Industry-Specificity of Employee Portal Success: A Multi-Group Comparison

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of employee portal success and to investigate the industry differences with regard to the success factors. We introduce a theoretical model for this that is based on the DeLone and McLean IS Success Model, which considers the specific requirements of employee portals. We tested the associations between our model’s different success dimensions by using more than 6,000 employees’ responses that were collected in a survey of 22 companies across different industries participating in an international benchmarking study. Furthermore, we analyzed potential industry differences by means of a multi-group comparison. We applied structural equation modeling to carry out the data analysis. The study’s results indicate that, besides the factors contributing to the success of IS in general, other success dimensions – like the quality of the collaboration and process support – have to be considered when aiming for a successful employee portal. The results of the multi-group comparison further indicate that the impacts of the success factors differ in intensity and significance between the industries in our sample. The study’s findings make it possible for practitioners to understand the industry-specific levers with which to improve their employee portals and to prioritize their investments accordingly. By empirically validating a comprehensive success model for employee portals, the study\u27s results advance the theoretical development in this area and present a basis for further research in this field