Conditions for change related to groupware in a distributed organization - a case study

Groupware is often used in distributed organizations to support communication and coordination. Managers direct resources and set up goals for the deployment of groupware. It is however difficult to foresee the effect of groupware and many cases report that groupware is either hardly used or does not produce the intended effects. We have analyzed the deployment and use of the web-based groupware application Lotus QuickPlaceTM in a large financial distributed organization that has just emerged as the result of a major merger. Based on interviews, survey, and http log-analysis, we have identified four general types of settings where the groupware has been used: Newly established organizational units, special interest groups, short term projects, and teams handling recurrent tasks. We characterize these settings and present the overall conditions that have proven to be critical to the deployment of groupware in the case. Challenges and expectations are discussed and ideas concerning stra...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: ECIS
• Authors: Jesper Simonsen, Jens Kaaber Pors
• Keywords: ECIS 2003, Groupware, Groupware Application Lotus, Information Technology, Recurrent Tasks