Article: Administrative innovation applied to systems adoption Journal: International Journal of Technology Management (IJTM) 1996 Vol.12 No.1 pp.45 - 58 Abstract: Innovation has become not only the domain of a few progressive enterprises but the key to survival and success of the many. Innovative changes in management practices can assist in ensuring survival in an increasingly competitive world. The systems in place to manage and administer organizations are critical to exploiting technological, process, and product innovations. This paper examines the adoption and non-adoption of a particular systems innovation, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). This empirical study of 379 companies compares adopters, adopters-in-process, and non-adopters of EDI. The focus is on the internal characteristics of firms. It is found that larger firms have a knowledge advantage which is a key factor in the adoption process. This knowledge advantage overcomes some of the misconceptions regarding ED1 perceived by non-adopters. Further, critical barriers to adoption such as management support, systems cost, and implementation are important, but overcome by adopters, whereas non-adopters have difficulties in these areas. Adopters and non-adopters are compared according to their satisfaction and experience with internal systems. The exception is when implementation issues are involved. Non-adopters| perceptions are found to differ from adopters on this critical dimension. The results suggest that systems innovations may not be consistent with traditional taxonomies of innovations. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Administrative innovation applied to systems adoption

Authors: D.H. Drury, A. Farhoomand

Addresses: Faculty of Management, McGill University, 1001 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G5, Canada. ' Department of Computer Science, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong

Abstract: Innovation has become not only the domain of a few progressive enterprises but the key to survival and success of the many. Innovative changes in management practices can assist in ensuring survival in an increasingly competitive world. The systems in place to manage and administer organizations are critical to exploiting technological, process, and product innovations. This paper examines the adoption and non-adoption of a particular systems innovation, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). This empirical study of 379 companies compares adopters, adopters-in-process, and non-adopters of EDI. The focus is on the internal characteristics of firms. It is found that larger firms have a knowledge advantage which is a key factor in the adoption process. This knowledge advantage overcomes some of the misconceptions regarding ED1 perceived by non-adopters. Further, critical barriers to adoption such as management support, systems cost, and implementation are important, but overcome by adopters, whereas non-adopters have difficulties in these areas. Adopters and non-adopters are compared according to their satisfaction and experience with internal systems. The exception is when implementation issues are involved. Non-adopters| perceptions are found to differ from adopters on this critical dimension. The results suggest that systems innovations may not be consistent with traditional taxonomies of innovations.

Keywords: administrative innovation; electronic data interchange; EDI; innovation taxonomy; systems adoption; user satisfaction; adoption barriers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.1996.025479

International Journal of Technology Management, 1996 Vol.12 No.1, pp.45 - 58

Published online: 22 May 2009 *

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Title: Administrative innovation applied to systems adoption

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