The Impact of Organizational Conditions and User Perceptions on Adoption of a Technological Innovation: an Instrumental Case Study

Enterprise software implementations are subject to high failure rates. Organizations of higher education can be particularly resistant to technology implementations as they can be perceived as eroding the traditions of the institution. The California State University (CSU) system is moving into a new phase of data-driven accountability for encouraging student success. The four-year graduation rate at one CSU campus in Northern California is among one of the lowest in the 23-campus system. A new president hired in 2015 made raising that rate a primary tenant for his vision of organizational success. In an effort to support clearer pathways to graduation, campus leadership introduced a technological tool to the organization to help collect data that could predict course demand, thus supporting better organizational planning. The success of the implementation and the ultimate outcome for the technology relies upon widespread adoption, usage, and operationalization by faculty, staff, and students of the organization. Using the campus as a medium to better understand diffusion and acceptance of technological innovation, an instrumental case study was conducted. The study explored the organizational conditions, communication of innovation characteristics, and acceptance of the innovation that helped or hindered enterprise-level adoption of a technology. Through semi-structured interviews, a focus group, document analysis, and observation, findings revealed the influence of transformational leadership on an organization engaged in profound change through innovation. Results could support other organizations attempting to change practices by introducing technological solutions to system issues.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201