Tatnall, Arthur (2005) Technological change in small organisations: an innovation translation perspective. International Journal of knowledge, Culture and Change Management, 4. pp. 755-761. ISSN 1447-9575 Online 1447-9524 Print

Abstract

Organisations introduce technological innovations in the expectation of change, but for a new technology to be of use and to bring about significant organisational change it must first be adopted, implemented and infused into that organisation. In this paper I will argue that, especially in most small organisations, technology adoption is a complex process that has as much to do with organisational culture and politics as with any supposed merits of the technology. The adoption process is further complicated by many organisations not wanting to adopt a technology in the exact form it is proposed to them, but wanting to ‘translate’ it into a form more suitable to their perceived requirements. This translation may mean using some aspects of the technology while leaving others out entirely, or of using the technology in a non-standard way, different to that proposed. I will argue that innovation translation, informed by actor-network theory, offers a useful framework for researching technological change, and especially so in small organisations.

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