Extracting Business Value from it: A Sensemaking Perspective of Post-Adoptive Use

J.J. Po-An Hsieh, Arun Rai, and Sean Xin Xu, “Extracting Business Value from IT: A Sensemaking Perspective of Post-Adoptive Use,” Management Science (A*), 2011, 57(11), pp. 2018-2039

49 Pages Posted: 16 Dec 2021

See all articles by JJ Po-An Hsieh

JJ Po-An Hsieh

Georgia State University, Robinson College of Business, Computer Information Systems Department

Arun Rai

Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business

Sean Xu

Tsinghua University - School of Economics & Management

Date Written: Oct. 8, 2011

Abstract

How can firms extract value from already-implemented information technologies (IT) that support the work processes of employees? One approach is to stimulate employees to engage in post-adoptive extended use,i.e., to learn and apply more of the available functions of the implemented technologies to support their work. Such learning behavior of extending functions in use is ingrained in a process by which users make sense of the technologies in the context of their work system. This study draws on sensemaking theory to develop a model to understand the antecedents, contingencies, and consequences of customer service employees’ extended use of customer relationship management (CRM) technologies. The model is tested using multisource longitudinal data collected through a field study of one of the world’s largest telecommunications service providers. Our results suggest that employees engage in post-adoptive sensemaking at two levels: technology and work system. We found that sensemaking at both of these levels impacts the extended use of CRM technologies. Employees’ sensemaking at the technology level is influenced by employees’ assessment of technology quality, whereas employees’ sensemaking at the work system level is influenced by customers’ assessment of service quality. Moreover, in the case of low technology quality and low service quality, specific mechanisms for employee feedback should be conceptualized and aligned at two levels: through employee participation at the technology level and through work system coordination at the work system level. Such alignment can mitigate the undesirable effect of low technology quality and low service quality, thereby facilitating extended use. Importantly, we found that extended use amplifies employees’ service capacity, leading to better objective performance. Put together, our findings highlight the critical role of employees’ sensemaking about the implemented technologies in promoting their extended use of IT and improving their work performance.

Keywords: business value; information technology; post-adoptive behavior; extended use; sensemaking; feedback mechanisms; customer relationship management; CRM technology

Suggested Citation

Hsieh, JJ Po-An and Rai, Arun and Xu, Sean, Extracting Business Value from it: A Sensemaking Perspective of Post-Adoptive Use (Oct. 8, 2011). J.J. Po-An Hsieh, Arun Rai, and Sean Xin Xu, “Extracting Business Value from IT: A Sensemaking Perspective of Post-Adoptive Use,” Management Science (A*), 2011, 57(11), pp. 2018-2039, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3950674

JJ Po-An Hsieh (Contact Author)

Georgia State University, Robinson College of Business, Computer Information Systems Department ( email )

Atlanta, GA 30302
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.jjhsieh.com

Arun Rai

Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 4050
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
United States

Sean Xu

Tsinghua University - School of Economics & Management ( email )

Beijing, 100084
China

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