Consumerization and IT Department Conflict

Abstract

After years of banning consumer devices (e.g., iPads and iPhone) and applications (e.g., DropBox, Evernote, iTunes) organizations are allowing employees to use their consumer tools in the workplace. This IT consumerization phenomenon will have serious consequences on IT departments which have historically valued control, security, standardization and support (Harris et al. 2012). Based on case studies of three organizations in different stages of embracing IT consumerization, this study identifies the conflicts IT consumerization creates for IT departments. All three organizations experienced similar goal and behavior conflicts, while identity conflict varied depending upon the organizations’ stage implementing consumer tools (e.g., embryonic, initiating or institutionalized). Theoretically, this study advances IT consumerization research by applying a role conflict perspective to understand consumerization’s impact on the IT department.