科技採用的吸收困難：組織實務對制度環境的依存性

Difficulties of Technology Assimilation: The Impact of Institutional Environment on Organizational Practices

陳信宏(Shin-Horng Chen)

《資訊管理學報》 18卷1期 (2011/01) Pp. 105-131

https://doi.org/10.6382/JIM.201101.0105

摘要

科技吸收的研究觀點，從早期強調解決科技的複雜技術問題，直到學者認為科技吸收需考慮組織學習的能力、社會文化的相容性，以及近年來開始從制度觀點，觀察制度壓力對組織吸收科技的影響等，已有長足的進步。相較於現階段的研究，本研究則是以制度理論為基礎，來理解科技內含的實務是否能與組織的實務一樣，成功被內化到組織之中。在本研究中，作者以質化研究的方式，分析一家台灣筆記型電腦公司之電子採購系統個案。結果發現，該公司的制度環境，包括組織層次、產品技術層次與產業層次等，共同組成了一個制度性的條件，深刻影響該公司的採購活動內涵。而該公司所採用的電子採購系統，由於無法和該公司所處的制度環境做密切的連結，同時亦和該公司原有的採購實務相衝突，故導致科技吸收的失敗。這樣的研究成果，一方面會加深學術上對科技吸收現象的理解，另一方面也在實務上提醒企業應該更謹慎處理科技吸收的問題。

關鍵字

科技吸收 ； 制度觀點 ； 組織實務 ； 質化研究 ； 電子採購系統

並列摘要

This study examines the difficulties of technology assimilation and analyzes why technology may not be assimilated in organizations after its deployment. In contrast with previous studies, which emphasize technology complexities, organizational learning, and social and cultural context, this research interprets the assimilation difficulties from an institutional perspective, and apply the qualitative method to report a case of e-procurement system of why technology assimilation fails when the system is expected to transform the procurement practices.
The case study reveals the procurement practices in GoodNB were deeply embedded in institutional environment. By the conformity to organizational structures, product technologies, and industrial network, the characteristics of GoodNB's procurement practices were decentralization, specification, and multi-to-multi collaboration. In contrast, EZlink adopted by the firm was an e-procurement system and was designed for transmitting electronic procurement notices/orders automatically. The procurement activities inscribed in EZlink were centralization, standardization, and end-to-end collaboration. It appears that the system not only disobeyed GoodNB's institutional requirements, but also conflicted with GoodNB's procurement practices situated in the institutional environment. As a result, the system gave rise to serious challenges for technology assimilation. This research will provide the theoretical and practical implications with regard to technology assimilation and institutional influences.

並列關鍵字

technology assimilation ； institutional perspective ； organizational practices ； qualitative method ； e-procurement system

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