IS consultants and the change agent role

Abstract

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.