Authors: JHultman;
Decisions made regarding information and communications technology (ICT)
are strategic and embedded in complexity, change and a dynamic and competitive
environment. For the business manager, ICT paradoxically poses both potential
promises and potential problems that need to be considered. Just as a “right”
decision on ICT adoption can be fortunate, a “wrong” decision can have
unfortunate consequences and affect the ability for a firm to develop and fulfill
market needs. This thesis proposes that ICT adoption in an industrial context
needs to be understood and evaluated through a processual and longitudinal
approach, thereby considering the embedded nature of ICT applications.
The empirical material in this thesis was collected through in-depth
interviews with key actors and through observations and documentation, with
a focus on capturing rich descriptions concerning five cases of organizational
level ICT adoption processes. Through an analysis of ICT adoption in the
industrial context, it is concluded that prevalent theory often fails to function
as a foundation for understanding adoption and the dynamics and complexity
found in the industrial context. Through its approach and empirical foci, this
thesis contributes with an alternative view on adoption in the industrial setting
with its focus on adoption as a process of interaction.
Publish Year: 2007