From Islands to Archipelagos: Theorizing Interdependencies-in-Use among Multiple Information Systems
Paper Number
ICIS2025-1287
Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
In today's digital environments, individuals often use a multitude of information systems in interdependent ways. However, the question of how interdependencies emerge through a user’s use of multiple systems has remained overlooked in prior work. This study offers a grounded theory of interdependencies-in-use based on 50 interviews. We uncover eight interdependencies that describe how multiple IS can become interdependent through an individual’s use. Our findings extend the concept of interdependence beyond technical and social relationships, and highlight how individual users enact interdependencies as they use multiple systems. Our study further contributes to IS use literature by offering an interdependencies-perspective for understanding multi-systems use behaviors. Practical implications include guiding system design and organizational strategies to better leverage interdependent system use.
Recommended Citation
Kochendörfer, Laura and Gerlach, Jin P., "From Islands to Archipelagos: Theorizing Interdependencies-in-Use among Multiple Information Systems" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 9.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/user_behav/user_behav/9
From Islands to Archipelagos: Theorizing Interdependencies-in-Use among Multiple Information Systems
In today's digital environments, individuals often use a multitude of information systems in interdependent ways. However, the question of how interdependencies emerge through a user’s use of multiple systems has remained overlooked in prior work. This study offers a grounded theory of interdependencies-in-use based on 50 interviews. We uncover eight interdependencies that describe how multiple IS can become interdependent through an individual’s use. Our findings extend the concept of interdependence beyond technical and social relationships, and highlight how individual users enact interdependencies as they use multiple systems. Our study further contributes to IS use literature by offering an interdependencies-perspective for understanding multi-systems use behaviors. Practical implications include guiding system design and organizational strategies to better leverage interdependent system use.
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