From Use to Effective Use: A Representation Theory Perspective.

Author List: Burton-Jones, Andrew; Grange, Camille;
Information Systems Research, 2013, Volume 24, Issue 3, Page 632-658.
Information systems must be used effectively to obtain maximum benefits from them. However, despite a great deal of research on when and why systems are used, very little research has examined what effective system use involves and what drives it. To move from use to effective use requires understanding an information system's nature and purpose, which in turn requires a theory of information systems. We draw on representation theory, which states that an information system is made up of several structures that serve to represent some part of the world that a user and other stakeholders must understand. From this theory, we derive a high-level framework of how effective use and performance evolve, as well as specific models of the nature and drivers of effective use. The models are designed to explain the effective use of any information system and offer unique insights that would not be offered by traditional views, which tend to consider information systems to be just another tool. We explain how our theory extends existing research, provides a rich platform for research on effective use, and how it contributes back to the theory of information systems from which it was derived.
Keywords: effective system use; goals; performance; representation theory; system structure
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List of Topics

#174 0.281 use support information effective behaviors work usage examine extent users expertise uses longitudinal focus routine revealed volume constructs contributes operations
#110 0.170 theory theories theoretical paper new understanding work practical explain empirical contribution phenomenon literature second implications different building based insights need
#240 0.147 systems information management development presented function article discussed model personnel general organization described presents finally computer-based role examined functional components
#222 0.082 research researchers framework future information systems important present agenda identify areas provide understanding contributions using literature studies paper potential review
#125 0.077 framework model used conceptual proposed given particular general concept frameworks literature developed develop providing paper developing guidelines concepts appropriate set
#184 0.076 modeling models model business research paradigm components using representation extension logical set existing way aspects issues current integrated languages traditional
#114 0.059 performance firm measures metrics value relationship firms results objective relationships firm's organizational traffic measure market study improve accounting measuring aggregate