The Impact of Contextual Factors on the Information Technology Use of Firms: The Case of Turkey

A number of researchers have suggested that there is a need to analyze the influence of contextual factors within operations management in depth. This study explores the relationship between information technology use and various contextual factors at the firm-level (firm size and ownership structure) and industry-level (competition intensity). Also, firms’ information technology uses are compared according to firm performances in this study. Data obtained from 123 firms in ISO 1000 list and operating in eight different sectors. Analyses have shown that information technology use has not changed in terms of firm characteristics (number of employees and ownership structure) and overall firm performance. It has been found that competition intensity experienced by firms affected information technology use. As a conclusion, findings of this study presented information technology use in firms are not dependent on contextual factors at the firm level (number of employees and ownership structure).