Sex and beliefs about computed-based information systems: An examination of group support systems

Different beliefs about computer-based information systems (IS) have been found across sex for users and potential users of these systems. Since beliefs are known to influence system use decisions, knowledge of beliefs and the ability to influence beliefs are valuable to managers implementing new IS. Since sex is not subject to managerial influence, knowledge of attributes which (1) correlate with sex, (2) influence IS beliefs, (3) explain the belief variance ascribed to sex, and (4) are under management’s influence would be valuable. This study proposes four sex-related attributes for group support system (GSS) use. The sudy found the attributes to meet three of the above criteria, but not to explain the belief variance ascribed to sex. This finding suggests that sex influences IS beliefs directly or that important sex-related attributes have not been identified in the IS literature. Since culture is a strong influence on social sex roles, this literature is proposed as a source of potentially important sex-related attributes. Therefore, attributes related to sex and culture may be appropriate candidates to explain belief differences across sex for social technologies such as GSS. However, given the strength of cultural values which influence beliefs, managers may have to accommodate, not influence, culturally-related beliefs.