Decision Sciences Journal
Volume 30, Number 2
Spring 1999
Empirically Testing the Relationship Between End-User Computing
Problems and Information Center Success Factors
Tor Guimaraes
Jesse E. Owen Chair of Excellence, College of Business Administration,
Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN 38501, e-mail:
tguimaraes@tntech.edu
Yash P. Gupta
College of Business and Administration, University of Colorado
at Denver, Denver, CO 80217-3364
R. Kelly Rainer, Jr.
Department of Management, College of Business, Auburn University,
Auburn, AL 36849
ABSTRACT
End-user computing (EUC) has been a significant organizational
phenomenon for more than two decades and remains critically important
with the rapid introduction of new technologies (e.g., client-server
architectures, internet and intranet applications). Although
EUC is a mature concept, it is apparent that end users do not
become independent over time, but instead require additional
resources and support. One widely employed support mechanism
is the Information Center (IC).
This study surveyed the internal auditor and the information
systems (IS) director in each of 185 organizations. The internal
auditors provided responses on the severity of EUC problems in
their organizations, and the IS directors supplied information
on their firms’ performance on the IC critical success factors
(CSFs) proposed by Magal, Carr, and Watson (1988). Results show
that stronger IC performance is indeed inversely related to the
severity of EUC problems encountered by the organization. Specifically,
the study’s findings show that to have the greatest impact
on EUC problems, IC managers should concentrate on clearly defining
the IC’s mission; establish standards and controls; monitor,
coordinate, and help users prioritize applications development;
and be responsive to user requests.
Subject Areas: End-user Computing, Information Center,
Personal Computing, and Success Factors. |