This article illustrates how advanced theories of change are useful in understanding the actual adoption of emergent Internet technologies drawing on surveys of Nordic banks. The point of departure is Van de Ven and Poole's identification of four basic types of theories of change: life cycle, teleological (including planned change), dialectical, and evolutionary theories. These theories are shown to provide a useful framework for examining the adoption and implementation of Internet technology at different stages. Especially, it is shown how participation can be included in the models and how it connects the change motors. The analysis questions the assumption that participation always helps in overcoming resistance to change. Participation often leads to tensions and conflicts, especially when multiple motors and different change efforts are operating simultaneously. Practically, this application of change models can help in the guidance of planned change by enriching traditional diagnostic models.
Barki, H., & Hartwick, J. (2001). Interpersonal conflict and its management in information system development. MIS Quarterly, 25, 195-228.
4.
Barley, S.R. (1986). Technology as an occasion for structuring: Evidence from observations of OT scanners and the social order of radiology departments . Administrative Science Quarterly, 31, 78-108.
5.
Child, J., & Loveridge, R. (1990). Information technology in European services-Towards a microelectronic future. Oxford, UK: Basil Blackwell.
6.
Cole, R.E. (1986). The macropolitics of organizational change-A comparative analysis of the spread of small group activities. Administrative Science Quarterly, 30, 560-585.
Cotton, J.L., Vollrath, D.A., Froggatt, K.L., Lengnickhall, M.L., & Jennings, K.R. (1988). Employee participation-Diverse forms and different outcomes. Academy of Management Review , 13(1), 8-22.
9.
Cummings, T.G., & Worley, C.G. (2005). Organization development and change (8th ed.). Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western.
10.
Dutton, J.E., Ashford, S.J., O'Neill, R.M., & Lawrence, K.A. (2001). Moves that matter: Issue selling and organizational change. Academy of Management Journal , 44, 716-736.
11.
Flohr Nielsen, J. (2003). Patterns of innovation in Internet banking (Working Paper 2003-2). University of Aarhus, Department of Management .
12.
Flohr Nielsen, J., Høst, V., & Mols, N.P. (2005). Adoption of Internet-based marketing channels by small and medium-sized manufacturers. International Journal of E-Business Research, 1(2), 1-23.
13.
Flohr Nielsen, J., & Relsted, N.J. (1994). A new agenda for user participation: Reconsidering the old Scandinavian prescription. Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, 6(2), 3-19.
Friedman, A.L. (1989). Computer systems development: History, organization and implementation. Chichester, UK: Wiley.
16.
Giddens, A. (1984). The constitutions of society: Outline of the theory of structure. Berkeley: University of California Press.
17.
Hammer, M., & Champy, J. (1993). Business process reengineering: A manifesto for business revolution. New York: Harper Business.
18.
Heller, F., Pusic, E., Strauss, G., & Wilpert, B. (1998). Organizational participation-Myth and reality . New York: Oxford University Press .
19.
Huber, G.P. (1990). A theory of the effects of advanced information technologies on organizational design, intelligence, and decision-making. Academy of Management Review, 15(1), 47-71.
20.
Huber, G.P., Sutcliffe, K.M., Miller, C.C., & Glick, W.H. (1993). Understanding and predicting organizational change . In G. P. Huber & W. H. Glick (Eds.), Organizational change and redesign: Ideas and insights for improving performance (pp. 215-254). New York: Oxford University Press.
21.
King, J.L. (1983). Centralized versus decentralized computing: Organizational considerations and management options. Computing Surveys, 15, 319-351.
22.
Kohli, A.K., Jaworski, B.J., & Kumar, A. (1993). MARKOR: A measure of market orientation. Journal of Marketing Research, 30, 467-477.
23.
Ledford, G.E., & Lawler, E.E. (1994). Research on employee participation-Beating a dead horse. Academy of Management Review, 19, 633-636.
24.
Lüneborg, J.L., & Flohr Nielsen, J. (2003). Customer-focused technology and performance in small and large banks. European Management Journal, 21, 258-269.
25.
McCaffrey, D.P., Faerman, S.R., & Hart, D.W. (1995). The appeal and difficulties of participative systems . Organization Science, 6, 603-627.
26.
Mohr, L.R. (1982). Explaining organizational behavior: The limits and possibilities of theory and research. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass.
27.
Mols, N.P., Bukh, P.N.D., & Flohr Nielsen, J. (1999). Distribution channel strategies in Danish retail banking. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 27(1), 37-47.
28.
Nolan, R.L. (1973). Managing computer resource-Stage hypothesis. Communications of the ACM, 16, 399-405.
29.
Orlikowski, W.J., & Barley, S.R. (2001). Technology and institutions: What can research on information technology and research on organizations learn from each other ? MIS Quarterly, 25, 145-165.
30.
Orlikowski, W.J., & Gash, D.C. (1994). Technological frames-Making sense of information technology in organizations. ACM Transactions on Information Systems, 12, 174-207.
31.
Orlikowski, W.J., & Robey, D. (1991). Information technology and the structuring of organizations. Information Systems Research, 2, 143-169.
32.
Orlikowski, W.J., Yates, J., Okamura, K., Fujimoto, M. (1999). Shaping electronic communication: The metastructuring of technology in the context of use. In G. DeSanctis & J. Fulk (Eds.), Shaping organization form: Communication, connection, and community (pp. 129-171). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
33.
Pettigrew, A.M., Woodman, R.W., & Cameron, K.S. (2001). Studying organizational change and development: Challenges for future research. Academy of Management Journal , 44, 697-713.
34.
Poole, M.S., & Van de Ven, A.H. (2004). Theories of organizational change and innovation processes. In M. S. Poole & A. H. Van de Ven (Eds.), Handbook of organizational change and innovation (pp. 374-397). New York: Oxford University Press.
35.
Robertson, P.J., Roberts, D.R., & Porras, J.I. (1993). Dynamics of planned organizational change- Assessing empirical support for a theoretical model. Academy of Management Journal, 36, 619-634.
36.
Rynes, S.L., Bartunek, J.M., & Daft, R.L. (2001). Across the great divide: Knowledge creation and transfer between practitioners and academics. Academy of Management Journal, 44, 340-355.
37.
Seo, M.-G., Putnam, L.L., & Bartunek, J.M. (2004). Dualities and tensions of planned organizational change. In M. S. Poole & A. H. Van de Ven (Eds.), Handbook of organizational change and innovation (pp. 73-107). New York: Oxford University Press.
38.
Tichy, N.M., Hornstein, H., & Nisberg, J.N. (1976). Participative organization diagnosis and intervention strategies: Developing emergent pragmatic theories of change. Academy of Management Review, 1, 109-119.
39.
Van de Ven, A.H., & Poole, M.S. (1995). Explaining development and change in organizations . Academy of Management Review, 20, 510-540.
40.
Wagner, J.A. (1994). Participations effects on performance and satisfaction-A reconsideration of research evidence. Academy of Management Review, 19, 312-330.
41.
Weick, K.E. (1979). The social psychology of organizing (2nd ed.). Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
42.
Weick, K.E. (1990). Technology as equivoque: Sensemaking in new technologies . In P. S. Goodman & L. Sproull (Eds.), Technology and organizations (pp. 1-44). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
43.
Weick, K.E., & Quinn, R.E. (1999). Organizational change and development. Annual Review of Psychology, 50, 361-386.
44.
Werner, C.M., & Baxter, L.A. (1994). Temporal qualities of relationships: Organismic, transactional, and dialectical views. In M. Knapp & G. R. Miller (Eds.), Handbook of interpersonal communication (2nd ed., pp. 323-379). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
