Organizational Assimilation of Information Technology in Korean Local Governments

Using a survey of three departments in 234 Korean local governments carried out in February of 2006, this study investigates levels of IT assimilation in local governments and analyses factors affecting their levels of IT assimilation. Especially, this study tries to answer the following questions: 1) How are information systems being assimilated in terms of their use to carry out departmental tasks? Are there any systematic differences in the levels of assimilation between different departments, as well as between different local governments? 2) What are important factors affecting the level of IT assimilation? Especially, are the factors such as the nature of tasks and task environments, level of knowledge codification, importance of implicit knowledge in daily operation, organizational culture, and the role of leadership relevant? 3) Is the quality of IT management relevant with organizational assimilation of IT? If so, to what extent is it important and in what respect?