Interplay of culture, learning, politics, and institutions: A structurational framework of information technology-induced organizational change

The organizational consequences of IT has long been a central topic of interest in IS research. However, findings from this research stream have been inconsistent, limiting their value to both theory and practice. Attempting to address this discrepancy, we build upon prior research to propose a structurational framework that integrates four theoretical perspectives of IT-induced organizational change: political theory, organizational culture, organizational learning, and institutional theory. Housed under the framework based on structures, modalities and actions, the pertinent elements in the four theoretical perspectives are explicated through the lens of structuration theory. Further, the inter-relationships among these elements from the four perspectives are brought to light. In particular, organizational learning is seen as the focal mechanism through which IT-induced change takes place. By constructing such an analytical framework, we aim to provide a more holistic understanding of the IT-induced organizational change phenomenon. The framework may also serve as a sensitizing device for practitioners to better manage the complex organizational change processes induced by IT implementation.