Does System Quality Matter for System Use? Insights from an Extended Analysis

Background: System quality, which represents the inherent capabilities of information systems, has been theorized as a significant predictor of system use. It has received considerable research attention, but the empirical results on the effect of system quality on system use has been inconsistent over time. This study seeks to examine if system quality matters for system use. Method: Using data gathered from 82 studies published between 2003 and 2024, this study involves a meta-regression to identify factors that may influence the variation in the results of the relationship between system quality and system use along with an extended analysis of the mediating effects of system quality on system use. Result: After controlling for sample size and the number of other direct effects on system quality, results show that students more frequently reported a positive effect of system quality on system use relative to non-students such as customers or workers while there were no significant differences in the effect of system quality on system use due to the type of information system or geographic region. An extended analysis shows that the relationship between system quality and system use is mediated by other variables such as user satisfaction and perceived usefulness. Conclusion: This study shows that system quality matters for system use in multiple ways. It has both direct effects and indirect effects through other factors on system use. These findings have implications for the design of high-quality information systems and the ways in which the design can also impact user evaluations of information systems leading to system use.