Information System Certification Effectiveness in Digital Environments

The use of information systems has become a fundamental part of people’s everyday private and working life. While in most cases information systems ease the way we consume, produce or share information, products or services, the ubiquitous access to information systems brings along some serious issues not only for those using information systems, but also for those providing them. Particularly in digital and online contexts (e.g., e-commerce), on the one hand, consumers struggle to separate real and trustworthy information systems (and their providers) from those that are counterfeit and pose a threat (e.g., through fraudulent or deceptive tactics). On the other hand, genuine vendors of information systems face challenges, since they would like to convey a trustworthy and veracious picture in order to separate themselves from fake providers and to be successful in their respective markets. So called information asymmetries (i.e., the imbalance of available information between the one using and the one providing the information system) are at the center of these challenging situations. The evolution of digital environments has brought up a variety of counter measures to reduce information asymmetries and hence simplify the provision and use of information systems. Among the most prominent and often used strategies, are information systems certifications (IS certifications). IS certifications are an attestation (in most cases from an independent third-party) of the information system, its vendor or related processes using a pre-defined set of evaluation criteria. Contemporary information systems research has a long history concerning IS certifications, especially in terms of proofing (or dis-proofing) their effectiveness (i.e., the degree to which certifications achieve their intended effects). Yet, extant literature has at best produced mixed results regarding IS certifications’ true effectiveness. While some studies demonstrate IS certifications’ effectiveness in various digital contexts, others exhibit contradicting results by setting out null or even negative IS certification effectiveness on the variable under investigation (e.g., trust or perceived assurance). The problem with