Exploring technology inertia and the continued use of legacy systems in public agencies
Date
2024-05Author
Delgado, Edgard A.
Publisher
University of Wisconsin - Whitewater
Advisor(s)
Sankaranarayanan, Balaji
Simha, Aditya
Ciganek, Andrew
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Information systems when integrated into the business carefully can lead to efficiency and productivity. When organizations cannot modernize their information systems, their operations are run by resource-intensive legacy systems. In academic research, this continued reliance on traditional practices, procedures, and resources has been linked to a phenomenon known as inertia. Extending the theory of inertia to the context of technology, this dissertation seeks to understand the antecedents and influences of technology inertia in public sector organizations through two essays. Essay 1 explores the antecedents of technology inertia within a public sector agency. The technology, organization, and environment (TOE) framework was applied to examine the continued use of legacy systems and technologies. A case study approach was used to gain valuable insights from key stakeholders. Findings showed that technology factors such as availability and characteristics, organizational factors such as top management support and resource availability, and environmental factors such as competition intensity and technology infrastructure influence the decision to adopt technology. Essay 2 explores the influence of technology inertia on organizational learning and, subsequently, on organizational effectiveness and innovativeness within public agencies. Also, the role of change management is explored to understand if there is a moderating relationship between technology inertia and organizational outcomes (organizational effectiveness and innovativeness). A cross-sectional survey was performed, and Smart PLS structural equation modeling was used to assess the research model. Findings showed that technology inertia has a positive influence on the dimensions of organizational learning (commitment to learning, open-mindedness, and shared vision), and these dimensions have a positive influence on organizational effectiveness and organizational innovation, highlighting the mediating role of organizational learning. However, change management did not have a moderating influence on the relationship between technology inertia and organizational effectiveness and innovation. The findings from this dissertation have several important academic and practitioner implications. This research clarifies and highlights the antecedents of technology inertia and the vital role of technology inertia in influencing organizational outcomes, such as organizational effectiveness and innovativeness. From a practitioner standpoint, as organizations continue to use legacy systems, this dissertation provides nuanced insights into the role of technology inertia in influencing organizational outcomes.
Subject
Information technology--Management
Organizational effectiveness
Organizational change
Organizational learning
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/85749Type
Dissertation
Description
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