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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Research shows that executive satisfaction and the measurable business benefits of becoming
an “Enterprise 2.0” firm is directly correlated with the amount of users participating on said
network (Bughin and Chui 2011). Despite high overall adoption rates worldwide, Web 2.0
tools tend to have low internal usage rates (Bughin, Manyika and Miller 2008). This
dissertation aims to outline suggestions for those considering the diffusion of certain Web 2.0
communication and collaboration tools in the workplace through the examination of employee
perceptions. Research shows that technology strategies often fail because executives tend to
discount the importance of considering employee perceptions when developing technology
strategies (Hall 2000).
As such, this dissertation uses primary data to gain a better understanding of employee
perceptions on three major communication and collaboration tools: blogs, wikis and social
networks. It also seeks to understand the role that these perceptions play on an employee’s
willingness to adopt the technologies. Employee perceptions are summarized based on Everett
Rogers’ five forces framework (1995). This framework directly links the individual’s
technology perceptions to their final decision to adopt the technology, and constitutes the
foundation of this research (Rogers 1995).
The findings show that, despite similar positive attitudes across all three tools, age group 19-
29 and 30-49 had notably different motivations for their willingness to adopt the tools. The
results suggest that each tool requires different considerations, and should be approached in
different ways.