Alternative Measures of System Effectiveness: Associations and Implications

This article reports results from a study that examined the implementation of computerized modeling systems in 29 organizations. The focus is on the use of various MIS effectiveness measures that are reported in MIS research. Specifically, we examine the relationship between user perceived effectiveness measures (user satisfaction) and behavioral measures of system effectiveness (system use). While much of the existing MIS research implies that the two types of measures are positively associated with each other, the results from this study indicate otherwise. By using a perceived effectiveness instrument that is strongly grounded in a widely accepted theoretical model, the results provide important insights into the nature of this relationship. The importance of interpreting perceived and behavioral measures of system effectiveness is demonstrated by examining the effect of system sophistication on MIS effectiveness.