| One of the key factors determining the success of organizational networks is the glue that binds the network; i.e. the creation of relationships between the different parties within an organizational network. Information systems play a crucial role in establishing and supporting these network relationships. Either because they support the necessary information exchange for inter-organizational business processes between the different companies in a network (e.g. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM)), or dedicated information systems that support knowledge sharing between humans (e.g. Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW)). One of the fundamental issues of these inter-organizational systems that we investigate are the design of online controls and contracts that create a trustworthy environment for this exchange. Another important research objective of our group is to develop the understanding of the user effectiveness (e.g. Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA)) and social acceptance process of information systems. Hence, investigating the psychological as well as social aspects of the acceptance process and actual use of IS is also an important objective of our research programme. An example of such a social aspect is the nature of knowledge sharing within and between communities or business clusters. |
