by Roman Zantow
BIRKBECK, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
Postgraduate Dissertation
The objective of this dissertation is to identify how technological frames, held by different user groups involved in... more
The objective of this dissertation is to identify how technological frames, held by different user groups involved in an information systems (IS) implementation project affect the new technology adoption efforts and the attitudes of users. An in-depth ethnographic case study illustrates how the expectations and experiences with a new technology clearly diverged between different user groups and how these perceptions changed over time. It is argued that the different technological frames (TFs) held by user groups emerged from different histories in technology use and a change in power relations. As a consequence of these different ‘mental models’, individuals perceive system attributes such as ‘ease of use’ and ‘usefulness’ from different perspectives. The TF framework is based on the underlying assumption that technology is socially constructed which implies that the perceived ease of use and usefulness are not intrinsic attributes of a software application, as argued in traditional IS adoption approaches, but that they are constructed at the point of interaction between the user and technology. The case study analysis suggests that the divergent interpretations of the technology (incongruent TFs) by different user groups are accompanied by problems during the adoption and use of a technology and that possibilities for intervention exist. Ultimately, I believe that my analysis may serve as a valuable theoretical foundation to guide implementation management as it helps to explain and envisage user attitudes that traditional IS implementation theories are lacking to expound.
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