Investigating the adoption factors of new technologies: A case study of a milling innovation

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate how different factors can affect the adoption of new technology. Based on existing literature and previous research a framework for the adoption of technological innovations has been set up. The framework includes external, internal, and technological factors that might impact an adopter’s decision when considering new technologies. Specifically, the considered factors are society, external institutions and market for the external part; internal institutions and risk, and path-dependency and resources & capabilities for the internal part; and ecosystem fit, relative advantage, maturity, and complementary services for the technological part of the factors. The study focuses on a new milling technology and, through a qualitative study, investigates five cases in which this technology is being considered for adoption. Each case is focused on a different industry and revolves around a company that is operative in the respective industry. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with (potential) adopters and the producer of the new technology. The adopters consider society and relative advantage as the most important factors and although these were positive in each adoption case, they affect the adoption decision in different ways. Relative advantage acts as a gatekeeper to the remaining factors and the society factor is an underlying force that pushes the adopter in a certain direction. In situations where adopters are explorative, the maturity of technology does not seem to have a large effect and they are more willing to take on risk. Several adoption factors cannot be viewed independently from the others when looking at how they affect the adoption decision. In the end, it is the sum of all factors that will ultimately decide the outcome of the adoption decision.