so who do they suppose must tell them about the technology? it contains a certain philosophy of technology adoption and technology management.

who did you interview?

strategic foresight, an established field in strategy, would suggest that the organization should proactively scan for technology developments

Hi Michael,

I have a classic to indicate. It is the book “Diffusion of Innovations Theory” by Everett M. Rogers. It offers a framework with some of the factors that may contribute to an innovation's success or failure.

He defined diffusion as “the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system”. His work was wildly influential.

Rogers began his research by studying the mechanisms by which American farmers successfully adopted the agricultural innovations developed at universities. In a series of studies across multiple areas, he found that innovations that have 5 characteristics:

1. Relative Advantage: the degree to which an innovation appears to be better than any other alternatives the potential adopter might have, measured in terms of economics, convenience, satisfaction, and social prestige.

2. Trialability: the degree in which the innovation can be experienced firsthand on a limited basis.

3. Observability: the degree in which the innovation or its results can be seen by others likely to adopt it.

4. Compatibility: the degree to which the innovation is seen as consistent with existing values, previous experiences, and needs of the user.

5. Complexity: the degree in which the innovation is seen as difficult to understand or use.

interesting...