Title: Inter-organisational information systems assimilation: an empirical evaluation in light of the diffusion of innovation theory

Authors: Kishor Vaidya, Micki Hyde

Addresses: Faculty of Information Sciences and Engineering, University of Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia. ' Department of MIS and Decision Sciences, Eberly College of Business and Information Technology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania 15705-1087, USA

Abstract: This paper evaluates the antecedents of public e-procurement assimilation in the context of the public sector. E-procurement assimilation attributes were identified primarily through a literature review, a research model was developed, and hypotheses were formulated. Based on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, it was hypothesised that relative advantage and compatibility impact positively whereas complexity negatively impacts the assimilation of e-procurement. Hypotheses were tested from the data collected by means of a web-based survey of procurement/e-procurement professionals in the Australian public sector. Structural equation modelling results suggest the positive relationship between compatibility and e-procurement assimilation. While a negative relationship between complexities and e-procurement assimilation emerged as expected, only partial support was found between relative advantage and e-procurement assimilation.

Keywords: inter-organisational systems; public procurement; electronic procurement; e-procurement; diffusion; assimilation; evaluation; innovation theory; public sector; relative advantage; compatibility; complexity; Australia; structural equation models; business information systems.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2011.039330

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2011 Vol.7 No.3, pp.247 - 268

Published online: 30 Sep 2014 *

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