Internet Issues:
Useability, Usefulness, and Security

Explanation: The following survey will be used to determine your views concerning the useability, usefulness and, in particular, the security of information (e.g., credit card transactions) on the Internet. For the purposes of this survey, we are defining "Internet" to include e-mail, Web use, on-line services (e.g., AOL), and any form of electronic interaction performed using the Internet medium.

We are asking you to share some information about yourself so that we may correlate responses with demographic information. None of the information we collect will be used for anything except collecting data for our study.

Situation: More businesses and users are increasingly relying on transactions via the Internet to conduct daily business. Whether it is sending e-mail or purchasing a product via a secure server connection, the Internet has quickly become an integral part of our lives. However, many are still concerned over the "security" of the Internet.

A recent issue of Edupage (23 Sept. 1997) discusses the increase of "I-Commerce," the use of the Internet to do business:

Research by International Data Corporation suggests that the level of electronic commerce conducted over the Internet will increase from this year's estimated $10 billion to more than $220 billion by 2001, with business-to-business transactions accounting for almost 80% of business volume. "Commerce is the Internet's killer application," says IDC executive Frank Gens. (Financial Times 23 Sep 97)
With this increase in I-Commerce comes a greater concern about how reliable the "secure" servers are for sending credit card information over the Internet. For this survey, we would like to know how safe you feel passing information using the Internet. All responses will be held in the strictest of confidence by Roger McHaney (Kansas State University, College of Business), Alan Rea (Western Michigan University, Haworth College of Business), and Doug White (Western Michigan University, Haworth College of Business).

Please tell us about yourself.

What is your age?

How many years have you been using Internet?

What is your level of education?

Some High School
Finished High School
Some College
Finished College
Graduate School

How many courses in computer usage have you taken?

Do you use a computer at home?

Yes
No

Do you use a computer at work or school?

Yes
No

What is your occupation?

If "Other," please enter your occupation here:

What is your income level?

Are you an American Citizen?

Yes
No

If yes, please choose your state of residence:

If not an American, please select the region of the world you are from:
Please Enter the name of your home country:

How many hours a week do you spend on Internet?

How many of those hours are for fun?

How many of those hours are for work?

Do you use email?

Yes
No

Do you have a web page? If so what is the URL?

Yes
No

Part A

General Instructions: For each of the items below select the button next to the item you most agree with. Internet refers to I-commerce, e-mail, AOL, Compuserve, the World Wide Web, etc. For example:

I like to read fiction.

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

1. Do you think Internet's output is presented in a useful format?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

2. Are you satisfied with the accuracy of the Internet?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

3. Is the Internet information clear?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

4. Is the Internet accurate?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

5. Does the Internet provide sufficient information?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

6. Does the Internet provide up-to-date information?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

7. Do you get the information you need in time from the Internet?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

8. Does the Internet provide information that seems to be just about exactly what you need?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

9. Is the Internet easy to use?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

10. Is the Internet user friendly?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

11. Does the Internet provide the precise information you need?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

12. Does the Internet information content meet your needs?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

13. Are you satisfied with the Internet?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

14. Is the Internet successful?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

Part B

General Instructions: Below are questions that ask you to consider how useful the Internet is to you. Please select the button according to how likely or unlikely you would consider the Internet to help you. For example:

Reading enables me to remain informed.

Likely Neither Unlikely







1. Using the Internet in my job or school work would enable me to accomplish tasks more quickly.

Likely Neither Unlikely







2. Learning to operate the Internet would be easy for me.

Likely Neither Unlikely







3. Using the Internet would improve my job/school performance.

Likely Neither Unlikely







4. I would find it easy to get the Internet to do what I want it to do.

Likely Neither Unlikely







5. Using the Internet in my job or school work would increase my productivity.

Likely Neither Unlikely







6. My interaction with the Internet would be clear and understandable.

Likely Neither Unlikely







7. Using the Internet would enhance my effectiveness conducting job or school work.

Likely Neither Unlikely







8. I would find the Internet to be flexible to interact with.

Likely Neither Unlikely







9. Using the Internet would make it easier to carry out my job or school work.

Likely Neither Unlikely







10. It would be easy for me to become skillful at using the Internet.

Likely Neither Unlikely







11. I would find the Internet useful in my job or school work.

Likely Neither Unlikely







12. I would find the Internet easy to use.

Likely Neither Unlikely







Part C

General Instructions: For each of the items below select the button next to the item you most agree with. Internet refers to I-commerce, e-mail, AOL, Compuserve, the World Wide Web, etc. "Secure Server" refers to those instances when you are using a connection that assures you your transaction has been encrypted.

1. Do you think the Internet can be a secure medium?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

2. Is it clear when information will be securely processed over the Internet?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

3. Are you satisfied with the security on the Internet?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

4. How likely are you to purchase a product on the Internet?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

5. Are you concerned about using your credit card on the Internet?

Almost Never
Some of the Time
About Half of the Time
Most of the Time
Almost Always

6. Processing information via secure interaction on the Internet is clear and understandable for me.

Likely Neither Unlikely







7. It is easy for me to use secure interactions on the Internet.

Likely Neither Unlikely







8. How likely are you to conduct secure transactions over the Internet?

Likely Neither Unlikely







9. Would using the Internet for secure transactions increase your use of the Internet?

Likely Neither Unlikely







10. Would knowing that a transaction is truly secure increase you use of the Internet to exchange sensitive information?

Likely Neither Unlikely







11. How likely are you to use a secure server for transactions on the Internet?

Likely Neither Unlikely







You have now completed the survey. Thank you for helping us.


| Frequently Asked Questions | | Y2K Survey | | Comments about Y2K | | Sites of Interest |


Click Image to go to Main Page

Dec. 12, 1999 / Contact Alan Rea for comments or questions about this site.
http://unix.cc.wmich.edu/rea/Y2K
Site designed by BMM Developers