Title: From IS to organisation: analysing the uses of a collaborative IS in a high-tech SME

Authors: Ewan Oiry, Amandine Pascal, Robert Tchobanian

Addresses: Institute of Labour Economics and Industrial Sociology, LEST – UMR 6123 35 Avenue Jules Ferry, 13626 Aix en Provence Cedex 01, France. ' Institute of Labour Economics and Industrial Sociology, LEST – UMR 6123 35 Avenue Jules Ferry, 13626 Aix en Provence Cedex 01, France. ' Institute of Labour Economics and Industrial Sociology, LEST – UMR 6123 35 Avenue Jules Ferry, 13626 Aix en Provence Cedex 01, France

Abstract: Researchers and practitioners generally observe a disparity in organisations between the actual uses of Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) and what was expected of them prior to implementation (Bowers, 1995). In order to investigate this phenomenon, Orlikowski (2000) developed a coherent and structured conceptual framework that can be used to analyse why actors develop such different uses for a given technology. While our paper uses her theoretical propositions as a framework for analysing uses, it seeks to extend her approach by means of a theoretical framework that can be used to understand the spirit of the technology and interactions between individuals and artefacts. Following an outline of these various concepts, a case study of the uses of a collaborative IS in a high-tech SME will serve as a basis for an initial test of this analytical framework and for discussing the contributions it makes.

Keywords: collaborative information systems; high-tech SMEs; small and medium-sized enterprises; actors; artefacts; organisation; human resource information systems; HRIS; human resources.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2010.030628

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2010 Vol.5 No.2, pp.175 - 185

Published online: 27 Dec 2009 *

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