Reassembling the information technology innovation process
an actor network theory method for managing the initiation, production, and diffusion of innovations
pp. 527-539
in: Ana M Bernardos, Karlheinz Kautz (eds), Open it-based innovation: moving towards Cooperative it transfer and knowledge diffusion, Berlin, Springer, 2008Abstract
This paper will propose and explore a method to enhance focal actors' abilities to enroll and control the many social and technical components interacting during the initiation, production, and diffusion of innovations. The reassembling and stabilizing of such components is the challenging goal of the focal actors involved in these processes. To address this possibility, a healthcare project involving the initiation, production, and diffusion of an IT-based innovation will be influenced by the researcher, using concepts from actor network theory (ANT), within an action research methodology (ARM). The experiences using this method, and the nature of enrolment and translation during its use, will highlight if and how ANT can provide a problem-solving method to help assemble the social and technical actants involved in the diffusion of an innovation. Finally, the paper will discuss the challenges and benefits of implementing such methods to attain widespread diffusion.