Sensemaking throughout adoption and the innovation‐decision process
Abstract
Purpose
Current technology adoption research focuses on relationships between attitudes, intentions, behavior, and their various antecedents, but little is known about how these relationships develop and the processes by which adoption actually takes place. The purpose of this paper is to use Karl Weick's description of sensemaking from his book Sensemaking in Organizations, as a starting point for a sensemaking‐based perspective on adoption.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes sensemaking, explains why it is an appropriate perspective for studying IT adoption, and discusses it briefly in terms of existing adoption‐related models and perspectives. The paper then discusses seven properties of sensemaking and their roles in the adoption process. A comparison of the sensemaking perspective of adoption to Rogers' innovation‐decision process model is presented. Finally, questions to guide future development of the sensemaking perspective on adoption are highlighted.
Findings
Seven properties of sensemaking are discussed with regard to technology adoption. These discussions produced a substantial number of research questions.
Originality/value
This perspective provides the opportunity for a much richer understanding of how adoption occurs and how it can be influenced.
Keywords
Citation
Seligman, L. (2006), "Sensemaking throughout adoption and the innovation‐decision process", European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 108-120. https://doi.org/10.1108/14601060610640050
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited