How involvement, IS management effectiveness, and end-user computing impact IS performance in manufacturing firms Patrick J. Rondeau a, * , T.S. Ragu-Nathan b,1 , Mark A. Vonderembse c,2 a Butler University, College of Business Administration, 4600 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46208-3485, USA b The University of Toledo, College of Business Administration, IMES Department, Toledo, OH 43606, USA c The University of Toledo, College of Business Administration, Management Department, Toledo, OH 43606, USA Received 23 February 2004; received in revised form 15 February 2005; accepted 27 February 2005 Available online 6 June 2005 Abstract A rapidly changing environment requires firms to adopt a customer-driven approach in managing their information systems. Study results indicate that firms with high levels of organizational involvement in IS related activities have higher levels of IS management effectiveness. In turn, these higher levels lead to lower levels of end-user self-reliance in application development and higher levels of end-user dependence on IS expertise. In our study, end-user self-reliance indicated the presence of independent end-users circumventing the IS unit by developing software applications and engaging in traditional IS activities. In contrast, end-user dependence on IS expertise indicated that end-users believed that the IS unit was a valuable and reliable source of technical knowledge and application support. More effective IS management practices, combined with higher end-user dependence on the IS expertise, were found to lead to improved perceptions of IS performance. Data were collected from 265 senior manufacturing managers who were selected because their perspective of IS activities and performance was desired and manufacturing units are an important user of the services. Structural equation modeling was used to test our hypotheses. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: User involvement; IS planning; IS strategy; IS responsiveness; User training; User dependence on IS expertise; User self-reliance in application development; IS performance 1. Introduction The information-based society requires firms to develop IS that are more flexible, integrative, responsive, and information rich. Firms must align their IS unit with core business processes. Multiple paths toward strategic alignment can exist and conflicts may arise when a firm’s IS technology strategies exceeds its ability to align them with its business strategies. www.elsevier.com/locate/dsw Information & Management 43 (2006) 93–107 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 317 940 9215; fax: +1 317 940 9455. E-mail addresses: prondeau@butler.edu (P.J. Rondeau), traguna@utoledo.edu (T.S. Ragu-Nathan), mark.vonderembse@utoledo.edu (M.A. Vonderembse). 1 Tel.: +1 419 530 2427; fax: +1 419 530 7744. 2 Tel.: +1 419 530 4319; fax: +1 419 530 7744. 0378-7206/$ – see front matter # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.im.2005.02.001