Appraising the use of information technology in tribal governments

The purpose of this study was to determine information technology (IT) usage, maturity, and benefits within tribal organizations. Several important issues justified the need for this study. One primary issue is that organizations in general utilize IT for the purpose of providing information and services to its constituency. As a result, organizations need to periodically assess their IT standing so that they may effectively strategize the use of their IT resources. Another key issue is that there is a lack of research involving IT and tribal organizations, which adds to the need for further research. Finally, organizations and technology undergo change; consequently, there is an ongoing need by the organization to assess its situation with regard to IT usage, its level of IT maturity, and the IT benefits the organization achieves (D. Norris & L. Demeter, 1999). This study utilized a quantitative methodology with a nested qualitative component. The survey population selected for this study was the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, located in Sisseton, South Dakota, and the Spirit Lake Tribe, located in Devils Lake, North Dakota. The findings of this study found that there was no significant difference in IT maturity levels between tribal government departments, but that 2 or more departments were at different IT maturity stages. The study further found that there was a significant relationship between IT usage and IT maturity, with user support and system characteristics demonstrating the most influence on IT maturity. Regarding IT usage, the study found that organizational support, and characteristics of the user and system demonstrate a significant contribution to IT usage. The research found that the IT benefits as they relate to strategy, operations, and tactical factors have significant driving influences on IT usage. Of each of the benefits, the IT operational benefit was determined to be the most influential to IT usage in tribal organizations.