Co-design Theory Adoptability: How Organizational Change is Co-created by Design Theorists and Theory Adopters

Jan Pries-Heje*, Richard Baskervillle

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Descriptive theories tell us how to understand the world better and prescriptive theories tell us how to make the world better. Design theories are of the latter kind but usually involves a product or process artifact to create changes as well. Despite a focus on utility, there is little evidence about how design theories become adopted after their development. We know too little about how design theories are applied, adopted, adapted, and emerge and change over time. We present a study of an organizational change design theory that was adopted in 108 different organizations. The results indicate that the theory was adopted As-Is in 25% of the cases. But it was adapted in various ways for use in the remaining organizations. Our analysis of these cases provides a typology of eight categories of adoptability. Among these, organizations most commonly adapted the recommended organizational strategy. As a result of these and other findings we show how design theory adoption is a continuous co-creation process between design theorists and design adopters.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCo-creating for Context in the Transfer and Diffusion of IT - IFIP WG 8.6 International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT, TDIT 2022, Proceedings
EditorsAmany Elbanna, Shane McLoughlin, Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Brian Donnellan, David Wastell
Number of pages16
PublisherSpringer
Publication date2022
Pages24-39
ISBN (Print)9783031179679
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022
EventIFIP WG 8.6 International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT, TDIT 2022 - Maynooth, Ireland
Duration: 15 Jun 202216 Jun 2022

Conference

ConferenceIFIP WG 8.6 International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT, TDIT 2022
Country/TerritoryIreland
CityMaynooth
Period15/06/202216/06/2022
SeriesI F I P Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Volume660 IFIP
ISSN1868-4238

Keywords

  • Design logic
  • Design theory
  • IT adoption
  • Organizational change

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