An empirical study of end-user computing support in large organizations

Effective support is critical if end-users are to successfully exploit the potential benefits of information technology. Although the Information Center concept is very popular among companies, few understand the need for tailored End-User Computing support. The support services of many Information Centers are offered in a passive mode and end-users have to actively seek assistance to obtain the services they need. This approach to support delivery is necessary within the overall context of End-User Computing, but it lacks proper focus and balance to meet all of the support needs of end-users. This kind of End-User Computing support is technology driven rather than information driven. The objectives of this research are to examine several of the problems and issues of End-User Computing support. This is achieved by: (1) developing support strategy matrices for each end-user type; and (2) developing and providing empirical evidence for a model of End-User Computing success. These issues were explored by studying the support needs of managers and staff professionals in large organizations in Atlanta, Lexington, and Louisville. Two hundred and thirty eight end-users from 10 organizations participated in the study. The results of the analysis indicated that user support needs differ by end-user type. There is a mismatch between the support needs and the delivery of the support services by the Information Center. The ratio of end-users per support staff and budget per end-user were found to be significant factors in explaining the satisfaction with overall support. Support effectiveness was found to be positively correlated with satisfaction with overall support; and the satisfaction with overall support was found to be positively correlated with Success of End-User Computing. End-users in companies with multidisciplinary support teams did not differentiate satisfaction with overall support compared to companies with non-multidisciplinary support teams. A factor analysis of User-Information Satisfaction revealed four important EUC success factors: (1) end-users' attitude towards the support infrastructure; (2) end-users' attitude toward the system; (3) management policies towards End-User Computing; and (4) Information Center policies and procedures.