The development of a tool for measuring the perceived impact of information technology on work

Abstract

The impact of information technology on work life has been one of the most talked about issues over the recent years. Chief executive officers spending millions of dollars on information technology face the critical issue of assessing the impact of this technology on work. Information system managers are increasingly required to justify technology investment in terms of its impact on the individual and his/her work. Measures of impact of information technology have narrowly focused on productivity impacts. This study uses a broader concept that is based on the impact of technology on the nature of work literature. This literature recognizes the multiple impacts of technology on work at the level of the individual. A review of the literature enabled us to generate thirty-nine items that were grouped into four constructs. In a pilot study, these constructs were assessed by observers in structured interviews with eighty-nine users to provide a criterion measure. Next, the users completed the thirty-nine item questionnaire. The unidimensionality, internal consistency and criterion-related validity of each construct were assessed. The pilot results suggest a four factor 12-item instrument that measures how extensively information technology applications impact task productivity, task innovation, customer satisfaction and management control. In a large scale study, a sample of 409 respondents was gathered to further explore this 12-item instrument and its relationships with other constructs (user involvement, user satisfaction, system usage). The results support the four factor model. Evidence of reliability and construct validity is presented for the hypothesized measurement model and future research is discussed.