Identifying Factors Influencing Senior Leader Technology Readiness

What influences a person's attitude toward technology varies greatly. Does a person's attitude toward technology changes over time? What factors influence changes in attitude towards technology? This dissertation research provides an understanding of Technology Readiness (TR) over time and the factors influencing resultant conditions. The primary factors explored in this research include group interaction, the role of facilitators and training. This study used the quantitative research paradigm. The principle measure of the effects of the factors was Parasuraman and Colby's Technology Readiness Index (TRI). TR provided a mechanism to evaluate factors influencing Senior Leader Technology Readiness. Technology Readiness is predominantly about an individual’s willingness to adopt or embrace technology. TR is a set of technological beliefs and asserts ones technological competence (Parasuraman, 2000). Understanding individual TR and the propensity for technology adoption is important, particularly in organizations where technology is critical to success. Gartner predicts by 2017, half of employers will require employees to provide their own device for work. (Gartner 2013). Tangentially, mobile initiatives are putting pressure on the work force to use and understand technology. From a practitioner’s standpoint, how do companies know where current employees or future candidates stand regarding their technology competence and importantly the willingness to adopt? Parasuraman and Colby provided empirical evidence, through their quantitative and qualitative research, that individuals possess both positive and negative technology beliefs. This research examines whether cohort-style learning, electronic delivery of information and informal training influences a person's TR. The results of this study indicate two dimensions were consistent across the study and two dimensions (innovativeness and discomfort) varied between the initial and last data collection points. Both of these latter two dimensions displayed statistical significance between the two data collection points. Additionally, two of the dimensions (innovativeness and optimism) predicted an individual’s willingness to use their iPad by providing a statistically significant correlation between these two dimensions and device application downloads. Lastly, the treatment group receiving both treatments accounted for a statistically significant Technology Readiness change