Reflection on Creativity and Design Thinking - DESN501 Assignment

This essay explores the reasons behind resistance to new technologies in the workplace. It begins by introducing the Technology Readiness (TR) index and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which explains how individuals perceive and adopt new technologies based on factors such as perceived usefulness and ease of use. The paper then delves into the factors influencing resistance, including user control, computer anxiety, and skepticism about the technology's functionality and output quality. The essay suggests practical strategies for reducing resistance in the workplace, such as demonstrations, seminars, and encouraging employees to experiment with new technologies. The author emphasizes the importance of adapting to the dynamic nature of information technology and concludes by referencing Lai's (2017) expansion of the TAM factors, highlighting the intricate web of external factors that contribute to behavioral resistance to technology.

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY AND DESIGN THINKING
INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY AND DESIGN THINKING
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY AND DESIGN THINKING
Using this model, explain to a senior manager why some people resist changes in
technologies.
In this rapidly changing world of technological innovation, people are becoming more
and more susceptible to technological changes. This statement is, however, a readily
generalised one, and cannot be applied to everyone. While some people are more receiving of
technological changes, some people resist changes in technologies. Technology Readiness
(TR) is an index that refers to people’s tendency to use a new technology for ease of daily life
in home and at work. According to this index, technology users and consumers can be
divided into five sub-groups. This is parallel to the adoption curve of innovators, early
adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards, which indicates how readily some of
these groups get used to new technologies, while some choose to stay on the resisting end.
Technology Acceptance Model or TAM relies on two factors, namely, Perceived Usefulness
(PU), which is a subjective measurement of the technology’s usefulness in getting the output
as compared to previously used technology, and, Perceived Ease of Use (PEU), which is, a
subjective analysis of the efficiency of the technology in doing its work. PU includes several
factors like, the relevance of the task, the quality of the output and the visibility of the result.
PEU on the other hand relies on anchoring notions of perceptions of user control, computer
self-efficacy as well as computer playfulness. It also takes into account adjusting factors like
perceived enjoyment and objective usability, which is inherent in the nature of the technology
itself.
What suggestions and/or recommendations could you make to this senior manager for
reducing resistance to new or changes in technology in the workplace?

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INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVITY AND DESIGN THINKING
The resistances can be systematically reduced by introducing people to new
technologies. Initially, they are afraid that the external user control will be more difficult as
the technology gets more sophisticated. The situation becomes more difficult if the person
suffers from computer anxiety, which is the subjective fear of using a computer or the
anticipation of having to use one. Moreover, sceptics always doubt the ease of function and
the output quality of the novel technology, which deters them from using it. It will be more or
less difficult for a person to adopt to a new technology based on his or her social
demographic. For instance, when telephone was a thing of the future, people were content
with technologies like telegram and mail. For reducing the resistance in the workplace, the
new technology can be demonstrated to the users. Seminars and workshops can be organized
for the employees by the management, which would help them to have a detailed
understanding of the mechanism of the technology. Moreover, they can be encouraged to take
the devices home and try out the new technologies themselves, as some organizations these
days provide laptops to employees. People get used to one form of technology, but it is the
job of the management to convince its employees to try out new technologies, because the
domain of information technology is still nascent and dynamic.
Resistance to new technology as explained in TAM3 model (Lai 2017).
Lai (2017), expands the factors influencing resistance to technology as described
under the categories of ‘perceived usefulness’ and ‘perceived ease of use’. While the former
includes the elements relevant to the job, the quality of output and the quality of results being
demonstrated, the latter incorporates personal elements like self-efficiency in computers and
newer technologies, anxiety related to technology, playfulness, enjoyment and general
usability experience (Lai 2017, p. 9). They collate to form an intricate web of externalised
factors that can be used to explain the behavioural resistance to technology.

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References
Lai, P.C., 2017. The literature review of technology adoption models and theories for the
novelty technology. JISTEM-Journal of Information Systems and Technology
Management, 14(1), pp.21-38.