Adaptive Structuration Theory Understanding How Advancing Technologies Drive Organizational Change.pdf

Running Head: HOW ADVANCING TECHNOLOGIES DRIVE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE 1
Adaptive Structuration Theory: Understanding How Advancing Technologies
Drive Organizational Change
Daniel L. Calloway
TS8306
Advanced Topics In Information Technology
18 Evening Shade Drive
Weaverville, NC 28787
Telephone: (828) 380-1994
Email: dcalloway@capellauniversity.edu
Instructor: Dr. Danielle Babb, PhD

HOW ADVANCING TECHNOLOGIES DRIVE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE 2
Abstract
Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST) is relevant to today's organizations due to the expanding
influence that advancing technologies have had with regard to the human-computer interaction aspect
of AST and its implications on socio-biologically inspired structuration. This literature review presents
examples of advances in information technology that are driving organizational changes in the areas of
business alignment, IT planning, and development that show how AST is being used to study this
driving force of advancing technologies within organizations. We also investigate how AST relates to
complexity theory of organizational structure, in order to better understand how advancing information
technologies influence the structure, modality, and interaction of social systems, team dynamics, and
organizations. To gain a better understanding of the individual adaptation of IT and how the adaptation
of IT by the business sector drives organizational change within the company in today's digital age, it
was necessary for us to investigate such concepts as virtual team dynamics, the integration of
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) into academe, the investigation of AST as a Meta-Theory for
examining IS within organizations, contextual and organizational elements of AST in Group Support
System (GSS) research, group decision making, the geographic dispersion in teams, the Enterprise
Systems of induced organizational change, the study of IT effects on individuals and organizations, and
technology-mediated learning within organizations.
Keywords: AST, ERP, GSS research, global virtual teams, organizational change

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract.…...............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction.….........................................................................................................................................4
Brief Overview of Advancing Information Technology in the Workforce.….........................................5
Themes Identified in the Literature.…....................................................................................................7
Treatment of AST to Structural Theory in IS Research...............................................................8
AST as a Meta-Theory for Examining IS Within Organizations.................................................9
Contextual and Organizational Elements of AST in GSS Research...........................................11
Global Virtual Team Dynamics...................................................................................................11
Integrating ERP Into the Business Academe..............................................................................12
Group Decision Making.............................................................................................................13
Enterprise Systems Induced Organizational Change.................................................................13
Study of IT Effects on Organizations.........................................................................................15
Technology-Mediated Learning Within Organizations..............................................................16
Individual Adaptation of Information Technology.....................................................................17
Findings and Conclusions From the Research.…..................................................................................18
Need for Future Research.…..................................................................................................................21
References..............................................................................................................................................22

Introduction
This paper is a literature review on prior research in the area of advancing information
technologies and will look at the proposal that Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST) is a viable
approach for studying the role of advancing information technologies in driving organizational change.
Although Structuration Theory was first proposed by Anthony Giddens in his Constitution of Society in
1984, which was an attempt to reconcile social systems and the micro/macro perspectives of
organizational structure, DeSanctis and Poole (1994) borrowed from Giddens in order to propose AST
and the rise of group decision support systems. Research within the last decade would suggest that
there has been a considerable amount of ongoing study into advances in information technology and
information & communications technology (ICT), and its overall impact on organizations and their
structure. A list of ongoing research in AST have been compiled as references and incorporated into
this literature review paper. We will review the predominant themes of the researchers over the last
decade, analyze the results of their research, provide their overall conclusions, investigate gaps we have
uncovered in the research, and point out potential research for future researchers to explore.
Adaptive Structuration Theory is relevant to today's organizations due to the expanding
influence that advancing technologies have had with regard to the human-computer interaction aspect
of AST and its implications on socio-biologically inspired structuration in security software
applications. This literature review will present specific examples of advances in information
technology that are driving organizational changes in the areas of business alignment, IT planning, and
development that show how AST is being used to study this driving force of advancing technologies
within organizations. We will also investigate how AST relates to complexity theory of organizational
structure, in order to better understand how advancing information technologies influence the structure,
modality, and interaction of social systems, team dynamics, and organizations. But, first, let's take a

look at a brief overview of advancing IT in the corporate workforce.
Brief Overview of Advancing Information Technology in the Workforce
Information Technology has had a profound impact on the workforce over the last several
decades. Through the advances in office equipment, methods of communication, and speed of
transmission of that communication, information technology has literally transformed the way
businesses plan, execute their business processes, align the business unit with emerging IT, and conduct
business with their customers, shareholders, and business partners. Information Technology has
allowed companies to permit their employees to do their work from remote locations (also known as
telecommuting) and this has given both the companies and their employees the freedom to reduce costs
while increasing productivity and improving their lives as they continue to work for the company.
Organizations who have been willing to invest in IT have seen increased efficiencies in operations;
more rapid and reliable communications and data transmission; cost reductions; global expansion;
improved communications within the company, their partners, and their customers; better tracking of
goods and services they offer to the customer; and an increased competitive advantage.
Mamaghani (2006) points out that prior to the 1990s, the workforce within most organizations
was a traditional setting of office equipment, and a communications within the company that was
predominantly face-to-face. The equipment used in most offices consisted of telephones, typewriters,
fax machines, copy machines, and mainframe terminal stations, followed by early forms of computer
workstations for basic word-processing and database manipulation. In stark contrast, through the
advances of information technology over the last two decades (Mamaghani; DeSanctis and Poole,
1994), today's office environment consists of high-end desktop & laptop computers offering state-of-
the-art word-processing, spreadsheet, and presentation capabilities that are connected wired and
wirelessly to high-speed gigabit Ethernet networks; scanners; video conferencing and satellite
communications devices; electronic email capability via PCs and mobile devices such as laptops,

PDAs, iPads, and wireless cell phones; and mobile teleconferencing and telecommuting around the
World from remote office locations made possible via the Internet and telecommunications software
applications that run over the Internet via the World-wide Web, allowing employees to conduct
meetings from remote office locations. Collaborative software packages that run on modern desktop,
laptop, and various mobile devices have allowed employees to share information in real-time as well as
simultaneously work on projects while being globally distant from one another. As a result of
embracing information technology, communications today within the organizational workforce among
executives, management, and employees is less face-to-face, less direct, and predominantly carried out
over long distances.
Robert Half International, the World's largest recruiter of financial executives, conducted a
survey of 1400 CFOs asking them what they felt was the leading incentive that attracted accounting
types to work for their companies. The second leading incentive that attracted top executives and
accounting types to work for a company was found to be the ability to telecommute and work on a
flexible schedule. This incentive offered by advancing information technologies ranked 33% among the
CFOs responding to the survey and was surpassed slightly (46% of CFOs surveyed) by higher salaries
as the greatest incentive (Mamaghani, 2006). Direct benefits to companies from employees that
telecommute included, reduced absenteeism, reduced employee turnover costs, productivity gains,
reduced overhead real estate expenses, and a reduction in employee relocation costs.
IT-based tools and techniques that improve overall performance are being sought by today's
corporate managers that increase efficiencies and maximize shareholder profits for the company. But,
the business units that align business process with IT have made their own contributions to
organizational changes that embrace IT. A. T. Kearney Consulting Group indicates that “the best IT
ideas are not coming from IT, but from the business side” (Mamaghani, 2006, p. 849). And, according
to a 2005 study conducted by Bain & Company, the leading four tools used by managers are: Strategic

Planning (79% usage), Customer Relations Management (75% usage), Benchmarking (72% usage),
and Outsourcing (72% usage). The largest operational concern for today's IT-driven businesses is by far
the issue of security. This fact is especially relevant due to the increasing numbers of employees who
telecommute and who are required to connect back to corporate networks using mobile devices. The
mobile workforce of tomorrow will rely more heavily on IT's ability to provide even faster, more
reliable, and secure electronic communications; the security and protection of sensitive customer data;
the ability of IT to drive organizational change within the companies to motivate the employees to
work from remote locations and become more productive; and to reduce costs, maintain more efficient
operations, and maintain a competitive edge in the Marketplace.
To gain a better understanding of the individual adaptation of IT and how the adaptation of IT
by the business sector drives organizational change within the company in today's digital age, it is
necessary for us to investigate further such concepts as virtual team dynamics, the integration of
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) into academe, group decision making, the geographic dispersion
in teams, the Enterprise Systems of induced organizational change, the study of IT effects on
individuals and organizations, and technology-mediated learning within organizations. But first, as
mentioned earlier, we need to investigate how AST is a viable approach in studying how advancing
technologies drive organizational change by investigating the treatment of AST to structural theory in
IS research, by presenting AST as a meta-theory for examining IS within organizations, and by
examining the contextual and organizational elements of AST in GSS research.
To accomplish this goal, in the section that follows, we will look at the themes that we
identified in the literature, which were reviewed in preparing this paper. As you will see, these major
themes provide the road map for the use of adaptive structuration theory as a viable approach in
showing how the adaptation of IT drives individual and organizational change.
Themes Identified in the Literature

During the course of preparing this paper, ten major themes were revealed in the literature that
help to explain how advancing technologies help drive organizational change. Among these themes are
the first three that directly support the use of AST in gaining a better understanding of how the
adaptation of IT within corporations helps to drive organizational change. These themes are followed
by ancillary themes that, in conjunction with the first three, help to support the concept that the
adaptation of IT help to drive organizational change and why.
Treatment of AST to Structural Theory in IS Research
Structuration Theory was first proposed by Anthony Giddens in his Constitution of Society in
1984, which was an attempt to reconcile social systems and the micro/macro perspectives of
organizational structure. DeSanctis and Poole (1994) borrowed from Giddens in order to propose AST
and the rise of group decision support systems. AST provides the model whereby the interaction
between advancing information technologies, social structures, and human interaction is described, and
which focuses on the social structures, rules, and resources provided by information technologies as the
basis for human activity. AST is a viable approach in studying how the adaptation of IT by companies
drive organizational change because it examines the change from two distinct perspectives: (1) the
types of structures that are provided by advancing technologies, and (2) the structures that emerge due
to the human action as they interact with the emerging technologies. Researchers believe that the
effects of advancing technologies has more to do with how people use the technologies than about the
technologies themselves. For this reason, the human interaction often differs somewhat from the
intended impact of the technologies. Adaptive structuration theory is a framework for studying the
variations that exist within organizations as they occur from the implementation of advancing
technologies. The AST framework indicates that the adaptation of organizational actors is the primary
factor that drives organizational change.
There are two primary schools of thought that have advanced the study of information

technology and what drives organizational change. These two schools are: (1) the decision-making
school, which has its origin in the positivist tradition of research and presumes that decision making is
“the primordial organizational act” (DeSanctis & Poole, 1994, p. 122 in citing Perrow, 1986) and the
position that technology should consist of structures (that is to say, data and decision models) that have
as the basis for their design to overcome human weaknesses and, once applied, these technologies
should bring forth efficiency, productivity, and overall satisfaction to individuals and organizations
(DeSanctis & Poole, 1994 in citing Rice, 1984); and (2) the institutional school, which advocates that
the adaptation of technology is an opportunity for change rather than a causal agent of change. The
focus of the latter school of thought for the institutionalists is less of a concern for the structures within
advancing technology and more on the social evolution within human institutions. What both of these
schools of thought have in common is the consensus that the studies of technology and organizational
change must focus on interaction and encapsulate the historical processes as social practices evolve.
Advancing information technologies bring about the social structures that enable and constrain
interaction to the workplace. These advancing technologies coordinate the support among the people
and provide the procedures for completing the interpersonal exchange. Thus, the social structures
provided by an advancing information technology can be described as the structural features of the
given technology and the spirit of this given set.
AST as a Meta-Theory for Examining IS Within Organizations
Bostrom, Gupta, and Thomas (2009) viewed adaptive structuration theory as a Meta-Theory for
examining information systems within the organizational context. Their research study looked at the
role of a meta-theory in IS and built a case for the use of AST as a meta-theory. The concept of a meta-
theory, as proposed by Bostrom et al., is that it is a theory that links across theory domains, which
according to Bostrom et al. is lacking in the study of IS and advancing technologies. As posited by
Bostrom et al., adaptive structuration theory serves as a meta-theory for the study of IS within the

socio-technical systems (STS, or organizational work systems) because AST derives from structuration
theory by specifically accounting for the presence and effects of advancing technology artifacts.
Meta-studies, according to Bostrom et al. (2009) are classified into four broad categories—meta
data analysis, meta-reviews, meta-theorizations, and meta-methods analysis. Meta-data analysis bring
together the raw data collected from empirical studies and synthesizes the findings corresponding to the
same phenomenon. Meta-reviews provides an overview of a specific topic, area, or domain. Meta-
theorizations combine what is known about how a given theory functions through the examination of
studies involving the theory or set of theories. And, finally, meta-methods analysis examines the
research methods, attempting to discover how a particular method is used in multiple studies.
A good meta-theory, according to Bostrom et al. (2009) can be identified by three characteristics
that enable it the ability to: (1) Provide overarching perspectives, (2) Facilitate theory development,
and (3) Provide an enhanced understanding of a theory. Jones and Karsten, (2009) provide an extensive
meta-review of previous research through 2004 on the use of structuration theory in the study of
information systems and agree with Poole and DeSanctis (2004) that AST is “one of the most
influential...theoretical paradigms influencing IS research in the last decade or more...the theoretical
lens of choice for most scholars” (Bostrom et al., p. 23, para 3). Structuration theory is limited in its
study of how advancing technologies drive organization change because of the fact that it “conflates
structure and agency” (Bostrom et al., p. 24) by reducing the understanding of structure to enacted
cognition and this structuration theory, although it “offers a mechanism for explaining the reproduction
of social structures within these systems, it does not explain why certain structures succeed or become
institutionalized” (p. 24). AST utilizes some of the assumptions of structuration theory, but, more
importantly, it adds the information technology artifact within IS structures as a critical part of the
social context. As a result, as Bostrom et al. points out, AST does a better job at integrating both the
voluntarist and the structural approaches within the augmented structuration theory, and, therefore,

serves as a good meta-theory for examining IS within organizations than does structuration theory.
Contextual and Organizational Elements of AST in GSS Research
Niederman (2008) looked at the findings covering Group Support Systems (GSS) Research and
suggested an expanded consideration of the contextual and organizational elements of Adaptive
Structuration Theory. He further proposed a model of structuring tactics consisting of three abstraction
levels: activity level, meeting level, and real time intervention level. Using three specific structuring
tactics—agenda, design patterns, and micro-processes, he illustrated the model and presented some
related propositions. Drawing upon Collaboration Engineering literature, Niederman invoked particular
social structures to create GSS value.
Niederman (2008) suggested the added consideration of contextual and organizational elements
in AST, especially in terms of how the meeting context is formed by the organizational pressures; how
the facilitator of the group meetings works with the organizational issues and leads the group through
the meeting discussions; and how these contextual and organizational influences move the meeting, the
design processes, and the real time interventions in meeting the goals and objectives of the group itself.
Niederman, by examining the natural reactions of the group members to the introduction of GSS
technology, discovered that although this examination can provide useful insights and behavioral
knowledge, the organizational settings are enhanced by the selective use of human interaction and
technology for specific purposes. And, finally, Niederman added propositions to those developed by
DeSanctis and Poole (1994) surrounding the context of AST as applied to GSS Research. As it applies
to GSS, the technology in context research involving virtual teams, virtual communities, and online
learning [citing Thomas, Gupta, and Bostrom (2008)] places emphasis on the integration of structured
learning leadership, real time guidance, support for facilitation activities, and the continued use of
multiple methods research for the purpose of furthering the utility of GSS in application.
Global Virtual Team Dynamics

Global virtual teams, as defined by Maznevski (2000), are internationally distributed groups of
individuals or teams with a charter to make decisions for the organization and to implement these
decisions with international components and implications. These teams rarely meet in person but,
rather, make extended use of information and communications technology as the means through which
to conduct their business. Maznevski conducted a grounded study of global virtual teams utilizing the
Adaptive Structuration Theory (see DeSanctis & Poole, 1994) to guide their research. Maznevski
studied three global virtual teams over a 21-month period. The data gathered in the study used multiple
methods and qualitative methods to develop a theory of global virtual team dynamics and their
effectiveness. Maznevski (in citing DeSanctis & Jackson, 1994) showed that the benefits from using
more complex information and communication technologies increased as the tasks became more
complex. This study, combined with others cited in Maznevski agree that the global virtual teams most
effective use of communications technologies are shaped by the teams tasks and its context and that the
team organization changed as a result of the advancing of the information and communication
technologies. Within the Maznevski study, AST demonstrated the role of advanced information and
communications technology and its appropriation by members of the team as they worked together.
Furthermore, the theory described how the inherent structural characteristics shaped the interaction
patterns without determining the interaction in a specific manner. And, finally, AST identified that it is
more likely associated with the study of organizational effectiveness than are other theories.
Integrating ERP Into the Business Academe
Enterprise Resource Planning is a form of advanced information technology. Critical supply
chain management and eCommerce depend on ERP to drive market expansion. Initially, ERP focused
on technology-driven issues but ERP systems development has now been focused on business-driven
issues and the overall effect of ERP on the business' bottom line (Lerouge, 2004 in citing Menezes,
2000). Lerouge indicates that as a result of the market-driven environment, many institutions of higher

learning have incorporated advanced information technologies, among them, the most important being
ERP, into their business departments. Through the application of AST to the educational context, the
ERP and its specific application within a college of business are interactive processes that are driven by
the educational stakeholders, environmental influences, ERP software stakeholders, and the technology
itself.
Group Decision Making
Advancing information technologies are changing the landscape of how decisions are being
made within organizations and corporations. The concept that is referred to here is computer-supported
or group meeting in which group decision making is enhanced through the use of advancing
information and communications technologies (ICT), specifically the use of computers. Gautschi
(1990) addresses the process whereby individuals or teams collectively brainstorm their ideas over PCs
linked by local area networks using Groupware software in which to aid in the collaborative effort.
Participants vote on issues that are projected on the monitors and hard copies of the results are
distributed after the group session. The use of these advancing information and communications
technologies speed the process of decision making and encourages more people to participate in the
brainstorming effort. Through the use of the fishbowl and Nominal Group Technique as ways of
conducting formalized group decision-making sessions, Gautschi shows that implementing the
advancing ICT within the group sessions alters the way in which the teams are ultimately organized
due to the computer-aided human interaction within the brainstorming sessions. However, Gautschi
cautions that this group decision making process must be supported by the corporate culture or it will
most likely automate a mess rather than achieve a heightened success.
Enterprise Systems Induced Organizational Change
Devadoss and Pan (2007) define the term Enterprise Systems (ES) as industry-specific,
customizable software packages, which allow the integration of the business processes and information

into organizations [in citing Markus & Tanis, 2000; Rosemann & Watson, 2000]. The study conducted
by Devadoss and Pan sought to bridge the gap in ES research by proposing a theoretical framework
that models organizational change that is induced by ES.
Enterprise systems are fundamentally different than other IS, according to Devadoss and Pan
(2007), which they claim requires significant organizational investments in training and human
resources, time, and in terms of technology itself. The study takes the position of Markus and Tanis
(2000) and Davenport (2000) perspective of ES as a compilation of application software, such as ERP,
CRM, sales force automation (SFA), knowledge management (KM), and various product configuration
packages. Devadoss and Pan posit that while ES implementation has received a considerable amount of
attention in the literature, ES use, where many of the ES-associated issues are manifested organization-
wide, has, very often, been neglected, and they set about to show some of the important impacts on
organizations caused by ES use.
In the approach taken by Devadoss and Pan (2007) in their development of a theoretical
framework to show that organizational change is induced by ES, they closely linked business process
redesign (BPR) to ES and showed that the processes involving ES are, by virtue of best practices
embedded within them, are very often potentially in direct conflict with the organization's existing
procedures and practices. They demonstrated that the solution to this problem is to tweak the ERP
software to suit the existing business practices, or to reengineer the organizational business processes to
accommodate the best practices identified in the software with a minimal amount of customization of
the business procedures [Devadoss & Pan in citing Al-Mudimigh et al. 2001].
What Devadoss and Pan (2007) ultimately demonstrated was that ES impacted employee roles
by rendering their respective tasks as more broad-based, which necessitated a move away from the
nature of skills and the knowledge that the employees possess and thus had a direct impact on altering
the organizational makeup of the organization. Devadoss and Pan support the position that technology

is one of the most widely researched factors in shaping organizations [Devadoss & Pan in citing
Woodward, 1965 as supporting and Robey, 1977; Hickson et al., 1969; Kling, 1980 as contradicting].
Devadoss and Pan treated technology as a contingency variable that illustrated the technology
imperative, wherein technology is viewed as an exogenous force that exerts influence on individuals
and organizations [in citing Markus & Robey, 1988]. And, finally, Devadoss and Pan demonstrated
through their theoretical development of ES along the lines of adaptive structuration theory that
organizations exist wholly with the enactment of structures by its members and cannot exist outside of
those structures. By using AST, they contend that ES propagates perceptions of constraint among its
users “which confront users with such facticity as to create opacity of action for them...Actors draw on
these modalities, and through ES-in-practice, enact situated change” (p. 375).
Study of IT Effects on Organizations
In the 1980s, Gerardine DeSanctis and her colleagues at the University of Minnesota launched a
program of design-oriented research in Group decision support systems (GDSS) whose goal was to
better understand the effects of advancing information technologies on group behavior. These effects on
behavior included altered member participation and improved decision quality (see DeSanctis &
Gallupe, 1987 as cited in Markus (2008). It was during their research that Gerardine found inconsistent
results from study to study that indicated that the effects of technology on human behavior are
dependent upon social practices. Thus, the need for a new theory emerged that would avoid the
problems associated with a deterministic view of IT outcomes all-the-while facilitating the study of the
IT effects. The result of the collaboration between Gerardine DeSanctis and a colleague, Marshall Scott
Poole, was Adaptive Structuration Theory, which is now recognized as a seminal contribution to the IS
field (DeSanctis & Poole, 1994).
AST pairs two innovative technology-oriented concepts, structural features and system spirit,
both of which together conceptualize what IT is about that may contribute to the behavioral and social

outcomes of IT use, when these effects occur. Criticism has been leveled against AST (see Jones &
Karsten, 2009) both proponents of Giddens' structuration theory, which was the inspiration for the
development of AST. As it turns out, scholars have more widely used AST for explaining the concept of
users' appropriations of technology as opposed to the concept of structural features and spirit.
AST hypothesizes a link between the embedded structures and spirit and IT effects. “Prior to the
development of an advanced technology, structures are found in the institutions such as reporting
hierarchies, organizational knowledge, and standard operating procedures. Designers incorporate some
of these structures into the technology...” (DeSanctis & Poole, 1994, p. 125). Although DeSanctis and
Poole acknowledged that advancing technologies cannot completely determine outcomes such as
organizational change, they did agree that technology can serve as a trigger of such outcomes (p. 131).
In addition, DeSanctis and Poole viewed the effects of IT use depend on the human agency; that is to
say, the users' appropriations, they additionally viewed the adaptation of IT as causal.
Technology-Mediated Learning Within Organizations
Gupta, S. and Bostrom, R. (2009) no longer view training within most corporations as a cost
center but rather as a strategic center wherein training is used to enhance the productivity of individuals
and to effectively communicate the organizational goals to new employees. Two very important trends
in the area of training within companies are: (1) Technology-mediated learning (TML), and (2) The
movement toward more social forms of learning (Gupta & Bostrom, 2009 in citing Arthur et al., 2003).
Technology-mediated learning is very visible in both corporations and academe today. In 2008,
organizations within the United States employing 100 or more employees spent roughly $134.39Bn on
formal classroom training with 32.6 percent of that training being TML (Gupta & Bostrom in citing
ASTD, 2008). By the end of 2009, Gartner Group predicted that at least 60 percent of core business
software and processes would include TML (Gupta & Bostrom in citing Gartner, 2004). TML employs
a combination of web-based or computer-based learning, asynchronous or synchronous, self-paced or

instructor-led, and individual- or team-based.
Gupta and Bostrom (2009) [in citing Poole & DeSanctis (2003)] created an AST-based
theoretical model of TML and identified seven requirements and a specific process for the proper
application of AST in studying the effects of TML: identification of structures, relationship among
structures, description of the social system, appropriation of the structures, influence on social context
or reciprocal causation, influence of actors, and power dynamics (p. 690). The major strength of the
model and the study is that it allows researchers to emphasize either the actor's influence on structures
or structures' influence on actors, which when applied to TML both in learning-from-computers and
learning-with-computers and “operationalizes the concept of spirit in a TML context and its effect on
building the structural potential of the learning method” (p. 707).
Individual Adaptation of Information Technology
Bhattacherjee and Harris (2009) posit that Adaptive Structuration Theory provides a theoretical
framework for understanding mutual adaptation. Bhattacherjee and Harris also point out that the
Internet and its adaptable technologies are seen as a promise to end the one-size-fits-all approach to
individual adaptability to monolithic mainframe systems. They point out that the question to consider is
whether users will choose to adapt technology and whether this adaptation will improve the extent and
success of information technology. Furthermore, Bhattacherjee and Harris go on to say that present
literature is absent of theory-driven research and that little is known about causative drivers, potential
moderators, and their influences on the outcomes of the adaptation.
The study that Bhattacherjee and Harris (2009) conducted looked at individual—not group—
adaptation of IT and investigated the following: (1) the causative drivers of IT adaptation among
individual users, (2) the outcomes of IT adaptation, and (3) the factors that are dependent upon the
outcomes of IT adaptation. Their study also relied upon the technology acceptance model (TAM) and
AST in constructing their model of IT adaptation by individuals.

The study revealed that among the three elements under investigation, IT adaptation usefulness
emerged as the largest predictor of IT adaptation, closely followed by IT adaptability and ease of
adaptation. The empirical results corroborated the theoretical association between adaptation and usage
behaviors. And, finally, the moderating effect of the association between IT adaptation and post-
adaptive IT usage was found to be significant, which suggested that the expected outcomes of IT
adaptation cannot be fully seen until users initiate corresponding alterations to their own work
structures to accommodate and to take advantage of the IT adaptability (Bhattacherjee & Harris, 2009,
p. 43)..
Findings and Conclusions From the Research
The findings and conclusions were primarily taken from the themes that were identified earlier.
With respect to the treatment of AST to structural theory in IS research, DeSanctis and Poole (1994)
concluded that Adaptive Structuration Theory is a viable approach in studying how the adaptation of IT
by employees drives organizational change based the perspectives of how the types of structures are
provided by the advancing technologies and how the structures emerge due to the human action as they
interact with the emerging technologies. Researchers concluded that the effects of advancing
technologies has more to do with how people use the technologies than about the technologies
themselves. And, finally, DeSanctis and Poole found that the AST framework indicates that the
adaptation of organizational actors is the primary factor that drives organizational change.
With respect to AST as a Meta-Theory for examining IS within organizations, Bostrom, Gupta,
and Thomas (2009) study revealed that adaptive structuration theory serves as a meta-theory for the
study of IS within the socio-technical systems (STS, or organizational work systems) because AST
derives from structuration theory by specifically accounting for the presence and effects of advancing
technology artifacts. And, as a result, Bostrom et al. concluded that AST does a better job at integrating
both the voluntarist and the structural approaches within the augmented structuration theory, and,

therefore, serves as a good meta-theory for examining IS within organizations than does structuration
theory.
Niederman (2008) investigated the contextual and organizational elements of AST in GSS
research and found that by examining the natural reactions of the group members to the introduction of
GSS technology, he discovered that although this examination can provide useful insights and
behavioral knowledge, the organizational settings are enhanced by the selective use of human
interaction and technology for specific purposes. Niederman expanded the previous work of DeSanctis
and Poole (1994) surrounding the context of AST as applied to GSS Research by adding propositions to
the research, which support the continued use of multiple methods research for the purpose of
furthering the utility of GSS in application.
Maznevski (2000) conducted a grounded study of global virtual teams utilizing the Adaptive
Structuration Theory. By studying three global virtual teams over a 21-month period the data he
collected suggested that the benefits from using more complex information and communication
technologies increased as the tasks became more complex. Furthermore, Maznevski showed how AST
demonstrated the role of advanced information and communications technology and its appropriation
by members of the team as they worked together as well as how the inherent structural characteristics
shaped the interaction patterns without determining the interaction in a specific manner.
In the context of group decision making, studies conducted by Gautschi (1990) indicate that
computer-supported group meetings utilizing the advancing technologies offered by Information and
Communications Technology and collaborative-aided software, such as GroupWare, helped to improve
the brainstorming capabilities of groups in the meeting context within organizations.
Research conducted by Devadoss and Pan (2007) sought to bridge the gap in Enterprise
Systems research by proposing a theoretical framework that models organizational change that is
induced by ES. They concluded that ES has the capability to drive organizational change and that ES

use, where many of the ES-associated issues are manifested organization-wide, has been neglected, and
showed some of the important impacts on organizations caused by ES use. Ultimately, Devadoss and
Pan demonstrated that ES impacted employee roles by rendering their respective tasks as more broad-
based, which necessitated a move away from the nature of skills and the knowledge that the employees
possess and thus had a direct impact on altering the organizational makeup of the organization.
With regard to research conducted by DeSanctis and Gallupe (1987); DeSanctis and Poole
(1994) in the area of the direct effects of advancing information technologies on organizations,
although DeSanctis and Poole acknowledged that advancing technologies cannot completely determine
outcomes such as organizational change, they did conclude that technology can serve as a trigger of
such outcomes. Furthermore, DeSanctis and Poole viewed the effects of IT use depend on the human
agency; that is to say, the users' appropriations, they additionally viewed the adaptation of IT as causal.
Gupta, S. and Bostrom, R. (2009) conducted research into the area of technology-mediated
learning within organizations. Gupta and Bostrom created an AST-based theoretical model of TML and
identified seven requirements and a specific process for the proper application of AST in studying the
effects of TML: identification of structures, relationship among structures, description of the social
system, appropriation of the structures, influence on social context or reciprocal causation, influence of
actors, and power dynamics. They concluded that it allows researchers to emphasize either the actor's
influence on structures or structures' influence on actors when applied to TML both in learning-from-
computers and learning-with-computers.
And, finally, in the area of research on the individual adaptation of information technology
within organizations, Bhattacherjee and Harris (2009) posited that the Internet and its adaptable
technologies are seen as a promise to end the one-size-fits-all approach to individual adaptability to
monolithic mainframe systems. Their study relied upon the technology acceptance model (TAM) and
AST in constructing their model of IT adaptation by individuals. The study revealed that IT adaptation

usefulness emerged as the largest predictor of IT adaptation, closely followed by IT adaptability and
ease of adaptation and the empirical results corroborated the theoretical association between adaptation
of IT and usage behaviors in driving organizational change.
Need for Future Research
Through the examination of the literature in preparing this review, we discovered an apparent
gap in the literature that researchers could investigate for additional research in the future. This gap is
in a lack of existing theory-driven research about causative drivers, potential moderators, and their
influences on the outcomes of the individual adaptation of information technology. While it is true that
the Bhattacherjee and Harris (2009) study made great strides in this area, we feel that additional
quantitative research in this area is warranted.
Additionally, in reviewing the research conducted by Maznevski (2000) in global virtual team
dynamics, we feel that further research is needed in this extremely important aspect of adaptation of
advancing technologies on organization change particularly in the context of global virtual team
performance. Management researchers should extend the research already conducted in this area by
Maznevski to develop an even stronger understanding of global virtual team performance and its
impact on organizational change through the adaptation of information technology by focusing on the
relationship between structure and process that enables the researcher to capture the complexities of
global virtual team interaction.

References
Bhattacherjee, A., & Harris, M. (2009). Individual adaptation of Information Technology. Journal of
Computer Information Systems, 50(1), 37-45.
Bostrom, R. P., Gupta, Saurabh, & Thomas, D. (2009). A meta-theory for understanding Information
Systems within sociotechnical systems. Journal of Management Information Systems, 26(1), 17-
47.
DeSanctis, G., & Poole, M. S. (1994). Capturing the Complexity in Advanced Technology Use:
Adaptive Structuration Theory. Organization Science, 5(2), 121-147. INFORMS. doi:
10.1287/orsc.5.2.121.
Devadoss, P., & Pan, S. L. (2007). Enterprise systems use: Towards a structurational analysis of
enterprise systems induced organizations transformation. Communications of AIS, 2007(19), 352-
385.
Gautschi, T. F. (1990). Group decision making--Part III. Design News, 46(19), 336-336. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/visual?vid=2&hid=109&sid=327d66e2-7dad-
4a92-98da-674cbbe11131@sessionmgr113.
Gupta, S., & Bostrom, R. (2009). Technology-mediated learning: A comprehensive theoretical model.
Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 10(9), 2009.
Jones, M., & Karsten, H. (2009). Divided by a common language? A response to Marshall Scott Poole.
MIS Quarterly, 33(3), 589-595. Retrieved October 30, 2010, from
http://web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu/ehost/visual?vid=2&hid=112&sid=fd5f9a98-c9de-
464c-8aa9-2a73c3ba9bab%40sessionmgr114.

Lerouge, C. (2004). Appropriating enterprise resource planning systems in colleges of business:
Extending adaptive structuration theory for testability. Journal of Information Systems Education,
15(3), 2004.
Mamaghani, F. (2006). Impact of information technology on the workforce of the future: An analysis.
International Journal of Management, 23(4), 845-850.
Markus, M. L. (2008). A foundation for the study of IT effects: A new look at DeSanctis and Poole s
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concepts of structural features and spirit. Journal of the Association for Information Systems,
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Maznevski, M. L. (2000). Bridging space over time: Global virtual team dynamics and effectiveness.
Organization Science, 11(5), 473-492.
Niederman, F. (2008). Extending the contextual and organizational elements of adaptive structuration
theory in GSS research. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 9(10), 633-652.
Poole, M. S., & DeSanctis, G. (2004). Structuration Theory in Information Systems Research: Methods
and Controversies. In M. E. Whitman & A. Woszcynski (Eds.), Handbook of Information Systems
Research (pp. 206-249). Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing.

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