Strategies for technological change: experiences in the Mexican public sector

Abstract

Given the importance on Technology Change Management (TCM) to gain the benefits of IT as managerial process enabler, theories and methodologies that provide a working framework are increasingly relevant to research and practice. An innovative approach is the use of Action Research Method as a means to conduct Technology Change in public/civil organizations. This paper presents the results obtained in a TCM process conducted to implement an ERP type of system to be operated by more than 200 users in around 100 organizational units of a single public organization. In a two years time period, the method´s double loop reveal positive results of the TCM strategy and its flexibility to work under diverse contexts. This view overcomes the traditional systems perspective in which Technology Change is limited to the system´s operation without considering the user´s requirements and/or technology competences. Important direct and derivative benefits resulted from the successful technology implementation.