From Problem Solving to an Integrated Organizational Approach : A Continuation Study of the Diffusion of an Innovation

Abstract: This thesis presents a continuation study about the diffusion of innovation in the manufacturing companies. The focus of this study is the diffusion of innovation in technology and CAD is the selected technology that is widely used in the manufacturing companies. The foundation of this study is the previous work that has been conducted by Jan Löwstedt and Christer Norr in 1991 that explained about the diffusion of technology during that time. Thereafter, technology has experienced a rapid change. There is not a continuation study afterwards. The purpose of this study is to see how the technology has changed and how people use it over time, and what driving forces are behind it, so an extension information for the PLC perspective can be formed. Theoretical framework was built by analyzing the previous studies as the foundation to see what has changed over time. The concept of the diffusion of innovation, PLC, and the development of CAD in terms of technical and organizational perspective wise from several researchers are also disclosed to support the empirical findings. The approach of this study is based on a qualitative study where empirical data are collected through interviewing Swedish manufacturing companies that use CAD in their companies. The result of this study reveals that the usage of CAD technically is not dramatically changed: it is still mainly in providing a visceral visualization. But, the paradigm shifting in utilizing CAD in the organization is worth exploring. Where it is triggered by the need to get more advanced technology-wise. The diffusion of technology could contribute the paradigm shifting in the way of working. This study shows that the companies tend to maximize the result of the technology by integrating the result not exclusively only for the design department, but also for other parties such as: the engineering calculation department and customers. However, this study could present a sharper pattern if there were more companies that were in the early stage of CAD as the source of information.