Abstract

Most research on Group Support Systems has focused on the study of the effects of features of the technology on processes and outcomes and has conceived of groups as mere collections of individuals (DeSanctis 1993; Kling 1991). However, as GSSs are moving from laboratories to organizational settings, a better understanding of both GSSs and groups is needed (Clapper and Prasad 1993). In this sense, we propose a cultural pcrspective to rethink the issue of GSS appropriation in organizations. Specifically, it is proposed that the mode in which a GSS is appropriated is determined by the degree of fit between two sets of assumptions: (a) those embedded in the GSS during its design and (b) those that users have and that determine how they interact with the GSS. We rely on the organizational culture literature to analyze these two sets of assumptions and their implications for GSS appropriation, and to provide guidelines for future GSS research and design.

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