Categorizing IT Innovation by Extent of Change and Location of Impact: A Contextual Approach

Abstract

This paper emphasizes the need to take the situational context into account when examining the success of IT innovation implementations. By combining Henderson and Clark's innovation extent of change continuum (incremental, architectural, and radical innovation) with a continuum based on the three organizational levels affected by the innovation (individual, work group and organizational level), important situational factors can be investigated. The Extent of Change/Locus of lnnovation Framework resulting from this combination can be used to characterize IT innovations in contextual terms and to assist in determining the causes for the success or failure of IT innovation implementations. This same framework can be used to analyze innovation contexts other than information technology innovations.

Researchers can use both the extent of change and the locus of impact of the innovation to characterize and study IT innovations. The use of the relationship between extent of change and locus may permit researchers to concentrate on fewer variables or on different variables in studying IT innovation implementation.