The Effect of Extent of Use of Information Technology and Job of the User upon Task Characteristics

Abstract

The relationships between extent of use of information technology (IT) and task characteristics were examined in two jobs using the Job Diagnostic Survey. Consistent with past studies, it was found that, among clerks, extent of use is positively correlated with skill variety, feedback from agents, and dealing with others, and that there is no correlation between extent of use and task identity, task signifcance, andfeedbackfrom the job. Also consistent with past studies was the finding that the nature of the IT user's job moderates the relationship between use extent and task characteristics. In the non-clerical job in this study, use extent was negatively correlated with skill variety, feedback from agents, and dealing with others. A model proposed to explain these results suggests that the relationship between use extent and task characteristics depends upon the task characteristics of the IT-using and non-IT-using components of the job. Practical applications of this model were suggested.

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