Wanda J Orlikowski
Analysis is presented of the introduction of a groupware technology - Lotus Corp.'s Notes - into one office of a large organization and an attempt is made to understand the changes in work practices and social interaction facilitated by the technology. The results reveal that a number of organizational elements significantly influence how groupware technology is implemented and used. Specifically, the findings suggest that in the absence of mental models that appreciate the collaborative nature of groupware, such technologies will be interpreted in terms of more familiar personal and stand-alone technologies, such as spreadsheets. Recognizing the significant influence of these organizational elements appears critical to both researchers and practitioners of groupware technologies.