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The purpose of this paper is to identify the antecedent factors that foster and sustain the development of relational norms from a social exchange process perspective and articulates the mediating effect of relational norms on the relationship between inter-partner learning (IL) and IT co-sourcing performance.

A total of 197 usable questionnaires were returned from 1,000 Taiwan enterprises. Results from a partial least squares method supported the hypothesis that relational norms serve as dependent variable (to IL) and independent (mediating) variable (to IT co-sourcing performance).

The empirical results show that IL positively effects partnership identity and collaboration, while both significantly mediate the effects of IL on IT co-sourcing performance.

The research implications confirm that the relational norms which IT co-sourcing parties must include both attitudes and behavior simultaneously, and that IT co-sourcing will not produce good performance without both parties developing shared attitudes and collaborative behavior.

Relational norms can play a critical mediation role to help ensure that both parties reach their common goals successfully and prevent the risk of their effort to cooperate together falling apart. Therefore, project managers have to take account of the importance of relational norms on inter-organizational cooperation or strategic alliances.

This study creates opportunities for further cross-disciplinary studies of inter-firm co-sourcing project especially with regard to relational norms and knowledge sharing.

While the prior research suggests that leadership has important influences on IT acceptance and use, there has been little empirical investigation that identifies the specific managerial behaviors associated with adoption success. This study attempts to address this issue by exploring the influence of empowering leadership on knowledge management system (KMS) adoption through its effects on task‐technology fit and compatibility.

To test the proposed research model, data were collected through a questionnaire survey sent to IT managers of 500 large companies in Taiwan.

The results show that empowering leadership has an indirect effect on KMS usage. Empowering leadership was positively related to both task‐technology fit and compatibility, which in turn were both positively related to usage of KMS.

There are two limitations to this study, requiring further examination and additional research. First, the sample was drawn from Taiwanese organizations. Hence, the research model should be tested further using samples from other countries, because cultural differences may exist between Taiwan and other countries. Second, this study obtained just 151 completed questionnaires for a 30.2 percent response rate. The limited number of respondents in the survey also causes concern. As a larger sample that brings more statistical power can provide more stable and consistent results, the study should be verified with a larger sample to increase generalization.

This study suggests that practitioners should not only focus on the technology issue (i.e. providing suitable knowledge to meet user needs and accruing high compatibility with user working style), but also be concerned with the impact of leadership style. Managers should consider how to empower subordinates appropriately, a decision that can indeed facilitate the development of an environment where employees participate in knowledge management activities more spontaneously. Without such appropriate leadership, however, even though firms may introduce a well‐built KMS, it is unlikely that system would effectively exert its full range of benefits.

The results of the study will be useful to practitioners in understanding the type of leadership that should be employed in the context of KMS, thus increasing the success rate for adopting the system and further achieving knowledge management goals.

By expanding the technology acceptance model, this paper aims to provide a research model for examining the impact of information quality and task technology fit on the adoption of KMS.

To test the proposed research model, data are collected through a questionnaire survey sent to IT managers of 500 large companies in Taiwan.

Based on the study, it is suitable to use a technology acceptance model to study adoption of KMS and explore how two external variables, information quality and task technology fit, affect the intention to adopt. Additionally, information quality has a directly significant effect on ease of use that users perceive and usefulness where fit between task and KMS is high.

A mass mailing of a somewhat lengthy, blind survey to busy managers produces a somewhat low response rate. Thus, the generalized nature of the findings is somewhat in question, making replication of the study in Taiwan important.

The study distinguishes the design of information systems and knowledge management systems. For adoption of KMS, managers must pay more attention to the quality of information provided, and the contextual features of the knowledge involved.

The value of this paper is in demonstrating the role of information quality with KMS, and providing further insight into the co‐relationship of information quality, usefulness, and fit between task and KMS, leading to more effective strategies for KMS adoption.