Enabling Successful Technology Integration of Programs: Administrators Take-ons

 

Administrators seem to take on a myopic view when implementing digital technology across their institute. They assume that technology use and adoption, occur automatically and progressively by new technologies mere mandatory existence. In discounting the transformative nature of digitization and digitalisation on the culture, workforce, and technology dimensions of the institute, administrators become disillusioned, and fatigued by their reactionary acts to constant bombardments of new challenges and impediments.

 

         O’Brien and Reinitz (2021) advocate for transformational strategies that are calculated and planned to engender shifts in culture, workforce, and technology, boosting institutional architecture, tangible results, perceived value, and effecting mission and goals. This investment in digital transformations requires integrative leadership (Brown, 2021), catalysts of change that proactively engage with relevant stakeholders. Moreover, it entails setting a precedence for innovative directions and new intentions of benefits and values through networks of interconnection and interrelationships dominated by compassion, reflective practice, and self-awareness (Zohar, 2022). 

 

         I view the presence and use of philosophical and theoretical frameworks as essential to an administrator’s positioning, interpretation, understanding, exploration, and resolve of issues and dilemmas relating to the successful integration of technology at the program level. In supporting decision-making, and interactions with multiple stakeholders, having a holistic and flexible approach grounded on the theory of quantum leadership (QL) would be most beneficial to administrators. Furthermore, administrators can establish proactive pathways using determinants recognised by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT, Venkatesh et al., 2003) to positively influence behavioral intent, use, and adoption of technology. 

An element of QL is holism and systems thinking. Zohar (2022) expands on the internal and external systems prevalent in most organisations and institutions. He describes the internal system comprising employees, including their talents, capabilities, competencies, experiences, intellect, as well as their agility in transformation, enquiry, innovation, and progression. The administrator is integral in supporting sustainability and advancement of the institution through safeguarding needs and interests of all personnel. This includes their wellbeing, an effective incentive and compensation structure, purposeful and intentional values, mission, goals, norms, and practices (Zohar, 2022). 

It is incumbent on administrators to reconstruct salient conditions that validate acceptance and use of technology. Venkatesh et al. (2003) describes such environments as facilitating conditions composed of three constructs, perceived behavioral control, facilitating conditions and compatibility. They found that facilitating conditions directly affect technology usage, its effectiveness grows with experience leading to effortlessness in usage and adoption (Venkatesh et al., 2003). For more on UTAUT and an elaboration of facilitating conditions and its constructs, please watch the YouTube video after the last paragraph.

Quantum leadership and UTAUT considers the needs and contexts of employees and other stakeholders. Facilitating conditions is considered an antecedent directly affecting usage, thus administrators can plan by assessing the needs and preferences of potential users, nurturing dialogue, interaction, linking users to external networks that can support, and arouse curiosity. Administrators can also create opportunities for collaboration and dialogue in which expectations and deliverables can be clarified and negotiated. Thus, boosting proactivity, agility, and modifications toward a digital ethos in solidarity. 

                                        YouTube video on UTAUT

References

Brown, M. (2021). Integrative leadership: A necessary ingredient for Dx. EDUCAUSE Review Special Report on Digital Transformation, 40-43. https://er.educause.edu/-/media/files/articles/2021/10/er2142w.pdf

O’Brien, J. & Reinitz (2021). Introduction: Digital Transformation and the Future CIO. EDUCAUSE Review Special Report on Digital Transformation, 4-5. https://er.educause.edu/-/media/files/articles/2021/10/er2142w.pdf

Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425-478. https://k-state.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01KSU_INST/1260r8r/cdi_gale_infotracacademiconefile_A108912880Links to an external site.

Zohar, D. (2022). Zero distance: Management in the quantum age. Palgrave Macmillan.