Executive information systems use in organisational contexts: understanding the user behaviour

Executive Information Systems (EIS) are designed to enhance the managerial roles of top-level managers in organizations. Despite reports of the growing popularity of EIS, there are reports of low usage of these systems that, in part, contributes to their failures in organizations. Majority ofprior EIS research has focused on documenting the features, benefits, development methodologies, and implementation of the systems. Regrettably, there are very few studies addressing the problem of low EIS usage. This paper reports on a research in progress on the use of EIS in organizational settings. The primary focus ofthe research is to investigate factors that explain users' behavior towards using EIS. It is also aimed at identifying the relative importance of these factors that determine the use of EIS. Preliminary results are reported below. In the context ofthis paper, an EIS is defined as: "A computer-based information system designed to aid top-level managers in organizations in performing their managerial roles ". Disciplines Physical Sciences and Mathematics Publication Details Ditsa, G. (2002). Executive Information Systems Use in Organisational Contexts: Understanding the User Behaviour. In L. Cornwell (Eds.), Issues in Information Systems: Emerging Technologies.The Challenges and Opportunities of Change Stillwater, OK, USA: IACIS. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/infopapers/818 EXECUTIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS USE IN ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXTS: UNDERSTANDING THE USER BEHAVIOR George Ditsa, Department of Information Systems, University ofWollongong Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia Phone: +61 2 4221 4034 Fax: +61 2 4221 4474 E-mail: george ditsa@uow.edu.au ABSTRACT Executive Information Systems (EIS) are designed to enhance the managerial roles of top-level managers in organizations. Despite reports of the growing popularity ofEIS, there are reports of low usage of these systems that, in part, contributes to their failures in organizations. Majority ofprior EIS research has focused on documenting the features, benefits, development methodologies, and implementation of the systems. Regrettably, there are very few studies addressing the problem of low EIS usage. This paper reports on a research in progress on the use ofEIS in organizational settings. The primary focus ofthe research is to investigate factors that explain users' behavior towards using EIS. It is also aimed at identifying the relative importance of these factors that determine the use of EIS. Preliminary results are reported below. In the context ofthis paper, an EIS is defined as: "A computer-based information system designed to aid top-level managers in organizations in performing their managerial roles ". Executive Information Systems (EIS) are designed to enhance the managerial roles of top-level managers in organizations. Despite reports of the growing popularity ofEIS, there are reports of low usage of these systems that, in part, contributes to their failures in organizations. Majority ofprior EIS research has focused on documenting the features, benefits, development methodologies, and implementation of the systems. Regrettably, there are very few studies addressing the problem of low EIS usage. This paper reports on a research in progress on the use ofEIS in organizational settings. The primary focus ofthe research is to investigate factors that explain users' behavior towards using EIS. It is also aimed at identifying the relative importance of these factors that determine the use of EIS. Preliminary results are reported below. In the context ofthis paper, an EIS is defined as: "A computer-based information system designed to aid top-level managers in organizations in performing their managerial roles ".