Validating the Theory of IOS Adoption in the Context of the Australian Automotive Industry: Some Preliminary Findings

Inter-organisational systems (IOS) link two or more organisations and enable them to exchange transactions electronically. They have been introduced by different organisations using different adoption processes. Existing literature on IOS adoption however does not explain the variations in the IOS adoption processes initiated by organisations. To overcome this limitation, we have recently developed a theory that offers a satisfactory explanation of the differences in IOS adoption processes followed by different organisations in terms of their adoption motivations in any given IOS project. The theory was tested in the Australian pharmaceutical industry where it received considerable support. In this paper, we now apply the theory to explain the EDI adoption experiences of a large manufacturing company selected from the Australian automotive industry. The findings provide broad support for the theory; thus validating the theory in another industry context and improving the generalisability of the theory. The finding is also useful as it assists IT managers in reducing the uncertainty associated with IOS adoption practices.