It ’ s My Tool , I Know How to Use It : A Theory of the Impact of BYOD on Device Competence and Job Satisfaction Research-in-Progress

IT departments have historically ruled their realms with iron fists. When an employee entered the organization, they were given standardized, organizational-owned hardware, and were instructed to use that hardware to complete all work related activities and communications. Only through this standardization and control could IT departments hope to manage the huge number of devices needed to support and protect the organization. For the majority of the business IT age, the average users’ workissued hardware was superior to their own personal equipment. However, as hardware capabilities have soared, and prices have dropped, the average users’ personal hardware has become more than sufficient to support typical business activities using such tools as email, productivity suites, and web-based business client software. As this personal hardware has become more capable, the boundary that separates the corporate-owned from the personal hardware has begun to erode.