Innovation and business librarians

BUSINESS LIBRARIANS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Innovative Trends and Characteristics
Elisabeth Leonard
Betsy Clementson
Hunter Library
Western Carolina University

IN THE BEGINNING
Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations (2003).
“ an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption”
Elisabeth Leonard (!)
Innovation is the adoption of a new idea, service or product that provides value to the adopter.
Little research exists on innovation within libraries; less on innovativeness within libraries
We wanted to know how innovative are we (librarians) really…at work

METHODOLOGY: GROUNDED THEORY
“ A qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop an inductively derived grounded theory about a phenomenon.” Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques . Newbury Park: Sage.
Provides building blocks on which theory can be constructed (no initial hypothesis)
Procedures so far: survey with a mix of open ended and Likert scale questions
To follow: interviews with managers, document analysis (mission statements, strategic plans, etc.)

METHODOLOGY: PARTICIPANTS
Web survey of business librarians associated with the ten schools listed in America’s Best Graduate Schools
Received IRB approval (and consent from participants)
Identified librarians via library websites
90% response rate for the schools/ 38% response rate for individuals

PARTICIPANTS
Babson College
UC Berkeley
Harvard University
IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University)
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Stanford University
University of Southern California
University of Texas at Austin
University of Pennsylvania
University of Arizona did not participate

ADOPTERS Rabina & Walczyk. 2007. Information professionals’ attitude toward the adoption of innovations in everyday life. Information Research , 12(4), 1‐15.

ANOTHER VIEW OF OUR RESULTS
Not all our participants were easily typecast!
Warning: results can vary by innovation

INNOVATORS: VENTURESOME
“ They are very eager to try new ideas.”
“… must be able to cope with a high degree of uncertainty about an innovation…”

INNOVATORS: VENTURESOME Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

EARLY ADOPTERS: RESPECTABLE
“… has the greatest degree of opinion leadership in most social systems.”
“… the role of the early adopter is to decrease uncertainty about a new idea by adopting it…”

EARLY ADOPTERS: RESPECTABLE Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

EARLY MAJORITY: DELIBERATE
“ They follow with deliberate willingness in adopting innovations, but seldom lead.”

EARLY MAJORITY: DELIBERATE Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

LATE MAJORITY: SKEPTICAL
“ The weight of social norms must definitely favor the innovation before the late majority are convinced.”

LATE MAJORITY: SKEPTICAL Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

LAGGARDS: TRADITIONAL
“ The point of reference for the laggard is the past.”
“… precarious economic position”

LAGGARDS: TRADITIONAL Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

AND THIS AFFECTS ME …….HOW?! Rabina & Walczyk. 2007. Information professionals’ attitude toward the adoption of innovations in everyday life. Information Research , 12(4), 1‐15.

DIFFUSING INNOVATIONS: KEY PLAYERS
Look internally and externally for influencers
Innovators, early adopters, and early majority
Change agents
Managers
Institutional inertia inhibits risk-taking
[where I work, there is a] culture to support risk-taking.
I am rarely taken seriously when talking about the use and benefits of new products and services.
I don't have enough time to experiment and try out new tools or services
Think about the message you are sending…and the one you are receiving

WHAT’S NEXT?
Begin a real discussion
Expand survey?
National definition of innovation?

CHECK US OUT

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Innovation and business librarians

by Elisabeth Leonard on Mar 10, 2011

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