An empirically grounded model of the adoption of intellectual technologies

A qualitative study of end-user computing applications in five departments in three organizations was undertaken. The study was designed to develop an empirically grounded model of the adoption process for intellectual technologies—technologies that are inherently flexible, enabling the user to take on the role of developer. Detailed analysis of 43 user-developed computing applications resulted in a model consisting of five stages: Resource Acquisition, Application Development, Adoption/Renewal, Routinization/Enhancement, and External Adoption. By comparing this model with two prior models of the adoption process, aspects of the adoption process requiring futher research were identified. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.