An empirical study of factors influencing interorganizational information systems implementation: A case of the real estate industry

Dramatic advances in the information technology (IT), coupled with drastic cost reductions in computer hardware and software, have enabled the emergence and rapid advances of interorganizational information systems (IOS) during the last decade. Attempting to develop a conceptual framework, many publications have addressed the effective use of IT. However, there has been little empirical research that investigated the critical implementation factors in the context of IOS. This study explored the factors affecting successful implementation of an IOS. The multiple listing services (MLS) system in the real estate industry was studied as an IOS. A field survey methodology was employed to conduct this research. Six sets of variables were examined: (1) system-intrinsic characteristics; (2) implementation process characteristics; (3) user satisfaction with the system; (4) information quality; (5) system usage; and (6) user performance. According to the results of a statistical analysis of one-hundred and forty valid questionnaires, four system-intrinsic characteristics (relative advantage, image, compatibility, and ease of use) were found to be significantly associated with IOS success while two implementation process characteristics (intermediary support and user training) were statistically supported as critical implementation factors. Specifically, relative advantage, image, and intermediary support accounted for 42.3% of the variance in user satisfaction while relative advantage, intermediary support, and image accounted for 32.5% of the variance in information quality. Almost 30 percent of the variance in use was explained by ease of use, user training and compatibility. User performance was positively associated with relative advantage, intermediary support and image, accounting for 31 percent of the total variance. These results provide useful guidelines and a framework for the system professionals at the adoption/development stage of information technology and for future research in a promising area of interorganizational information systems