| End-user computing (EUC) is the direct hands-on use of computers by people who have problems for which computer-based solutions are appropriate. An information center (IC) has become an accepted and rapidly growing part of an organizations' formal support for EUC. Previous research on this phenomenon of EUC and the IC has been diverse. Whereas efforts have been aimed to identify critical success factors (CSF) applicable to ICs, these efforts were exploratory in nature. Furthermore, no attempts have been made to examine factors affecting the CSFs applicable to ICs.;A principle components analysis was used to identify composite CSFs from the individual CSFs previously identified in the literature. MANOVA procedures, followed by multiple comparisons, were used to determine the effects of the parameters of interest (stages, age, size, and hardware option) on the composite CSFs.;The study identified five composite CSFs applicable to ICs. In addition, the study found support for a stage hypothesis for IC evolution. Further, the specific effects of the stages, age, size, and hardware option were identified. However, due to the very small number of differences found (out of a large number of possible differences), it was concluded that the effects of these parameters on the importance of the composite CSFs were minimal.;Based on the identified composite CSFs, a model for an IC is proposed. In addition, a hypothesis relating the stages of IC evolution and the CSFs based model of an IC is proffered.;This study explored the CSFs applicable to ICs and examined the effects of several parameters on the importance of the CSFs. The parameters of interest were the stages of IC evolution, age, size, and the hardware option supported. Data were gathered through a questionnaire administered to IC managers. |
