臺大管理論叢 NTU Management Review VOL.30 NO.3

Effects of Users on Technology Adaptation: Multi-Case Studies from Morphogenetic Approach 104 steps. In the first step, data analysis includes repeated review of content, setting of keywords, repeated extraction of data, classification, summary, and re-establishment of data relationships. In the second step, this research is based on the established data collection, concatenating and piecing together the semantic meaning of the text to establish a complete case description. Based on above data analysis, this study shows that users can influence the structure in technology and identifies three roles that users can play when facing technology adaptation, namely a game changer, a cooperator, and a bystander. A game changer refers to an individual who is in a position to influence the structure in the technology and has opportunities to implement the “ideology” embedded in the technology. I describe users in Company B as game changers since they work with the IT department to ensure the functional properties of the ERP system support their work. When the system reaches its physical limitation, users in Company B also work with the IT department to modify the system. The structural conditions-users are in higher level than the IT department in the organizational hierarchy, and they think the ERP system is an efficient tool-provide these game changers with the authority and opportunities to influence technology adaptation. Moreover, these game changers also benefit from the “social cohesion” among those who have been using and tolerating the existing patchwork system. Social cohesion creates strong bonding among the suffered users, which turn into a strong consensus on replacing the existing system. Cooperators are individuals who cooperate with the IT department to influence structural features of the technology. I consider users in Company A as cooperators because during the process of technology adaptation, they are willing to adjust their daily practices; to follow the company’s policies; and to use the system even conflicts happened between their daily practices and the structural properties of the system. This study finds that users in Company A are motivated to be cooperators for practical reasons (e.g., to get things done quickly) or for protecting themselves from the conflicts. In addition, because of the high reliability of the ERP system (developed by an international software company), the users in Company A are accustomed to the stability of the system and tend to follow the instructions of IT department. Bystanders are those who “watch” the proceedings without involving in the technology adaptation. The reasons for users to take this position include lack of authority to influence, loss of patience to work with the ever-changing technology, and lack of consensus to participate in the changes. I describe users in Company C as bystanders who