A conceptual model explaining IT/IS usage behavior

Abstract

Information Systems and Information Technology have become a crucial success factor for business environments. To ensure optimal use of Information Systems it is especially important to understand usage behavior and factors influencing their adoption by an organization. In recent decades some models have been developed to describe information technology and information systems (IT/IS) usage behavior under voluntary or mandatory conditions focusing mainly on technological or task-related perspectives. These models however can not explain observed phenomena like underperformance of technologically optimal information systems or over-performance of suboptimal systems. In an attempt to close this gap we present a causal model integrating both human and social change processes as well as feedback factors affecting the usage of IT/IS on a regular basis. We further show implications for the system adoption process in a business environment. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.