Dual information systems : the complicated relationship of hedonic and utilitarian values

Abstract

The difference between information systems (IS) according to their use purpose (e.g., hedonic vs. utilitarian and work vs. leisure) is becoming increasingly vague. The growing use of mobile services, the emergence of Web 2.0 and its corollary user-generated content, and design strategies such as gamification have blurred the reasons why people engage with a system. Therefore, many IS can now be considered dual systems used for both pleasure and instrumentality according to the context of use. Although theoretically not fully cultivated, the duality of IS is not an entirely new idea, and for about four decades, the role of computers in combining both work and play has been recognized. Video games and metaphors are the initial sources of inspiration for combining fun and utility in this context, and this approach has been represented in different ways such as funology, ludic design, games with a purpose, serious games, and pervasive games. Nevertheless, many studies still view dual systems as only pleasure- or utility-oriented. A non-cognizance of the duality of IS may result in the development and analysis of these systems in a skewed manner. Therefore, in the IS field, revising the conceptualization and understanding of the use of dual IS is necessary. Considering this identified research gap and its importance, this thesis aims to update the current knowledge regarding dual IS. This thesis also examines the influential factors that affect the use of dual IS but have been ignored in the extant literature. To investigate these factors, both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The results of this thesis show that IS are conceptualized differently in a continuum of pleasure and utility. According to this conceptualization, various resources are used to attain utility or fun from the use of IS. Content is an important resource that enables these differing benefits. The theoretical contribution of this thesis stems from providing an updated view on dual IS, the conceptualization of users’ varying conceptions of a system, and the analysis of previously unstudied relations between various antecedents of system use in the context of dual IS. The results provide practical implications particularly for the design of IS.