Tor J. Larsen holds a MA in Systems Thinking from the University of Lancaster, England, in 1975 and earned his Ph.D. in Management Information Systems (MIS) from the University of Minnesota in 1989. He held the position of Senior Vice President at BI Norwegian Business School 2007-2010. In 2007 he became full professor in Knowledge Management at BI. At present Tor is Professor Emeritus in Knowledge Management. He has served as associate editor for MIS Quarterly.
Dr. Larsen’s publications are found in, for example Information & Management, Journal of MIS, Information Systems Journal, Computers in Industry, and International Journal of Information Management. He is a member of AIS, IFIP WG8.2, and WG8.6, where he acted as vice-chair 2007-2012.
Dr. Larsen’s research interests are in the areas of managers’ use of information, knowledge management, innovation, diffusion, representation, and innovation outcome.
Publications
Larsen, Tor Jermund & Olaisen, Johan (2013)
Innovating strategically in information and knowledge management: Applications of organizational behavior theory
A business school declares its strategy as becoming a leading European institution. As main vehicle forachieving recognition is the implementation of a top-down strategy naming five academic fields as key– (a) finance, (b) economics, (c) marketing, (d) law, accounting, and auditing, and (e) organizationalbehavior (OB). Top management allocates resources for research, academic activities, and positions tothese five strategically chosen areas. Academic areas that are not strategically named must generatetheir own income through educational programs and research grants. Can OB serve as the platform toensure the survival of IS/KMS? In our analysis, we found no other business school formulating a strategyalong these lines; dominating strategic themes are internationalization, research excellence, and studentenvironment. No academic field is singled out as strategic. We argue that selecting a few academic areasas a strategy is dysfunctional. We also found that OB is not very actively employed in research, be itpositioning, theory, research model, analysis, or discussion. Hence, we do not find that OB offers anytheorizing help to IS/KMS – this in contrast to innovation and change theories, for which we propose anframework as a means of defining IS/KMS research projects.
Larsen, Tor Jermund & Levine, Linda (2013)
Learning from Failure: Myths and Misguided Assumptions about IS Disciplinary Knowledge
Publishing Academic Articles: The Diffusion of Intellectual Contribution from Small Local Events to the Larger International Professional Community
, s. 131- 143.
People submit articles to conferences for many reasons. Yet, the research question raised in this article addresses the role of small, local conferences in creating an environment as the first publication step toward publication in international journals and conferences. Within this umbrella four propositions are forwarded, specifying aspects of: (1) the formal educational background of individual academicians, (2) the hiring policies of academic institutions, (3) citation pattern differences between authors with a Ph.D. and other formal academic background, and (4) citation pattern differences between articles solely published at the local conference and articles being re-published in an international outlet. Publications at NCIS served as the data base. The analyses yielded strong support to the four propositions.
Larsen, Tor J. (2009)
A multilevel explanation of end-user computing satisfaction with an enterprise resource planning system within an international manufacturing organization
In this study, we extend and combine the post-acceptance model (PAM), proposed by Bhattacherjee [Bhattacherjee, A. (2001). Understanding information systems continuance: An expectation-confirmation model. MIS Quarterly, 25(3), 351-370], with aspects of Goodhue and Thomson's theory of task-technology fit (TIFF). The original PAM emphasizes cognitive beliefs and user feelings as factors that may influence a person's intention to continue to use an information system (IS). The variables added from TTF are task-technology fit and utilization. The sample consists of data that measure use and use-related aspects of an e-learning tool among university college teachers. Using structural equation modeling, results indicate that variables from TTF as well as variables from PAM explain users' IS continuance intention. As a result of these findings, we propose the existence of two different and autonomous paths from the independent variables to the dependent variable of IS continuance intention. These two paths are: a work system-centric path through utilization of the information system, and an IT-centric path through user satisfaction. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Impact of Personal Innovativeness on the Use of the Internet Among Employees at Work
, s. 2011- 2028.
This paper investigates whether job-relevant use of the Internet by organizational members can be explained by personal innovativeness in information technology and other individual traits like age and experience with IT. To address this issue, the paper examines job relevant versus personal use of the Internet. The focus then turns to how personal innovativeness in information technology influences use of the Internet by organizational members. The results indicate that users perceive structural differences across various types of Internet usage areas, although no clear support for a distinction between job relevant and personal use was obtained in this study. Additionally, the findings show that the ratio of personal use is considerably lower than job relevant use. The test of how individual traits influence use of the Internet shows that the contribution from personal innovativeness has the greatest impact on employees use of the Internet.
Deng, Xiadong; Doll, William J, Al-Gahtani, Said, Larsen, Tor J., Pearson, John M & Raghunathan, T. S. (2008)
A cross-cultural analysis of the end-user computing satisfaction instrument: A multi-group invariance analysis
Norwegian Conference on Information Systems (NCIS): The first 15 years of blood, sweat, and tears
, s. 241- 259.
The Norwegian Conference on Information systems (NCIS - or NOKOBIT) has been arranged 14 times since 1993. In the spirit of classification studies, this article sums up NCIS' history through taking a closer look at its 222 contributions. We present demographic data on the articles and dive deeper into the question on what methods are used. An interesting trend found is that articles are increasingly multi-author and written in English. We find a healthy spread regarding methods employed; A comparable frequency of non-empirical and empirical articles is found, and the empirical methods used are dominantly survey, interview and case study - with a small number of other methods in between. The steady number of contributions to NCIS indicates that the conference will extend its activity into the foreseeable future.
Larsen, Tor J. & Levine, Linda (2008)
Citation Patterns in MIS: An Analysis of Exemplar Articles
, s. 23- 38.
Larsen, Tor J. & Levine, Linda (2007)
The Identity, Dynamics, and Diffusion of MIS
, s. 163- 177.
Donnellan, Brian; Larsen, Tor J. & Levine, Linda (2007)
Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue on: Transfer and Diffusion of IT for Organizational Resilience
UML - A Complex Technology Embedded in Complex Organizational Issues
, s. 315- 338.
Larsen, Tor J. & Sørebø, Øystein (2006)
Impact of Personal Innovativeness on the Use of the Internet Among Employees at Work
, s. 29- 53.
This paper investigates whether job-relevant use of the Internet by organizational members can be explained by personal innovativeness in information technology and other individual traits like age and experience with IT. To address this issue, the paper examines job relevant versus personal use of the Internet. The focus then turns to how personal innovativeness in information technology influences use of the Internet by organizational members. The results indicate that users perceive structural differences across various types of Internet usage areas, although no clear support for a distinction between job relevant and personal use was obtained in this study. Additionally, the findings show that the ratio of personal use is considerably lower than job relevant use. The test of how individual traits influence use of the Internet shows that the contribution from personal innovativeness has the greatest impact on employees use of the Internet.
The Impact of Interpersonal Conflict Between Managers and Users on Information Systems Success During the Implementation of a New Information Systems
, s. 198- 201.
Larsen, Tor J. & Niederman, Fred (2005)
Causal Mapping for the Investigation of the Adoption of UML in Information Technology Project Development
, s. 233- 262.
Larsen, Tor J. & Levine, Linda (2005)
Searching for management information systems: coherence and change in the discipline
15(4) , s. 357- 381.
The now familiar and longstanding discussion on the status of the field of management information systems (MIS) consists of at least two themes - the lack of coherence in MIS and the question of rigour vs. relevance (academic vs. practical concerns). The research questions we pose here ask: what themes or ideas represent the centre of MIS or its zones of coherence - or is diversity and fragmentation the rule? and will the centre or zones change over time? Within MIS research, is there evidence of theory building that contributes to a cumulative research tradition? Using a co-word analysis approach - to analyse the patterns in discourse by measuring the association strengths of terms representative of relevant publications - the researchers found 62 specific centres of coherence. The data documented a high degree of change in centres of coherence over time. Evidence of theory building was extremely weak. A cumulative research tradition remains elusive. MIS centres of coherence change over time - we think, partly in response to practical pressures. We suggest that MIS opens a richer and more difficult debate on its theory, practice, and identity as a discipline in the 21st century university.
Larsen, Tor J. & Sørebø, Øystein (2005)
Impact of Personal Innovativeness on the Use of the Internet Among Employees at Work
17(2) , s. 43- 63.
Larsen, Tor Jermund (2003)
NOKOBIT 2003
Larsen, Tor J. & Wetherbe, James C. (1999)
An Exploratory Study of Differences in Information Technology Use Between More- and Less-innovative Middle Managers
36, s. 93- 108.
Larsen, Tor J. & Levine, Linda (1999)
Informations Technology at the Turn of the Millennium: Past, Present and Future Trends
Larsen, Tor J.; Levine, Linda & DeGross, Janice (eds) (1999)
Information Systems: Current Issues and Future Changes
Larsen, Tor J. (1999)
Editoral Preface: Global IS/IT Research: Keeping Pace in the Fast Lane
2(4) , s. 1- 3.
Larsen, Tor J. (1998)
Information Systems Innovation: A Framework for Research and Practice
, s. 411- 434.
Larsen, Tor J. & McGuire, Eugene (eds) (1998)
Information Systems Innovation and Diffusion: Issues and Directions
Larsen, Tor Jermund (1993)
Middle Managers' Contribution to Implemented Information Technology Innovation
9(4) , s. 155- 176.
Larsen, Tor Jermund & Naumann, Justus D (1992)
An Experimental Comparison of Abstract and Concrete Representations in Systems Analysis
22, s. 29- 40.
Baskerville, Richard; Bunker, Deborah, Olaisen, Johan, Pries-Heje, Jan, Larsen, Tor Jermund & Swanson, E. Burton (2014)
Diffusion and Innovation Theory: Past, Present and Future
Baskerville, Richard; Bunker, Deborah, Olaisen, Johan, Pries-Heje, Jan, Larsen, Tor Jermund & Swanson, E. Burton (red.). Diffusion and Innovation Theory: Past, Present and Future
The article gives a summary of past, present and future research in diffusion and innovation theory concerning information, communication and technology. The article is research based for the past and present while it is conceptual about the future. The article considers different choices of methodology for ICT research and a discussion of philosophy of science.
Grøva, Bjørn & Larsen, Tor J. (2003)
Effekter av egenskaper ved brukeren på hans oppfatning av datakvaliteten i informassjonssystemer
[Conference Lecture]. Event
Larsen, Tor J. & Sørebø, Øystein (2002)
The impact of IT innovativeness on job relevant uses of the Internet
[Conference Lecture]. Event
This paper investigates whether job-relevant use of the Internet by organizational members can be explained by personal innovativeness in information technology and other individual traits like age and experience with IT. To adress this issue, the paper examines job relevant versus private use of the Internet. The focus then turns to how personal innovativeness in information technology influences use of the Internet by organizational members. The results indicate that users perceive structural differences across various types of Internet usage areas, although no clear support for a distinction between job relevant and private use was obtained in this study. Additionally, the findings show that the ratio of privat use is considerably lower than job relevant use. The test of how individual traits influence use of the Internet shows that the contribution from personal innovativeness has the great impact on employees' use of the Internet.
Sørebø, Øystein & Larsen, Tor J. (2002)
Keeping the Fingers Running: The Impact of IT Innovativeness on Job Relevant Uses of the Internet
[Conference Lecture]. Event
This paper investigates whether organizational members job relevant use of Internet could be explained by personal innovativeness in information technology and other individual traits like age and experience with IT. To address this issue, the paper starts with an examination of job relevant versus private use of Internet. Thereafter the focus is on how personal innovativeness in information technology influences organizational members use of Internet. The results indicates that users perceive structural differences across various types of Internet usage areas, although it was not obtained any clear support for a distinction between job relevant and private use in this study. Additionally, the findings shows that the ratio of private use is considerable lower than job relevant use. The test of how individual traits influence use of Internet shows that the contribution from personal innovativeness has the greatest impact on employees’ use of Internet.
Larsen, Tor J. (2001)
The Phenomenon of Diffusion: Red Herrings and Future Promise
[Conference Lecture]. Event
Larsen, Tor J. (2000)
Line Managers' Supervision of the Development and Use of Information Systems (IS): Administration Through Planning and Control of IS Effects
[Conference Lecture]. Event
Olaisen, Johan; Revang, Øivind, Larsen, Tor Jermund & Andersen, Svein S (1991)
The Dynamic Learning Organization: Creative Management in Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)
