使用者在科技調適中的作用：型態生成論為觀點的多個案研究

Effects of Users on Technology Adaptation: Multi-Case Studies from Morphogenetic Approach

本研究藉由「型態生成論」的觀點，試圖探索使用者在「科技調適」中對科技結構的作用。透過「型態生成論」的觀點，一些學者認為科技調適可以被視為是一種社會建構。這是因為每一項科技本身都內含了特有的物質與結構。當人們使用一項科技的時候，人們的行為可能會受到科技所內含結構的限制和影響。然而，在現實生活中，人們的行為實踐通常會隨著社會和組織環境改變而不斷變化，但固定科技結構卻無法持續滿足人們現實的需求。故在這種情況下，為了反應情境的變化和滿足實際的需求，科技的使用者會傾向觸發一系列社會互動，以試圖改變科技的結構。為此，科技與使用者之間具有交互作用。經由上述這樣的論點，本研究選擇三家資訊電子業的公司做為個案研究對象，透過質化研究，深入分析與比較這三家公司採用ERP 系統的科技調適過程。研究問題包括：(1) 在科技調適中，使用者對於科技結構的改變有何作用？(2) 使用者如何影響科技結構的內涵？研究結果發現：第一，使用者對於科技結構的改變，可歸納出三種不同的類型。第二，使用者之所以會改變科技結構，乃是使用者具有自覺的原故。第三，使用者會透過三種不同的角色，包括促變者、配合者、旁觀者，來影響科技結構的內涵。本研究獲得的研究結果，一方面會對科技調適現象有更深入的認識，另一方面也會擴展型態生成論的應用範圍。

This study explores the user effect for technology-enabled organizational adaptation (i.e., Technology Adaptation). According to Archer’s morphogenetic approach, some scholars pointed out technology adaptation could be viewed as a social construction. Technology includes particular material properties and structures. People’s action may be constrained and shaped by technology structures. However, in real life, human practices constantly change along with the social and organizational context while the structures fixed within technology cannot satisfy human needs continuously. Under these circumstances, to reflect the contextual changes and human needs, users tend to trigger a series of social interactions to change the structures of technology. Thus, an interplay occurs between technology and users. From this point of view, this study applies a qualitative method to explore three case companies in the information electronics industry in Taiwan; to deepen understanding about different reactions to technology adaptation by observing what happened when these three companies adopt new ERP systems in non-identical conditions. This study attempts to answer the following questions: (1) How users affect technology adaptation? (2) How do users change the inner structures of technology? The research results show that: First, changes in technology structure can be classified into three different types. Second, the reason why users change the structure of technology is because they are conscious. Third, users play three different roles to change the technology structure. This study provides new insights into the importance of the user effect for technology adaptation and expands the application of Archer’s morphogenetic approach from social systems to information systems.