Question 3: What are the main forms of utility obtained from reading, commenting and blogging?
7.3.1 Questionnaire items
The questionnaire used in the survey was in German language (see Annex 2).
The subsequent sections provide English translations of the items plus considerations of item development.
7.3.2 Perceived ease of use (PEOU)
Reading behaviour PER-1:
‘Operating a blog page as reader is easy for me or would be easy for me.’
PER-2:
‘Generally speaking in my opinion blog pages are easy to operate.’
PER-3:
‘I quickly became a skilful blog reader or would quickly become one.’
PER-4:
‘For a reader it is burdensome to find one´s way on a blog page.’
Instrument development 73 Commenting behaviour
PEC-1:
‘I believe that the commenting function on blog pages is generally easy to operate.’
PEC-2:
‘Leaving a comment on a blog page is or would be a difficult technical task for me.’
PEC-3:
‘Regarding operability I believe that it is easy to leave a comment on a blog page.’
Blogging behaviour PEB-1:
‘Operating the blog software on my own would be or is easy for me.’
PEB-2:
‘The operation of the blog software is not difficult for me or would not be difficult for me.’
PEB-3:
‘It would be easy for me or was easy for me to learn the operation of the blog software.’
PEB-4:
‘It would be easy for me to get the blog software to do what I want it to do.
OR: It was easy for me to get the blog software to do what I wanted it to do.’
PEB-5:
‘I believe that the operation of the blog software is burdensome.’
PEB-6:
‘I think that generally speaking the blog software is easy to use.’
Instrument development 74
7.3.3 Perceived usefulness (PU)
Adequate measurement of the perceived utility of leisure-blogs for readers, commentators and bloggers was of critical importance.
The PU items from literature seemed less useful because most items referred to perceived effectiveness and efficiency gains induced by the usage of specific software applications in a workplace context. Therefore all questionnaire items related to PU were derived from the lists of specific utilities blog readers, commentators and bloggers might perceive in the respective application context – for the lists of possible utilities see section 7.3.
In the interviews with test-respondents the paraphrases blog(s)’ and ‘leisure-blog(s) about hiking- and getaway-possibilities in a region’ were found most useful in respect of clearness of context and comprehensibility.
Reading behaviour
PR1:
‘Reading of leisure-blogs is or would be useful for me to acquire knowledge.’
PR2:
‘... to get new ideas.’
PR3:
‘... to get important stimulations and suggestions in the planning of hiking-tours and getaways.’
PR4:
‘... to obtain up-to-date information (f. e. about the weather, hiking-conditions, places of interest, restaurants, etc).’
Instrument development 75 PR5:
‘... to benefit from and take the best out of the experiences of others.’
PR6:
‘Reading of leisure-blogs is or would be useful for me for entertainment.’
Commenting behaviour PC1:
‘Commenting articles in leisure-blogs is or would be useful for me to swap opinions with the blog-author or other blog-visitors on done or planned hiking-tours or getaways.’
PC2:
‘... to obtain answers on questions that emerge in the course of reading of blog-articles about hiking or getaway possibilities.’
PC3:
‘... to come in contact with the blog-author or other people with whom I have common interests.’
PC4:
‘... to accomplish blog-articles or to express my own opinion.’
PC5:
‘Commenting articles in leisure-blogs is or would be useful for me to enjoy my own creativity.’
PC6:
‘... because it is fun for me.’
Instrument development 76 Blogging behaviour
PB-1:
‘Having my own leisure-blog is or would be useful for me to keep a diary of important experiences.’
PB-2:
‘... to exchange opinions about my experiences.’
PB-3:
‘... to show the things that are important for me and those I deal with.’
PB-4:
‘... to keep in contact with friends, acquaintances and relatives.’
PB-5:
‘... because I think it´s great to have one.’
PB-6:
‘... to let out my creativity.’
7.3.4 Behavioural intention to use (BI)
In the wording of items used to measure the behavioural intention ‘provided I have the possibility’ or ‘if I have the opportunity’ is mentioned as precondition. This seemed important to actually measure the intention to act in a certain manner instead of measuring the availability of sufficient resources, f. e. sufficient time available.
Reading behaviour BIR-1:
‘Provided I have the possibility, I want to read leisure-blogs (f. e. about hiking or getaway possibilities).’
Instrument development 77 BIR-2:
‘Provided I have the possibility, I can imagine reading leisure-blogs in the future.’
BIR-3:
‘I intend to read leisure-blogs (f. e. about hiking or getaway possibilities).’
BIR-4:
‘If I have the opportunity, I most often intend to inform myself on private websites (f.
e. in leisure-blogs) prior to hiking tours and getaways.’
BIR-5:
‘I rather dislike leisure-blogs. Therefore I will barely read them.’
Commenting behaviour
BIC-1:
‘If I have the opportunity, I want to leave comments in leisure-blogs.’
BIC-2:
‘I intend to usually comment on blog-articles interesting for me.’
BIC-3:
‘I do not intend to use the commenting function in leisure-blogs.’
Blogging behaviour
BIB-1:
‘Provided I have the possibility, I will start my own leisure-blog or continue maintaining it.’
BIB-2:
‘If I get the opportunity to have my own leisure-blog, I say today that I will take it.’
Instrument development 78 BIB-3:
‘Having my own blog is nothing for me. I am sure that I will not start a leisure-blog in the future or will soon skip it.’
BIB-4:
‘Provided I have the possibility, I intend to continue or start telling about topics important for me in my own blog.’
7.3.5 C/I self efficacy (SE)
For the items relating to the self efficacy with computers and the Internet it seemed useful to ask for the process of starting usage of a new Internet service. This because starting an own blog means learning to use a new Internet service. Asking broadly for the usage of the Internet was found too unclear because some test-respondents thought of using search engines or simply reading websites while others associated the operation of the blog software.
SE-1:
‘Usually I require nobody who teaches me how to use a new Internet service.’
SE-2:
‘Even if I have never used a certain Internet service before, I usually find a way.’
SE-3:
‘For learning the operation of a new Internet service, I usually only require a user manual or a description.’
SE-4:
‘I can usually operate a new Internet service if I have seen someone else using it before.’
SE-5:
‘I can usually operate a new Internet service if I can ask someone for help if I got stuck.’
Instrument development 79 SE-6:
‘Usually a short training is sufficient for me to cope with a new Internet service.’
7.3.6 Perceived resources (RS)
The items for the model element ‘perceived resources and support’ cover a variety of resources necessary to start and/or maintain a leisure-blog.
Due to the small number of actual bloggers on the pilot-platform www.wandertipp.at and the lack of customer support for the blogging software, no items for the aspect of
‘perceived support’ were developed.
RS-1:
‘I think I have sufficient experience in operating Internet services to use them if I want.’
RS-2:
‘I have or would have sufficient time to write articles for an own blog.’
RS-3:
‘I assume that a blog-software works completely different in comparison to the other things I usually do with my computer and on the Internet.’
RS-4:
‘I suppose that I have a sufficiently modern computer and a fast enough Internet connection to use a blog-software.’
RS-5:
‘Generally speaking it is burdensome for me to write an article about my experiences.’
RS-6:
‘Generally speaking it is burdensome for me to draw up a proper comment to a text I have read.’
RS-7:
‘On holidays, during hiking-tours or getaways I usually have a digital camera with me.’
Instrument development 80
7.3.7 C/I anxiety (AX)
The items related to C/I anxiety were to a large extent taken from literature.
AX-1:
‘The idea of using a new internet service scares me.’
AX-2:
‘Operating a computer or surfing the Internet tends to make me nervous.’
AX-3:
‘I feel uncomfortable when I am concerned with computers and the Internet.’
AX-4:
‘I feel lost if I imagine using a new Internet service.’
7.3.8 C/I playfulness (PL)
These items were directly taken from literature.
PL-1:
‘When I use computers and the Internet I conceive myself as spontaneous.’
PL-2:
‘... as imaginative and full of ideas.’
PL-3:
‘... as flexible.’
PL-4:
‘... as creative.’
Instrument development 81