資訊系統發展中政治行為之意圖：以計畫行為理論為基礎之研究－MIS專業人員與使用者差異之比較

The Political Behavior Intention in Information System Development: A Study Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior-The Gap between MIS Professionals and Users

張玲星(Ling-Hsing Chang)

《管理學報》 23卷3期 (2006/06) Pp. 347-365

https://doi.org/10.6504/JOM.2006.23.03.04

摘要

資訊科技發展的迅速，對組織的結構、工作的設計、員工的工作型態等等都造成了莫大的影響與衝擊，尤其是影響到某些員工的即得利益與權力，因此他們就會以政治行為的方式來影響、改變，甚而阻止資訊系統的發展(information system development, ISD)。但是一向以技術掛帥的MIS或資訊系統開發的領域中，卻少有學者將政治行為以計書行為理解(theory of planed behavior; TPB)的角度來探討資訊系統的發展過程。
本研究主要的目的在於利用研究人類行為意圖最主要的理論：計劃行為理論(TPB)為內部核心模式，並以個人特質(personality)中的權術主義及社會交換理論(social exchange theory, SET)中的權力、共同價值、承諾、信任等因素，作為分析「MIS專業人員」與「使用者」影響其在ISD中政治行為的主要外生變數。
本研究發現：(1)ISD中運作政治行為的態度對「使用者」運作政治行為意圖沒有顯著影響，但對「MIS專業人員」卻有顯著影響；其餘無論是「MIS專業人員」或「使用者」其主觀規範、控制認知、政治效能認知對ISD中運作政治行為的意圖均有著顯著影響。(2)個人特質中的權術主義對「MIS專業人員」以及「使用者」在ISD中政治行為的態度、主觀規範、控制認知、政治效能認知均有顯著影響。社會交換理論的主要因素中：(3)除了使用者第Ⅲ型權力會負向的顯著影響主觀規範外，其餘某些權力型態無論是「MIS專業人員」或是「使用者」均只顯著影響其態度。(4)共同價值觀只對「MIS專業人員」運作政治行為的態度有顯著影響。(5)承諾無論對「MIS專業人員」或「使用者」運作政治行為的態度、主觀規範均沒有顯著的影響。(6)信任對「MIS專業人員」運作政治行為的態度有顯著的影響；但卻對「使用者」運作政治行為的主觀規範有顯著的影響。研究結果在實務的可以協助管理者應如何改善組織內的氣候，以降低任何會在ISD中帶來負面影響後果的政治行為。

關鍵字

資訊系統發展 ； 政治行為 ； 計劃行為理論 ； 權術主義 ； 社會交換理論

並列摘要

The speedy development of IT impacts organizational structure, task design, and the work method of employees. As these changes also affect the power and benefits of some employees, the development of IS is often deterred. The purpose of this study is to analyze the major factors influencing the political behavior of employees in information system development (ISD), and to understand the difference between MIS professionals and users. Two theories are used to create the research model: (1) The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and (2) Social Exchange Theory (SET).
Many studies remind us that when people behave politically, they will plan (intend to act) before acting. However, the three stages, antecedent conditions, operating mechanisms and outcomes (Vredenburgh & Maurer, 1984; Robbins, 1992) of the political behavior process fail to reveal the intention process. As the study of political behavior in ISD explored in the context of TPB in order to understand the difference between ”MIS professionals” and ”users” is still rare, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a good vehicle for ascertaining an individual's intention with regard to political behavior. However, as there is still a lack of scholastic analyses on political behavior in ISD based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the impact of ISD factors, like personality and institute properties, should be considered. In view of this, the present study utilities two theories: TPB and SET to analyze the political behavior intention of ”MIS professionals” and ”users” in ISD, and to compare the differences between the two groups.
TPB suggests that the best predictor of political behavior in ISD is determined by three basic factors: personal interest, personal perceived capabilities and social influence. The personal interest factor attitude toward political behavior, reflects the individual's intention to behave politically in ISD; the personal perceived behavioral control reflects the individual perception of political efficacy, controllability and resources that he/she can control. The social influence factor, subjective norm, refers to the individual perception of social pressure that pushes them to behave politically in the context of ISD. A person with a Machiavellian disposition, interacting with other people, always attempts to control them. Thus it is possible that the major variables in personality such as i1achiavellism till have an influence on an employee's attitude, subjective norm, perceived political behavioral control and perceived political efficacy. The SET suggests that political behavior in ISD is fundamentally a social exchange behavior. The expectations of reward either from others or from the organization determine the attitude toward an employee's political behavior in ISD. Thus the major variables in SET such as trust, commitment, common values and power might have an influence on employee attitude and subjective norm. In view of this, these variables are included in the research model.
In the TPB, these results show that: (1) Attitudes only have a significant effect on MIS professionals' intention with regard to political behavior but do not have a significant effect on those of users. It is possible that MIS professionals have more IS professional Knowledge, permitting them to decide whether or not to accommodate IS by themselves. In contrast, users will not employ political behavior if they have no intensive knowledge of how to do it. Further in the ”forming coalitions” scenario, following others is more adequate than not. (2) The subjective norm, perceived political behavior control, and perceived political efficacy in ISD have significant effects on the intention of both MIS professionals and users. The subjective norm results match the findings of Robinson and Shaver (1973). In this cooperation-is-necessary scenario, players will take into consideration the opinions of important others because they need their support. The perceived political behavior control results are consistent with the studies of Renshon (1974) and Bandura (1986). Irrespective of the role played by employees in the organization, they will engage in political behavior as long as they have controllability.
On the practical level of TPB, the implication that management administrators can draw from this is principally that they must understand the employees' roles in the organization and then either eradicate the climate of alliance among employees in the ISD process, or avoid the concentration of duty on individuals. If the status, power and self-interest of employees is reduced and affected by IS, then they will have the intention to behave politically in ISD. Therefore, managers should prevent this before ISD, in order to reduce the risk of ISD failure.
With regard to the external factors, the results show that: (1) Machiavellism has a significant effect on both MIS professionals' and users' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived political behavior control, and perceived political efficacy in ISD. In addition, the relationship between strong Machiavellism and political behavior intention is confirmed. (2) In the SET, A. Power type: Type Ⅰ power (negative), type Ⅱ power (positive), and type Ⅳ-B power (negative) for MIS professionals have significant effects on attitude. However Type Ⅰ power and type Ⅲ power for users have a significant negative effect on attitude, with type Ⅲ power for users only having a significant negative effect on subjective norm. The types of employees' power are dynamic, and thus, there is no constant relationship between them and different kinds of political behavior in ISD. These results are inconsistent with the findings of McClelland (1975). B. Common values: This has a significant effect on the attitudes of 1IS professionals only in ISD. C. Commitment: This has a significant effect on the subjective norms of MIS professionals only in ISD. D. Trust: This has significant effects on the attitudes of MIS professionals and the subjective norms of users.
On the practical level, among the external factors, only Machiavellism has a significant effect on the attitudes and subjective norms of users. Common value, commitment and trust have a significant effect on MIS professionals' attitudes or subjective norms with regard to political behavior in ISD. However, only trust has a significant effect on users' subjective norms with regard to political behavior in ISD. Therefore, when there is a need to recruit new employees in an organization, it might be useful for management administrators to measure the Machiavellism of selectees, as this is a possible means by which negative political behavior in ISD will be minimized. On the other hand, they should consider the employees' roles in the organization, arouse their sense of common values and commitment to the organization, and promote a climate of trust within the organization. This is perhaps another way to reduce the possibility of political behavior in the ISD.
Finally, this study seeks to propose a political behavior intention model in ISD, and to offer other researchers and management administrators some insight into political behavior in the ISD discipline.

並列關鍵字

Information System Development ； Political Behavior ； Theory of Planned Behavior ； Machiavellism ； Social Exchange Theory

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