Effects of User Participation in Systems Development: A Longitudinal Field Experiment

This study examines the efficacy of user participation in developing an accounting application. The research takes place over a 19month time frame, involves 516 clerical-level accounting subjects, and includes experimental manipulations in a field setting. The model of user participation and involvement proposed by Hartwick and Barki (1994) provides the foundation for the research framework. Their model is augmented by the inclusion of concepts from procedural justice and self-efficacy ~Robert Zmud was the accepting senior editor for this paper. Introduction This research examines the impact of allowing clerical accounting personnel the opportunity to participate in developing software. User participation is considered to be an important factor in the successful implementation and ultimate performance of information systems (Cushing 1990). Motivated by recent studies user participation and involvement (Barki and Hartwick 1989, 1994; Hartwick and Barki 1994), the current study focuses on the influence of participation on user involvement, user attitude, and behavior. MIS Quarterly/December 1997 359