Understanding Information Technology (IT) Induced Changes in Culture

The Internet, World Wide Web, and related information and communication technologies (ICTs), have rapidly spread to a large number of countries and cultures. Many of these technologies facilitate and mediate activities whose modes and means bind closely to culture. Research has suggested that communication technologies can affect values and norms for behavior. Therefore, the goal of this research is to examine IT induced changes in culture. Particularly, this research is interested in answering the following question: How does IT impact culture? The goal of the study is to describe the impact of IT on culture’s components, including cultural values, norms, and behavior using a phenomenological method to address the research question. We are currently involved in collecting data to explore the phenomenon of interest. The findings will help to provide an alternative view of the relationship between IT and culture and lend new insights into our understanding of their linkage.