Learning from unexpected technological success: an extended model of supply-side diffusion

ABSTRACT

Researchers have studied the diffusion of information technology (IT) mainly as a process of adoption. However, the practices of supply-side agents of diffusion are just as critical to guaranteeing the adaptation of technology to the changing needs of the adopters. The execution of these practices over time and across multiple supply-side agents is both complex and understudied. Therefore, this study investigates IT diffusion practices from the perspective of supply-side agents. Drawing from a longitudinal case of development, sale, and institutionalisation of a healthcare information system, this article proposes a model of the supply side of technology diffusion. The model shows that diffusion depends on supply-side agents engaging in practices that are both demanding and possibly misaligned with traditional agent practices. Accordingly, the study provides an additional explanation for the complexity of technological diffusion and extends the theoretical framework of technology diffusion by adding supply-side dynamics.

KEYWORDS:

• IT diffusion
• supply-side agents
• long-term care
• healthcare

Acknowledgements

We are very grateful to our colleague Antonio Sebastiano, Ph.D., Director of the Nursing Homes Observatory at Università Cattaneo LIUC (Italy) for his contribution in shaping the first idea of this research, and his help in providing access to the organizations that participated to the study. We would also like to thank the General Manager of NHF, who was the initiator of the PAI-SYS, for his support in our empirical investigation, and all the interviewees that took part in our study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.