User resistance to information systems
implementation has been identified as a salient reason for the
failure of new systems and hence needs to be understood and managed.
While previous research has explored the reasons for user
resistance, there are gaps in our understanding of how users
evaluate change related to a new information system and decide to
resist it. Particularly, missing in the explanation of user decision
making is the concept of status quo bias, that is, that user
resistance can be due to the bias or preference to stay with the
current situation. Motivated thus, this study develops a model to
explain user resistance prior to a new IS implementation by
integrating the technology acceptance and resistance literatures
with the status quo bias perspective. The results of testing the
model in the context of a new enterprise system implementation
indicate the central role of switching costs in increasing user
resistance. Further, switching costs also mediate the relationship
between other antecedents (colleague opinion and self-efficacy for
change) and user resistance. Additionally, perceived value and
organizational support for change are found to reduce user
resistance. This research advances the theoretical understanding of
user acceptance and resistance prior to a new IS implementation and
offers organizations suggestions for managing such resistance.
Keywords:
User resistance, IS implementation, status quo bias theory