Investigating the Level of End-User Development and Involvement Among Time-Based Competitors

Patrick J. Rondeau
College of Business Administration, University of Richmond, 28 Westhampton Way, Richmond, VA 23173

Mark A. Vonderembse and T. S. Ragu-Nathan
College of Business Administration, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, email: mark.vonderembse@utoledo.edu

ABSTRACT. As global markets and technology change, time-based competitors create product development and manufacturing practices that reduce response time and enhance customization capabilities. These practices require an information-rich internal environment that is capable of flexible resource deployment and direct and continuous feedback. To build this environment, time-based competitors are developing end-user capabilities and involving them in information systems (IS) activities. Data collected from 265 manufacturers were used to determine if firms with high levels of time-based product development and time-based manufacturing practices also have high levels of end-user involvement in IS-related activities, end-user training effectiveness, and end-user computing skills. The results of this study support that contention.

Subject Areas: End-User Computing, Just-in-Time, Management Information Systems, Statistics, Survey Research, and Time-based Competition.

<top of page>