Attributional Bias as a Source of Conflict Between Users and Analysts in an Information Systems Development Context - Hypothesis Development

Abstract

One potential Obstacle to Effective information system development involves the conflict between users and developers. It has been argued that information systems development personnel have different perceptions of what constitutes systems effectiveness than do users. Systems objectives are accomplished from the developers viewpoint when the system has technical validity. Systems objectives are accomplished from the users viewpoint when the system has organizational validity. Differences in the assessment of information systems project success are accentuated when users perceive the project as a failure. Attribution theory, a social psychology theory, is employed here to explain the source and outcome of such conflict. Also discussed are alternative ways of resolving those differences.