A Structural Model of Intra-Organizational Diffusion of Information Technology: Firm′s Database System Adoption

The objectives of the study are to build a structural model of intra-organizational diffusion of information technology and to test this model. Data were collected from senior managers of the purchasing department through questionnaires and statistically analyzed using the structural equation modeling. The questionnaires were concerning firm's database system adoption. Key findings of the study are as follows. First, buying center dynamics (i.e., buying center decision centrality, participation in buying center, and top-management support) are substantially related to the intra-organizational diffusion. Second, environmental characteristics (i.e., market turbulence, technological turbulence, and competitive intensity) indirectly affect on intra-organizational diffusion via buying center dynamics.