Implementation is a phase included in nearly all instructional development models, yet literature on instructional design and technology reveals little about implementation's nature and the special conditions that must be considered as users go beyond adoption (Ely, 1999). Ely (1990b; 1999) contends these conditions include dissatisfaction with the status quo, leadership, commitment, participation, resources, time, incentives and rewards, and knowledge and skills. When employing Ely's conditions as a framework for investigation, attention is shifted away from the innovation to the environment where the innovation has actually been adopted and utilized as a facilitating factor in implementation. The move to online and software-based environments in recent years is accompanied by a need for additional research to further validate Ely's conditions within this new context. This exploratory study identified and analyzed user pre and post-implementation perceptions regarding the relative importance of Ely's conditions for the successful implementation of an actual innovation, a product management system. An online survey, the Implementation Profile Instrument created by the founders of iphase.org, was adapted and utilized to capture user perceptions. Descriptive statistics and factor analyses revealed important differences with past innovations and contexts, and between pre and post implementer groups and pre and post-implementation stages. / Ph. D.

The ever increasing enrollment numbers and the corresponding dwindling educational resources in public schools have challenged the Ministry of Education in Malawi to introduce an instructional innovation (TALULAR) based on the use of locally available resources for teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to determine: (i) whether, and to what extent, the perceived characteristics of innovations and teachers' demographic and employment variables are useful in predicting the implementation of TALULAR, and (ii) the extent to which TALULAR has been implemented by secondary school science teachers in Malawi. Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovations theory provided the theoretical framework for the study. Using stratified random sampling, 269 science teachers, representing a response rate of 77%, provided data for this study. Among other findings, multiple regression analysis revealed that collectively, the perceived innovation characteristics are significant predictors of TALULAR implementation. The results further revealed that perceived relative advantage and perceived observability in terms of others' use are the two most important predictors of TALULAR implementation, and that implementation of the innovation by science teachers is at a moderate level. These findings might contribute to a deeper understanding of science teachers' perceptions of using the innovation and may aid change agents and agencies in planning a successful nation-wide diffusion campaign to ensure that all teachers not only adopt, but more importantly, implement the innovation in the classroom. / Ph. D.

Situated within the belief that faculty development is a key institutional mechanism through which colleges and universities will be able to meet emerging social, cultural, and technological challenges in the coming years, this study sought to better understand the underlying psychological processes that facilitate the adoption of innovations by teaching faculty and GTAs in higher education. Specifically, three types of self-efficacy (college teaching, teaching with technology, and general) were considered in light of demographic variables and Rogers' model of the innovation-decision process. Most significant among the findings were that women have significantly higher college teaching self-efficacy and general self-efficacy than men; however, men have higher teaching with technology self-efficacy. Those in their forties, fifties and sixties have higher college teaching self-efficacy than those in their twenties. Full-time instructors have higher college teaching self-efficacy than doctoral GTAs and assistant professors. Those who rate themselves as having higher computer skills also have higher teaching with technology self-efficacy. When considering teaching with technology self-efficacy and instructional technology-based innovation-decision stage, it was found that this type of self-efficacy differs significantly between most stages and consistently increases from the knowledge stage through the confirmation stage. / Ph. D.

Low impact development (LID) is an innovative stormwater management technique that was introduced in early 1990s. However, the transition to use of this more sustainable method has been slow due to technical, institutional, and regulatory barriers to LID adoption. The research questions for this study are: What constitutes LID adoption? Why do localities adopt LID? What are the major factors that influenced the level of LID adoption by local governments? Specifically, this study focused on motivations and key determinants of LID adoption by local governments. By answering these questions, we will have better knowledge about how to approach the adoption process of environmental innovations. The findings of the study will benefit any potential localities considering LID adoption. The theory of diffusion of innovations is applied as it is very flexible to investigate complex topics like environmental innovation involving multiple factors and environments. To explore the role of local governments in LID adoption, sub-theories like organizational innovation and policy adoption are reviewed. Based on these theoretical foundations, four constructs of variables which include innovation, organizations, motivations, and surrounding organizational context are investigated. The case study method is used for eight counties (Amherst, Bedford, Chesterfield, Fairfax, Isle of Wight, Roanoke, Stafford, and Spotsylvania) and two cities (City of Charlottesville, City of Roanoke) in Virginia. Key informants from each locality were selected for in-depth interviews and additional document reviews for each case are used to support multiple case studies. LID adoption consists of various forms such as regulations, practices, and plans. A combination of all forms of LID activities and programs was used to measure LID adoption level. Based on nine criteria (i.e., adoption mode, use of the term "LID" in local codes, code details, LID manuals, demonstration projects, number of LID projects after LID code adoption, education programs, task force, and incentives), localities with three levels of LID adoption have been determined. Influencing factors of innovation adoption varied depending on level of LID adoption (high, moderate, and low). Therefore, strategies to promote environmental innovation should be developed in relation to the level of innovation adoption. The research findings revealed two major determinants that influenced the level of LID adoption. One is strong champions, and the other is regulatory mandates. A champion-driven LID adoption model is found in high level LID adoption localities. Usually, individuals from local governments, NGOs, and development communities have played a critical role in LID adoption process. The local government organizations in this group are usually self-motivated for innovation adoption. Especially, the presence of strong champions was identified as a key factor to the higher level of innovation adoption. On the other hand, a regulation-driven LID adoption model is found in moderate to low level LID adoption localities. These localities are strongly influenced by state regulatory mandates. In these cases, external forces motivate local governments to adopt innovations. / Ph. D.

Au-delà des variables climatiques, d’autres facteurs non climatiques sont à considérer dans l’analyse de la vulnérabilité et de l’adaptation au changement et variabilité climatiques. Cette mutation de paradigme place l’agent humain au centre du processus d’adaptation au changement climatique, notamment en ce qui concerne le rôle des réseaux sociaux dans la transmission des nouvelles idées. Dans le domaine de l’agriculture, le recours aux innovations est prôné comme stratégie d’adaptation. L’élaboration et l’appropriation de ces stratégies d’adaptation peuvent être considérées comme des processus d’innovation qui dépendent autant du contexte social et culturel d’un territoire, de sa dynamique, ainsi que de la stratégie elle-même. Aussi, l’appropriation et la diffusion d’une innovation s’opèrent à partir d’un processus décisionnel à l’échelle de l’exploitation agricole, qui à son tour, demande une compréhension des multiples forces et facteurs externes et internes à l’exploitation et les multiples objectifs de l’exploitant. Ainsi, la compréhension de l’environnement décisionnel de l’exploitant agricole à l’échelle de la ferme est vitale, car elle est un préalable incontournable au succès et à la durabilité de toute politique d’adaptation de l’agriculture. Or, dans un secteur comme l’agriculture, il est reconnu que les réseaux sociaux par exemple, jouent un rôle crucial dans l’adaptation notamment, par le truchement de la diffusion des innovations. Aussi, l’objectif de cette recherche est d’analyser comment les exploitants agricoles s’approprient et conçoivent les stratégies d’adaptation au changement et à la variabilité climatiques dans une perspective de diffusion des innovations. Cette étude a été menée en Montérégie-Ouest, région du sud-ouest du Québec, connue pour être l’une des plus importantes régions agricoles du Québec, en raison des facteurs climatiques et édaphiques favorables. Cinquante-deux entrevues ont été conduites auprès de différents intervenants à l’agriculture aux niveaux local et régional. L’approche grounded theory est utilisée pour analyser, et explorer les contours de l’environnement décisionnel des exploitants agricoles relativement à l’utilisation des innovations comme stratégie d’adaptation. Les résultats montrent que les innovations ne sont pas implicitement conçues pour faire face aux changements et à la variabilité climatiques même si l’évolution du climat influence leur émergence, la décision d’innover étant largement déterminée par des considérations économiques. D’autre part, l‘étude montre aussi une faiblesse du capital sociale au sein des exploitants agricoles liée à l’influence prépondérante exercée par le secteur privé, principal fournisseur de matériels et intrants agricoles. L’influence du secteur privé se traduit par la domination des considérations économiques sur les préoccupations écologiques et la tentation du profit à court terme de la part des exploitants agricoles, ce qui pose la problématique de la soutenabilité des interventions en matière d’adaptation de l’agriculture québécoise. L’étude fait ressortir aussi la complémentarité entre les réseaux sociaux informels et les structures formelles de soutien à l’adaptation, de même que la nécessité d’établir des partenariats. De plus, l’étude place l’adaptation de l’agriculture québécoise dans une perspective d’adaptation privée dont la réussite repose sur une « socialisation » des innovations, laquelle devrait conduire à l’émergence de processus institutionnels formels et informels. La mise en place de ce type de partenariat peut grandement contribuer à améliorer le processus d’adaptation à l’échelle locale. / Other than climatic variables, non-climatic factors should be considered in the analysis of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and variability. This shift in paradigm places the human agent at the centre of the process of adaptation to climate change, particularly with regard to the role of social networks in the transmission of new ideas. In agriculture, the use of innovations is advocated as a coping strategy. The development and adoption of these coping strategies can be considered innovative processes that depend as much on the social and cultural context of a country, its dynamics, and the strategy itself. Also, the ownership and dissemination of an innovation are taking place from a decision-making across the farm, which in turn requires an understanding of the multiple forces and external and internal factors in operation and the multiple objectives of the operator. Thus, understanding of the farmer’s decision- making environment at the farm level is vital because it is a prerequisite for the success and sustainability of any agricultural adaptation policy. However, in a sector like agriculture, it is recognized that social networks for example, play a crucial role in adaptation in particular, through the diffusion of innovations. Therefore, the objective of this research is to analyze how farmers take ownership and design strategies to adapt to climate change and variability from the perspective of diffusion of innovations. This study was conducted in Montérégie- West, a region located in the southwestern part of Quebec and which is known to be one of its most important agricultural regions, due to favorable climatic and soil factors. Fifty-two interviews were conducted with various stakeholders in agriculture at local as well as regional levels. The grounded theory approach is used to analyze and explore the contours of farmers’s decision-making environment regarding the use of innovation as a coping strategy. The results show that innovations are not implicitly designed to cope with climate change and variability even if climate change affects their emergence. The decision to innovate is largely determined by economic considerations. Moreover, the study also shows a weakness of social capital within farmers groups related to the overriding influence of the private sector, which are the main supplier of materials and agricultural inputs. The influence of the private sector has resulted in the dominance of economic considerations over environmental concerns and the temptation of short-term profit from the farmers, which raises the issue of sustainability of interventions in adaptation of Quebec’s agriculture. The study also highlights the complementarity between informal social networks and formal structures of support for adaptation, as well as the need to build partnerships. In addition, the study places the adaptation of Quebec’s agriculture from the perspective of private adaptation whose success is based on a "socialization" of innovations, which should lead to the emergence of formal and informal institutional processes. The establishment of such partnerships can greatly help improve the adaptation process at the local level.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrated Health, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has highlighted a need for research to better understand the usage of complementary and alternative medicine practices. The purpose of this study was to investigate the flow of complementary and alternative medicine information among yoga practitioners. The study consisted of 51 yoga practitioners from 7 yoga studio locations. This mixed-methods study used interviews, surveys, and field notes to collect data. Content and social network analyses provided supporting evidence for Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory and Granovetter's strength of weak ties theory. Key findings included a preference for face-to-face communications, students having both strong and weak relationship ties to directors and instructors, and yoga being the top recommended practice. The study suggested that yoga practitioners related to complementary and alternative medicine information through the lens of their friends and relatives, sought information from trusted sources, and used this information to determine which practices were right for them to pursue.

Crowdsourcing och den kollaborativa ekonomin är modeller för öppen innovation som blir allt mer centrala i ett samhälle som står inför morgondagens utmaningar. För att ta itu med globala problem krävs det ett globalt samarbete och ett gemensamt ansvar, där delningsekonomin kan bli avgörande. I denna kvantitativa undersökning svarar vi på frågeställningen om hur upptagandet av och beslutsfattandet kring kollaborativa tjänsteinnovationer kan se ut när vi låter 50 studenter ta del av en kollaborativ tjänsteinnovation. Vi undersöker några befintliga kollaborativa tjänster, redogör för relevanta begrepp och visar på hur Diffusion of innovations kan användas för att förstå något så komplext som hur innovationer kan upptas och spridas i sociala system. Vidare visar vi hur ramverk för konceptualisering av crowdsourcing kan användas för att förstå hur miljöaspekten och viljan att samarbeta kan driva en stor grupp människor till att dela på kompetens, resurser och kunskap. Slutsatser och ett innovationsbidrag lyfts fram som kan hjälpa företag att förstå hur crowdsourcing kan användas och de villkor som spelar roll för individers upptagande. / Crowdsourcing and the sharing economy are essential models for open innovation when facing the challenges of tomorrow. Dealing with global problems require global cooperation and common responsibility, where the sharing economy may become crucial. In this quantitative study we examine how the adoption and decision-making process occurs when we let 50 students take part in a collaborative service innovation. We look at some already existing collaborative innovations, explain relevant concepts and show how Diffusion of innovations can be used to understand something as complex as adoption and diffusion of service innovations in social systems. Furthermore, we show how the framework for conceptualization of crowdsourcing can be used to understand how the environmental aspect and the willingness to cooperate can drive a crowd to share skills, resources and knowledge. Conclusions are presented and a contribution to help crowdsourcing ventures and collaborative networks is highlighted to understand individual adoption and the preconditions that affects their decision-making.

Syftet med denna studie var att belysa svenska frivårdsinspektörers erfarenheter av att använda RBM-modellen. Vi har genomfört en kvalitativ intervjustudie med sex frivårdsinspektörer. Frivårdsinspektörerna uppvisade en positiv inställning till användandet av RBM-modellen. De uppvisade även erfarenheter av att det finns brister och svårigheter i användningen av modellen och kopplade detta till riskbedömningsinstrument och klienternas egenheter. De positiva inslag som användningen av modellen har tillfört är en struktur, tydlighet och fokus i arbetet samt att frivårdsinspektörerna lyfte RBM-modellens relativa övertag mot tidigare arbetssätt. Det framkom även i studien skilda uppfattningar rörande RBM-modellens mottaglighetsprincip. Frivårdsinspektörernas olika syn på detta område var något som kunde tänkas påverka deras användning av principen. De brister som kopplades till användningen bestod av flera möjliga faktorer. En av dessa var den grundutbildning rörande modellen som ges inom Kriminalvården. Utbildningen kan vara en förklarande faktor till de svårigheter frivårdsinspektörerna identifierade i sitt arbete med RBM-modellens mottaglighetsprincip. / The purpose of this study was to examine and illustrate Swedish probation officers’ experiences of their use of the RNR model. We have completed six qualitative interviews with probation officers. The probation officers showed a positive attitude towards the RNR model. They also showed experiences of flaws and difficulties in their use of the model and related these to the risk assessment instrument and the characteristics of the clients. The positive effects that the use of the RNR model had was that it brought structure, lucidity and focus to their work. They also pointed out the models relative advantage towards earlier methods. It was also clear that the probation officers had different views of the responsivity principle. These different views could affect their use of this principle. The difficulties regarding the use of the model that could be related to the probation officers’ experiences consisted of several possible causes. Education regarding the model was one of these possible causes that we found could explain the experienced difficulties in the probation officers use of the RNR model.

Contexte : La pression croissante sur les soins primaires nécessite de développer des approches adaptées pour apprécier la valeur des innovations dans ce domaine et identifier les conditions favorables à leur diffusion, ce qui peut s'avérer difficile, puisque ces innovations sont souvent complexes et de nature organisationnelle. Objectifs : Explorer les arguments de valeur de 10 innovations identifiées comme prometteuses lors des symposiums sur les innovations du Collège québécois des médecins de famille et proposer des pistes pour leur bonification et diffusion. Méthodes : Approche délibérative multidimensionnelle avec un panel diversifié de 12 cliniciens, gestionnaires, patients et citoyens. À partir de données synthétisées par dimension, chaque participant a apprécié le potentiel de valeur des innovations par un score et des arguments justificatifs pour chaque dimension individuellement et suite à une délibération. Le potentiel de valeur moyen a été calculé par innovation, les arguments ont fait l’objet d’une synthèse qualitative. Ces résultats ont informé une seconde délibération visant à identifier des pistes d’amélioration et diffusion qui ont été organisées par analyse thématique. Résultats : Les innovations d’adaptation de l'organisation des soins aux populations vulnérables ont été considérées comme ayant le plus grand potentiel de valeur dans l’ensemble. Les innovations visant l’optimisation des processus cliniques et d’amélioration continue ont reçu des appréciations plus variables. 460 pistes ont été classées en six catégories : objectifs, modalités d’accès, fonctionnement, impacts, gouvernance et contexte externe. Conclusions : L’exploration du potentiel de valeur d’innovations complexes avec une approche délibérative multidimensionnelle permet d’identifier, pour certaines catégories d’innovations en soins primaires, des arguments de valeur communs, et facilite l’identification de pistes d’amélioration et diffusion. / Context: The increasing pressure on primary care calls for the development of appropriate approaches to assess the value of innovations in this field and identify the conditions for their diffusion, which can be difficult, as these innovations are often complex and organizational in nature. Objectives: To explore the value arguments of 10 innovations identified as promising during the Quebec College of Family Physicians' Innovation Symposia and to propose avenues for their improvement and diffusion. Methods: Multidimensional deliberative approach with a diverse panel of 12 clinicians, managers, patients and citizens. Using data synthesized by dimension, each participant assessed the value potential of the innovations by providing a score and supporting arguments for each dimension individually, and following group deliberation. The average value potential was calculated per innovation, and the arguments were qualitatively synthesized. These results informed a second deliberation aimed at identifying avenues for improvement and deployment that were organized by thematic analysis. Results: Innovations aimed at adapting the organization of care for vulnerable populations were considered to have the greatest value potential overall, while interventions aimed at optimizing clinical processes and continuous improvement received more variable appraisals. 460 avenues were categorized into six areas: objectives, access modalities, operations, impacts, governance, and external context. Conclusions: Exploring the value potential of complex innovations with a multidimensional deliberative approach allowed the identification of common value arguments for certain categories of primary care innovations and facilitated the identification of pathways for their improvement and dissemination.

During a public health crisis, officials need to communicate with the public quickly and accurately. Social networking sites (SNS) have been identified as an appropriate channel for this type of communication; however, few studies have examined what makes SNS messages effective. Further limiting research in this area is a lack of attention to theoretical constructs that may explain message effectiveness in SNS. In this dissertation, I propose that diffusion of innovations (DOI) be used to understand SNS and message success on SNS. In doing so, I compare traditional message success (persuasion) to message success on SNS platforms (amplification) and provide a brief overview of relevant message design constructs. I then conduct a study to analyze Twitter messages from state and local health departments and federal government agencies charged with communicating to the public during a public health crisis to test these theoretical claims and identify message elements that increase SNS message amplification. The context of the study is the fall 2014 Ebola crisis in the United States. The messages are first classified using content analysis methods to identify message design elements related to content, structure, and style. The success of those elements, in terms of the influence they have on messages amplification, is then evaluated using negative binomial regression. The results suggest that specific content (hazard information, response instruction, and official action), effective structure (word and image graphics), and key style choices (using figurative language, one hashtag or a keyword hashtag, and the first person) improve the amplification value of a message. Other choices, like mentioning another user, reduce the amplification value. These findings add to the evidence that suggests that DOI enhances scholars’ understanding of communication on SNS. In addition, the results demonstrate that messages can be conceptualized as innovations, and, as such, their characteristics influence the likelihood that they will be diffused through SNS platforms. The results suggest that those charged with communicating during a public health crisis use specific message strategies for SNS messages. These strategies include recommendations related to message content, message structure, and message style. Finally, the results suggest that scholars should continue research to understand the relationship between message design and message amplification in order to improve our knowledge of communication on SNS and help practitioners identify effective communication practices on this new and important channel. Research should also examine the relationship between persuasion and amplification in order to understand how amplification influences attitudes, behavioral intentions, and behavior in both those who amplify the message and in those who receive the message as a result of that amplification.