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Diffusion of Innovations Within Organizations: Electronic Switching in the Bell System, 1971--1982

Author

Listed:
  • Karel O. Cool

    (INSEAD, Boulevard de Constance, 77305 Fontainebleau, France)

  • Ingemar Dierickx

    (INSEAD, Boulevard de Constance, 77305 Fontainebleau, France)

  • Gabriel Szulanski

    (The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Department of Management, 2000 SH-DH, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104)

Abstract

Although diffusion processes take place in a variety of social systems, they have rarely been studied within the context of an organization. Yet when the intraorganizational part of the diffusion of an innovation is gradual or differs among organizations, the overall diffusion of that innovation is affected.The authors explore the applicability of the traditional diffusion perspective in an intraorganizational context. They compare the explanatory power of factors emphasized by the traditional diffusion perspective with that of factors deemphasized or neglected by that perspective. The setting is the diffusion of electronic switching technology within the operating companies of the Bell System before its divestiture. The results suggest that the traditional perspective may not apply exactly within organizations because factors other than those traditionally emphasized seem to play an important role in the diffusion of innovations within organizations.

Suggested Citation

  • Karel O. Cool & Ingemar Dierickx & Gabriel Szulanski, 1997. "Diffusion of Innovations Within Organizations: Electronic Switching in the Bell System, 1971--1982," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 8(5), pages 543-559, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:8:y:1997:i:5:p:543-559
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.8.5.543
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Sidney G. Winter & Gabriel Szulanski, 2001. "Replication as Strategy," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(6), pages 730-743, December.
    2. van Everdingen, Y.M. & Wierenga, B., 2001. "Intra-Firm Adoption Decisions," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2001-21-MKT, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    3. Ashwin W. Joshi, 2017. "OEM implementation of supplier-developed component innovations: the role of supplier actions," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 548-568, July.
    4. Paul S. Adler & Seok-Woo Kwon, 2013. "The Mutation of Professionalism as a Contested Diffusion Process: Clinical Guidelines as Carriers of Institutional Change in Medicine," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(5), pages 930-962, July.
    5. Douglas, Matthew A. & Overstreet, Robert E. & Hazen, Benjamin T., 2016. "Art of the possible or fool's errand? Diffusion of large-scale management innovation," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 59(4), pages 379-389.
    6. Francesco Ciabuschi & Henrik Dellestrand & Philip Kappen, 2011. "Exploring the Effects of Vertical and Lateral Mechanisms in International Knowledge Transfer Projects," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 129-155, April.
    7. Michal Grajek & Tobias Kretschmer, 2008. "Estimating critical mass in the global cellular telephony market," ESMT Research Working Papers ESMT-08-004 (R1), ESMT European School of Management and Technology, revised 15 Apr 2010.
    8. Jiang Yu & Yue Zhang, 2013. "Institutional Arrangement, Technological Innovation and Application Evolution: The Rise of China’S Emerging Computing Infrastructure," Diversity, Technology, and Innovation for Operational Competitiveness: Proceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Technology Innovation and Industrial Management,, ToKnowPress.

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