Research Paper
The IT Interaction Model: An Overview
Mark S. Silver
M. Lynne Markus
Cynthia Mathis Beath
The Information Technology (IT) Interaction Model is a stylized view of the dynamics of information systems in organizations. The model asserts that the effects of an information system for an organization emerge over time as the result of the interaction of the system with the organization. This view leads to a model with four interrelated elements:
the system's effects, the organizational context, the information system, and the implementation process.
The various model components and subcomponents are discussed in the sections that follow; examples can be found in Table 1.
System Effects
Ultimately, we study information systems in organizations because we are concerned about the effects of these systems-both positive and negative-for the business. The effects are therefore a logical starting place for discussing the model.
System effects fit into three stages. Although not always thought of as an effect, one of the most fundamental results of introducing an information system into an organization is that the system either is used or is not. This first-order effect must not be neglected, because it is quite common for systems not to be used and such nonuse is a major reason for systems' not achieving their design objectives. And, if the system is used, the question of how the system is used-when, by whom, for what purpose, and so forth-remains a significant issue. Systems are often used in ways other than intended, sometimes with positive consequences, as when a decision support system also serves as a tool for improving customer relations and sometimes with negative consequences, as when an executive information system is used to intimidate subordinates, stifling creativity. So, understanding if and how a system is used is an essential first step in evaluating system effects.
The second stage of evaluating effects is to assess the consequences
Mark S. Silver
M. Lynne Markus
Cynthia Mathis Beath
The Information Technology (IT) Interaction Model is a stylized view of the dynamics of information systems in organizations. The model asserts that the effects of an information system for an organization emerge over time as the result of the interaction of the system with the organization. This view leads to a model with four interrelated elements:
the system's effects, the organizational context, the information system, and the implementation process.
The various model components and subcomponents are discussed in the sections that follow; examples can be found in Table 1.
System Effects
Ultimately, we study information systems in organizations because we are concerned about the effects of these systems-both positive and negative-for the business. The effects are therefore a logical starting place for discussing the model.
System effects fit into three stages. Although not always thought of as an effect, one of the most fundamental results of introducing an information system into an organization is that the system either is used or is not. This first-order effect must not be neglected, because it is quite common for systems not to be used and such nonuse is a major reason for systems' not achieving their design objectives. And, if the system is used, the question of how the system is used-when, by whom, for what purpose, and so forth-remains a significant issue. Systems are often used in ways other than intended, sometimes with positive consequences, as when a decision support system also serves as a tool for improving customer relations and sometimes with negative consequences, as when an executive information system is used to intimidate subordinates, stifling creativity. So, understanding if and how a system is used is an essential first step in evaluating system effects.
The second stage of evaluating effects is to assess the consequences