Are Enterprise System Related Misfits Always a Bad Thing?

Abstract

Fits and misfits between information systems and their organizational contexts are important to many theoretical streams in the information systems research tradition. A premise underlying this fit-related research is that a fit is generally a good thing and should therefore be pursued, whereas misfits are bad and should be eliminated. In this conceptual essay we draw upon work on enterprise information systems to question whether this premise is necessarily always the case. In doing so we make two broad contributions: first, we conceptualize the different points where we might find fits or misfits between an enterprise system and its organizational context, second, we theorize about situations where misfits may not negatively influence organizational performance. We conclude with a provocation about the simultaneous desirability and danger of fit.

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