Managing differences in information technology

Abstract

Organisations continue to make major financial investments in Information Technology (IT). Deriving the benefits from IT has proved to be challenging, and frustrating to organisations. The changes required have been substantial. IT requires technical, structural, and social changes to be effective. Less and less reliance is placed on formal control systems. Communications, interpersonal skills, and the management of differences are becoming more important. Alienation, conflict, and anxiety in the IT environment are the focus of this empirical study. Data were collected from 125 knowledge workers from different organisations. This study tests the effects of these constructs on usefulness and satisfaction of systems. Alienation and anxiety have been found to be negatively related to conflict. However, the interactionist view of conflict is supported. Conflict is positively related to both IT usefulness and satisfaction. Further, intragroup conflict is consistent with the ease of use and efficiency of systems. In contrast, interpersonal and intergroup conflict influences satisfaction. Based on these results, recommendations are made for managing IT conflict to enhance performance of knowledge workers.