Implementing environmentally friendly process technology: A network approach

The networks that connect implementers of new technology to other employees in their firms, to customers, and to suppliers have a considerable impact on the success of their projects. This study of 166 firms in the North American electronics industry that have implemented environmentally "clean" process technologies (to reduce the use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons) shows that some types of implementation network are much more effective than others. It presents a novel perspective on managing new technology for both academics and practitioners, using networks as the units of analysis rather than following traditional approaches that focus, for instance, on implementers. Differences in the implementers' networks have significant explanatory power.; The large sample of North American electronics firms examined in this study represents approximately four percent of the potential population. Of the 166 firms that responded to the written survey, 129 firms participated in structured telephone interviews. The researcher visited eleven firms to observe their implementation efforts directly and to interview implementers and others in person. New survey instruments developed by the researcher as well as ones derived from the literature on managing change were used to capture the implementation activities and their outcomes. Partial least squares, correlation analyses, and descriptive statistics were used to test the research hypotheses. The findings document numerous experiences of companies that have struggled to overcome organizational and technical barriers to successful implementation.; Although "clean" technology is relatively new, its implementation is affected by many of the factors that have influenced new technology implementation in the past. The study finds that implementation networks that facilitate resource acquisition (inside or outside the firm) increase the efficiency and effectiveness of implementation, while those that merely reduce resistance to innovation are less effective. But in many implementation situations, the most obvious linkage between implementers and potentially useful sources of expertise and resources are not the most significant to success.