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

105 NTU Management Review Vol. 30 No. 3 Dec. 2020 are in a powerless position to either influence or resist to the constant changes of the ERP systems. Furthermore, in Company C, users become bystanders for two reasons. First, they lost interest to the system, in part because the system is constantly changing, and in part because the system is becoming more and more complex as new features are continuously adding to the system. Second, users do not have the opportunity to participate in the development of the system, and they are limited to giving feedback only on the experiential components/features of the system. In other words, users in Company C do not choose to act as bystanders. It is the above structural conditions which inevitably make them become voiceless in the company, thus determining their identity in the adaptation of technology. In summary, in this research I explore (1) How users affect technology adaptation? and (2) How do users change the structures of technology in the process of technology adaptation? This study found that technology adaptation occurs when users are aware of the situation that is unfavorable to their work, and therefore feel the need to make changes and actively take actions to change the properties of the structure. The study has also shown depended on the structural conditions and certain practical reasons, a user will choose to be a game changer, a cooperator, or a bystander within the particular organization. The role a user decides to play will influence the outcome of technology adaptation. However, this study finds that if users have no self-consciousness to take any actions, even the adaptation is triggered, no real changes happen. Finally, some potential limitations of this research should take into consideration. Meanwhile, I make some justifications and suggestions for current study and for future research, respectively. First, this study adopts the qualitative method. Some may question the generalizability or representativeness of the research outcome if compared with that of the quantitative analysis. To enhance the external validity of the outcome of this study to the large extent, I choose three case companies in the same industry (i.e., information electronics industry) but with different organizational charts and processes of technology adaptation. Second, the ERP systems, the information systems that this study choose to observe are not as long-lived as the social systems that Archer (1979; 1995) has long been focusing on. To present a wide spectrum of user behaviors; to explore more possible effects users will have in technology adaptation, I believe longitudinal studies which investigate the interplay between users and technology are warranted in the future.