Date

2003

Author

Keskin, Ekin

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This study aims at analyzing and explaining the use of information technology (IT) and its effect on organizational structures in SMEs in Turkey. Today, information technology has come to play a more and more important role in most organizations and especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Researchers give different meanings on the concept of IT as how IT is used or interpreted in organizations. This thesis focuses on the impact of IT on organizational structure. A framework for analysis consisting of four eras of IT use has been developed and forms the basis of research method for analyzing the effects of IT in SMEs. In the framework, the dominant technology actually creates an organization metaphor, which helps to determine how organizational structures will be affected by the use of information technology. The variables to be investigated in the areas of organizational structure are control, specialization, formalization, span of control, communication and collaboration, interorganizational relations. Through a case study of two small and medium sized companies in the electronics and manufacturing industries, it is found that formation of information networks especially external networks has a precise effect on organization structures. The results prove that IT has significant impacts on decentralization, specialization, communication, and interorganizational relations. Also, it is clear that managerial support for IT and IT implementation is found to be a major factor for information technology to be used effectively.

Subject Keywords

Information technology, Small and medium sized enterprises, Organizational structure, Network organization

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/1268986/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/13315

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis