The Relationship Between User Participation and the Management of Change Surrounding the Development of Information Systems: A European Perspective

Abstract

While much is known about the general process of user participation in information systems development, its impact on matters of organisational change has not been the subject of systematic, in-depth investigation. In addition, researchers have typically adopted variance, rather than process-based approaches to the study of these related phenomena. This paper addresses these deficiencies and makes several important contributions to the literature. First, it presents the results of a comprehensive, process-based study of the relationship between user participation and organisational change in the development and implementation of information systems in a large organisation. Second, it presents a theoretical model which captures the institutional and development-related contexts that shape and influence the processes of user participation and management of change. Third, using the model as a framework to guide the research effort, this study illustrates that an organisation’s institutional context plays a dominant role in shaping and influencing the content and process of user participation and management of change in systems development. This particular finding has important implications for both research and practice. Finally, the model and its associated framework has been validated by the findings of this stud; it may, therefore, be used in future explorations of these important phenomena.