Validating and applying user satisfaction as a measure of mis success in small organizations
Information and Management
Unifying the fragmented models of information systems implementation
Critical issues in information systems research
Consultant engagement for computer system selection: a pro-active client role in small businesses
Information and Management
Supporting the information technology champion
MIS Quarterly - Special issue on the strategic use of information systems
User information satisfaction: IS implementability and effectiveness
Information and Management
Succeeding as a clandestine change agent
Communications of the ACM
Power over users: its exercise by system professionals
Communications of the ACM
Change agentry—the next IS frontier
MIS Quarterly
Information Resources Management Journal
Implications for the role of information systems in a business process reengineering environment
Information Resources Management Journal
Using case study research to build theories of IT implementation
Proceedings of the IFIP TC8 WG 8.2 international conference on Information systems and qualitative research
Achieving IT infusion: a conceptual model for small business
Information Resources Management Journal
Computer information systems and organization structure
Communications of the ACM
Roles of the external IT project manager
Communications of the ACM
Consultancies and capabilities in innovating with IT
The Journal of Strategic Information Systems
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Markus and Benjamin (1996) proposed a change agentry model that identifies three change agent roles for the information system (IS) specialist: the traditional, the facilitator, and the advocator. This study explores these roles for IS consultants who are engaged as independent contractors by small businesses. Presented here is a field study of twenty-five cases to test these three roles. In general, the results of the study suggest that IS consultants' view themselves as change agents and can identify a role that they prefer to follow. Key relationships emerged between the change agent role selected by an IS consultant for an engagement and the quality of the IS implementation. A main finding indicates that the advocator role model is most effective when resistance to change is encountered. The study concludes with suggestions to help IS consultants improve their effectiveness as change agents, such as acquiring the broader type of skills to adopt an advocator role and attaining the flexibility to follow different change agent roles.