Infusion of Information Systems: The Role of Adaptation and Individual Cognitions

Abstract

Each year, organizations invest billions of dollars in large information systems (IS) that support business processes. These systems are implemented with the hope that they will bring increased efficiency and productivity to operations, decision making, and collaboration, thus strengthening competitive advantage in an increasingly aggressive global marketplace. Unfortunately, empirical evidence demonstrates that despite prodigious investment in these systems, their purported benefits often lag behind expectations, or fail to materialize at all. While many causes may contribute to these failures, a common theme in empirical studies is that information systems are rarely infused into individuals' work practices, thus undermining their benefits to the organization. IS infusion refers to the degree to which the technology is fully integrated into an individual's or organization's work systems. Although theoretical and practical interest in IS infusion is growing, little is understood about the factors that lead to IS infusion at the individual level.This dissertation integrates research and theory in information systems acceptance, adaptation, and infusion to develop a theoretical model of IS infusion at the individual level. To test the model, a survey instrument was developed and tested at the health care facility of a large public university. The revised survey was then deployed at a large technology firm in the northwestern United States, from which 195 individual responses were obtained. Results indicate that adaptation behaviors engaged in by IS users significantly impact the degree to which they infuse the IS in their work. Moreover, these adaptation behaviors are shaped by cognitive appraisals of the IS, which are, in turn, influenced by key acceptance-related IS perceptions.This study contributes to research by integrating previously disparate theories into a holistic framework of individual-level IS infusion. For practice, this research sheds light on specific factors that contribute to IS adaptation and infusion, thereby assisting IS managers to promote these outcomes within their organization.