An Organizational Perspective on the Collection and Use of Personal Information: The Relationship Between Privacy, Value Creation, and Firm Success

在线服务背景下的个人隐私在我们日益数字化的社会中提出了一个非常感兴趣的话题。然而，对于公司在处理个人隐私方面所面临的挑战缺乏研究。考虑到公司的活动对个人隐私的影响以及隐私在我们社会中的未来作用，这是令人惊讶的。目前的项目是解决这一研究空白的第一步，可以作为这一被忽视领域未来工作的基础。特别是，本研究旨在调查a）隐私保护和B）基于个人个人数据的价值创造之间的组织紧张关系，在线服务提供商面临：试图加强隐私保护的公司可能会限制他们通过个人数据创造价值的可能性。另一方面，从消费者的个人数据中创造价值可能只能通过干涉这些个人的隐私来实现。这种紧张关系给企业带来了重大挑战。本项目的目标是：（1）更好地理解组织在保护隐私和通过个人数据创造价值之间的紧张关系;（2）验证本提案中提出的“平衡假设”：在保护隐私和通过个人数据创造价值之间取得平衡与组织的成功有关;（3）研究组织在保护隐私和通过个人数据创造价值之间的平衡。（3）对上述“平衡假设”的背景因素的潜在影响进行验证。为此，计划连续进行两次研究。首先，在定性研究的基础上，对隐私保护和通过个人数据创造价值之间的紧张关系的性质和方面进行基本理解和概念化。此外，这一定性研究包括第二个后续研究的基础。第二项定量研究将对上述“平衡假设”和语境因素的潜在影响进行统计检验，并将结果发表在权威学术期刊上，为今后的研究奠定基础和跳板。此外，更好地理解上述紧张关系可以作为企业在当今数据驱动的价值创造和隐私问题时代所面临的战略决策的重要基础。

Individuals’ privacy in the context of online services presents a topic of significant interest in our increasingly digital society. However, there is a lack of research on the challenges faced by companies regarding their handling of individuals’ privacy. This is surprising, considering the impact that companies’ activities have on individuals’ privacy and the future role of privacy in our society. The current project presents a first step towards addressing this research gap and can serve as a foundation for future work in this neglected area.In particular, this research aims to investigate the organizational tension between a) privacy protection and b) value creation based on individuals’ personal data, which providers of online services face: Companies that try to increase privacy protection might limit their possibilities to create value through personal data as a result. On the other hand, creating value from the personal data of consumers might only be accomplished by interfering with these individuals’ privacy. This tension presents a significant challenge for companies. However, we lack adequate knowledge on how companies can deal with this tension.The goals of this project are as follows:(1) Developing a better understanding of the organizational tension between privacy protection and value creation through personal data; (2) Testing the “balance hypothesis” as posed in this proposal: a balance between privacy protection and value creation through personal data is associated with organizational success; (3) Testing the potential influence of contextual factors with regard to the “balance hypothesis” as stated above.To this end, two consecutive studies are planned. First, based on a qualitative study, a fundamental understanding and a conceptualization regarding the nature and facets of the tension between privacy protection and value creation through personal data are to be developed. Furthermore, this qualitative study includes groundwork for the second subsequent study. In this second, quantitative study, the above-stated "balance hypothesis" and potential influences of contextual factors are to be tested statistically.The results of this project are intended to be published in leading academic journals and can serve as a foundation and springboard for future research. Moreover, a better understanding of the tension described above can serve as an important basis for strategic decisions faced by companies in today’s era of data-driven value creation and privacy concerns.