Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Measuring use of information
systems (is) in sMes
ment
means that the users state the extent to which
they use the system - in the form of self-reporting.
The objective
measurement
means that the sys-
tem is used when doing the measurement - in
the form of computer-recorded measures. It soon
becomes apparent that both these methods create
some problems: if self-reporting - the outcome
builds on the specific users' thoughts regarding the
extent to which they use the system; if computer-
recoded, the data are purportedly more correct,
albeit measuring
usage
in this way raises some
ethical issues.
Sedera and Tan (2007) describe the problems
related to usage and research made on IS success.
One of the problems is that usage is defined in sev-
eral different ways, with at least three contrasting
meanings. First, IS
usage
is described as a variable
for deciding on benefits from use of IS. This is
exemplified by Sedera and Tan as IS for decision
making. The second definition emphasizes
usage
as a dependent variable which influences future IS
usage
, and is described as IS acceptance or suc-
cessful implementation of IS. The third meaning
is that
usage
is seen as a process which leads to
an impact on individuals as well as organizations.
In this case,
usage
is exemplified by IS success.
The measurement model that we present aims at
combining the three different definitions on IS
usage
, described by Sedera and Tan.
When it come to
usage
and
diffusion
of IS in
SMEs, there is a great deal of research studying
e-commerce or e-business diffusion; examples of
studies are Eriksson and Hultman's (2005) and Zhu
and Kraemer's (2005). Results from this research
are often accompanied with a discussion of usage
from a maturity model (Hedman & Borell, 2004),
such as the Gibson and Nolan's growth model
(1974). Most often these studies do not consider
internal diffusion in a specific organization, nor
do they aim at measuring
use
and value of the
adopted system. Zhu and Kraemer (2005) present
a conceptual model that aims at measuring use and
value of e-business in organizations. The authors
claim that it is necessary to develop and test a
model for measuring IS use due to the paucity
of research on post-adoption of IS. According to
Zhu and Kraemer, existing research has focused
on adoption decisions and on measures, such as
intent to adopt and factors focusing on adoption
versus non-adoption. They conclude with a call
for more research on post-adoption in the form of
actual usage. Thus, there is a clear connection to
value, which is confirmed by Zhu and Kraemer
positing that actual
usage
is an important link to
IT value. The authors suggest a model that builds
on the technology-organization-environment
(TOE) framework.
The TOE framework combines three aspects on
adoption, implementation, and use of technologi-
cal innovations: 1) the context of the technology,
focusing on existing as well as new technologies,
2) organizational context referring to descriptive
measures, such as scope, size, etc., and 3) the
arena seen as the environmental context in which
the organization conducts its business.
Straub et al.(1995) claim that system usage has
been the most frequently used measure when it
comes to measuring IS success. They describe it
as two different forms of measuring system usage:
subjective or objective. The subjective
measure-
Measuring utilization of erp
systems usage in sMes
In summary, there is considerable work on the use
of IT/IS, in which a collective use is described
(Burton-Jones & Gallivan, 2007). The authors
question whether it is really possible to use IT/IS
collectively, and claim that there is a need to
increase the understanding of use from a multi
perspective level. We agree with Burton-Jones
and Gallivan that there is a general need for this
multi perspective understanding,; however, we
also submit that in specific ERP cases there is
an increasing need for research on use also from
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