The purpose of this study was to use Everett Rogers' Innovation-Decision Process model as a basis for examining Level Four (Business Results) evaluation practices to gain greater insight into Level Four evaluation and to determine the adequacy of the model to explain the adoption status of Level Four evaluation. Specifically, this study examined (1) knowledge level of Level Four evaluation, (2) perceptions of the innovation attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, observability, trialability, and complexity) of Level Four evaluation, (3) extent of adoption of Level Four evaluation, and (4) the applicability of Rogers' hypothesized relationship between innovation attributes and extent of adoption for Level Four evaluation. / This study's sample was 315 training evaluators and training directors/manager/coordinators who were members of the National Society for Performance and Instruction (NSPI). Data were obtained using a 39 item mailed survey instrument and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. / Results indicated that 85.2% of the training professionals possessed sufficient knowledge of Level Four evaluation to consider it for adoption. Additionally, results showed that the overall extent of use of Level Four evaluation is quite low with the majority of training organizations (78.4%) either not using or only considering or experimenting with Level Four evaluation. Hypothesis testing revealed that Rogers' hypothesized relationship between five innovation attributes and extent of Level Four adoption was not supported (alpha =.05). However, the results did show a significant positive relationship between compatibility and trialability with Level Four evaluation adoption and a significant negative relationship between observability and Level Four evaluation adoption. Additionally, the results indicated that the five innovation attributes did explain approximately 43% of the variability in extent of use of Level Four evaluation. Concerning Level Four evaluation innovation attributes, results indicated that the sample's perceptions were best described as undecided with slight trends toward viewing Level Four evaluation as trialable but not relatively advantageous or observable. These findings, when examined in light of previous research, call into question the validity of some of the assumptions of Rogers' Innovation-Decision Process Model, but do suggest that there is a basis for the model. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2342. / Major Professor: John M. Keller. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76687 |
| Contributors | Stevens, Gregory L., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 174 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
Page generated in 0.0021 seconds