Effects of IT-based Changes on the Complexity of an Organizational Routine

Franzoi, Sandro; Hartl, Sophie; Grisold, Thomas; vom Brocke, Jan


Abstract

Information technologies are expected to improve organizational routines in a number of ways, yet their implementations often lead to unexpected, unintended, and even undesired effects. In this research, we investigate how IT-based changes affect the complexity of an organizational routine over time, that is, the number of ways through which the routine can be performed. We present the findings of a computationally-intensive research study of a customer onboarding routine at a financial institution in Central Europe. To this end, we investigate how IT-based changes in the associated low-code platform affect the dynamics of how the routine is performed over the course of 2 years. We explain the effects of IT-based change on the routine’s complexity along four core dimensions—the type of change, the strength of the effect, and the temporal unfolding of the effect and the permanence of effect—, where each dimension is characterized by different change patterns. We further distinguish between two types of IT-based effects: intended and unintended effects.

Keywords
IT change; routine dynamics; complexity; computationally intensive theorizing



Publication type
Research article in proceedings (conference)

Peer reviewed
Yes

Publication status
Published

Year
2024

Conference
84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2024)

Venue
Chicago

Book title
Academy of Management Proceedings

Editor
Taneja, Sonia

Start page
1

End page
40

Publisher
Academy of Management Proceedings

Place
Chicago

Language
English

DOI