The effects of information and communication technologies on the evolution of new organisational forms

Abstract

Over recent decades a significant part of research in organisational sociology has focused on how new organisational forms evolve. Despite a wide range of theoretical perspectives there is no consensus on how new forms of organisation emerge. Various internal and external variables have contributed to the evolution of new organisational forms. Previous research has focused on identifying the contexts, processes and variables that are associated with the emergence of these organisational forms. This study aims to address the existing gap in the literature by developing a theoretical model by which the relationships among specific attributes of ICT (upstream factors) and attributes of NOFs (downstream factors) that emerge as a result impacts of ICTs become clear. The business strategy, IT strategy, ICT capabilities, IT strategic alignment and management support were among the initial factors in the model. Following the review of literature four underlying factors were recognised as having an impact on the dimensions of NOFs. Hence, business strategy, IT strategy, IT strategic alignment, ICT capabilities, and top management support were the research constructs in the proposed model. A questionnaire survey was distributed to 3248 Australian CEOs on September 2006. Of the surveys emailed, 317 were completed and returned. Of the 317, five questionnaires were rejected because many items were left blank. Usable responses totalled 312, thus, the final response rate was 9.6 percent. This study consisted of two main phases: the first phase involved both the development of a research instrument and a theoretical model explaining the relationship between ICTs and NOFs. In the second stage the measurement model and structural model (hypotheses testing) were tested using Structural Equation Modelling. Results from this study uncovered several implications. First, the level of strategic alignment was significantly correlated with the attributes of NOFs. The current study provided an explanation for the way the IT strategic alignment could ultimately affect the evolution of the attributes of NOFs. This is consistent with previous researches in IT research. On the other hand, no significant relationship was found between business strategy and any of attributes of NOFs. However, compared to business strategy, IT strategy had significant relationships with categories of attributes in forms of proactiveness and aggressivenes