Work routines as an object of resistance during information systems implementations: theoretical foundation and empirical evidence

Abstract

When implementing new information systems, organizations often face resistance behavior from employees who avoid or underutilize the system. We analyze the extent to which such user resistance behavior is explained by users’ perceptions of the technology compared with their perceptions of work routines. We developed a research model based on work system theory and evaluated it using a study (N=106) of a human resources information system implementation in one organization. The results show that work routines are an object of resistance during IS implementations. We identify perceived usefulness and perceived ease of executing work routines as perceptions of work routines during an IS implementation that have a strong influence on user resistance behavior. In addition, our results show that the perceived ease of executing the work routines mediates the impact of perceived ease of use on user resistance behavior. In practice, our findings imply that interventions during IT implementations should focus on both the new technology and changing work routines.

Keywords:

• user resistance
• work routines
• change management
• work system theory
• technology acceptance

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sven Laumer

About the authors

Sven Laumer is an assistant professor at the University of Bamberg. He is interested in user acceptance, user resistance, and technostress in general and the support of information systems for HR tasks, virtual teams, the IT workforce, computer-supported cooperative work, and process-oriented enterprise content management in particular. His research has been published among others in European Journal of Information Systems, Information Systems Journal, Journal of Strategic Information Systems, Journal of Information Technology, DATABASE for Advances in Information Systems, MIS Quarterly Executive, Information Systems Frontiers, and Business & Information Systems Engineering. He is the winner of the ACM SIGMIS Magid Igbaria Outstanding Conference Paper of the Year 2011 Award and two best reviewer awards.

Christian Maier

Christian Maier is an assistant professor at the University of Bamberg, Germany. His research on IS usage, technostress, E-HRM, IT workforce, and enterprise content management has been published in several conference proceedings and scientific journals including European Journal of IS, Information Systems Journal, Journal of Strategic IS, Journal of IT, DATA BASE for Advances in Information Systems, Business & Information Systems Engineering, Employee Relations, and Journal of Business Economics. He is the winner of the ACM SIGMIS Magid Igbaria Outstanding Conference Paper of the Year 2011 Award (E-mail: [email protected]).

Andreas Eckhardt

Andreas Eckhardt is Professor at the German Graduate School of Management and Law in Heilbronn. His research on IS usage, HCI, technostress, E-HRM, BPM and workforce management has been published in two books, several conference proceedings, and scientific journals including Journal of Information Technology, Journal of Strategic Information Systems, European Journal of Information Systems, MIS Quarterly Executive, Journal of Business Economics, and Business & Information Systems Engineering. He is the winner of the ACM SIGMIS Magid Igbaria Outstanding Conference Paper of the Year 2011 Award (E-mail: [email protected]).

Tim Weitzel

Tim Weitzel is Professor and Chair of Information Systems and Services at the University of Bamberg, Germany. His research interests span IT management and usage, standardization, outsourcing, IT business alignment, and E-HRM. His research results are published in 14 books and in journals including MIS Quarterly, Journal of MIS, MIS Quarterly Executive, European Journal of IS, Journal of IT, Journal of SIS, Decision Support Systems, and Business and Information Systems Engineering and have been cited over 2.000 times (E-mail: [email protected]).