The social construction of usefulness

The globalization of the information technology market and the increased affordability of systems that automate business activities have made it possible for more small and medium enterprises to acquire this type of technology. This means that the cultures under which these systems are produced are often different from those of user sites. The purpose of the research presented in this book is to document and understand how the sociocultural frameworks and dynamics of producers and users of business information systems influence diverse interpretations of their usefulness. This is done through a framework based on the concept of technological frames. The author discusses the notion of usefulness in Human Computer Interaction and Information Systems, and expands it with knowledge drawn from the Sociology of Technology. A discussion of previous research on the relation between culture and technology is developed and followed by an intercultural a study of producers and users of a software package for small and medium businesses. The book is addressed to IT professionals and researchers interested in the socio-technical dimensions of systems design, evaluation and acceptance.