Abstract
What happens to a technology artifact after it is adopted? It has to evolve within its particular context to be effective; otherwise, it will become part of the detritus of change, like the many genes without a discernible function in a living organism. In this paper, we report on a study of post-adoptive behavior that examined how users modified and innovated with technology artifacts. We uncovered three types of modifications made to technology artifacts: personalization, customization, and inventions. Personalization attempts are modifications involving changes to technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user; customization attempts adapt the technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user's environment; and inventions are exaptations conducted to the technology artifact. This paper presents a grounded theoretic analysis of the post-adoptive behavior based on in-depth interviews with 20 software engineers in one multi-national organization. We identify a life-cycle model that connects the various types of modifications conducted to technology artifacts. The life-cycle model elaborates on how individual and organizational dynamics are linked to the diffusion of innovations. While our research is exploratory, it contributes to a deeper understanding of post-adoptive behavior and the dynamic relationship between user innovations and organizational innovations.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 204-220 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Technovation |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2007 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Innovation
- Post-adoptive behavior
- Software engineers
- Technology artifacts
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business and International Management
- Management of Technology and Innovation
Cite this
Modifications and innovations to technology artifacts. / Desouza, Kevin C.; Awazu, Yukika; Ramaprasad, Arkalgud.
In: Technovation, Vol. 27, No. 4, 04.2007, p. 204-220.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Modifications and innovations to technology artifacts
AU - Desouza, Kevin C.
AU - Awazu, Yukika
AU - Ramaprasad, Arkalgud
PY - 2007/4
Y1 - 2007/4
N2 - What happens to a technology artifact after it is adopted? It has to evolve within its particular context to be effective; otherwise, it will become part of the detritus of change, like the many genes without a discernible function in a living organism. In this paper, we report on a study of post-adoptive behavior that examined how users modified and innovated with technology artifacts. We uncovered three types of modifications made to technology artifacts: personalization, customization, and inventions. Personalization attempts are modifications involving changes to technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user; customization attempts adapt the technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user's environment; and inventions are exaptations conducted to the technology artifact. This paper presents a grounded theoretic analysis of the post-adoptive behavior based on in-depth interviews with 20 software engineers in one multi-national organization. We identify a life-cycle model that connects the various types of modifications conducted to technology artifacts. The life-cycle model elaborates on how individual and organizational dynamics are linked to the diffusion of innovations. While our research is exploratory, it contributes to a deeper understanding of post-adoptive behavior and the dynamic relationship between user innovations and organizational innovations.
AB - What happens to a technology artifact after it is adopted? It has to evolve within its particular context to be effective; otherwise, it will become part of the detritus of change, like the many genes without a discernible function in a living organism. In this paper, we report on a study of post-adoptive behavior that examined how users modified and innovated with technology artifacts. We uncovered three types of modifications made to technology artifacts: personalization, customization, and inventions. Personalization attempts are modifications involving changes to technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user; customization attempts adapt the technology parameters to meet the specificities of the user's environment; and inventions are exaptations conducted to the technology artifact. This paper presents a grounded theoretic analysis of the post-adoptive behavior based on in-depth interviews with 20 software engineers in one multi-national organization. We identify a life-cycle model that connects the various types of modifications conducted to technology artifacts. The life-cycle model elaborates on how individual and organizational dynamics are linked to the diffusion of innovations. While our research is exploratory, it contributes to a deeper understanding of post-adoptive behavior and the dynamic relationship between user innovations and organizational innovations.
KW - Innovation
KW - Post-adoptive behavior
KW - Software engineers
KW - Technology artifacts
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U2 - 10.1016/j.technovation.2006.09.002
DO - 10.1016/j.technovation.2006.09.002
M3 - Article
VL - 27
SP - 204
EP - 220
JO - Technovation
JF - Technovation
SN - 0166-4972
IS - 4
ER -