IS Discontinuation: Proposing shocks and dissatisfaction as drivers of IS quitting and switching behavior

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian Maier
• Subject Area: Accounting and Finance
• Term: from 2019 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 437092197

The proposal is motivated by practical observations of how Information system (IS) discontinuation challenges many firms that rely on user subscriptions for revenue. Subscription cancellation not only directly affects the revenues of subscription-based service providers, such as Netflix and other media streaming services, but it also affects the ability of platform providers, such as Facebook and other social networking services, to attract advertisers and other business partner. In both scenarios, IS discontinuation (i.e. quitting or switching) jeopardizes the financial profitability of organizations and their future stock market valuations.While previous IS discontinuation research has focused on user dissatisfaction as the major cause, we go beyond conceptualizing IS discontinuation as the result of a series of negative past experiences with an IS, focusing instead on how jarring or shocking life events (which we call ‘shocks’) influence users’ decisions to discontinue using an IS. In a three-stage process with independent objective, we aim to develop a more nuanced understanding of IS discontinuation.In a first step, we will provide a typology of shocks to identify the range of shocks that cause users to discontinue using a service.In a second step, we will identify paths to IS discontinuation, tracing the impact of salient and jarring life events (i.e. shocks) on users’ decisions to discontinue using an IS. Based on image theory, we will explain how two types of system discontinuance behavior, quitting and switching, can result from either shocks or dissatisfaction. The model will use five concepts from image theory (shocks, script, image violation, technology and task (dis)satisfaction, search for and evaluation of superior alternatives) contextualized to system use and integrated into existing IS discontinuance research. To verify the generalizability, usefulness and applicability of the model, we will interview practitioners.In a third step, we will develop a typology of ex-users. Basing on research showing that internal (user personality) and external factors (social environment) guide user behavior, we aim to classify ex-users depending on how these factors are related to shocking events causing IS discontinuation.To ensure generalizability across contexts, we will replicate our results with data collected from users of different services, including media streaming, social networking, and matchmaking services.Overall, we will broaden the current understanding of shocks and their characteristics, how and why shocking experiences can lead to IS quitting and switching behavior, and what internal factors (user personality) and external factors (social environment) influence IS discontinuation, constituting a typology of ex-users. Our focus on shocks provides a new theoretical perspective of practical relevance to organizations who will benefit from better understanding this user behavior that challenges their organizational success.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants