Leading complex decision-making in technology integration investment: A descriptive case study over time of the leadership roles in the decision-making process of a New England school district

Organizations that will experience change due to the integration of new technology must have a process in place to make decisions that reflect the needs of the stakeholders. This thesis examined the leadership roles in a school district's decision-making process concerning technology selection, adoption, and integration for a New England high school. Specifically, the study explored the involvement of various stakeholders at different stages of the process (initial development of the plan; selection and integration of the tool; and rollout and adoption of the technology) to ascertain the leadership functions they assumed over time related to the Complexity Leadership Theory in order to facilitate the decision-making process associated with a technology investment for a high school. This descriptive case study utilized one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with participants to collect data, and sought to address a gap in the literature concerning research related to school technology integration leadership. Eleven themes emerged from the analysis of the data revealing that there was a process in place in the subject school district, guided by the overarching presence of shared leadership as demonstrated by the actions of the stakeholders during the course of the selection decision. Furthermore, while the district did not make a knowing choice to follow the Complexity Leadership Theory, it provided an environment that was conducive to allow similar practices to develop. Recommendations for effectively using a technology selection decision-making process that allows for the participation of the key stakeholders are also offered.