Considering the Climate of the IT System - Essay Example

Considering the Climate of the IT System The ment that contends that "most systems fail because they fail to consider the behavior of the organization" is at first glance puzzling to most managers. Yet, failure to evaluate the climate that the system is used in, the attitudes of the users, and the style of management can all lead to disaster. Ignoring the organization would be as senseless as buying an automobile without considering the family that will be using it. To implement a successful system, all aspects of an organization must be evaluated including the culture, philosophy, attitudes, and management style.

If a system is designed such that it will remove autonomy or authority from the end user and place it in the hands of the system, it is important to plan for that. In an organization that has a traditional management style, workers may be more accepting of relinquishing control to a more bureaucratic system. However, in an environment where the organization is more empowered, failure to consider this can result in resistance to the implementation. A successful system design will involve the organization and not significantly disrupt the hierarchy or alter the perception of control.

While it is important that people's perceptions and attitudes be considered, it's imperative to keep in mind that the organization will have to use the system. Any problems in the organization such as arrogance or disinterest will be magnified when implementing a new system. One of the most important factors affecting a new system or modifications to an existing system is employee acceptance. Many system implementations fail because the system designers did not consider the behavioral climate resulting in a lack of acceptance (Headrick and Morgan).

It is also important to consider the social environment of the organization prior to implementing a new system. If the implementation will interfere with the social structure that is in place in the workplace, the designer needs to take additional care to not disrupt it. Automation and the resulting changes may increase social isolation or separation of employees. If that were the case, it would be important to involve the employees in the design process from the beginning. Several alternatives can be explored to heal feelings of the system taking over.

A system that is suddenly dumped on the organization radically altering the existing social structure can result in immediate rejection that could have been gradually overcome by their earlier involvement.Failure to consider the organizational climate and its existing problems can certainly doom any system. Management may resist giving up control of certain aspects of their job. Employees may have unfounded negative attitudes that will sabotage the system. Any disruption in the workplace, production or social, will be met with resistance.

Cultural feelings of closeness and involvement with the organization can be threatened when implementing a new system. Yet, by involving the organization in the early design phases through to completion, any reasonable objections can be overcome. You should not purchase a car without considering the family, and a system is doomed to fail without consideration of the organization that is meant to serve. Works CitedHeadrick, R W., and George W. Morgan. "Measuring the Impact of Information Systems on Organizational Behavior.

" Journal of End User Computing 11.4 (1999).