Resistance to IT Change in the AEC Industry: Are the Stereotypes True?
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 135, Issue 12
Abstract
Information technology (IT) change is difficult to implement successfully. Cultural (people) issues are a major barrier to IT implementation in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry and existing change models have limitations, particularly with respect to cultural issues, which directly affect the ability of companies within the AEC industry to successfully implement IT change. This paper discusses research exploring the relationships between a resistance to change index (RTCI) and the demographics of individuals to understand different AEC participants’ resistance to IT change. Identifying individuals that exhibit different intensities of resistance to IT change efforts and their attendant demographics provides benchmark data to organizations. The ability to identify potential resistors is the first step in helping ensure that new technology implementations succeed. Data was collected from a 156-person sample of the AEC population to determine the relationships among different demographic groups within the AEC population and differences in their RTCI. The data analysis found several demographic groups that were different in their likelihood of resistance, including profession, gender, computer understanding and experience, and awareness of past or future changes occurring in their company. Age and education level were expected to have relationships with RTCI, based on industry stereotypes. The data analysis found that these stereotypes have no scientific basis. Two other stereotypes, gender and computer understanding and experience, were supported by the data analysis.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Bauer, M. (1995). “‘Technophobia': A misleading conception of resistance to new technology.” Resistance to new technology: Nuclear power, information technology and biotechnology, M. Bauer, ed., Cambridge University Press, New York, 97–122.
Burdett, J. O. (1999). “Leadership in change and the wisdom of a gentleman.” Participation and Empowerment: An International Journal, 7(1), 5–14.
Carr, P. G. (2000). “An investigation of the relationship between personality traits and performance for engineering and architectural professionals providing design services to the building sector of the construction industry.” Ph.D. dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg, Va.
Coch, L., and French, J. R. P., Jr. (1948). “Overcoming resistance to change.” Hum. Relat., 1, 512–532.
Dambrot, F. H., Watkins-Malek, M. A., Silling, S. M., Marshall, R. S., and Garver, J. A. (1985). “Correlates of sex differences in attitudes toward and involvement with computers.” J. Vocat. Behav., 27(1), 71–86, http://www.itcon.org/2008/4.
Davis, F. D., Bagozzi, R. P., and Warshaw, P. R. (1989). “User acceptance of computer technology: A comparison of two theoretical models.” Manage. Sci., 35(8), 982–1003.
Davis, K. A. (2004). “Information technology change in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry: An investigation of individuals' resistance.” Ph.D. dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg, Va.
Davis, K. A., and Songer, A. D. (2008). “Resistance to IT change in the AEC industry: an individual assessment tool.” J. Inf. Tech. Constr., 13, 56–68.
Dossick, C. S., and Sakagami, M. (2008). “Implementing web-based project management systems in the United States and Japan.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 134(3), 189–196.
Gardner, D. G., Discenza, R., and Dukes, R. L. (1993). “The measurement of computer attitudes: An empirical comparision of available scales.” J. Educ. Comput. Res., 9(4), 487–507.
Garlington, W. K., and Shimota, H. E. (1964). “The change seeker index: A measure of the need for variable stimulus input.” Psychol. Rep., 14, 919–924.
Haddad, C. J. (1996). “Employee attitudes toward new technology in a unionized manufacturing plant.” J. Eng. Technol. Manage., 13, 145–162.
Heinssen, R. K., Jr., Glass, C. R., and Knight, L. A. (1987). “Assessing computer anxiety: Development and validation of the computer anxiety rating scale.” Comput. Human Behav., 3, 49–59.
Herling, T. J. (1996). “Adoption of computer technology by communication faculty: Resistance to innovation.” Mass Comm Review, 23(1–4), 48–64.
Hoxmeier, J. A., Nie, W., and Purvis, G. T. (2000). “The impact of gender and experience on user confidence in electronic mail.” J. End User Comput., 12(4), 11–20.
Igbaria, M., and Chakrabarti, A. (1990). “Computer anxiety and attitudes towards microcomputer use.” Behav. Inf. Technol., 9(3), 229–241.
Igbaria, M., and Parasuraman, S. (1989). “A path analytic study of individual characteristics, computer anxiety and attitudes toward microcomputers.” J. Manage., 15(3), 373–388.
Jay, T. (1985). “Defining and measuring computerphobia.” Trends in ergonomics/human factors II, R. E. Eberts and C. G. Eberts, eds., Elsevier, New York, 321–326.
Jordan, E. W., and Stroup, D. F. (1982). “The behavioral antecedents of computer fear.” Journal of Data Education, 22, 7–9.
Keil, T., Eloranta, E., Holmström, J., Järvenpää, E., Takala, M., Autio, E., and Hawk, D., (2001). “Information and communication technology driven business transformation—A call for research.” Comput Ind., 44, 263–282.
Keirsey, D. (1998). Please understand me II: Temperament, character, intelligence, 1st Ed., Prometheus Nemesis, Del Mar, Calif.
Lawrence, P. R. (1973). “How to deal with resistance to change.” Changing organizational behavior, A. C. Bartlett and T. A. Kayser, eds., Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 385–401.
Levine, T., and Donitsa-Schmidt, S. (1997). “Commitment to learning: Effects of computer experience, confidence and attitudes.” J. Educ. Comput. Res., 16(1), 83–105.
Loyd, B. H., and Gressard, C. (1984). “The effects of sex, age, and computer experience on computer attitudes.” AEDS J., 18(4), 67–77.
Mabin, V. J., Forgeson, S., and Green, L. (2001). “Harnessing resistance: Using the theory of constraints to assist change management.” J. Eur. Indust. Train., 25(2–4), 168–191.
Maurer, R. (1997). “Transforming resistance.” HR Focus, 74(10), 9–10.
Minsky, B. D., and Marin, D. B. (1999). “Why faculty members use e-mail: The role of individual differences in channel choice.” The Journal of Business Communication, 36(2), 194–217.
Navon, R., Kelly, P. W., and Johnston, D. W. (1993). “Human Factors in introducing on-site construction automation.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 119(4), 801–812.
New, J. R., and Singer, D. D. (1983). “Understanding why people reject new ideas helps IEs convert resistance into acceptance.” Ind. Eng., 15(5), 50–57.
Newburger, E. C. (1999). “Computer use in the United States.” P20-522, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, D.C.
Parsons, C. K., Liden, R. C., O'Connor, E. J., and Nagao, D. H. (1991). “Employee responses to technologically-driven change: The implementation of office automation in a service organization.” Hum. Relat., 44(12), 1331–1356.
Peansupap, V., and Walker, D. H. T. (2005). “Factors enabling information and communication technology diffusion and actual implementation in construction organisations.” J. Inf. Tech. Constr., 10(14), 193–218.
Pope-Davis, D. B., and Twing, J. S. (1991). “The effects of age, gender, and experience on measures of attitude regarding computers.” Comput. Human Behav., 7, 333–339.
Potosky, D., and Bobko, P. (1998). “The computer understanding and experience scale: A Self-report measure of computer experience.” Comput. Human Behav., 14(2), 337–348.
Rezgui, Y., and Zarli, A. (2006). “Paving the way to the vision of digital construction: A strategic roadmap.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 132(7), 767–776.
Rogers, E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations, 4th Ed., The Free Press, New York.
Rojas, E. M., and Locsin, S. (2007). “Integrated practice: The road ahead.” Proc., 2007 ASCE Construction Research Congress, ASCE, Reston, Va.
Ruikar, K., Anumba, C. J., and Carrillo, P. M. (2005). “End-user perspectives on use of project extranets in construction organisations.” Eng. Construct. Architect. Manag., 12(3), 222–235.
Singh, A. (2002). “Behavioural perceptions of design and construction engineers.” Eng. Construct. Architect. Manag., 9(2), 66–80.
Strebel, P. (1996). “Why do employees resist change?” Harvard Bus. Rev., 74(3), 86–92.
Temple, L., and Lips, H. M. (1989). “Gender differences and similarities in attitudes toward computers.” Comput. Human Behav., 5(4), 215–226.
Thorpe, T., and Mead, S. (2001). “Project-specific web sites: Friend or foe?” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 127(5), 406–413.
Trist, E. L., and Bamforth, K. W. (1951). “Some social and psychological consequences of the longwall method of coal getting: An examination of the psychological situation and defences of a work group in relation to the social structure and technological content of the work system.” Hum. Relat., 4(1), 3–38.
Trumbo, D. A. (1961). “Individual and group correlates of attitudes toward work-related change.” J. Appl. Psychol., 45(5), 338–344.
Wankat, P. C., and Oreovicz, F. S. (1993). “Psychological type and learning.” Teaching engineering, McGraw-Hill, New York, 244–263.
Zemke, R., Raines, C., and Filipczak, B. (1999). Generations at work: Managing the clash of veterans, boomers, xers, and nexters in your workplace, AMACOM, New York.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 135 • Issue 12 • December 2009
Pages: 1324 - 1333
Copyright
© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Oct 20, 2008
Published online: Jun 26, 2009
Accepted: Sep 2, 2009
Published in print: Dec 2009
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.