Theoretical And Empirical Study On Knowledge Assimilation In Enterprise Systems Assimilation

Empirical studies suggest that the transfer of knowledge is critical across the complete organizational learning. In particular, the key point of knowledge transfer is not whether the knowledge or sources are useful, but whether the recipients could absorb potentially useful knowledge and use it in their work. Enterprise systems assimilation phase is particularly important for organizations to realize returns on IS investments by enabling employees to efficiently use the systems. Unless most employees have sufficient knowledge of how to use the technical system effectively, organizations are unlikely to gain the benefits from enterprise system. Therefore, from knowledge receipt perspective, it is critical to explore how to facilitate enterprise system users to assimilate knowledge to improve enterprise system assimilation. Especially, Prior literature has offered relatively little insight into knowledge assimilation. On the one hand, rich and extensive IS literature has explored knowledge transfer only in the adoption and implementation stages in enterprise system lifecycle, but few literatures has offered relatively insight into assimilation phase. On the other hand, prior literature is lack of efforts to understand knowledge transfer in enterprise system assimilation, which is totally different from the other phases.Faced with this valuable research question that knowledge transfer in the assimilation context, this paper identifies the following purpose that, how to ensure the employees to obtain enough knowledge and effectively apply knowledge. Especially users’ knowledge assimilation includes the phase of knowledge assimilation intention decision, and the phase of knowledge acquisition and application. Therefore, based on our research purpose, this paper proposes two important research questions that:(1) explore the antecedents that promote or inhibit knowledge assimilation intention of enterprise system users;(2) explore the effective organization interventions to help enterprise system users through continuous and effective knowledge assimilation including the extent of knowledge acquisition and thereby affecting the degree of influence on the extent of the knowledge application.Firstly, the key conceptions of knowledge assimilation are defined. Decision of knowledge assimilation intention is the process in which system users is willing to absorb knowledge about enterprise system into their daily work. Knowledge acquisition and application is the process in which users could learn and adopt knowledge from sources, and apply the knowledge to get satisfied results. This study identifies three components of knowledge transferred(knowledge depth, knowledge breath, and knowledge linkage) to define the extent of knowledge acquisition in enterprise system assimilation context, and identifies two interrelated knowledge application behaviors(habitual application and extended application) related to how users apply the knowledge to leverage enterprise systems. Because of the important role of organizational intervention in users’ learning process, this paper involves socialization tactics to study their effect on knowledge acquisition and application.Secondly, this study researches the antecedents that promote or inhibit knowledge assimilation intention of enterprise system users. Given the lack of strong theory, in this study, at first we use case study methodology to quantitative assess the research model, and then quantitative assess the research model with empirical study. Based on integrated framework of knowledge transfer, this study identifies the antecedents from the properties of knowledge units, knowledge unit relationships and knowledge transferred. Thirdly, this study explores how to use organization interventions in users’ knowledge acquisition and application. This study uses the framework of socialization tactics as a theoretical anchor in case study, and identifies three types of socialization tactics(sharping mechanism, strengthening mechanism, and embedding mechanism) which could be used to improve the performance of uses’ knowledge assimilation. And the specific forms of socialization tactics includes enclosed training, self-efficacy training, mentoring system, formal/informal communication, situational training, and periodic intervention. Then drawing from knowledge management and socialization theories, a theoretical model is developed for better understanding how management could exercise socialization tactics to promote transfer of knowledge, and thus improve knowledge application outcomes. And the theoretical model is validated through survey data from employees in 14 companies which have implemented enterprise system for more than one year in China. This study finds that between two interrelated knowledge application behaviors, habitual application positively influences extended application. The depth of knowledge transferred is positively related to both knowledge diversity and linkages. Knowledge diversity and linkages will positively impact habitual and extended application respectively, and fully mediate the effects of knowledge depth on knowledge application. Content-related tactics positively influence knowledge depth, context-related tactics positively influence knowledge diversity, and social-related tactics positively influence both knowledge depth and linkages. Finally theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.