Measuring alignment within relationships among socio-technical system components: a study of Wiki technology use

Abstract

Wiki technology provides capabilities for collaborative knowledge management. Web 2.0 technologies such as wikis eliminate the boundaries of time and space, and support higher levels of social interaction. In order to achieve the highest return from information systems, organizations must match the capabilities of technology with their complex social environments. This research proposes examination of organizational information systems as socio-technical systems that involve interacting relationships among the main components of actors, structure, tasks and technology. Alignment within the relationships will facilitate increased system use; however, gaps in alignment may impede system use and result in poor performance or system failure. The pilot study presented here gives insight into how alignment can be measured by evaluating underlying factors affecting the relationships and subsequent system use.