Matching client/server processing architectures with information processing requirements: A contingency study

The 1990s are witnessing the rapid growth of client/server (C/S) computing, but for an organization to benefit from a CIS model, it should ensure that the processing architecture matches its information needs. Researchers have suggested that organizations moving to this model should identify their information requirements, and then determine the appropriate architectures to support them. This study utilizes information processing theory to examine the match between an organization's information processing requirements and its C/S architectures. The independent variables in this study are task characteristics, and the processing architectures. The dependent variable is effectiveness. The data for this study was obtained from C/S managers and users in a variety of industries, through a combination of archival data, telephone interviews, and a mailed survey. It was analyzed using hierarchical regression. The results indicate that an appropriate match between task characteristics and C/S processing architectures is an important determinant of system effectiveness. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.