Using Social Network Analysis to Examine the Time of Adoption of Computer-Related Services among University Faculty

Abstract

Research relating to the diffusion of innovations in education has been based primarily on looking at individual characteristics as predictors of use. This study proposes to use social network analysis and diffusion research to study the diffusion of two computer-based administrative services within a university faculty network. The relationship of time of adoption and the number of network nominations received, centrality closeness, spatial proximity, and organizational unit proximity were examined. Participants were 66 faculty members in a college of education at a southern university. They were introduced to the services and asked to provide demographic information and to identify communication partners for advice, friendship, and discussion. Results indicated that the number of friendship network nominations received was negatively correlated with the time of adoption. No correlation was found between time of adoption and spatial and organizational unit proximity.

Keywords:

• computers
• diffusion
• higher education
• innovations
• social network analysis