Distinguishing the effects of B2B information quality, system quality, and service outcome quality on trust and distrust

• Published in: The journal of strategic information systems Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 118 - 141
• Main Authors: McKnight, D. Harrison, Lankton, Nancy K., Nicolaou, Andreas, Price, Jean
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.06.2017; Elsevier Science SA
• Subjects: B2B relationship; Business to business commerce; Competitive advantage; Competitive intelligence; Data exchange; Distrust; Information quality; Information technology; Perceived risk; Productivity; Relationship commitment; Service outcome quality; System quality; Trust; Data exchange; Perceived risk; Information quality; Service outcome quality; Distrust; System quality; Relationship commitment; Trust; B2B relationship
• ISSN: 0963-8687; 1873-1198
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsis.2017.01.001

•Information quality more strongly influences trusting beliefs than distrusting beliefs.•Service outcome quality more strongly influences distrusting beliefs than trusting beliefs.•Trusting beliefs more strongly influence relationship commitment than distrusting beliefs.•Trusting and distrusting beliefs have equivalent effects on perceived risk. Successful business-to-business (B2B) data exchanges can help firms improve inter-organizational cooperation and operational practices, thereby increasing competitive advantage. However, data exchange quality and trust are not assured. Further, although researchers have examined how trust in the exchange partner relates to data exchange system success, both trust and distrust may be important to consider. Using two-factor theory and trust theory, we examine the differential impacts of information quality, system quality, and service outcome quality on trusting and distrusting beliefs. We also study whether trusting and distrusting beliefs have differential influences on relationship commitment and perceived risk. Results from a laboratory experiment show that information quality, a process (i.e., motivating) factor, more strongly influences trusting beliefs than distrusting beliefs, whereas service outcome quality, an outcome (i.e., hygiene) factor, more strongly influences distrusting beliefs. Also, while trusting beliefs has a significantly stronger influence on relationship commitment, trusting and distrusting beliefs have equivalent effects on perceived risk. Implications and ways to expand this research are discussed.