The Impact of Perceived Process Characteristics on Process Virtualizability

Due to the growing world-wide globalization and the possibility to use new innovations of the digital economy, more and more processes and services are being virtualized. Recently, Process Virtualization Theory has been suggested as one way for understanding factors that affect the behavior of process participants when they face a virtual process. In order to verify the theory’s core claims, we design a research model and subsequently develop measurement instruments to empirically analyze and test why different process participants use or do not use this process in a virtual environment. Therefore we develop measurement instruments and conduct a questionnaire-based survey study carried out in Frankfurt Airport as well as at the Leipzig Airport in Germany with 183 participants in total. The results indicate that process characteristics in the form of requirements affect individual attitudes towards using airline check-in processes, which can be conducted virtually by checking in online via a website, or physically by checking in at the counter at the airport. We provide empirical evidence for the validity of Process Virtualization Theory, and demonstrate that our model is statistically significant and well constructed.