2220 THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/Abstract
Technology adoption is the integration, acceptance and use of an innovation in an organisation. The adoption process is usually portayed as consisting of several stages: development, implementation, and application. Innovation is essential in the South African mining industry due to increasing demands for production, along with the need to reduce unit costs, and improve ore quality and safety standards. Deepening despoits are resulting in highly stressed work environments that require innovative solutions such as automation, digitization, and process improvements to sustain the industry. Most of the current literature focuses on leadership and innovation, mainly in IT systems, instead of leadership and technology adoption, or it is very theoretical. This study investigated the role of leadership in technology adoption by analysing empirical data collected through interviews with reputable mining officials who have experience in driving innovation projects. It was found that leadership needs to create a culture that is conducive for innovation. Leaders should integrate employees and stakeholders to maintain shared values, and to reduce resistance to innovations. A change management plan and a soft skills management plan are needed. Leaders must communicate the vision of the technology effectively to influence the perception of the adopters and ultimately the reception thereof. They also need to be adaptable to change and be flexible throughout the technology adoption process due to the complex nature of innovation projects which involve a lot of uncertainties. A conceptual model relating technology adoption to leadership is proposed and compared against the results from the thematic analysis.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Ronald Clifford William Webber-Youngman
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