Relating Benefits from Using IS to an Organization’s Operating Characteristics: Interpreting Results from Two Countries

Abstract:To obtain the greatest benefit from its information system, an organization must determine which applications will provide the most benefit to organizational performance. This study reviews data collected from 310 manufacturing firms in Israel and 197 such firms in the U.S. For each firm, data were obtained about the benefits derived from using information systems, as perceived by a senior manager, and the organization’s operating characteristics. Data were pooled across both countries. No meaningful relationship was found between the benefit a firm derives from its overall information systems application portfolio and its organizational operating characteristics. However, for two individual applications, the benefit derived is linked significantly to the organization’s operating characteristics. Thus the model relating benefits from information systems to the organization’s operating environment, first demonstrated by data collected in Israel, is confirmed by the data collected in the U.S. The model applies across both countries, even though there may be differences between the two countries, for example, in culture, size of businesses, and relationship with customers and suppliers.Key Words and Phrases: information economicsinformation technology valueinternational information systemsmanufacturing systemsorganizational operating characteristics Additional informationNotes on contributorsArik RagowskyArik Ragowsky is an Associate Professor of Information Systems in the Department of Information Systems and Manufacturing and the Director of the Manufacturing Information Systems Center at Wayne State University. He obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in information systems from Tel-Aviv University. His experience includes working as a CIO at a manufacturing company and as a consultant to manufacturing organizations on their information systems (ERP systems). Dr. Ragowsky has published in such journals as the International Journal of Industrial Engineering, International Journal of CIM, Journal of Systems Management, Information and Management, and Communications of the ACM. His current research interests are in the value of information systems, manufacturing information systems, ERP, and strategic information systems.Myles SternMyles Stern is Associate Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Manufacturing at Wayne State University. He obtained his M.B.A. from the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. in accounting from Michigan State University. Dr. Stem has published in such journals as the International Journal of CIM, Journal of Accounting Education, and Journal of Systems Management. A member of AIS and the American Accounting Association, his current research interests are in manufacturing information systems, ERP, and E-commerce.Dennis A. AdamsDennis A. Adams is Chair of the Decision and Information Sciences Department in the College of Business Administration at the University of Houston. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University. He has published articles in journals such as Interfaces, Journal of Information Systems Research, Data Base, MIS Quarterly, and Information and Management. In addition, Dr. Adams is a coauthor of Managing an Information System, Introduction to Business Computing, and Internet for Business. His research interests include the effects of and techniques associated with electronic commerce and methods of valuing the “bottom-line” contribution IT makes to organizations.

• 저널Journal of Management Information Systems · 16(4) · 175–194
• 토픽Technology Adoption and User Behaviour · Information Systems and Management
• DOI10.1080/07421222.2000.11518270
• 저자Arik Ragowsky, Myles Stern, Dennis A. Adams