Why organizations adopt information system process innovations: a longitudinal study using Diffusion of Innovation theory

This paper identifies factors that affected over 200 information system (IS) process innovation adoption decisions in three organizational environments over a period that spanned four decades. The analysis is based on Rogers's (1995) theory of Diffusion of Innovations (DOI). The results show that several DOI factors strongly affect IS process innovation adoption. These include user need recognition, availability of technological infrastructure, past experience, own trials, autonomous work, ease of use, learning by doing and standards. Yet, a large number of IS process innovation adoptions followed no discernible pattern.