Steven Brown Dissertation Approved Final Draft

380 Pages·2009·6.08 MB·English

by  George Crandell

Technology Acceptance and Organizational Change:
An Integration of Theory

by

Steven C. Brown

A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of
Auburn University
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

Auburn, Alabama
December 18, 2009

Keywords: organizational change, mixed method,
technology acceptance model

Copyright 2009 by Steven Charles Brown

Approved by

Achilles A. Armenakis, Chair, J. T. Pursell Sr. Scholar, Department of Management
Hubert S. Feild, Torchmark Professor of Management
Kevin Mossholder, C. G. Mills Professor of Management
Abstract

This dissertation uses a sequential mixed method research design to examine a new model of
change readiness that focuses on change initiatives involving technology. The model is called the
model of technological change. It integrates two models, one from organizational change literature
and one from information systems (IS) literature. The model of readiness for change follows the
theoretical framework provided by Fishbein and Ajzen in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to
predict behaviors using attitudes formed by beliefs, which are in turn informed by antecedents. The
model consists of four classes of antecedents: content, process, context, and individual differences,
which predict the five change recipient beliefs. The beliefs are: discrepancy, appropriateness, change
efficacy, principal support, and personal valence. These beliefs reflect the attitude called readiness
for change and predict various change-related outcomes. The technology acceptance model (TAM)
comes from IS literature. The model is commonly used to predict use of a new technology after being
implemented in an organization. It too follows the framework of Fishbein and Ajzen’s TPB and
matches very closely to the model of readiness for change in terms of its content, except that it has
two beliefs that are very different, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. These two models
are combined and both literatures are examined. Additional theoretical development related to
expectancy theory as a process to explain readiness and resistance to change is explored by
examining the combination of belief constructs within the integrated model.
A smaller hypothesized model consisting of one variable from each of the four antecedent
categories is tested. The antecedents include specific ERP subsystem for content, training for
process, LMX for context, and core self-evaluation for individual differences. The model includes all
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seven beliefs, and three outcomes, affective commitment, technology acceptance, and personal
initiative, are examined.
Qualitative data and quantitative data were collected from employees participating in a
university change initiative involving the replacement of legacy IT systems with a pervasive
enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Study 1 consists of qualitative data collection and
analysis involving of a variety of data sources and the formation of themes and subthemes that
guided survey creation for Study 2. Study 2 consists of the collection of empirical data via web-based
survey followed by analysis and hypothesis testing using SPSS syntax for moderated-mediation. The
results provide overall general support for the integrated model. Specific findings are discussed, as
are implications and future research directions.

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Acknowledgments

The comparative mythologist, Joseph Campbell, once wrote “follow your bliss,” and that
is what I chose to do. I really did not know what I was getting myself into when I decided to go
for a Ph.D., but I am really glad that I chose this path. This experience has been wonderful. I
have learned a lot about myself, others, and the career that I have chosen for my life. I am a very
blessed person and I am very thankful for all of those who made this possible.
Foremost, I offer my thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All of my earned
academic achievement is nothing in comparison to knowing the love and salvation that was
given to me freely. In addition, I wish to dedicate this dissertation to my mother, Linda Brown,
and my father, Rufus Brown, who taught me the meaning of self-sacrifice, kindness, and love.
You remain the driving force in my life and I will always carry you and my entire family –
Scott Brown, Ethel Maddox, and all the rest – in my heart, mind, and soul forever.
I want to thank my dissertation chair, Achilles Armenakis, without whom none of this
would have been possible. I could not have asked for a better person to have been my mentor and
I simply cannot offer enough praise. I also wish to thank my dissertation committee, Hubert
“Junior” Feild, Kevin Mossholder, and Dan Svyantek, all of whom were very supportive.
I want to thank Jack Walker, Dean Vitale, and Min Carter for being wonderful
officemates and Keith Credo, Jeff Haynie, Feri Irani, and Anju Mehta too. I especially want to
thank Viraj Varma and Eric Gresch for being great friends and colleagues, and for sharing this
experience with me. I will always cherish our friendship and our time together.
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Table of Contents

Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………… ii
Acknowledgments ………………………………………………………………………... iv
List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………... xiv
List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………….. xvii
List of Abbreviations …………………………………………………………………….. xviii
Chapter 1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………… 1
Technology and Change …………………………………………………..……… 2
ERP Systems and Organizational Change ………………………………………... 7
Level of Study ……………………………………………………………..……… 10
Micro-Level Resistance to Change ………………………………………..……… 11
Management Strategies for Change Readiness …………………………………… 15
Theoretical Basis and Importance of the Study …………………………………... 17
Model of Readiness for Organizational Change (MROC) ………………...……... 19
Technology Acceptance Model …………………………………………………... 19
Integrating Organizational Change, IS Theory, and Motivation Theory ….……… 20
Study Context ……………………………………………………………..……… 22
Overview of the Method …………………………………………………..……… 23
Study One ………………………………………………………………….…...… 24
Study Two ………………………………………………………………….…….. 24
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Chapter 2. Literature Review And Hypotheses …………………………………………... 29
Theoretical Overview …………………………………………………………….. 29
The Theory of Planned Behavior …………………………………………. 29
The Model of Readiness for Organizational Change (MROC) …………... 31
Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) ………………………………….. 35
Complaints Concerning Further Development of the TAM ……………… 41
The Model of Technological Change (MTC) …………………………….. 42
Temporal Dimensions of the Model of Technological Change ………….. 44
Technological Change-Related Outcomes ……………………………………….. 45
Technology Acceptance, Adoption, and Continuance …………………… 46
Commitment to Organizational Change ………………………………….. 48
Personal Initiative …………………………………………….………….. 51
Intentions and Reactions ………………………………………………………… 55
Readiness for Change …………………………………………...………. 55
Managing Readiness for Change ………………………………..………. 57
Technology Readiness as an Attitude …………………………………….. 60
Technological Change-Related Beliefs …………………………………………... 62
Organizational Change Recipients Beliefs ………………………............. 62
Discrepancy ………………………………………………………………. 63
Discrepancy hypotheses ………………………………………….. 67
Appropriateness ………………………………………………………….. 67
Appropriateness hypotheses ……………………………………… 70
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Change Efficacy…………………………………………………………… 71
Global self-efficacy ………………………………………………. 71
Personal Efficacy specific to change ……………………………. 73
Collective change efficacy ………………………………………. 75
Change efficacy hypotheses ……………………………………… 76
Principal Support ………………………………………………………… 76
Top leaders ………………………………………………………. 77
Supervisors ……………………………………………………….. 79
Coworkers ………………………………………………………… 80
Perceived Organizational Support (POS) ………………………… 80
Principal support and technology implementation ……………….. 82
Principal support hypotheses ……………………………………... 84
Valence …………………………………………………………………………… 85
Personal valence hypotheses ……………………………………………… 87
Interrelationship of the Five Elements of Change Beliefs ………………………... 87
Beliefs Concerning Technology Acceptance …………………………………….. 89
Perceived Ease of Use ……………………………………………………………. 89
Perceived ease of use hypotheses ………………………………………… 89
Perceived Usefulness …………………………………………………………….. 91
Perceived usefulness hypotheses ………………………………………… 92
The Limitations of Perceived Ease of Use and Perceived Usefulness …………… 93
Model Comparison ……………………………………………………………….. 94
Development of Technological Change Beliefs ………………………………………….. 94
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Sensemaking and the Formation of Beliefs ………………………………. 94
Antecedents of Change-Related Beliefs ………………………………….. 96
Antecedents in the Technology Acceptance Model ……………………… 98
Typology of Antecedents of Beliefs ……………………………………………… 101
Change-Related Content ………………………………………………….. 102
Information System-Related Characteristics ……………………………... 103
Change-Related Content Hypotheses …………………………………….. 103
Change-Related Process …………………….............................................. 105
Communicating the Change Message …………………............................. 106
Change-Related Training …………………………………………………. 110
Change-Related Process Hypotheses ……………………………... 113
Change-Related Context ………………………………………………………….. 114
Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) ………………………………………………… 117
Change-Related Context Hypotheses ………………………………………… 119
Individual Differences …………………………………………………………….. 121
Core Self Evaluation ……………………………………………………………….. 122
Individual Difference-Related Hypotheses ……………………………………. 124
Chapter 3. Method………………………………………………………………………… 127
Research Design …………………………………………………………………… 127
Reasons for a Mixed Method Design ……………………………………………… 129
Advantages of a Mixed Method Design ………………………………………….. 131
Chapter 4. Study 1: Qualitative Research ………………………………………………… 134
Organizational Setting and Narrative of the Change Event ……………………….. 135
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Participants ………………………………………………………………………… 142
Research Questions ………………………………………………………................ 145
Research Procedures ………………………………………………………………. 145
Initial impressions ………………………………………………………….. 145
Open-ended interviews ……………………………………………………… 146
Questionnaire ………………………………………………………………... 147
Content Analysis and Theme Development ……………………………………….. 147
Findings ……………………………………………………………………………. 148
Themes Developed ………………………………………………………................ 148
Additional findings ………………………………………………………….. 149
Summary for Study 1 ………………………………………………………............. 150
Finance subsystem (content theme) …………………………………………. 150
Human resources subsystem (content theme) ……………………………….. 151
Technical issues (content theme) ……………………………………………. 151
Training-related issues (process theme) …………………………………….. 151
Communication and change message (process theme) ……………………... 151
Managing the change process (process theme) ……………………………... 152
Fairness-related issues (process theme) …………………………………….. 152
Change agent effectiveness (process theme) ………………………………. 152
Internal and external contextual pressures (context theme) ……………….. 152
Social and political influences (context theme) …………………………… 153
Change recipient characteristics (individual difference theme) …………… 153
Efficacy and support for the change (beliefs theme) ………………………. 153
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Valence of change recipients (beliefs theme) ………………………………. 154
Discrepancy and appropriateness of the change (beliefs theme) …………… 154
Development of a Contextually-Customized Survey Instrument …………………. 154
Answering the Research Questions ………………………………………………. 155
Chapter 5. Study 2: Quantitative Research ………………………………………………. 159
Procedures ………………………………………………………………………… 160
Participants ………………………………………………………………………… 162
Development of a Contextually-Customized Survey Instrument …………………. 165
Measures …………………………………………………………………............... 167
Control variables ……………………………………………………………. 168
Independent Variables …………………………………………………………….. 169
ERP subsystems (i.e., content variable) ……………………………………. 169
Training (i.e., process variable) ……………………………………………….. 169
Moderator Variables ………………………………………………………………. 169
Leader-member exchange (LMX; i.e., context variable) ………………………. 169
Core self-evaluation (CSE) …………………………………………………… 170
Mediator Variables (i.e., Change Recipient Beliefs and TAM Beliefs) ………….. 170
Discrepancy …………………………………………………………………… 170
Appropriateness ………………………………………………………………. 170
Efficacy ………………………………………………………………………. 170
Principal support ……………………………………………………………… 171
Valence ………………………………………………………………………. 171
Perceived ease of use (PEOU) ………………………………………………… 171
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