Technology mediated routines and their effects on organizational performance: An integrated affordance theoretic approach

Abstract

This study addresses a critical gap in Information Systems (IS) research that applies affordance theory. While previous IS affordance research has examined how technological affordance influences organizational routines or directly impacts performance, few studies have integrated these perspectives to explore how technology-induced routine changes mediate the relationship between technological affordances and organizational performance. To fill this gap, we first built an integrated affordance theoretic model. To validate this model, we collected survey data from 338 U.S. police departments focusing on using body-worn cameras (BWC) in their daily operation. Analyzing the survey data, we empirically validated that the technical affordances of BWCs (e.g., recording capabilities and infrastructural capabilities) drive changes in policing routines, which, in turn, enhance organizational performance. A primary contribution of this research is that we integrate qualitative and quantitative perspectives developed surrounding affordance theory in the IS research community, and validate the important role of routine changes in mediating the relationship between technological affordance and organizational performance. Our findings demonstrate that these technology-induced routine changes serve as key mediators, which exert a significant impact on performance beyond technology alone. This study underscores the importance of aligning technological affordance with organizational routines to drive sustainable improvements in organizational performance.