Applying the Early Adopters Model to Organizations Undergoing Technological Innovation Process

Abstract

This article examines the relevance of the Early Adapter to the process of technological innovation assimilation in a contemporary organization environment._In the 21st century, an organization that wishes to survive in face of the flood of changes in customer requirements, technological innovation, and changing environment must assimilate technological innovation as an ongoing routine by way of carrying out an intensive process of digital transformation. Studies have shown that the digital transformation process affects the employees. It may require additional work effort as well as re-learning, and even change in status. Consequently, resistance may rise. This might affect the success and the effectiveness of the digital transformation in the organization. Therefore, it requires the support of management and the cooperation of the employees, while planning a realistic, concise, and coordinated timetable for the process. The Diffusion of Innovations model (DOI) argues that workers with a positive propensity to technology are more likely to become the early adopters of the digital transformation. According to the Complex Adaptive Systems model (CAS) in organizations, employees who act as fractals (namely, work in a functional autonomy) are prone to encourage technological innovation and utilize resources effectively and share knowledge and solutions tailored to customer needs. _This study examined the relationship between workers function as fractals in an organization with CAS characteristics, and the following traits: development of positive attitudes towards technology, ready to use, and involvement in the assimilation process. According to the DOI model, these are the characteristics of early adopters. Such employees are the most significant contributors to the effectiveness of digital transformation. An empirical study was conducted among 270 subjects who worked in four different organizations in different capacities. The results of the study show that there is a significant relationship between working as an early adopter and working as a fractal in a CAS organization. It also shows that the dimensions “ready to use” and “employee involvement in the process” were the most significant, and exhibited strong and meaningful relationship. The conclusions of the study indicate that the transformation of the organization into CAS, as well as the development of workers as fractals, will encourage the employees to become early adaptors, hence contribute to an efficient and effective process of digital transformation, and to effectively handling disruptive innovation.