Task characteristics, decentralization, and the success of hospital information systems

Considerable attention has been given to the importance of structural and contextual variables in the successful implementation of management information systems (MIS). Empirical studies, however, are inconclusive on the effect of the organizational context and MIS structure on MIS success. This study examines the relationship between the decentralization of hospital information systems (HIS) management and HIS development task characteristics, and the impact of that relationship on the functioning of HIS development groups. The results indicate that decentralization interacts with task predictability to influence user information satisfaction. When HIS development tasks are unpredictable, a decentralized hierarchy of authority is more effective in achieving high user satisfaction. Also, extensive HIS employee participation in decision making is desirable when HIS development personnel encounter many exceptions.