Factors Affecting the Adoption of Open Systems: An Exploratory Study.

Author List: Chau, Patrick Y.K.; Tam, Kar Yan;
MIS Quarterly, 1997, Volume 21, Issue 1, Page 1/24/2017.
Advocates of open systems believe that problems related to compatibility, interoperability, scalability, and efficient use of IT resources can be resolved by setting software and hardware standards and strictly adhering to these standards in systems development and management. Representing a major departure from the traditional way of running an IS operation, the adoption of open systems has major ramifications on the IT infrastructure with long-lasting effects. Unfortunately, little research has been done to study this ubiquitous phenomenon despite its impacts on organizational computing worldwide. To fill this research gap, a model that incorporates seven factors perceived to affect the adoption is developed and tested. In-depth interviews with senior executives responsible for managing corporate IS functions from 89 organizations were conducted to collect data for empirical analysis. The findings suggest that organizations tend to (1) focus more on their "ability to adopt" than on the "benefits from adoption," and (2) take a "reactive" rather than "proactive" attitude in adopting open systems technology. Managerial implications are also discussed.
Keywords: information systems infrastructure; IT adoption; open systems; technology diffusion
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List of Topics

#108 0.186 model research data results study using theoretical influence findings theory support implications test collected tested based empirical empirically context paper
#231 0.152 information management data processing systems corporate article communications organization control distributed department capacity departments major user hardware cost applications expansion
#150 0.120 issues management systems information key managers executives senior corporate important importance survey critical corporations multinational managing interviews study results concerns
#49 0.092 adoption diffusion technology adopters innovation adopt process information potential innovations influence new characteristics early adopting set compatibility time initial current
#117 0.082 standards interorganizational ios standardization standard systems compatibility effects cooperation firms industry benefits open interoperability key heterogeneous vertical propose vendors collective
#147 0.069 process problem method technique experts using formation identification implicit analysis common proactive input improvements identify traditional stages identifying explicit setting
#3 0.068 problems issues major involved legal future technological impact dealing efforts current lack challenges subsystem related highly present addressing likely recommendations
#198 0.066 factors success information critical management implementation study factor successful systems support quality variables related results key model csf importance determinants
#273 0.061 source open software oss development developers projects developer proprietary community success openness impact paper project associated activity phenomenon peripheral variety