continued use that might be employed to improve offerings to keep customers coming back.

This study incorporates insights from services marketing and information systems (IS) usage research, and proposes a service value perspective of continued use of Mobile Technology Mediated Services (MTMS). Our study illustrates that customers strongly recognize the value of MTMS in building utilitarian and hedonic benefits, which influences their intentions to continue using the service. Our study shows that, when assessing value of MTMS, customers are less concerned with effort-based cost for the service use. Instead, the effort-based cost is recognized as a negative predictor of utilitarian and hedonic benefits of MTMS usage. Accounting for the dual role of MTMS patrons as a service customer and a user of IT artifacts, our study contributes to IS theory by incorporating the value perspective into IS usage literature in the service context. The findings provide practical guidelines for MTMS managers to develop value-based strategies for business survival and marketing extension.