Understanding Senior Executives' Use of Information Technology and the Internet

Abstract

The Internet and information technology (IT) have received considerable attention from senior executives, yet they still have not committed themselves fully to these technologies. Consequently, they are not reaping the full benefits. Recent studies investigated the factors that influence senior executives’ use of IT and the Internet. Surprisingly, only a few factors had a significant influence on usage, directly or indirectly. A better understanding of these factors can facilitate the design of interventions that address the adoption and acceptance of a new IT tool, an information system or the Internet. This chapter proposes a limited number of interventions aimed at improving usage. The Internet will change the way information is being gathered, evaluated, and communicated. This also applies for senior executives and their main constituencies. Now is the time for senior executives to hone their Internet skills so that they can receive the right information in the right way, leading to enhanced decision-making.