Article,
Experiences From Global E-Collaboration: Contextual Influences on Technology Adoption and Use
IEEE Transactions On Professional Communication, 48 (1): 78-86 (March 2005)
Abstract
The article presents a cross-case comparison of experiences from organizational
adoption and
use of e-collaboration technologies in two large global companies.
Challenges in the global implementation process were found to increase
with the organizational and geographical scope of the implementation,
level of autonomy in the adoption process, cultural diversity, technological
heterogeneity, and level of work process�support embedded in the
system. Alignment with existing collaborative work practices resulted
in faster adoption of the technological solution. Highly competitive
conditions restricted the resources available for training and experience
transfer between projects. Clients� preferences for co-located project
operations served as a potential barrier to the very concept of global
e-collaboration. The study increases our understanding of the adoption
and use of permanent e-collaboration infrastructures at the organizational
level, thus expanding the focus of global e-collaboration research
beyond the level of ad hoc, virtual teams.
