How Does Attitude Impact IT Implementation

Abstract

According to previous studies, attitude towards information technology (IT) among small business owners appears to be a key factor in achieving high quality IT implementations. In an effort to extend this stream of research, we conducted case studies with small business owners and learned that high quality IT implementations resulted with owners who had positive or negative attitudes toward IT, but not with owners who had uncertain attitudes. Owners with a polar attitude, either positive or negative, all took action to temper the uncertainty and risk surrounding the use of new IT in their organization. In contrast, owners with uncertain attitudes did not make mitigating attempts to reduce uncertainty and risk. A consistent finding among those with high quality IT implementations was an entrepreneurial, or shared, management style. It is proposed, based on case study data, that small business owners with an uncertain attitude towards IT might experience higher quality IT results in their organizations through practicing a more entrepreneurial, or shared, management style. The study provides insights for both computer specialists and small business owners planning IT implementations.

The adoption and use of information technology: a longitudinal study of a mature family firm

“…Scholars exploring issues of information technologies in small businesses have also argued that qualitative methodology can uncover significant insights into the attitudes of owners and managers as well as the full range of contextual issues underlying the adoption and change of information technology systems (see Winston and Dologite, 2002). In this regard, researchers appear to have responded to Pare and Elam's (1997) suggestion to adopt qualitative and case-based approaches to explore issues of information technology in organisational setting (for example Southern and Tilley, 2000;Harris, 2001;Hallier, 2004).…”

“…For example, a number of researchers have studied the role of entrepreneurial characteristics in influencing the adoption of information technology. In this regard, studies of small businesses frequently argue that individual characteristics such as age, experience, education and skills are likely to influence the adoption of information technology (see Thong and Yap, 1995;Winston and Dologite 2002). Similarly, it has been observed that personal perceptions of executives play a major role in their disposition towards information technology.…”

“…The theme of attitude towards technology has been linked more persuasively to the adoption of information technology. Indeed, the majority of existing research in the area suggests that business owners and executives with positive attitude tend to be more successful in adopting and implementing new technology (see Thong and Yap, 1995;Winston and Dologite, 2002). Such positive attitude is also linked to the achievement of the overall strategic goals of an organisation and the restructuring of work methods (see Bergeron and Raymond, 1992;King, 1996).…”

Learning the hard way? Issues in the adoption of new technology in small technology oriented firms

“…As such, individual characteristics of the SME owner or owner-manager are important in terms of understanding the decision to adopt new technologies (Bergeron and Raymond, 1992;Julien and Raymond, 1994;Malone, 1985;Winston and Dologite, 2002). Indeed a review of the 51 studies of IT innovation adoption by organisations found top management support to be a key predictor (Jeyaraj et al, 2006).…”

SMEs, IT, and the Third Space: Colonization and Creativity in the Theatre Industry

“…Information technology in and of itself also shapes the culture into new forms, and provides new ways of organizing and thinking about the enterprise that can inspire or unlock creativity and bring new perspectives to the fore. While this assertion is innovative in the context of small to medium-sized theatres exchanging ideas with commercial theatres, many IT researchers, particularly over the last two decades or so, have examined how information systems can facilitate the internal work of a variety of small businesses; how they can extend small business strategies to become competitive with large firms by employing their ICTs or examined the importance of developing information systems specifically tailored for small businesses (Cragg and King, 1993;Cragg and Zinatelli, 1995;DeLone, 1988;Harrison, Mykytyn and Riemenschnieder, 1997;Hussin, King, and Cragg, 2002;Iacovou, Benbasat, and Dexter, 1995;Levy, Powell, and Yetton, 2001;Raymond, 1985;Winston and Dologite, 2002;and Zinatelli, Cragg, and Cavaye, 1996. ) There are many ways in which IT supports the development of knowledge sharing and the transfer of knowledge between and among nonprofit theatres and commercial houses in the third space of Bhabha (2004) and in the cyber ba described by Nonaka and Konno (1998).…”