Interpretive Flexibility Along the Innovation Decision Process of the UK NHS Care Records Service (NCRS). Insights from a Local Implementation Case Study.
Interpretive flexibility is a term used to describe the differing perspectives on what a technology is and can or can not do during the process of technological development. In this paper we look at how interpretive flexibility manifests through the diverse perceptions of stakeholders involved in the diffusion and adoption of NHS Care Records Service (NCRS). Our analysis shows that while the policy makers acting upon the application of details related to the implementation of the system, the potential users are far behind the innovation decision process namely at the knowledge or persuasion stages. We use data from a local heath authority from a county close to London. The research explores compares and evaluates contrasting views on the systems implementation at local as well as national level. We believe that our analysis is useful for NCRS implementation strategies in particular and technology diffusion in big organisations in general
