VIS standards deployment and integration : a study of antecedents and benefits

Abstract

Extending prior research on inter-organization systems (IOS), I differentiate between two distinct dimensions characterizing organizations’ use of vertical information systems (VIS) standards: (1) standards deployment – the extent to which organizations adopt VIS standards across a wide range of business processes, and (2) standards integration – the extent of systems and business process integration. I draw on institutional theory and the literature on inter-organizational learning to develop a research model assessing how other organizations influence standards deployment and integration by creating institutional pressures and learning opportunities. I also extend prior research by examining how the two dimensions differentially influence operational and strategic benefits. I made use of survey data collected from organizations in Asia that have implemented RosettaNet standards to test the research model. In addition, I also conducted case studies with five organizations to provide qualitative results to complement the quantitative findings. This dissertation thus extends the socio-political perspective on IOS adoption by examining how the learning perspective complements the institutional pressures perspective. I also contribute to the literature by generating insights into the trade-offs between standards deployment and integration as two dimensions of standards use.