UNDERSTANDING USER RESPONSES TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: A COPING MODEL OF USER ADAPTATION

UNDERSTANDING USER RESPONSES TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:

A COPING MODEL OF USER ADAPTATION

By: Ahmed Ramadan 800050347

MOIS 508Spring 2006Dr. Dina Rateb

UNDERSTANDING USER RESPONSES TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MOIS 508 Spring 2006 2

Contents

• Introduction• The coping theory • The coping process. • User Adaptation Strategies

• Benefits Maximizing Strategy

• Benefits Satisficing Strategy

• Disturbance Handling Strategy

• Self-Preservation Strategy

• User Adaptation Process as a Whole


Introduction

• The introduction of a new information technology generates a multitude of expected and unexpected consequences in the users’ environment

• Two main streams of research have addressed the task of explaining why, and trying to predict how, users will react to new technologies;• variance approach

• focused on the past history of adoption and usage of new technologies• Four models have identified factors that can influence user adaptation (e.g., performance

expectancy, social influence, task-technology fit, and compatibility)

• process approach• focused on user adaptation and its effects on outcomes such as group performance• Described how users change their skills, knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, aspirations, and

work commitment, modify their work procedures and communication patterns, and adapt/use the technology in unanticipated ways

• There is a need for a framework that integrates both approaches and allows studying the antecedents, behaviors, and outcomes of user adaptation together

This paper is proposing an integrative model, the coping model of user adaptation (CMUA).


Coping Theory

The cognitive and behavioral efforts exerted to manage specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing or exceeding the resources of the person

altering the subjective meaning of the event acceptance,

distancing and escaping

altering the situation itselfseeking additional information & evidence

and confronting individuals personal desires that the Environment must meet,

(e.g. getting challenging work versus the challenges that a job carries)

Emerges from the social environment and must be met by individuals.

They are related to the roles one has to play in a given environment


The Coping Process

• Individuals cope with disruptions by using two key sub processes that continuously influence each other (Appraisal & Coping effort).

• First: Appraisal; Individuals evaluate the potential consequences of an event and the coping options available to them. • Primary appraisal: They assess the nature of the particular event

and its personal importance and relevance. Disruptive events have been categorized into two main types (or comprise):

• Challenges (events perceived as having positive consequences)• Threats (events perceived as having negative consequences)

• Secondary appraisal: They determine the level of control they exert over the situation and what they feel they can do about it given the coping resources available to them.


The Coping Process

• Second: Coping efforts; Individuals perform different actions to deal with the situation at hand. Actions are categorized as; • Problem-focused coping aims at managing the disruptive issue itself

by;• changing the environment (altering environmental pressures, resources, or

procedures) • changing one’s self (developing new standards of behavior, learning new

skills or procedures). • Emotion-focused coping changes one’s perception of the situation

(to maintain a sense of stability), but does not alter the situation itself. It includes

• Minimizing the consequences of threats (maintaining hope and optimism)• Positive comparison (comparing one’s situation with other situations that

are worse off)• Situation redefinition and passive acceptance• Avoidance (escaping the situation)• Denial (Acting as if the event never happened)• Seeking psychological or emotional support.


The Coping Model of User Adaptation (CMUA)

It is defined as;

The cognitive and behavioral efforts exerted by users to manage specific consequences associated with a

significant IT event that occurs in their work environment.


User Adaptation Strategies (Four Principal Adaptation Strategies)

BenefitsSatisficing

Self-Preservation

BenefitsMaximizing

DisturbanceHandling

Opp

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Secondary Appraisala user’s assessment of his/her control over the situation (Work, Self & Technology)a user’s assessment of his/her control over the situation (Work, Self & Technology)


Three different individual-level outcomes

Restoring emotional stability

Minimizing the perceived threats of the technology

Improving user effectiveness and efficiency


Benefits Maximizing Strategy

• Adaptation efforts will be mainly problem-focused and oriented to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by the IT event and maximize personal benefits.

• Users can achieve this objective by;• Adapting the work system

(modify operational procedures, focus users’ time on the most important and productive activities)

• Adapting the technology (modify, add, delete screens; personalize the IT; change its functionalities)

• Adapting themselves(develop new standards of behavior by extensively using the IT, shift levels of aspiration and channels of gratification such as becoming the renowned “expert” user, seek training).

Proposition 1: When the perceived consequences of an IT event are appraised as an opportunity and users feel that they have control over the situation, they will engage in a benefits maximizing strategy, which will increase their individual efficiency and effectiveness.

BenefitsSatisficing

Self-Preservation

BenefitsMaximizing

DisturbanceHandling

High ControlLow Control

Opp

ortu

nity

Thr

eat


Benefits Satisficing Strategy

• Adaptation efforts are likely to be minimal. • Emotion-focused efforts will be limited because users do not feel

the need to reduce tensions emanating from the IT event • Problem-focused efforts will be limited because users feel they

cannot do much to further exploit the IT and reap its benefits. • Therefore, users will satisfy themselves with the benefits the IT

offers, which, in absence of individual adaptation, are likely to be limited.

Proposition 2: When the perceived consequences of an IT event are appraised as an opportunity and users feel that they have limited control over the situation, they will engage in a benefits satisficing strategy, which will have limited effects on their individual efficiency and effectiveness.

BenefitsSatisficing

Self-Preservation

BenefitsMaximizing

DisturbanceHandling


Opp

ortu

nity

Thr

eat


Disturbance Handling Strategy

• Likely to rely on problem-focused adaptation to manage the situation and on emotion-focused adaptation to minimize the expected negative consequences and restore emotional stability.

• Adaptation efforts are likely to be oriented toward;• One’s self (seeking training)• The technology (reducing the negative aspects of the new system, changing

the features of the IT)• The task (adjusting work procedures so that they better fit with the technology).

• Successful adaptation will lead to restoring personal emotional stability and to minimizing the perceived negative consequences associated with the IT event. It is also possible that users are able to turn an IT event around and improve their individual efficiency and effectiveness.

Proposition 3: When the perceived consequences of an IT event are appraised as a threat and users feel that they have control over the situation, they will engage in a disturbance handling strategy, which will restore their emotional stability and minimize the perceived negative consequences of the event. It can also increase their individual efficiency and effectiveness.

BenefitsSatisficing

Self-Preservation

BenefitsMaximizing

DisturbanceHandling


Opp

ortu

nity

Thr

eat


Self-Preservation Strategy

• Adaptation efforts will be mainly emotion-focused and aimed at restoring emotional stability and reducing the tensions from the IT event.

• Users will try to change their perception of the IT event by;• Minimizing the perceived negative consequences (e.g., maintaining hope that the

expected negative consequences will not materialize)• Positive comparison (comparing themselves to other users who are worse off)• Self-deception and avoidance• Distancing (reducing their involvement in their work).

• This strategy, if successful, will restore emotional stability but will have little or no impact on users’ performance at work. avoided the system, using it as little as possible, and distanced themselves from their work.

Proposition 4: When the perceived consequences of an IT event are appraised as a threat and users feel that they have limited control the situation, they will engage in a self-preservation strategy, which will restore their emotional stability. It can also minimize the perceived negative consequences of the event.

BenefitsSatisficing

Self-Preservation

BenefitsMaximizing

DisturbanceHandling


Opp

ortu

nity

Thr

eat


User Adaptation Process as a Whole

Proposition 5: The adaptation efforts and outcomes lead to the reappraisal of the IT event, which can trigger a new sequence of adaptation efforts.

Thank you

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UNDERSTANDING USER RESPONSES TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: A COPING MODEL OF USER ADAPTATION