Group Support Systems: Barriers to Adoption in a Cross-Cultural Setting

This paper develops a model to explain how Group Support Systems (GSS) may be received in different cultural settings - national and organisational. The model is supported by the views of Information Systems professionals regarding the suitability of GSS in those different cultural settings. A detailed investigation into the suitability of adopting GSS in organisations in Hong Kong is undertaken with three cases presented here. We argue for greater sensitivity when attempts are made to transfer technology from one culture to another, as well as the need to develop indigenous solutions that do fit with cultural norms. We also believe that studies documenting the organisational use of GSS - successful and unsuccessful - are essential.