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Abstract:
The adoption rate of computer-aided software engineering (CASE) technology continues to be low among information systems departments (ISDs). Some ISDs have reported significant hurdles in propagating CASE usage, while documenting the advantages of the technology. We construct and empirically test a theoretical model to explain CASE adoption behavior. Factors considered include need pull (environmental instability of the ISD and performance gap of the ISD), technology push (internal experimentation and learning from external information sources), and the adoption context (top-management support for the IS function, CASE championship, training availability, and job/role rotation). A national survey of 2,700 ISDs resulted in 405 usable responses for the data analysis.
Our analysis suggests a reasonable fit between the model and the data. The results indicate that the need-pull factors do not directly promote CASE adoption behavior. Performance deficit promotes CASE championship behavior while negatively affecting other elements of the adoption context. The instability of ISDs, where the very existence of the ISD may be in question, negatively affects all elements of the adoption context. Learning about CASE from external information sources directly promotes CASE adoption. Both technology push factors positively affect all four elements of the adoption context. Of the contextual elements, CASE training availability, CASE championship, and job/role rotation positively affect CASE adoption behavior. Top management support does not affect CASE adoption behavior, which suggests that such support may be more critical for postadoption stages of the diffusion process.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Arun Rai
Arun Rai is an Associate Professor of MIS in the Department of Management at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. His research interests include management of the systems delivery process, diffusion of advanced information technologies, IT-based organizational transformation, management of strategic alliances in the IT industry, and integration of information systems and management science for decision making. Dr. Rai has published articles on these subjects in Communications of the ACM, Decision Sciences, European Journal of Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, Computers and Operations Research, Omega, Long Range Planning, Accounting, Management and Information Technologies, and several other journals. Dr. Rai has received awards for both outstanding research and teaching contributions. He is on the editorial board of the Information Resources Management Journal and is a member of the Association for Information Systems, Decision Sciences Institute, INFORMS, Beta Gamma Sigma, and Phi Kappa Phi.
Ravi Patnayakuni
Ravi Patnayakuni is a Research Fellow in the Department of Information Systems at the University of Melbourne. His research interests include diffusion and implementation of information technology, systems delivery processes in organizations, IT and business value, and the impact of emerging electronic infrastructures such as the Internet. He has published several articles in proceedings of national conferences and recently in Omega and Communications of the ACM. Mr. Patnayakuni is a member of ACM, INFORMS, the Association for Information Systems, and Decision Sciences Institute.
