THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN LOCAL ~~VER~~E~T INFORMATION SYSTEMS: CATALYST OR BARRIER TO INNOVATION?

Ahsrrae~-This study develops a construct of executive support for technoiogical innovation and explores the correlates of its components. The context involves the perceptions of local government chief executives regarding the current and expected utility of computing technology. The findings suggest that executive support for the adoption afcamputing is flawed by unrealistic expectations and might contribute to overadoption of the technoiogy. TEWNOLOGICAI. innovation is increasingly viewed as a primary means to improve the productivity and eFTectiveness of urban governments [l]. Large investments have been made in the development and diffusion of various physical and management technologies such as computers, management science techniques and information systems. However, widespread failure in achieving the potential of these technologies has been reported [2-6j and failures frequently have been attributed to the Iack of chief executive support for imrovation adoption t7,8]. Nowhere is this critique more apparent than in the adoption of innovations in focaf governments [9,10]. Yet other recent analyses of technologicaf innovation in local government suggest that chief executives play an important role in the adoption of innovations. Chief execu