Cragg, PaulCavaye, Angele L. M.2026-08-172026-08-171993https://hdl.handle.net/10289/18544This study focused on customer participation as one variable impacting on the adoption of systems which link organisations with their customers. The topic draws on literature concerning user participation in system development and, secondly, on literature relating to interorganisational and strategic systems. No previous research has focused on this research topic. Three related research questions were identified and investigated. The first question concerned antecedents which determine an organisation’s decision on whether or not to involve customers in the design and building of the system. The second question concerned the way in which customers participate in system development. The third question related to the effect of customer participation during development on adoption of the system. A multiple case approach was adopted for the empirical component of the study. Data was collected on 9 systems in New Zealand. Data analysis included within case analysis for each individual case and cross case analysis. It was found that customer participation during system design occurs in a minority of cases only and is associated with systems which are developed in response to customer initiatives or for competitive reasons. The effect of participation on subsequent adoption is indirect: participation can affect the ability of a system to fulfil a customer need and this need induces a customer to adopt the system. The study found that customer participation must be considered in relation to other adoption factors. A major outcome of the study is a model explaining and predicting adoption according to five adoption factors. If a system involves a customer in high acquisition costs, fast adoption is unlikely. The marketing effort by the sponsoring organisation and the technological awareness of the customer are strongly correlated with adoption.enAll items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.Thesis