[Air-l] Cultural inhibitors to the adoption of collaborative software within corporations

[Charlie Hendricksen]

Friends,

    This is probably:

Orlikowski, Wanda J. 1993. Learning from Notes: Organizational Issues
in Groupware
Installation. The Information Society vol. 9, no. 237-50. 

Abstract: This paper explores the introduction of a groupware
technology -- Lotus Corporation's Notes(R) -- into one office of a
large organization and attempts to understand the changes in work
practices and social interaction facilitated by the technology. The
results reveal that a number of organizational elements, such as
mental models (which affect how people understand and appropriate
groupware) and structural properties (reward systems and workplace
norms), significantly influence how groupware technology will be
interpreted in terms of more familiar personal and stand-alone
technologies such as spreadsheets. Further, in competitive and
individualistic organizational cultures -- where there are few
incentives or norms for cooperating or sharing expertise -- groupware
on its own is unlikely to engender collaboration. Such products will
be interpreted as being countercultural, and to the extent they are
used, they will promote individual, not group aims. Recognizing the
significant influences of these organizational elements appears to be
critical to both researchers and practitioners of groupware
technologies. 


Aldon Hynes wrote:
> 
> I seem to recall speaking with some people in AoIR
> about issues that Price Waterhouse experienced with
> their adoption of Lotus Notes.  The issue involved
> corporate or cultural barriers within Price Waterhouse
> that provided a disincentive for partners to share
> their knowledge.
> 
> If this rings a bell and anyone has any reference they
> could pass on, I would greatly appreciate it.  More
> generally, references to any research on cultural
> inhibitors to the adoption of collaborative software
> within corporations would be appreciated.
> 
> Aldon
> 
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-- 
            Charlie Hendricksen   veritas at u.washington.edu

            "Information technology structures human relationships."
                            "Models relate concepts."