Technology Use Rationale and Assimilationin the Implementation of Electronic Data Interchange

摘要

This study explores how rationales for information technology use relate to the extent of its assimilation in organizations andrnconsiders whether and how rationales associated with the technology-in-practice are transformed as the organization makesrnuse of the technology. A multiple-case study of electronic data interchange (EDI) adoption and assimilation was analyzed,rnlooking at both institutional and strategic rationales for EDI use. The degree of assimilation was greatest among thosernorganizations that cited a strategically-oriented rationale for using EDI. The study also found evidence of a shift fromrninstitutional to strategic rationales in several organizations as they decided to extend their use of EDI beyond their initialrnimplementation. Shifts in rationale emerged as organizational members gained greater exposure to the organizing vision ofrnthe larger EDI community and, to a lesser extent, as they experienced improvements in organizational performance throughrnthe use of EDI.