Technology-Push or User-Pull? The Slow Death of the Transfer-of-Technology Approach to Intelligent Support Systems Development

Abstract

This chapter describes a study of the adoption of intelligent support systems in agriculture. The aim was to investigate the apparent low uptake of these systems and the approaches used in development–whether ‘user-pull’ or ‘technology-push.’ Data was collected for 66 systems, mainly through telephone interviews. An interpretative approach to research was adopted. The nature of user influence in the development process and the nature of the outcomes for the systems were found to be complex and multidimensional constructs. A pattern emerged showing the technology-push approach was associated with low levels of user influence in the development process and comparatively low levels of system impact. This relationship was more evident in systems developed by government organizations.