Among ongoing concerns for firms is the need to remain relevant and competitive. To address these concerns, firms often turn to technology to meet rapidly changing consumer demands, to provide differentiated offerings and to increase firm efficiency and productivity. Thus, the decision-making process that leads to the adoption of new technology is of great importance to marketers. Grounded in the resource-based view of the firm, this dissertation examines absorptive capacity and technological opportunism as firm dynamic capabilities and their role in delivering successful, firm-level technology adoption decisions. This research also examines the moderating role of internal micro-politics on the technology adoption process. With a qualitative and quantitative approach, this dissertation develops and tests an empirical model of the firm-level adoption decision process and its outcomes. Theoretical and empirical evidence provided by this research offers insights into the firm-level technology adoption process that should be of value to both researchers and practitioners. Analyses show that firm absorptive capacity and technological opportunism are instrumental in shaping the firm’s perceptions of a transformational technology, which in turn positively influences overall satisfaction with the adopted technology. In contrast to theoretical support, results also show that the positive relationship between a firm’s dynamic capabilities and its perceptions of a technology’s characteristics is negatively influenced by the presence of micro-political strategies used to garner internal buy-in and support for the technology adoption decision. These findings indicate marketers of technology should utilize this knowledge to guide client firms through the technology adoption process based on evaluations of the client firm’s level of dynamic capabilities and micro-political environment. Further, managers seeking to enhance product or service offerings through technology adoption should seek to develop their dynamic capabilities that inform adoption decisions. Additionally, managers should carefully manage stakeholder relationships to minimize any negative influence micro-political strategies may have on the decision-making process. Study limitations and areas of future research are also discussed.

Despite the number of studies demonstrating the opportunities for the broad implication of virtual reality (VR) across numerous industry domains, including media, this technology has not yet made history, to a large extent, because of the bottlenecks that prevent it from becoming mainstream. A number of media houses, video production companies, and even VR equipment developers such as The New York Times, Disney, or Oculus invested into the creation of the VR video platforms and apps with 360-degree films and VR movies. However, their acceptance by a general public has been slower than many have anticipated. This paper explores the ecosystem of platforms serving VR video and identifies the factors influencing their development and adoption based on the insights from the previous research on the technology acceptance models (TAMs) of virtual reality and interviews with ten VR professionals: developers, content providers, and representatives of VR video platforms. This qualitative study reveals that VR hardware design and performance (degrees of freedom, rendered video quality, immobility, interaction with VR content, cybersickness), the price of VR headsets (which are monofunctional devices), limited socialization features in virtual environment, the lack of appealing VR content and issues with its production are some of the main components that hinder the interest towards virtual reality and VR video platforms by a large audience. These determinants, subsequently, may influence the VR users’ perceived enjoyment, usefulness and ease of use, essential for the emerging technologies diffusion. The paper presents the discussion on the bottlenecks and potential growth points that may become the drivers for the further development of platforms offering VR video and their adoption by the wider public. / Trots ett stort antal studier som visar upp möjligheterna för bred implikation av virtual reality (VR) över flertalet branschdomäner, inklusive media, har denna teknik ännu inte fått ett brett genomslag, i stor utsträckning, på grund av flaskhalsar som hindrar den från att bli "mainstream". Ett antal mediehus, videoproduktionsföretag och till och med utvecklare av VR-utrustning (som The New York Times, Disney samt Oculus) investerade i skapandet av VR-videoplattformar och appar med 360-graders filmer och VR-filmer. Allmänhetens acceptans har gått långsammare än många har förväntat sig. Denna uppsats utforskar ekosystemet för plattformar som leverar VR-video och identifierar de faktorer som påverkar deras utveckling och antagande baserat på insikter från tidigare forskning om teknikacceptationsmodeller (TAM) för virtual reality och intervjuer med tio VR-proffs: utvecklare, innehållsleverantörer, och representanter för VR-videoplattformar. Denna kvalitativa studie avslöjar att VR-hårdvarudesign och prestanda (frihetsgrader, renderad videokvalitet, rörlighet, interaktion med VR-innehåll, "cybersickness"), priset på VR-headset (som monofunktionella enheter), begränsade socialiseringsfunktioner i virtuell miljö, bristen av tilltalande VR-innehåll och problem med dess produktion är några av de viktigaste komponenterna som hindrar intresset för virtual reality och VR-videoplattformar att nå en stor publik. Dessa avgörande faktorer kan därefter påverka VR-användarnas upplevda njutning, användbarhet och användarvänlighet, vilket är väsentligt för spridningen av ny teknik. Uppsatsen presenterar diskussionen om flaskhalsar och potentiella tillväxtpunkter som kan bli drivkrafter för vidareutveckling av plattformar som erbjuder VR-video och deras antagande av en bredare allmänhet.

This research provides a comprehensive picture of the economic status of the U.S. catfish industry through investigating several critical economic aspects such as technological progress, functional production relationships in intensive systems, regulatory costs, and economic contribution of the industry. The use of primary data is a unique aspect of this work reflecting the economic realities of catfish farms. Primary data collected through extensive in-person farm surveys covered over two-thirds of the catfish production areas in the U.S. The results of the study provided evidence of intensification in the U.S. catfish industry through increased adoption of two relatively new alternative production systems viz; intensively aerated ponds (6,315 ha) and split ponds (1,176 ha). The use of complementary technologies such as hybrid catfish on 53% of the catfish producing area and increased fixed-paddlewheel aeration rate of over 7.8 kW/ha also provided proof of technological progress on U.S. catfish farms. This study also identified critical factors contributing to productivity in increasingly adopted alternative production systems through two distinct production function models. Feed fed, as well as stocking biomass were found to be significant variables in both production functions. Results indicated further room for improvement in the use of inputs to increase production, especially in feed management. Along with identifying the nuances in the catfish industry, the study quantified regulatory costs on U.S. catfish farms at $45 million. Although faced with several hardships on the production front, the U.S. catfish industry contributes over $1.9 billion to the regional economy, supports more than 9,100 jobs, and generates over $78 million in tax revenues. The findings of the study serve a multitude of stakeholders including aquaculture farmers, researchers, Extension specialists, and policymakers who work towards improving the economic sustainability of the catfish industry as well as the U.S. aquaculture industry.

While many large firms have implemented Big Data Analytics (BDA), it is unclear whether Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are ready to adopt and use this technology. This study investigates BDA implementation from the perspective of both managers and data analysts. Managers are mostly influenced by factors from the external environment, while data analysts are mostly influenced by technological factors. Hence, in this study, it is contended that managers imitate the behavior of external institutions, while data analysts mostly evaluate technology characteristics in the process of BDA implementation. The present study draws on institutional, organizational change, and diffusion of innovation theories through the lens of an imitation-evaluation perspective to investigate readiness and adoption behaviours. Accordingly, a theoretical research model was developed to explore the salient variables that impact organizational and data analysts’ readiness for implementing BDA in SMEs. To test these assertions, two surveys were conducted with 340 responses including 170 managers and 170 data analysts in SMEs in North America. The findings demonstrate that: (1) an imitation perspective plays a significant role in organizational readiness to adopt BDA; (2) uncertainty in big data technologies can intensify the effect of normative pressures on organizational readiness; (3) big data complexity, trialability, and relative advantage impact data analysts’ readiness to use big data analytics; and (4) the influence of relative advantage is attenuated by the high level of data analytics skills. These findings provide valuable contributions to the theory and practice of BDA implementation in SMEs in the BDA adoption and use literature. / Dissertation / Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

As technology continues to develop and form tools capable of helping people andorganisations become more efficient, there is a need for organisations to stay up-to-dateon the various tools and trends to stay relevant on the market and not fall behind. Artificialintelligence (AI) is one of those tools that is emerging on the market and challengingorganisations to implement the technology to stay relevant. However, not allorganisations know how to properly implement AI in their organisation, resulting in alarge array of barriers that hold organisations back from technological implementation.After studying the research papers out there, a research gap was discovered on how toovercome the barriers from an organisational perspective. Throughout the thesis, it wasdetermined that one common misconception is that AI is a solution that will solve anorganisation's many flaws, whereas in fact AI is a tool used to make work more efficientfor the organisation. As a result, it was determined that competence is the most importantaspect in overcoming the barriers to AI implementation.

<p>  This dissertation has two essays that are focused on understanding the effects of technology adoption decisions made by smallholder farmers who have incomplete information. The first essay employed a clustered randomized control trial (RCT) with factorial design in upper Eastern Kenya to estimate the impact of three different interventions at improving credence attributes of smallholder farmers’ maize. This essay also utilized a Becker DeGroot Marschak auction method to determine if farmers were willing to adopt a credence technology, and if yes, if their willingness to pay varied based on having previous experience with this agricultural technology. The second essay used the 2018/19 Ethiopia Socio-economic Survey to analyze the impacts of three sources of measurement error caused by farmers’ misperceptions on maize yields. Moreover, this essay explored how farmers’ incomplete information about adoption of one agricultural input led to misallocation of other complementary inputs. </p>

Understanding the antecedents determining technology adoption in agriculture is essential to promote technology adoption to improve agricultural productivity in developing nations. The aims of this research were to understand the meaning of technology adoption for people involved in farming activities in developing nations, the antecedents determining technology adoption, their effect and how their interaction influences decision-making with regards to technology implementation in agriculture in developing nations. This study was qualitative in nature and followed an exploratory approach. This allowed the researcher to gain and understand new insights about the antecedents determining technology adoption in agriculture in developing nations. A total of 12 synchronous online semi-structured interviews were conducted with farmers and agriculture technicians from developing nations where the reliance on the agriculture sector is high. These interviews were analysed using thematic content analysis approach which led to the development of ‘The antecedents determining technology adoption in agriculture in developing nations’ Framework. This Framework refuted literature findings which highlighted the existence of four antecedents determining technology adoption in agriculture in these nations. Five predominant antecedents namely: awareness; financial assistance; applicability of technology; training and technical support; and demonstrations were identified in this study. This framework explains that the interaction of the identified antecedents is essential to foster technology adoption among farmers in developing nations and is important for stakeholders since it can provide a better understanding and guidance for the creation of integrated strategies to improve technology adoption in agriculture in developing nations. / Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2021. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted

Investment in new technologies is considered by firms as a solution to improve their productivity, product and service quality and their competitive advantages in the global market. Unfortunately, not all technology adoption projects have met their intended objectives. The complexity of technology adoption along with little consideration of the long term cost of the technology, are among the factors that challenge companies while adopting a new technology. Companies often make new technology adoption decision without enough attention to the total cost of the technology over its lifecycle. Sometimes poor decision making while adopting a new technology can result in substantial recurring loss impacts. Therefore, estimating the total cost of the technology is an important step in justifying the technology adoption. Total Ownership Cost (TOC) is a wildly-accepted financial metric which can be applied to study the costs associated with the new technology throughout its lifecycle. TOC helps companies analyze not only the acquisition and procurement cost of the technology, but also other cost components occurring over the technology usage and service stage. The point is that, technology adoption cost estimation is a complex process involving consideration of various aspects such as the maintenance cost, technology upgrade cost and the cost related to the human-resource. Assessing the association between the technology characteristics (technology upgrades over its life cycle, compatibility with other systems, technology life span, etc) and the TOC encompasses a high degree of complexity. The complexity exists because there are many factors affecting the cost over time. Sometimes decisions made today can have long lasting impact on the system costs and there is a lag between the time the decision is taken and when outcomes occur. iv An original contribution of this dissertation is development of a System Dynamics (SD) model to estimate the TOC associated with the new technology adoption. The SD model creates casual linkage and relationships among various aspects of the technology adoption process and allows decision makers to explore the impact of their decisions on the total cost that the technology brings into the company. The SD model presented in this dissertation composes of seven sub-models including (1) technology implementation efforts, (2) workforce training, (3) technology-related workforce hiring process, (4) preventive and corrective maintenance process, (5) technology upgrade, (6) impact of technology on system performance and (7) total ownership cost sub model. A case study of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system adoption has been used to show the application of the SD model. The results of the model show that maintenance, upgrade and workforce hiring costs are among the major cost components in the ERP adoption case study presented in Chapter 4. The simulation SD model developed in this dissertation supports trade-off analysis and provides a tool for technology scenarios evaluation. The SD model presented here can be extended to provide a basis for developing a decision support system for technology evaluation.

Water-recycling technologies have been developed to reduce water consumption and surface runoff in horticultural operations. However, WRT may increase risk of disease from water-borne pathogens such as Pythium and Phytophthora. More information is needed about producers' management practices and attitudes regarding irrigation runoff containment and recycling. A mail survey was administered in February 2013 to horticultural nursery growers in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Collected were respondents' demographic characteristics plus irrigation and disease management practices. The survey incorporated a choice experiment quantifying willingness to adopt water recycling given hypothetical disease outbreak, water shortage probabilities, and percentage cost increases via a conditional logit model. Two hundred and sixty respondents provide valuable insight into horticultural production in the Mid-Atlantic region. We were unable to calculate the implicit price of water or disease for adoption because the sample of 91 respondents for the choice experiment yielded a flat distribution of operations ranging in $100 to $7 million in nursery cost. However, findings did support the hypothesis that producers will be more likely to adopt selected WRT when cost decreases, probability of disease decreases. Only 33% chose to adopt. Cost is the biggest factor as the majority of producers are not equipped to handle water recycling or capture and would go out of business due to the expense. Disease is also significant factor inhibiting growers from adopting. Until mandatory environmental regulations in place to force producers to contain runoff, or until incentivized cost sharing programs are implemented, wide spread adoption of water recycling technologies is unlikely to occur. / Master of Science

The transition of businesses to the digital marketplace has presented many opportunities and challenges for e-commerce and ICT services providers. This research was carried out during the ongoing diffusion of a technological innovation, at Telia Company's Content Delivery Network (CDN) unit, in a bid to understand the technology adoption process. The researchers' approachwas to get insights from different stakeholders in the Swedish e-commerce industry and to compare the qualitative research findings with theoretical secondary data and definitions. Six interviews were performed, constituting the empirical data. After the analysis and discussion of the results and frameworks, the researchers propose a merged theoretical framework thatcould be used for designing compelling value propositions, and as such improve the conveying of the value of an offering. The thesis concludes with recommendations to further validate the proposed framework through further research.