Transgressive Use of Technology

Technology use is a central construct of information systems (IS) research that has been continuously reflected and re-conceptualized in order to understand use behavior. In light of the individualization of IS, use behavior has changed significantly. Therefore, existing conceptualizations, which primarily exist in a utilitarian environment, are not sufficient to explore current phenomena comprehensively. We propose transgressive use of technology as a new conceptualization of technology use that specifically acknowledges the individualization of IS. Our conceptualization is based on rich data from a multiple case study including 67 interviews from the service and manufacturing industry suggesting that transgressive use has four sub-dimensions: degree of individualization, degree of exploration, degree of boundary spanning, and degree of intensity. We show that transgressive use not only corresponds to previous conceptualizations but also extends them significantly. We conclude by providing propositions on how transgressive use can enhance future research.