Metaverses are immersive three-dimensional virtual worlds (VWs) where people interact with each other and their environment, using the metaphor of the real world but without its physical limitations. Unique technology capabilities of metaverses have the potential to enhance the conduct of virtual projects, but little is known about virtual worlds in this context. Virtual project teams struggle in meeting stated project outcomes due to challenges related to communication, shared understanding, and coordination. One way to address these challenges is to consider the use of emerging technologies, such as metaverses, to minimize the impact on virtual project teams. Applying a theoretical foundation for virtual teams in metaverses that includes both technology capabilities and the social interaction that takes place in the metaverse environment, we conducted an empirical investigation of project teams in a virtual world setting. The study examined the interplay of communication, representation, interaction, and team process tools with behaviors that led to role clarity, shared understanding, and coordination. While each individual technology capability contributed to project execution and outcomes, much of the power of the environment emerged through the interplay of social behaviors and technology capabilities. The results have intriguing implications for how metaverse technology capabilities might provide new ways to address gaps in the current research and practice of virtual project management and virtual teams.

Continuing advances in the capabilities of communication and information technologies provide a wide array of interesting ways for people to collaborate across space, time, cultures, and organizational boundaries. While the use of collaboration technologies spreads, researchers seek answers to understanding how best to match different technology capabilities with the tasks that teams need to accomplish. Different theories of task-technology fit have been promoted and these theories help to identify key issues of interest to both researchers and practitioners who seek the answer to the best technology support for collaboration. We examine existing theories of fit for collaboration technology and propose a new view, using the theoretical frame of patterns. We argue that this fresh perspective is particularly relevant in the virtual contexts that are so important in the dynamic life of organizations today.

The use of the internet and newer activity monitors such as the Fitbit Charge HR to improve exercise adherence is limited. The primary aim of the Move on Virtual Engagement (MOVE-HF) was to investigate the effects of group social support by internet-based synchronized face-to-face video and objective physical activity feedback on adherence to recommended exercise guidelines. Thirty stable heart failure patients (New York Heart Association class I–III), aged 64.7±11.5 years, were randomly assigned to an experimental or comparison group. Participants were provided a handout on self-care in heart failure, an exercise routine, a Fitbit Charge HR and were asked to wear the Fitbit Charge HR daily, and record their exercise sessions using both the Fitbit Charge HR and exercise diaries. In addition, participants in the experimental group connected to Vidyo software, once a week, for 8 weeks, for a 45-minute face-to-face online group discussion/education session. Overall Vidyo session attendance was 68%, with 73% of participants attending five or more sessions. Adherence to exercise was 58.8% in the experimental group and 57.3% in the comparison group. The experimental group perceived receiving social support through the internet-based synchronized face-to-face video meetings but due to a small sample size and lack of adequate power, no significant impact on exercise adherence was observed. Participants commented that feedback regarding physical activity from the Fitbit Charge HR was helpful and motivational. Delivering social support by internet-based synchronized face-to-face video is feasible with heart failure patients. However, more investigations are needed to understand its impact on exercise adherence.

The changing marketing landscape has seen the advent and adoption of new tools like shopping apps for consumers. The conventional models which have studied Information Technology (IT) acceptance and adoption by consumers have found that adoption is a function of perceived usefulness and ease of usage. Other models have emphasised Quality, Enjoyment and Trust as significant determinants of the adoption of IT by consumers. Evolution in IT, changing consumer habits, changing demographics and consumer traits make it imperative to rethink pre-existing theories of acceptance and adoption of IT in the context of e-marketing. This paper focuses on the growth of the usage of Apps by consumers in India, explores their functionalities and proposes a new conceptual model for the adoption of Mobile Apps by consumers shopping on e-commerce sites in India. Convenience, Collaboration, Hedonic Motivation, and Habit are the significant constructs outlined in the proposed model, which focuses on the usage of apps in the wake of task directed and experiential consumer behaviour. We propose that Degree of Internet Savviness and Individual Internet Worth are additional moderating variables which impact the effect of convenience and collaboration on App Usage. Implications of the proposed model for research and practice are discussed

The information systems (IS) discipline is apparently undergoing an identity crisis. Academicians question the need for IS departments in colleges, stating the absence of a core for the field and its integration within other business functions as a basis for its elimination. At the same time, many practitioners, as reflected in the U.S. government's recent IT labor shortage report, continue to ignore IS as a distinct field of study. This article briefly outlines these and other challenges and argues that notwithstanding underlying philosophical differences, it can be concluded that IS is an emerging scientific discipline. This conclusion is reached through an assessment of the debate surrounding the issue of whether IS should be a discipline and an analysis of the IS discipline using some key characteristics of "science." The arguments put forth in this paper have four key implications for the IS community: a continuing emphasis on adopting scientific principles and practices for conducting inquiry into IS phenomena; an enhancement of the self-concept of IS academics and professionals through a common identity; it enhances the ability of supporters of the IS field to defend against criticisms, integration with other disciplines, and resource rivalry; and it creates the potential of being well-situated to building a cumulative tradition in the field.