Leaving employees to their own devices: new practices in the workplace

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide useful insights on “bring your own device” (BYOD) and IT consumerization, to help organizations understand how to address their consequences. For young, tech-savvy workers, using their own devices at work represents a right, rather than a privilege, leading them to initiate a growing, yet under-researched, drive toward IT consumerization. Some companies already deploy BYOD programs, allowing employees to use personal devices for work-related activities, but other managers remain hesitant of the implications of such programs. Design/methodology/approach – To provide an overview of this growing phenomenon, this paper presents an in-depth analysis of existing literature and identifies organizational changes induced by this reversed adoption logic. A case study of Volvo reveals how one organization has coped successfully with this phenomenon. Findings – These analyses shed more light on the stakes involved in BYOD and IT consumerization, as well as the changes...