Explaining changes in learning and work practice following the adoption of online learning: a human agency perspective

Research on IT in China: A Call for Greater Contextualization

Research on information technologies (IT) in China has gained increasing attention in the international information systems (IS) community. This study systematically reviews papers on IT in China published in the ‘Senior Scholars’ Basket of Journals’ from 2000 to 2013. We have two specific objectives: to identify key research issues and trends, and to propose future directions for research on IT in China. This paper categorizes the global distribution of authors and their research methods. Five research streams are identified, including human behaviors in IS adoption and use, IS management, e-Business, social media, digital collaborations and group support, and industry and societal issues in IS. While each stream is examined in detail, we specifically pay attention to the effect of the Chinese context in each paper and the approaches to contextualizing the research. On the basis of our findings from the literature review, we propose a focus on the Chinese context as guidance for future research.

Structuring Information Systems-in-Use

It has become commonplace for companies operating in a global marketplace to relocate, extend, or establish new production facilities overseas. In this global context it is also normal for organizations to replicate the implementation and use of an established information system in a new location. Such replication is not trivial however and if not properly managed can lead to IS obsolescence. Drawing on a practice lens approach the paper presents a case study of the attempted replication of an e-procurement system within a global notebook manufacturer. The study argues that effective replication needs to take into account not only the technical aspects of the system but also the interpretive schemes of its users and their awareness of organizational routines that take together amount to a technology-in-use. The paper concludes with a discussion of the issues arising from the study and their implications for global information systems management.

Acceptance and Appropriation of Videoconferencing for E-training

The purpose of this paper is to explore the acceptance and the appropriation of videoconferencing-mediated training during real training situations in a French company. The authors compare the acceptance and appropriation by 60 employees of two videoconferencing-mediated training systems: the virtual class (desktop videoconferencing) and the remote class (where learners are gathered together in the same room while the trainer is located at distance). In considering the acceptance of these videoconferencing-mediated training systems, a link was confirmed between perceived usefulness and the intention to use, but no relationship was established between the levels of acceptance and the required effort. The intention to use videoconferencing was associated with the expected benefits and not with the expected effort. Regarding appropriation, learners did not report a perception of technological distance. Moreover, this paper shows that learners and the trainer preferred the virtual class rather than the more classical remote class. The authors’ findings contradict the media richness theory, according to which the remote class, which is the “richer” medium in their research, should have been preferred.