New Problems in Todays Technological Era An Adlerian Case.docx

New Problems in Today's Technological Era:
An Adlerian Case Example
Zachary D. Bloom and Dalena Dillman Taylor
Abstract
Adolescents' Internet use, when done properly, can be viewed as
a healthy, appro-
priate way to facilitate social interest. However, without
guidance, the Internet can
create a variety of problems for adolescents and their families.
The authors of this
article contend that extreme stances regarding adolescent
Internet use can negatively
affect adolescent development. The authors present a case study
in which Adlerian
therapy was used to facilitate developmentally appropriate
Internet use in a family
that originally banned adolescents from using the Internet at
home.
Keywords: Individual Psychology, Adler, adolescents,
technology, Internet,
pornography
Alfred Adler first presented Individual Psychology after the
turn of the
20th century. Nearly a century later, one development that
Adler could
not imagine was the vast expansion of technology in the daily
lives of in-

dividuals. In 2008, according to the National Campaign to
Prevent Teen
and Unplanned Pregnancy (NCPTU, 2008), 87% of adolescents
had a cell
phone, 79% of adolescents had a computer, and 33% had a web
cam. The
Internet's wealth of information, media, and social networking
opportuni-
ties are available at the click of a button or the swipe of a
finger. If Adler
were still alive today, how would he address the technological
advances
in our society and their impact on human nature? We attempt to
answer
this question in the context of adolescent development through
the use of a
case study.
Adolescents on the Internet
In today's world, the coming-of-age experience for adolescents
is dif-
ferent from that of past generations. It is estimated that 89% of
adolescents
have a profile on a social networking website (e.g., Facebook),
and in 2008
between 78% and 80% of adolescents posted, sent, and received
pictures
and video on the Internet (NCPTU, 2008). Although many
adolescents pri-
marily use this technology to benignly connect socially with
others (Reich,
The Journal o f Individual Psychology, Vol. 71, No. 2, Summer
2015
©2015 by the University of Texas Press

Editorial office located in the College of Education at Georgia
State University.
Published for the North American Society of Adlerian
Psychology.
164 Zachary D. Bloom and Dalena Dillman Taylor
Subrahmanyam, & Espinoza, 2012), Internet use has been
associated with
various problems, including addiction, gambling, bullying, and
stealing
(Mitchell, Becker-Blease, & Finkelhor, 2005). In addition,
perhaps because
adolescence is a normative time for curiosity about sex
(American Academy
of Pediatrics, 2013; Berk, 2008), 18%-22% of male and female
adolescents
have used the Internet to share sexually provocative images of
themselves,
and 39% have used technology to send sexually provocative
messages
(NCPTU, 2008). Research has identified that these behaviors
are correlated
with multiple issues of concern to counselors, including
impulsivity and
substance abuse (Temple et al., 2014), legal problems (Mitchell,
Finkelhor,
Jones, & Wolak, 2012), and risky sexual practices (Rice et al.,
2012).
With increased access to the Internet in affordable and
anonymous ways
(Cooper, 1998), adolescents are increasingly exposed to

sexually explicit
materials online, whether they pursue them purposely or
encounter them
accidentally (Weber, Quiring, & Daschmann, 2012). Despite
some research
that has failed to identify negative impacts on adults who use
sexually explicit
material (Poulsen, Busby, & Galovan, 2013), a variety of
negative conse-
quences have been established for adolescents who use such
material. The
identified consequences include social isolation, symptoms of
depression,
conduct problems (Owens, Behun, Manning, & Reid, 2012), and
risky sexual
practices (Wright & Randall, 2012). Consequently, there is a
call for thera-
pists to address the adverse effects related to adolescents'
pornography use
(Bloom & Hagedorn, 2015; Peter & Valkenburg, 2010; Weber et
al., 2012).
With more than 1 billion active Facebook users who each month
spend
more than 640 million minutes online (Statistic Brain, 2014),
Adler's social
interest is actively demonstrated on a worldwide level in a
drastically dif-
ferent realm from when the concept was first developed. Even
though the
world today is indeed different from the one Adler knew,
Adlerian therapy
is suited for it (Carlson, Watts, & Maniacci, 2006). A
compelling compo-
nent of Adlerian theory is Adler's continual striving to perfect
his theory,

as evidenced through the maturity of the theory over time
(Ansbacher &
Ansbacher, 1956). In Adler's absence, practicing Adlerian
therapists are
compelled to adapt his theory to fit the evolving technological
world.
Adolescent Development
Although some researchers believe that contemporary
adolescence
has extended into the mid-20s (Gallo & Gallo, 2011; National
Institute
of Mental Health, 2011), for the purpose of this discussion, we
focus pri-
marily on early adolescence (11-13 years), the crux of the
transition from
N ew Problems in Today's Technological Era 165
childhood to adulthood. During this crucial milestone between
childhood
and adulthood, adolescents enter a period of change that affects
all lines of
development: physical, sexual, social, emotional, and cognitive.
During early adolescence, beyond changes in physical maturity,
in-
dividuals also begin to develop interest in sexual experiences
and more
intimate or romantic relationships with their peers (American
Academy of
Pediatrics, 2013). Although they develop strong relationships
with both

sexes during this time, adolescents often struggle with
perceptions of body
image and feelings of self-esteem because they are questioning
their own
development in comparison to their peers (Berk, 2008; Centers
for Disease
Control and Prevention, 2014). Adolescents tend to seek out
independence
from their parents while simultaneously spending significantly
more time
with peers, in an evolving effort to find their identity (American
Academy of
Pediatrics, 2013).
The transition from childhood into early adolescence shows
changes
in an individual's cognitive development. Children tend to be
concrete in
their thinking, often dichotomizing subjects into black or white
categories
while also beginning to develop an increased capacity for
abstract thought
(Berk, 2008; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).
Despite
these changes in cognitive development, early adolescents focus
more on
the present because they struggle with an inability to consider
the long-
term consequences of their actions (National Institute of Mental
Health,
2011). Perhaps it is for this reason that between one and two of
every five
male and female adolescents have used technology to
experiment sexually
(NCPTU, 2008), without recognizing some of the consequences
of their ac-

tions (Mitchell et al., 2012; Owens et al., 2012).
Developmental Implications
In our society, the Internet can play a supportive role in
adolescents'
pursuits of identity formation and social interest, if it is used in
constructive
and appropriate ways— yet it is crucial for parents to monitor
adolescents'
Internet activities to ensure their appropriate use (Wang,
Bianchi, & Raley,
2005). Extreme stances toward Internet use (e.g., completely
unrestricted
access, absolutely restricted access) could impede an
adolescent's develop-
ment of social interest in today's society (Wang et al., 2005).
The following
case study demonstrates the consequences of an extreme stance
taken
against Internet use.
The case example should illustrate the counseling process
through an
Adlerian lens, with a focus on developmental concerns in
relation to today's
technological world. The case example describes a typical
clinical scenario
and does not represent any real single case.
166 Zachary D. Bloom and Dalena Dillm an Taylor
Case: Identifying Features and Presenting Concerns

The client, David, a 13-year-old only child and Caucasian male,
was
brought to his initial intake session by his father, Mr. Smith.
David reported
on his experiences of sadness and isolation, particularly in
response to be-
ing homeschooled and not having access to the Internet. David
stated that
his parents' ban on Internet use made it difficult to complete his
homework
and created a barrier between him and his peers at church, who
were more
involved with one another through their use of e-mail and social
media.
Further, David reported that his peers discussed mainstream
media that
David had never seen, which added to his feelings of isolation.
By the conclusion of the intake session, David reported that the
"real
reason" he was being "punished with counseling" was because
he sneaked
onto his father's computer to access pornography. Consequently,
David
reported that his father "screamed at him and grounded him
indefinitely."
David's father confirmed the story and added that he had
forbidden David
from masturbating— he viewed masturbating as a "sin"— and
had hoped
that not having any discussion about sexuality whatsoever
would "preserve
David's innocence."
Like many peers of his age, David appeared to struggle with
body im-

age and self-esteem because of his lack of friendships and the
tension in his
relationship with his father. David's cognitive level— his focus
on the present
as opposed to future consequences of his actions— was also
similar to that
of his peers of his age. However, his emotional development
appeared to
be lagging behind, as evidenced by a lack of solid peer
relationships and
expressed role confusion.
Treatment Plan and Treatment
Adlerian theory emphasizes optimism, free w ill, and the
subjective na-
ture of human beings (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956). Because
Adlerian
theory is a wellness-oriented model, Adler proposed that all
individuals
are born with an innate ability to develop social interest. Adler
also be-
lieved in the goodness of individuals, indicating that all people
are socially
embedded, holistic, creative, purposeful, goal oriented, unique,
and sub-
jective (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956; Dinkmeyer, Dinkmeyer,
& Sperry,
1987). David's family was also approached as a whole, with an
emphasis on
finding significance and belonging in the family system and in
society. The
process of family counseling proceeded through the four phases
of Adlerian
theory: (a) establishing an egalitarian relationship, (b)
investigating the life-

style, (c) gaining insight, and (d) reeducating and reorienting.
After the intake, it became apparent to the counselor that
David's par-
ents were hesitant to get involved in therapy and that they
viewed David as
the "identified patient." A decision was made to see David in
weekly indi-
vidual sessions and to conduct biweekly parent consultations to
decrease
the protective barrier and/or resistance between the parents and
counselor.
Phase 1: Establishing an Egalitarian Relationship
In Phase 1 the counselor focuses on establishing a strong
therapeutic
alliance in which the counselor conveys and the client
experiences trust,
care, and acceptance (Kottman, 2003). The counselor creates an
atmo-
sphere of warmth and trust by providing the client opportunities
to share
experience of self, others (e.g., parents), and the world by
encouraging the
client to present his or her needs, desires for the session, and
thoughts re-
garding potential goals for therapy. The counselor, in turn, uses
reflections
on feeling and content and encouraging statements to
communicate to the
client that he or she is heard, understood, and considered an

expert on
his or her own experiences. By understanding the client's
perceptions of
the presenting issue and early life experiences, the counselor
can begin to
formulate hypotheses regarding the client's mistaken beliefs and
lifestyle
(Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956; Kottman, 2003). However, most
of this in-
vestigation takes place in Phase 2, and thus is described in more
depth in
the following section.
Initially, David presented as discouraged by the pressure
imposed on
him by his father and his own limited capabilities, and as
socially isolated,
given that he was homeschooled and had minimal interactions
with others
outside his family. Because peers are crucial to adolescents'
overall social
and emotional development, David's feelings of isolation and
loneliness
were pronounced.
During initial parent consultations, the counselor provided the
choice
for David to participate in the conversation and encouraged him
to volun-
teer information if his father or mother stated any events that he
perceived
as untrue. For the first two consultations, David, his mother,
and his father
were present. In these meetings, the father presented as loud,
domineering,
and distracted by his phone only when David would speak.

During the con-
sultations, David's mother appeared to stay in the shadow of her
husband.
She spoke only when the counselor posted a question directly to
her.
At the end of the first two parent consultations, the counselor
encour-
aged the father to explore his own self-defeating beliefs,
concluding that he
might be more capable of accepting his son as he is and more
open to al-
lowing his son more freedom to use the Internet in an
appropriate way. The
counselor feared that the father's ban on Internet use impaired
David's ability
to socially connect with others, particularly because of his
already-isolated
environment. The counselor noted this hypothesis and decided
to evaluate
its validity when collecting evidence concerning David's, his
mother's, and
his father's lifestyles during the next phase of counseling.
Phase 2: Investigating the Lifestyle
According to Dinkmeyer and Sperry (2000), counselors exhibit
the tru-
est form of empathy when they fully understand the client's
lifestyle. This
allows the counselor to help clients modify their beliefs and

adopt a more
socially interested outlook on life. In this case, the counselor
chose to con-
duct a genogram with the family to gain both a visual and
verbal perspective
on David's lifestyle and his parents' lifestyles. A brief synopsis
for each
member is presented in the following sections.
Father. Based on early life experiences, Mr. Smith found
significance in
controlling himself, others, and situations in order to feel safe
in the world.
Later in life, he stated that he found God and became a born-
again Christian,
which he reported as shifting his view on life. Yet it became
apparent that his
need to control is still present in his life, as evidenced by
statements made
in the intake session of verbal and emotional abuse toward his
wife. His life-
style convictions indicated the following: "I must be in charge
to feel safe,"
"I must protect my son from making my mistakes," "It's
hopeless for me to
change, but I can control my son's actions."
Mother. Mrs. Smith presented as stuck in life. She expressed a
desire
to divorce her husband because of his emotional abuse;
however, she ap-
peared dependent on him financially and emotionally, and so
she expressed
feeling uncertain about leaving. Mrs. Smith found significance
and belong-
ing in her family and the world by pleasing others. She

identified her goals
in consultations as wanting what is best for David. Her lifestyle
convictions
indicated "I am worthless and deserve to be hurt," and "If I
please others,
they won't hurt me; therefore, I must always please everyone."
David. At age 13, David presented as striving toward
superiority. He
needs to have control over his situation, and this is clear from
power strug-
gles with his father. He exhibited symptoms of depression, as
evidenced by
sulking during family sessions and sharing feelings of isolation,
helpless-
ness, and hopelessness. David's Internet activity could be a
transgression
against his father, and he was shamed for his curiosity. His
lifestyle convic-
tions indicated "I am bad, others must punish me, the world is
unsafe," and
"M y needs are shameful, punishable, others correct me, tell me
what to
think and feel; therefore, I lack ability to control myself and my
actions, and
others must do it for me."
The lifestyle investigation revealed that each member
contributed to the
underlying issues, but David's parents refused to participate in
family inter-
ventions, and so David would be the only one returning for

treatment.
Phase 3: Gaining Insight
In Phase 3, the counselor balances a nondirective and a
directive role
with adolescents to create an atmosphere of sharing power and
to enable
the client to gain awareness of the purposefulness of his or her
responses to
specific life situations (Dinkmeyer et al., 1987; Kottman, 2003).
The focus in
this phase was on understanding the client's current beliefs and
goals that
formulate one's private logic (Dinkmeyer et al., 1987), on
sharing hypoth-
eses about the goals of the client's lifestyle, and on modeling
social interest
for the client. During Phase 3 with David, the counselor
followed the family
activity with processing and debriefing. In the family sessions,
the coun-
selor had realized the lack of power David had in his family, his
discomfort
in vocalizing his thoughts and feelings in his family, and the
overall sense
of insecurity he felt when around his parents. The counselor
focused on
establishing a sense of safety in the counseling relationship by
modeling a
trusting relationship. David began to voice that he wanted his
future family
to be different than his current one. He set goals of owning a
farm and hav-
ing his own family. Although David appeared motivated and
was striving

for superiority in most of his actions and behaviors, he was
unaware of how
these current goals fit into his current lifestyle.
In parent consultations, it was critical for Mr. Smith to gain
insight into
his views about self, others, and the world and the impact those
views were
having on his parenting and on David's view of self. Over the
course of parent
consultations, Mr. Smith began to make some progress in
allowing himself
to see the potential impact of his private logic on his own and
his family life.
Mrs. Smith was present during these sessions as well. She
appeared
encouraged that Mr. Smith was gaining awareness about his
actions and
seemed as hopeful about his possible changes. The counselor
also meta-
communicated that her lack of involvement in the family was a
clear
message to David that Mr. Smith held all the power; therefore,
Mrs. Smith
was not a secure person to confide in for David. She appeared
receptive to
these hypotheses and eager to implement her insights to
improve her ability
to connect with and support David.
Phase 4: Reeducation and Reorientation
In the reorientation phase, the counselor helps clients
implement so-
cially interested goals and behaviors (Dinkmeyer et al., 1987) in

order
to shift clients' private logic to a view of the world that
encompasses a
greater level of social interest. The counselor's role is as an
active teacher
and encourager (Kottman, 2003), which helps clients establish
realistic
goals, develop problem-solving and decision-making skills, and
find func-
tional alternatives.
During this phase, the counselor and David worked on
establishing real-
istic goals and problem solving situations so as to meet his
emotional needs.
The counselor and David identified goals and various ways to
socialize for
David (i.e., he was allowed access to the library). In addition,
incorporating
more peers into his life helped David with his feelings of
isolation.
The counselor also explored David's goals for his future family
and real-
istically discussed his ability to achieve those goals while also
encouraging
his ability to note the differences between what he wants and
does not want,
and then implementing his view of self, others, and the world to
create an
optimal life for himself. Additionally, the counselor offered

David psycho-
education about sex in individual sessions. The counselor
normalized David's
curiosity and worked with David to process some of the things
he saw in por-
nography while using appropriate, professional (or educational)
language.
Although most of this sex education and deconstruction of
pornography
occurred in individual sessions with David, a portion of it was
conducted in
the parent consultations with Mr. and Mrs. Smith—despite their
hesitance to
participate in therapy. By this time, having participated in
Phase 3, Mr. Smith
had already gained some awareness of the thoughts and
behaviors that af-
fected his family and, therefore, was open to discussing his
son's sexual
curiosity in parent consultations, especially once he had come
to view his
son's sexuality as a normal and healthy part of adolescent
development.
The counselor worked with Mr. Smith to set realistic goals for
his son, and
the counselor encouraged Mr. Smith to see the intention in his
son's use of
pornography before shaming him first. The counselor held two
family ses-
sions toward the end of treatment to achieve attainable goals for
both David
and his parents.
David and his parents worked to find common ground in
discussing

issues related to sexuality, and David gained valuable
information about
himself and his family that he could use to make more informed
deci-
sions regarding his behaviors as he thought about his future.
David's shift
in present thinking to considering long-term consequences
indicated that
he increased his overall cognitive development so that it came
to match
age-related developmental expectations. The counselor mediated
discus-
sions regarding healthy Internet use, limitations on computer
use, parental
involvement in sex education, and discussing appropriate social
activities
or hobbies (i.e., volunteering at church)— all the things that
David could
do to increase healthy peer relationships. Both David's self-
confidence and
his parents' ability to hear David and appropriately respond to
his wants
increased. David's overall increase in healthy peer relationships
and his in-
creased self-confidence gave a boost to his emotional maturity.
Conclusion
Use of the Internet enables billions of people to access
information, view
media, and connect with others in previously unfathomable
ways. As such,

the contemporary world is different from the world in which
Adler lived and
developed his theory and practice. However, the major tenets
that drove
Adlerian therapy in the past are still viable for today's
counseling clientele
(Carlson et al., 2006). During the transition from childhood to
adolescence,
it becomes especially important for individuals to strive toward
significance
and belonging. The Internet (and social media especially) offers
the tools
to foster those developmental needs in adolescents. However,
Internet use
has been linked to various interpersonal problems for some of
its users. If
Adler were alive today, he would have embraced technological
advances,
but he would have been most concerned about the widespread
availabil-
ity and ease of access to pornographic materials for adolescents
(see Adler,
1931). Adler believed that parents should create space for and
respond to
an adolescent's questions about sex rather than preemptively
shunning an
adolescent's sexual curiosity. Adler would have promoted and
encouraged
parents and other adults to have open conversations with their
adolescents
about sexuality. He would have also encouraged parents to
collaborate with
their adolescents in finding a balance of Internet use as one
means of striv-
ing for significance and belonging during this developmental
stage.

While establishing fair and appropriate boundaries around
adolescent
Internet use might be an intimidating subject for parents,
engaged parental
involvement with adolescents about their online activities can
foster trust and
communication in the family system, thus potentially
eliminating the condi-
tions that contribute to extreme parental stances on adolescent
Internet use
and the resultant negative emotional and behavioral
consequences. With
open dialogue and involved parenting, parents and guardians put
themselves
in an empowered position to assist their children's continuous
development
of social interest as they move from childhood into adolescence.
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Zachary D. Bloom ([email protected]), MA, RMHCI, RMFTI, is
a doc-
toral student in the Counselor Education Program at the
University of Central

Florida. W hile com pleting his doctoral degree, Bloom has been
working
w ith individuals, couples, and families at the university's
Comm unity Coun-
seling and Research Center. His primary research interests
include trauma,
human sexuality, and the impact of technology on individuals
and families.
Dalena Dillman Taylor ([email protected]), PhD, LPC, RPT, is
assistant
professor at the University of Central Florida, past president of
the North
Texas Association for Play Therapy (2013-2014), and the play
therapy
certificate coordinator at UCF. D illm an Taylor is a trained
Adlerian play ther-
apist and focuses her research on the effectiveness of Adlerian
play therapy
w ith children and adolescents who demonstrate disruptive
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Information Technology
and Organizational
Learning
Managing Behavioral Change
in the Digital Age
Third Edition
http://taylorandfrancis.com
Information Technology
and Organizational
Learning
Managing Behavioral Change
in the Digital Age
Third Edition
Arthur M. Langer
CRC Press
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v
Contents
Fo r e w o r d xi
Ac k n o w l e d g m e n t s xiii
Au t h o r xv
I n t r o d u c t I o n xvii
c h A p t e r 1 th e “ r Av e l l” c o r p o r At I o n 1

Introduction 1
A New Approach 3
The Blueprint for Integration 5
Enlisting Support 6
Assessing Progress 7
Resistance in the Ranks 8
Line Management to the Rescue 8
IT Begins to Reflect 9
Defining an Identity for Information Technology 10
Implementing the Integration: A Move toward Trust and
Reflection 12
Key Lessons 14
Defining Reflection and Learning for an Organization 14
Working toward a Clear Goal 15
Commitment to Quality 15
Teaching Staff “Not to Know” 16
Transformation of Culture 16
Alignment with Administrative Departments 17
Conclusion 19
v i Contents
c h A p t e r 2 th e It d I l e m m A 21
Introduction 21
Recent Background 23
IT in the Organizational Context 24
IT and Organizational Structure 24
The Role of IT in Business Strategy 25
Ways of Evaluating IT 27
Executive Knowledge and Management of IT 28

IT: A View from the Top 29
Section 1: Chief Executive Perception of the Role of IT 32
Section 2: Management and Strategic Issues 34
Section 3: Measuring IT Performance and Activities 35
General Results 36
Defining the IT Dilemma 36
Recent Developments in Operational Excellence 38
c h A p t e r 3 te c h n o l o gy A s A vA r I A b l e A n d re s p
o n s I v e
o r g A n I z At I o n A l d y n A m I s m 41
Introduction 41
Technological Dynamism 41
Responsive Organizational Dynamism 42
Strategic Integration 43
Summary 48
Cultural Assimilation 48
IT Organization Communications with “ Others” 49
Movement of Traditional IT Staff 49
Summary 51
Technology Business Cycle 52
Feasibility 53
Measurement 53
Planning 54
Implementation 55
Evolution 57
Drivers and Supporters 58
Santander versus Citibank 60
Information Technology Roles and Responsibilities 60
Replacement or Outsource 61

c h A p t e r 4 o r g A n I z At I o n A l l e A r n I n g th e o r I e
s A n d
te c h n o l o gy 63
Introduction 63
Learning Organizations 72
Communities of Practice 75
Learning Preferences and Experiential Learning 83
Social Discourse and the Use of Language 89
Identity 91
Skills 92
v iiContents
Emotion 92
Linear Development in Learning Approaches 96
c h A p t e r 5 m A n A g I n g o r g A n I z At I o n A l l e A r n
I n g A n d
te c h n o l o gy 109
The Role of Line Management 109
Line Managers 111
First-Line Managers 111
Supervisor 111
Management Vectors 112
Knowledge Management 116
Ch ange Management 120
Change Management for IT Organizations 123
Social Networks and Information Technology 134
c h A p t e r 6 o r g A n I z At I o n A l tr A n s F o r m At I o n

A n d t h e
bA l A n c e d s c o r e c A r d 139
Introduction 139
Methods of Ongoing Evaluation 146
Balanced Scorecards and Discourse 156
Knowledge Creation, Culture, and Strategy 158
c h A p t e r 7 vI r t uA l te A m s A n d o u t s o u r c I n g 163
Introduction 163
Status of Virtual Teams 165
Management Considerations 166
Dealing with Multiple Locations 166
Externalization 169
Internalization 171
Combination 171
Socialization 172
Externalization Dynamism 172
Internalization Dynamism 173
Combination Dynamism 173
Socialization Dynamism 173
Dealing with Multiple Locations and Outsourcing 177
Revisiting Social Discourse 178
Identity 179
Skills 180
Emotion 181
c h A p t e r 8 sy n e r g I s t I c u n I o n o F It A n d
o r g A n I z At I o n A l l e A r n I n g 187
Introduction 187
Siemens AG 187
Aftermath 202
ICAP 203

v iii Contents
Five Years Later 224
HTC 225
IT History at HTC 226
Interactions of the CEO 227
The Process 228
Transformation from the Transition 229
Five Years Later 231
Summary 233
c h A p t e r 9 Fo r m I n g A c y b e r s e c u r I t y c u lt u r e
239
Introduction 239
History 239
Talking to the Board 241
Establishing a Security Culture 241
Understanding What It Means to be Compromised 242
Cyber Security Dynamism and Responsive Organizational
Dynamism 242
Cyber Strategic Integration 243
Cyber Cultural Assimilation 245
Summary 246
Organizational Learning and Application Development 246
Cyber Security Risk 247
Risk Responsibility 248
Driver /Supporter Implications 250
c h A p t e r 10 d I g I tA l tr A n s F o r m At I o n A n d c h A
n g e s I n
c o n s u m e r b e h Av I o r 251
Introduction 251

Requirements without Users and without Input 254
Concepts of the S-Curve and Digital Transformation
Analysis and Design 258
Organizational Learning and the S-Curve 260
Communities of Practice 261
The IT Leader in the Digital Transformation Era 262
How Technology Disrupts Firms and Industries 264
Dynamism and Digital Disruption 264
Critical Components of “ Digital” Organization 265
Assimilating Digital Technology Operationally and Culturally
267
Conclusion 268
c h A p t e r 11 I n t e g r At I n g g e n e r At I o n y e m p l oy
e e s t o
Ac c e l e r At e c o m p e t I t I v e A dvA n tA g e 269
Introduction 269
The Employment Challenge in the Digital Era 270
Gen Y Population Attributes 272
Advantages of Employing Millennials to Support Digital
Transformation 272
Integration of Gen Y with Baby Boomers and Gen X 273
i xContents
Designing the Digital Enterprise 274
Assimilating Gen Y Talent from Underserved and Socially
Excluded Populations 276
Langer Workforce Maturity Arc 277
Theoretical Constructs of the LWMA 278
The LWMA and Action Research 281

Implications for New Pathways for Digital Talent 282
Demographic Shifts in Talent Resources 282
Economic Sustainability 283
Integration and Trust 283
Global Implications for Sources of Talent 284
Conclusion 284
c h A p t e r 12 to wA r d b e s t p r A c t I c e s 287
Introduction 287
Chief IT Executive 288
Definitions of Maturity Stages and Dimension Variables in
the Chief IT Executive Best Practices Arc 297
Maturity Stages 297
Performance Dimensions 298
Chief Executive Officer 299
CIO Direct Reporting to the CEO 305
Outsourcing 306
Centralization versus Decentralization of IT 306
CIO Needs Advanced Degrees 307
Need for Standards 307
Risk Management 307
The CEO Best Practices Technology Arc 313
the CEO Technology Best Practices Arc 314
Maturity Stages 314
Middle Management 316
The Middle Management Best Practices Technology Arc 323

the Middle Manager Best Practices Arc 325
Maturity Stages 325
Summary 327
Ethics and Maturity 333
c h A p t e r 13 c o n c l u s I o n s 339
Introduction 339
g l o s s A ry 357
re F e r e n c e s 363
I n d e x 373
x i
Foreword
Digital technologies are transforming the global economy.
Increasingly,
firms and other organizations are assessing their opportunities,
develop-
ing and delivering products and services, and interacting with
custom-
ers and other stakeholders digitally. Established companies
recognize
that digital technologies can help them operate their businesses
with
greater speed and lower costs and, in many cases, offer their
custom-

ers opportunities to co-design and co-produce products and
services.
Many start-up companies use digital technologies to develop
new prod-
ucts and business models that disrupt the present way of doing
busi-
ness, taking customers away from firms that cannot change and
adapt.
In recent years, digital technology and new business models
have dis-
rupted one industry after another, and these developments are
rapidly
transforming how people communicate, learn, and work.
Against this backdrop, the third edition of Arthur Langer’ s
Information Technology and Organizational Learning is most
welcome.
For decades, Langer has been studying how firms adapt to new
or
changing conditions by increasing their ability to incorporate
and use
advanced information technologies. Most organizations do not
adopt
new technology easily or readily. Organizational inertia and
embed-
ded legacy systems are powerful forces working against the
adoption
of new technology, even when the advantages of improved
technology
are recognized. Investing in new technology is costly, and it
requires
x ii Foreword

aligning technology with business strategies and transforming
cor-
porate cultures so that organization members use the technology
to
become more productive.
Information Technology and Organizational Learning addresses
these
important issues— and much more. There are four features of
the new
edition that I would like to draw attention to that, I believe,
make
this a valuable book. First, Langer adopts a behavioral
perspective
rather than a technical perspective. Instead of simply offering
norma-
tive advice about technology adoption, he shows how sound
learn-
ing theory and principles can be used to incorporate technology
into
the organization. His discussion ranges across the dynamic
learning
organization, knowledge management, change management,
com-
munities of practice, and virtual teams. Second, he shows how
an
organization can move beyond technology alignment to true
technol-
ogy integration. Part of this process involves redefining the
traditional
support role of the IT department to a leadership role in which
IT
helps to drive business strategy through a technology-based
learn-
ing organization. Third, the book contains case studies that
make the

material come alive. The book begins with a comprehensive
real-life
case that sets the stage for the issues to be resolved, and smaller
case
illustrations are sprinkled throughout the chapters, to make
concepts
and techniques easily understandable. Lastly, Langer has a
wealth of
experience that he brings to his book. He spent more than 25
years
as an IT consultant and is the founder of the Center for
Technology
Management at Columbia University, where he directs
certificate and
executive programs on various aspects of technology innovation
and
management. He has organized a vast professional network of
tech-
nology executives whose companies serve as learning
laboratories for
his students and research. When you read the book, the
knowledge
and insight gained from these experiences is readily apparent.
If you are an IT professional, Information Technology and
Organi-
zational Learning should be required reading. However, anyone
who
is part of a firm or agency that wants to capitalize on the
opportunities
provided by digital technology will benefit from reading the
book.
Charles C. Snow
Professor Emeritus, Penn State University

Co-Editor, Journal of Organization Design
x iii
Acknowledgments
Many colleagues and clients have provided significant support
during
the development of the third edition of Information Technology
and
Organizational Learning.
I owe much to my colleagues at Teachers College, namely,
Professor
Victoria Marsick and Lyle Yorks, who guided me on many of
the the-
ories on organizational learning, and Professor Lee Knefelkamp,
for
her ongoing mentorship on adult learning and developmental
theo-
ries. Professor David Thomas from the Harvard Business School
also
provided valuable direction on the complex issues surrounding
diver-
sity, and its importance in workforce development.
I appreciate the corporate executives who agreed to participate
in the studies that allowed me to apply learning theories to
actual
organizational practices. Stephen McDermott from ICAP
provided
invaluable input on how chief executive officers (CEOs) can
success-
fully learn to manage emerging technologies. Dana Deasy, now

global
chief information officer (CIO) of JP Morgan Chase,
contributed
enormous information on how corporate CIOs can integrate
tech-
nology into business strategy. Lynn O’ Connor Vos, CEO of
Grey
Healthcare, also showed me how technology can produce direct
mon-
etary returns, especially when the CEO is actively involved.
And, of course, thank you to my wonderful students at
Columbia
University. They continue to be at the core of my inspiration
and love
for writing, teaching, and scholarly research.
x v
Author
Arthur M. Langer, EdD, is professor of professional practice
of management and the director of the Center for Technology
Management at Columbia University. He is the academic direc-
tor of the Executive Masters of Science program in Technology
Management, vice chair of faculty and executive advisor to the
dean
at the School of Professional Studies and is on the faculty of the
Department of Organization and Leadership at the Graduate
School
of Education (Teachers College). He has also served as a

member of
the Columbia University Faculty Senate. Dr. Langer is the
author
of Guide to Software Development: Designing & Managing the
Life
Cycle. 2nd Edition (2016), Strategic IT: Best Practices for
Managers
and Executives (2013 with Lyle Yorks), Information
Technology and
Organizational Learning (2011), Analysis and Design of
Information
Systems (2007), Applied Ecommerce (2002), and The Art of
Analysis
(1997), and has numerous published articles and papers, relating
to digital transformation, service learning for underserved
popula-
tions, IT organizational integration, mentoring, and staff
develop-
ment. Dr. Langer consults with corporations and universities on
information technology, cyber security, staff development, man-
agement transformation, and curriculum development around the
Globe. Dr. Langer is also the chairman and founder of
Workforce
Opportunity Services (www.wforce.org), a non-profit social
venture
x v i Author
that provides scholarships and careers to underserved
populations
around the world.
Dr. Langer earned a BA in computer science, an MBA in
accounting/finance, and a Doctorate of Education from

Columbia
University.
x v ii
Introduction
Background
Information technology (IT) has become a more significant part
of
workplace operations, and as a result, information systems
person-
nel are key to the success of corporate enterprises, especially
with
the recent effects of the digital revolution on every aspect of
business
and social life (Bradley & Nolan, 1998; Langer, 1997, 2011;
Lipman-
Blumen, 1996). This digital revolution is defined as a form of “
dis-
ruption.” Indeed, the big question facing many enterprises
today is,
How can executives anticipate the unexpected threats brought
on by
technological advances that could devastate their business? This
book
focuses on the vital role that information and digital technology
orga-
nizations need to play in the course of organizational
development
and learning, and on the growing need to integrate technology
fully
into the processes of workplace organizational learning.

Technology
personnel have long been criticized for their inability to
function as
part of the business, and they are often seen as a group outside
the
corporate norm (Schein, 1992). This is a problem of cultural
assimila-
tion, and it represents one of the two major fronts that
organizations
now face in their efforts to gain a grip on the new, growing
power of
technology, and to be competitive in a global world. The other
major
x v iii IntroduCtIon
front concerns the strategic integration of new digital
technologies
into business line management.
Because technology continues to change at such a rapid pace,
the
ability of organizations to operate within a new paradigm of
dynamic
change emphasizes the need to employ action learning as a way
to
build competitive learning organizations in the twenty-first
century.
Information Technology and Organizational Learning integrates
some
of the fundamental issues bearing on IT today with concepts
from
organizational learning theory, providing comprehensive
guidance,

based on real-life business experiences and concrete research.
This book also focuses on another aspect of what IT can mean
to
an organization. IT represents a broadening dimension of
business life
that affects everything we do inside an organization. This new
reality is
shaped by the increasing and irreversible dissemination of
technology.
To maximize the usefulness of its encroaching presence in
everyday
business affairs, organizations will require an optimal
understanding
of how to integrate technology into everything they do. To this
end,
this book seeks to break new ground on how to approach and
concep-
tualize this salient issue— that is, that the optimization of
information
and digital technologies is best pursued with a synchronous
imple-
mentation of organizational learning concepts. Furthermore,
these
concepts cannot be implemented without utilizing theories of
strategic
learning. Therefore, this book takes the position that technology
liter-
acy requires individual and group strategic learning if it is to
transform
a business into a technology-based learning organization.
Technology-
based organizations are defined as those that have implemented
a means
of successfully integrating technology into their process of
organiza-

tional learning. Such organizations recognize and experience
the real-
ity of technology as part of their everyday business function. It
is what
many organizations are calling “ being digital.”
This book will also examine some of the many existing organi-
zational learning theories, and the historical problems that have
occurred with companies that have used them, or that have
failed
to use them. Thus, the introduction of technology into
organizations
actually provides an opportunity to reassess and reapply many
of the
past concepts, theories, and practices that have been used to
support
the importance of organizational learning. It is important,
however,
not to confuse this message with a reason for promoting
organizational
x i xIntroduCtIon
learning, but rather, to understand the seamless nature of the
relation-
ship between IT and organizational learning. Each needs the
other to
succeed. Indeed, technology has only served to expose problems
that
have existed in organizations for decades, e.g., the inability to
drive
down responsibilities to the operational levels of the
organization, and
to be more agile with their consumers.

This book is designed to help businesses and individual manag-
ers understand and cope with the many issues involved in
developing
organizational learning programs, and in integrating an
important
component: their IT and digital organizations. It aims to provide
a
combination of research case studies, together with existing
theories
on organizational learning in the workplace. The goal is also to
pro-
vide researchers and corporate practitioners with a book that
allows
them to incorporate a growing IT infrastructure with their exist-
ing workforce culture. Professional organizations need to
integrate
IT into their organizational processes to compete effectively in
the
technology-driven business climate of today. This book
responds to
the complex and various dilemmas faced by many human
resource
managers and corporate executives regarding how to actually
deal
with many marginalized technology personnel who somehow
always
operate outside the normal flow of the core business.
While the history of IT, as a marginalized organization, is rela-
tively short, in comparison to that of other professions, the
problems
of IT have been consistent since its insertion into business
organiza-
tions in the early 1960s. Indeed, while technology has changed,
the

position and valuation of IT have continued to challenge how
execu-
tives manage it, account for it, and, most important, ultimately
value
its contributions to the organization. Technology personnel
continue
to be criticized for their inability to function as part of the
business,
and they are often seen as outside the business norm. IT
employees
are frequently stereotyped as “ techies,” and are segregated in
such a
way that they become isolated from the organization. This book
pro-
vides a method for integrating IT, and redefining its role in
organiza-
tions, especially as a partner in formulating and implementing
key
business strategies that are crucial for the survival of many
companies
in the new digital age. Rather than provide a long and extensive
list of
common issues, I have decided it best to uncover the challenges
of IT
integration and performance through the case study approach.
x x IntroduCtIon
IT continues to be one of the most important yet least
understood
departments in an organization. It has also become one of the
most
significant components for competing in the global markets of
today.

IT is now an integral part of the way companies become
successful,
and is now being referred to as the digital arm of the business.
This
is true across all industries. The role of IT has grown
enormously in
companies throughout the world, and it has a mission to provide
stra-
tegic solutions that can make companies more competitive.
Indeed,
the success of IT, and its ability to operate as part of the
learning
organization, can mean the difference between the success and
failure
of entire companies. However, IT must be careful that it is not
seen as
just a factory of support personnel, and does not lose its
justification
as driving competitive advantage. We see in many organizations
that
other digital-based departments are being created, due to
frustration
with the traditional IT culture, or because they simply do not
see IT
as meeting the current needs for operating in a digital economy.
This book provides answers to other important questions that
have
challenged many organizations for decades. First, how can
manag-
ers master emerging digital technologies, sustain a relationship
with
organizational learning, and link it to strategy and performance?
Second, what is the process by which to determine the value of
using
technology, and how does it relate to traditional ways of

calculating
return on investment, and establishing risk models? Third, what
are
the cyber security implications of technology-based products
and
services? Fourth, what are the roles and responsibilities of the
IT
executive, and the department in general? To answer these
questions,
managers need to focus on the following objectives:
• Address the operational weaknesses in organizations, in
terms of how to deal with new technologies, and how to bet-
ter realize business benefits.
• Provide a mechanism that both enables organizations to deal
with accelerated change caused by technological innovations,
and integrates them into a new cycle of processing, and han-
dling of change.
• Provide a strategic learning framework, by which every new
technology variable adds to organizational knowledge and
can develop a risk and security culture.
x x iIntroduCtIon
• Establish an integrated approach that ties technology account-
ability to other measurable outcomes, using organizational
learning techniques and theories.
To realize these objectives, organizations must be able to
• create dynamic internal processes that can deal, on a daily
basis, with understanding the potential fit of new technologies

and their overall value within the structure of the business;
• provide the discourse to bridge the gaps between IT- and non-
IT-related investments, and uses, into one integrated system;
• monitor investments and determine modifications to the life
cycle;
• implement various organizational learning practices, includ-
ing learning organization, knowledge management, change
management, and communities of practice, all of which help
foster strategic thinking, and learning, and can be linked to
performance (Gephardt & Marsick, 2003).
The strengths of this book are that it integrates theory and
practice
and provides answers to the four common questions mentioned.
Many
of the answers provided in these pages are founded on theory
and
research and are supported by practical experience. Thus,
evidence of
the performance of the theories is presented via case studies,
which
are designed to assist the readers in determining how such
theories
and proven practices can be applied to their specific
organization.
A common theme in this book involves three important terms:
dynamic , unpredictable , and acceleration . Dynamic is a term
that rep-
resents spontaneous and vibrant things— a motive force.
Technology
behaves with such a force and requires organizations to deal
with its

capabilities. Glasmeier (1997) postulates that technology
evolution,
innovation, and change are dynamic processes. The force then is
tech-
nology, and it carries many motives, as we shall see throughout
this
book. Unpredictable suggests that we cannot plan what will
happen
or will be needed. Many organizational individuals, including
execu-
tives, have attempted to predict when, how, or why technology
will
affect their organization. Throughout our recent history,
especially
during the “ digital disruption” era, we have found that it is
difficult,
if not impossible, to predict how technology will ultimately
benefit or
x x ii IntroduCtIon
hurt organizational growth and competitive advantage. I believe
that
technology is volatile and erratic at times. Indeed, harnessing
tech-
nology is not at all an exact science; certainly not in the ways in
which
it can and should be used in today’ s modern organization.
Finally, I
use the term acceleration to convey the way technology is
speeding up
our lives. Not only have emerging technologies created this
unpre-
dictable environment of change, but they also continue to

change it
rapidly— even from the demise of the dot-com era decades ago.
Thus,
what becomes important is the need to respond quickly to
technology.
The inability to be responsive to change brought about by
technologi-
cal innovations can result in significant competitive
disadvantages for
organizations.
This new edition shows why this is a fact especially when
examining
the shrinking S-Curve. So, we look at these three words—
dynamic,
unpredictable, and acceleration— as a way to define how
technology
affects organizations; that is, technology is an accelerating
motive
force that occurs irregularly. These words name the challenges
that
organizations need to address if they are to manage
technological
innovations and integrate them with business strategy and
competi-
tive advantage. It only makes sense that the challenge of
integrating
technology into business requires us first to understand its
potential
impact, determine how it occurs, and see what is likely to
follow.
There are no quick remedies to dealing with emerging
technologies,
just common practices and sustained processes that must be
adopted
for organizations to survive in the future.

I had four goals in mind in writing this book. First, I am inter-
ested in writing about the challenges of using digital
technologies
strategically. What particularly concerns me is the lack of
literature
that truly addresses this issue. What is also troublesome is the
lack
of reliable techniques for the evaluation of IT, especially since
IT
is used in almost every aspect of business life. So, as we
increase
our use and dependency on technology, we seem to understand
less
about how to measure and validate its outcomes. I also want to
convey my thoughts about the importance of embracing
nonmon-
etary methods for evaluating technology, particularly as they
relate
to determining return on investment. Indeed, indirect and non-
monetary benefits need to be part of the process of assessing
and
approving IT projects.
x x iiiIntroduCtIon
Second, I want to apply organizational learning theory to the
field
of IT and use proven learning models to help transform IT staff
into
becoming better members of their organizations. Everyone
seems to
know about the inability of IT people to integrate with other
depart-

ments, yet no one has really created a solution to the problem. I
find
that organizational learning techniques are an effective way of
coach-
ing IT staff to operate more consistently with the goals of the
busi-
nesses that they support.
Third, I want to present cogent theories about IT and organiza-
tional learning; theories that establish new ways for
organizations to
adapt new technologies. I want to share my experiences and
those of
other professionals who have found approaches that can provide
posi-
tive outcomes from technology investments.
Fourth, I have decided to express my concerns about the valid-
ity and reliability of organizational learning theories and
practices as
they apply to the field of IT. I find that most of these models
need to
be enhanced to better fit the unique aspects of the digital age.
These
modified models enable the original learning techniques to
address
IT-specific issues. In this way, the organization can develop a
more
holistic approach toward a common goal for using technology.
Certainly, the balance of how technology ties in with strategy is
essential. However, there has been much debate over whether
tech-
nology should drive business strategy or vice versa. We will
find that
the answer to this is “ yes.” Yes, in the sense that technology

can affect
the way organizations determine their missions and business
strate-
gies; but “ no” in that technology should not be the only
component
for determining mission and strategy. Many managers have
realized
that business is still business, meaning that technology is not a
“ sil-
ver bullet.” The challenge, then, is to determine how best to fit
tech-
nology into the process of creating and supporting business
strategy.
Few would doubt today that technology is, indeed, the most
signifi-
cant variable affecting business strategy. However, the most
viable
approach is to incorporate technology into the process of
determin-
ing business strategy. I have found that many businesses still
formu-
late their strategies first, and then look at technology, as a
means to
efficiently implement objectives and goals. Executives need to
better
understand the unique and important role that technology
provides
us; it can drive business strategy, and support it, at the same
time.
x x i v IntroduCtIon
Managers should not solely focus their attention on generating
breakthrough innovations that will create spectacular results.

Most
good uses of technology are much subtler, and longer-lasting.
For this
reason, this book discusses and defines new technology life
cycles
that blend business strategy and strategic learning. Building on
this
theme, I introduce the idea of responsive organizational
dynamism as
the core theory of this book. Responsive organizational
dynamism
defines an environment that can respond to the three important
terms (dynamic, unpredictable, and acceleration). Indeed,
technology
requires organizations that can sustain a system, in which
individu-
als can deal with dynamic, unpredictable, and accelerated
change, as
part of their regular process of production. The basis of this
concept
is that organizations must create and sustain such an
environment to
be competitive in a global technologically-driven economy. I
further
analyze responsive organizational dynamism in its two
subcompo-
nents: strategic integration and cultural assimilation, which
address
how technology needs to be measured as it relates to business
strategy,
and what related social– structural changes are needed,
respectively.
Change is an important principle of this book. I talk about the
importance of how to change, how to manage such change, and
why

emerging technologies are a significant agent of change. I
support
the need for change, as an opportunity to use many of the
learning
theories that have been historically difficult to implement. That
is,
implementing change brought on by technological innovation is
an
opportunity to make the organization more “ change ready” or,
as we
define it today, more “ agile.” However, we also know that
little is
known about how organizations should actually go about
modifying
existing processes to adapt to new technologies and become
digital
entities— and to be accustomed to doing this regularly.
Managing
through such periods of change requires that we develop a
model that
can deal with dynamic, unpredictable, and accelerated change.
This is
what responsive organizational dynamism is designed to do.
We know that over 20% of IT projects still fail to be completed.
Another 54% fail to meet their projected completion date. We
now sit
at the forefront of another technological spurt of innovations
that will
necessitate major renovations to existing legacy systems,
requiring that
they be linked to sophisticated e-business systems. These e-
business
systems will continue to utilize the Internet, and emerging
mobile

x x vIntroduCtIon
technologies. While we tend to focus primarily on what
technology
generically does, organizations need urgently to prepare
themselves
for the next generation of advances, by forming structures that
can
deal with continued, accelerated change, as the norm of daily
opera-
tions. For this edition, I have added new sections and chapters
that
address the digital transformation, ways of dealing with
changing
consumer behavior, the need to form evolving cyber security
cultures,
and the importance of integrating Gen Y employees to
accelerate
competitive advantage.
This book provides answers to a number of dilemmas but
ultimately
offers an imbricate cure for the problem of latency in
performance and
quality afflicting many technologically-based projects.
Traditionally,
management has attempted to improve IT performance by
increasing
technical skills and project manager expertise through new
processes.
While there has been an effort to educate IT managers to
become
more interested and participative in business issues, their
involvement

continues to be based more on service than on strategy. Yet, at
the
heart of the issue is the entirety of the organization. It is my
belief that
many of the programmatic efforts conducted in traditional ways
and
attempting to mature and integrate IT with the rest of the
organiza-
tion will continue to deliver disappointing results.
My personal experience goes well beyond research; it draws
from
living and breathing the IT experience for the past 35 years, and
from an understanding of the dynamics of what occurs inside
and
outside the IT department in most organizations. With such
experi-
ence, I can offer a path that engages the participation of the
entire
management team and operations staff of the organization.
While
my vision for this kind of digital transformation is different
from
other approaches, it is consistent with organizational learning
theo-
ries that promote the integration of individuals, communities,
and
senior management to participate in more democratic and
vision-
ary forms of thinking, reflection, and learning. It is my belief
that
many of the dilemmas presented by IT have existed in other
parts of
organizations for years, and that the Internet revolution only
served
to expose them. If we believe this to be true, then we must

begin
the process of integrating technology into strategic thinking and
stop depending on IT to provide magical answers, and
inappropriate
expectations of performance.
x x v i IntroduCtIon
Technology is not the responsibility of any one person or
depart-
ment; rather, it is part of the responsibility of every employee.
Thus,
the challenge is to allow organizations to understand how to
modify
their processes, and the roles and responsibilities of their
employees,
to incorporate digital technologies as part of normal workplace
activi-
ties. Technology then becomes more a subject and a component
of
discourse. IT staff members need to emerge as specialists who
par-
ticipate in decision making, development, and sustained support
of
business evolution. There are also technology-based topics that
do
not require the typical expertise that IT personnel provide. This
is
a literacy issue that requires different ways of thinking and
learning
during the everyday part of operations. For example, using
desktop
tools, communicating via e-mail, and saving files and data, are
inte-

gral to everyday operations. These activities affect projects, yet
they
are not really part of the responsibilities of IT departments.
Given
the knowledge that technology is everywhere, we must change
the
approach that we take to be successful. Another way of looking
at this
phenomenon is to define technology more as a commodity,
readily
available to all individuals. This means that the notion of
technology
as organizationally segregated into separate cubes of expertise
is prob-
lematic, particularly on a global front.
Thus, the overall aim of this book is to promote organizational
learning that disseminates the uses of technology throughout a
busi-
ness, so that IT departments are a partner in its use, as opposed
to
being its sole owner. The cure to IT project failure, then, is to
engage
the business in technology decisions in such a way that
individuals
and business units are fundamentally involved in the process.
Such
processes need to be designed to dynamically respond to
technology
opportunities and thus should not be overly bureaucratic. There
is a
balance between establishing organizations that can readily deal
with
technology versus those that become too complex and
inefficient.

This balance can only be attained using organizational learning
techniques as the method to grow and reach technology
maturation.
Overview of the Chapters
Chapter 1 provides an important case study of the Ravell
Corporation
(a pseudonym), where I was retained for over five years.
During this
x x v iiIntroduCtIon
period, I applied numerous organizational learning methods
toward
the integration of the IT department with the rest of the
organiza-
tion. The chapter allows readers to understand how the theories
of
organizational learning can be applied in actual practice, and
how
those theories are particularly beneficial to the IT community.
The
chapter also shows the practical side of how learning techniques
can
be linked to measurable outcomes, and ultimately related to
business
strategy. This concept will become the basis of integrating
learning
with strategy (i.e., “ strategic learning” ). The Ravell case study
also
sets the tone of what I call the IT dilemma, which represents the
core problem faced by organizations today. Furthermore, the
Ravell

case study becomes the cornerstone example throughout the
book and
is used to relate many of the theories of learning and their
practical
applicability in organizations. The Ravell case has also been
updated
in this second edition to include recent results that support the
impor-
tance of alignment with the human resources department.
Chapter 2 presents the details of the IT dilemma. This chapter
addresses issues such as isolation of IT staff, which results in
their
marginalization from the rest of the organization. I explain that
while
executives want technology to be an important part of business
strat-
egy, few understand how to accomplish it. In general, I show
that
individuals have a lack of knowledge about how technology and
busi-
ness strategy can, and should, be linked, to form common
business
objectives. The chapter provides the results of a three-year
study of
how chief executives link the role of technology with business
strat-
egy. The study captures information relating to how chief
executives
perceive the role of IT, how they manage it, and use it
strategically,
and the way they measure IT performance and activities.
Chapter 3 focuses on defining how organizations need to
respond
to the challenges posed by technology. I analyze technological

dyna-
mism in its core components so that readers understand the
different
facets that comprise its many applications. I begin by presenting
tech-
nology as a dynamic variable that is capable of affecting
organizations
in a unique way. I specifically emphasize the unpredictability of
tech-
nology, and its capacity to accelerate change— ultimately
concluding
that technology, as an independent variable, has a dynamic
effect on
organizational development. This chapter also introduces my
theory
of responsive organizational dynamism, defined as a disposition
in
x x v iii IntroduCtIon
organizational behavior that can respond to the demands of
tech-
nology as a dynamic variable. I establish two core components
of
responsive organizational dynamism: strategic integration and
cultural
assimilation . Each of these components is designed to tackle a
specific
problem introduced by technology. Strategic integration
addresses the
way in which organizations determine how to use technology as
part
of business strategy. Cultural assimilation, on the other hand,
seeks

to answer how the organization, both structurally and culturally,
will
accommodate the actual human resources of an IT staff and
depart-
ment within the process of implementing new technologies.
Thus,
strategic integration will require organizational changes in
terms of
cultural assimilation. The chapter also provides a perspective of
the
technology life cycle so that readers can see how responsive
organi-
zational dynamism is applied, on an IT project basis. Finally, I
define
the driver and supporter functions of IT and how these
contribute to
managing technology life cycles.
Chapter 4 introduces theories on organizational learning, and
applies them specifically to responsive organizational
dynamism. I
emphasize that organizational learning must result in individual,
and
organizational transformation, that leads to measurable
performance
outcomes. The chapter defines a number of organizational
learning
theories, such as reflective practices, learning organization,
communi-
ties of practice, learning preferences and experiential learning,
social
discourse, and the use of language. These techniques and
approaches
to promoting organizational learning are then configured into
various
models that can be used to assess individual and organizational

devel-
opment. Two important models are designed to be used in
responsive
organizational dynamism: the applied individual learning wheel
and
the technology maturity arc. These models lay the foundation
for my
position that learning maturation involves a steady linear
progression
from an individual focus toward a system or organizational
perspec-
tive. The chapter also addresses implementation issues—
political
challenges that can get in the way of successful application of
the
learning theories.
Chapter 5 explores the role of management in creating and
sustain-
ing responsive organizational dynamism. I define the tiers of
middle
management in relation to various theories of management
partici-
pation in organizational learning. The complex issues of
whether
x x i xIntroduCtIon
organizational learning needs to be managed from the top down,
bottom up, or middle-top-down are discussed and applied to a
model
that operates in responsive organizational dynamism. This
chapter
takes into account the common three-tier structure in which

most
organizations operate: executive, middle, and operations. The
execu-
tive level includes the chief executive officer (CEO), president,
and
senior vice presidents. The middle is the most complex, ranging
from
vice president/director to supervisory roles. Operations covers
what is
commonly known as “ staff,” including clerical functions. The
knowl-
edge that I convey suggests that all of these tiers need to
participate in
management, including operations personnel, via a self-
development
model. The chapter also presents the notion that knowledge
manage-
ment is necessary to optimize competitive advantage,
particularly as
it involves transforming tacit knowledge into explicit
knowledge. I
view the existing theories on knowledge management, create a
hybrid
model that embraces technology issues, and map them to
responsive
organizational dynamism. Discussions on change management
are
included as a method of addressing the unique ways that
technol-
ogy affects product development. Essentially, I tie together
respon-
sive organizational dynamism with organizational change
theory, by
offering modifications to generally accepted theories. There is
also a
specific model created for IT organizations, that maps onto

organi-
zational-level concepts. Although I have used technology as the
basis
for the need for responsive organizational dynamism, I show
that the
needs for its existence can be attributed to any variable that
requires
dynamic change. As such, I suggest that readers begin to think
about
the next “ technology” or variable that can cause the same
needs to
occur inside organizations. The chapter has been extended to
address
the impact of social networking and the leadership opportunities
it
provides to technology executives.
Chapter 6 examines how organizational transformation occurs.
The primary focus of the chapter is to integrate transformation
theory
with responsive organizational dynamism. The position taken is
that
organizational learning techniques must inevitably result in
orga-
nizational transformation. Discussions on transformation are
often
addressed at organizational level, as opposed to focusing on
individual
development. As in other sections of the book, I extend a
number
of theories so that they can operate under the auspices of
responsive
x x x IntroduCtIon

organizational dynamism, specifically, the works of Yorks and
Marsick
(2000) and Aldrich (2001). I expand organizational
transformation
to include ongoing assessment within technology deliverables.
This
is accomplished through the use of a modified Balanced
Scorecard
originally developed by Kaplan and Norton (2001). The
Balanced
Scorecard becomes the vehicle for establishing a strategy-
focused and
technology-based organization.
Chapter 7 deals with the many business transformation projects
that require outsource arrangements and virtual team
management.
This chapter provides an understanding of when and how to
consider
outsourcing and the intricacies of considerations once operating
with
virtual teams. I cover such issues as management considerations
and
the challenges of dealing in multiple locations. The chapter
extends the
models discussed in previous chapters so that they can be
aligned with
operating in a virtual team environment. Specifically, this
includes
communities of practice, social discourse, self-development,
knowl-
edge management, and, of course, responsive organizational
dyna-
mism and its corresponding maturity arcs. Furthermore, I
expand the

conversation to include IT and non-IT personnel, and the
arguments
for the further support needed to integrate all functions across
the
organization.
Chapter 8 presents updated case studies that demonstrate how
my
organizational learning techniques are actually applied in
practice.
Three case studies are presented: Siemens AG, ICAP, and HTC.
Siemens AG is a diverse international company with 20 discrete
businesses in over 190 countries. The case study offers a
perspec-
tive of how a corporate chief information officer (CIO)
introduced
e- business strategy. ICAP is a leading international money and
secu-
rity broker. This case study follows the activities of the
electronic trad-
ing community (ETC) entity, and how the CEO transformed the
organization and used organizational learning methods to
improve
competitive advantage. HTC (a pseudonym) provides an
example of
why the chief IT executive should report to the CEO, and how a
CEO can champion specific projects to help transform
organizational
norms and behaviors. This case study also maps the
transformation of
the company to actual examples of strategic advantage.
Chapter 9 focuses on the challenges of forming a “ cyber
security”
culture. The growing challenges of protecting companies from
outside

x x x iIntroduCtIon
attacks have established the need to create a cyber security
culture.
This chapter addresses the ways in which information
technology
organizations must further integrate with business operations,
so
that their firms are better equipped to protect against outside
threats.
Since the general consensus is that no system can be 100%
protected,
and that most system compromises occur as a result of internal
expo-
sures, information technology leaders must educate employees
on
best practices to limit cyberattacks. Furthermore, while
prevention is
the objective, organizations must be internally prepared to deal
with
attacks and thus have processes in place should a system
become pen-
etrated by third-party agents.
Chapter 10 explores the effects of the digital global economy
on
the ways in which organizations need to respond to the
consumeriza-
tion of products and services. From this perspective, digital
transfor-
mation involves a type of social reengineering that affects the
ways in
which organizations communicate internally, and how they

consider
restructuring departments. Digital transformation also affects
the
risks that organizations must take in what has become an
accelerated
changing consumer market.
Chapter 11 provides conclusions and focuses on Gen Y employ-
ees who are known as “ digital natives” and represent the new
supply
chain of talent. Gen Y employees possess the attributes to assist
com-
panies to transform their workforce to meet the accelerated
change in
the competitive landscape. Most executives across industries
recog-
nize that digital technologies are the most powerful variable to
main-
taining and expanding company markets. Gen Y employees
provide a
natural fit for dealing with emerging digital technologies.
However,
success with integrating Gen Y employees is contingent upon
Baby
Boomer and Gen X management adopting new leadership
philoso-
phies and procedures suited to meet the expectations and needs
of
these new workers. Ignoring the unique needs of Gen Y
employees
will likely result in an incongruent organization that suffers
high
turnover of young employees who will ultimately seek a more
entre-
preneurial environment.

Chapter 12 seeks to define best practices to implement and sus-
tain responsive organizational dynamism. The chapter sets forth
a
model that creates separate, yet linked, best practices and
maturity
arcs that can be used to assess stages of the learning
development
x x x ii IntroduCtIon
of the chief IT executive, the CEO, and the middle management.
I
discuss the concept of common threads , by which each best
practices
arc links through common objectives and outcomes to the
responsive
organizational dynamism maturity arc presented in Chapter 4.
Thus,
these arcs represent an integrated and hierarchical view of how
each
component of the organization contributes to overall best
practices. A
new section has been added that links ethics to technology
leadership
and maturity.
Chapter 13 summarizes the many aspects of how IT and organi-
zational learning operate together to support the responsive
organi-
zational dynamism environment. The chapter emphasizes the
specific
key themes developed in the book, such as evolution versus
revolu-
tion; control and empowerment; driver and supporter

operations; and
responsive organizational dynamism and self-generating
organiza-
tions. Finally, I provide an overarching framework for “
organizing”
reflection and integrate it with the best practices arcs.
As a final note, I need to clarify my use of the words
information
technology, digital technology, and technology. In many parts
of the book,
they are used interchangeably, although there is a defined
difference.
Of course, not all technology is related to information or
digital; some
is based on machinery or the like. For the purposes of this book,
the
reader should assume that IT and digital technology are the
primary
variables that I am addressing. However, the theories and
processes
that I offer can be scaled to all types of technological
innovation.
1
1
The “Ravell” CoRpoRaTion
Introduction
Launching into an explanation of information technology (IT),
organizational learning, and the practical relationship into
which I

propose to bring them is a challenging topic to undertake. I
choose,
therefore, to begin this discussion by presenting an actual case
study
that exemplifies many key issues pertaining to organizational
learn-
ing, and how it can be used to improve the performance of an IT
department. Specifically, this chapter summarizes a case study
of
the IT department at the Ravell Corporation (a pseudonym) in
New
York City. I was retained as a consultant at the company to
improve
the performance of the department and to solve a mounting
politi-
cal problem involving IT and its relation to other departments.
The
case offers an example of how the growth of a company as a
“learn-
ing organization”—one in which employees are constantly
learning
during the normal workday (Argyris, 1993; Watkins & Marsick,
1993)— utilized reflective practices to help it achieve the
practical stra-
tegic goals it sought. Individuals in learning organizations
integrate
processes of learning into their work. Therefore, a learning
organiza-
tion must advocate a system that allows its employees to
interact, ask
questions, and provide insight to the business. The learning
organiza-
tion will ultimately promote systematic thinking, and the
building
of organizational memory (Watkins & Marsick, 1993). A
learning

organization (discussed more fully in Chapter 4) is a
component of
the larger topic of organizational learning.
The Ravell Corporation is a firm with over 500 employees who,
over the years, had become dependent on the use of technology
to
run its business. Its IT department, like that of many other
compa-
nies, was isolated from the rest of the business and was
regarded as
a peripheral entity whose purpose was simply to provide
technical
support. This was accompanied by actual physical isolation—IT
was
2 INFORMATION TECHNOLO GY
placed in a contained and secure location away from mainstream
operations. As a result, IT staff rarely engaged in active
discourse
with other staff members unless specific meetings were called
relat-
ing to a particular project. The Ravell IT department, therefore,
was
not part of the community of organizational learning—it did not
have the opportunity to learn along with the rest of the
organiza-
tion, and it was never asked to provide guidance in matters of
gen-
eral relevance to the business as a whole. This marginalized
status
resulted in an us-versus-them attitude on the part of IT and non-
IT

personnel alike.
Much has been written about the negative impact of marginal-
ization on individuals who are part of communities. Schlossberg
(1989) researched adults in various settings and how marginal-
ization affected their work and self-efficacy. Her theory on mar-
ginalization and mattering is applied to this case study because
of
its relevance and similarity to her prior research. For example,
IT
represents similar characteristics to a separate group on a
college
campus or in a workplace environment. Its physical isolation
can
also be related to how marginalized groups move away from the
majority population and function without contact. The IT direc-
tor, in particular, had cultivated an adversarial relationship with
his
peers. The director had shaped a department that fueled his view
of
separation. This had the effect of further marginalizing the posi-
tion of IT within the organization. Hand in hand with this form
of
separatism came a sense of actual dislike on the part of IT
personnel
for other employees. IT staff members were quick to point
fingers
at others and were often noncommunicative with members of
other
departments within the organization. As a result of this kind of
behavior, many departments lost confidence in the ability of IT
to
provide support; indeed, the quality of support that IT furnished
had begun to deteriorate. Many departments at Ravell began to
hire
their own IT support personnel and were determined to create

their
own information systems subdepartments. This situation
eventually
became unacceptable to management, and the IT director was
ter-
minated. An initiative was begun to refocus the department and
its
position within the organization. I was retained to bring about
this
change and to act as the IT director until a structural
transforma-
tion of the department was complete.
3the “r Avell” Corp or AtIon
A New Approach
My mandate at Ravell was initially unclear—I was to “fix” the
problem; the specific solution was left up to me to design and
imple-
ment. My goal became one of finding a way to integrate IT fully
into
the organizational culture at Ravell. Without such integration,
IT
would remain isolated, and no amount of “fixing” around this
issue
would address the persistence of what was, as well, a cultural
prob-
lem. Unless IT became a true part of the organization as a
whole,
the entire IT staff could be replaced without any real change
having
occurred from the organization’s perspective. That is, just
replacing

the entire IT staff was an acceptable solution to senior
management.
The fact that this was acceptable suggested to me that the
knowledge
and value contained in the IT department did not exist or was
mis-
understood by the senior management of the firm. In my
opinion,
just eliminating a marginalized group was not a solution
because I
expected that such knowledge and value did exist, and that it
needed
to be investigated properly. Thus, I rejected management’s
option and
began to formulate a plan to better understand the contributions
that
could be made by the IT department. The challenge was
threefold: to
improve the work quality of the IT department (a matter of
perfor-
mance), to help the department begin to feel itself a part of the
orga-
nization as a whole and vice versa (a matter of cultural
assimilation),
and to persuade the rest of the organization to accept the IT
staff as
equals who could contribute to the overall direction and growth
of the
organization (a fundamental matter of strategic integration).
My first step was to gather information. On my assignment to
the
position of IT director, I quickly arranged a meeting with the IT
department to determine the status and attitudes of its
personnel.
The IT staff meeting included the chief financial officer (CFO),

to
whom IT reported. At this meeting, I explained the reasons
behind
the changes occurring in IT management. Few questions were
asked;
as a result, I immediately began scheduling individual meetings
with
each of the IT employees. These employees varied in terms of
their
position within the corporate hierarchy, in terms of salary, and
in
terms of technical expertise. The purpose of the private
meetings was
to allow IT staff members to speak openly, and to enable me to
hear
their concerns. I drew on the principles of action science,
pioneered
by Argyris and Schö n (1996), designed to promote individual
self-
reflection regarding behavior patterns, and to encourage a
produc-
tive exchange among individuals. Action science encompasses a
range
of methods to help individuals learn how to be reflective about
their
actions. By reflecting, individuals can better understand the
outcomes
of their actions and, especially, how they are seen by others.
This was
an important approach because I felt learning had to start at the
indi-

vidual level as opposed to attempting group learning activities.
It was
my hope that the discussions I orchestrated would lead the IT
staff to
a better understanding than they had previously shown, not only
of
the learning process itself, but also of the significance of that
process.
I pursued these objectives by guiding them to detect problem
areas in
their work and to undertake a joint effort to correct them
(Argyris,
1993; Arnett, 1992).
Important components of reflective learning are single-loop and
double-loop learning. Single-loop learning requires individuals
to
reflect on a prior action or habit that needs to be changed in the
future
but does not require individuals to change their operational
proce-
dures with regard to values and norms. Double-loop learning, on
the
other hand, does require both change in behavior and change in
oper-
ational procedures. For example, people who engage in double-
loop
learning may need to adjust how they perform their job, as
opposed to
just the way they communicate with others, or, as Argyris and
Schö n
(1996, p. 22) state, “the correction of error requires inquiry
through
which organizational values and norms themselves are
modified.”

Despite my efforts and intentions, not all of the exchanges were
destined to be successful. Many of the IT staff members felt
that the
IT director had been forced out, and that there was consequently
no support for the IT function in the organization. There was
also
clear evidence of internal political division within the IT
department;
members openly criticized each other. Still other interviews
resulted
in little communication. This initial response from IT staff was
disap-
pointing, and I must admit I began to doubt whether these
learning
methods would be an antidote for the department. Replacing
people
began to seem more attractive, and I now understood why many
man-
agers prefer to replace staff, as opposed to investing in their
transfor-
mation. However, I also knew that learning is a gradual process
and
that it would take time and trust to see results.
5the “r Avell” Corp or AtIon
I realized that the task ahead called for nothing short of a total
cul-
tural transformation of the IT organization at Ravell. Members
of the
IT staff had to become flexible and open if they were to become
more
trusting of one another and more reflective as a group (Garvin,
2000;

Schein, 1992). Furthermore, they had to have an awareness of
their
history, and they had to be willing to institute a vision of
partnering
with the user community. An important part of the process for
me
was to accept the fact that the IT staff were not habitually
inclined to
be reflective. My goal then was to create an environment that
would
foster reflective learning, which would in turn enable a change
in
individual and organizational values and norms (Senge, 1990).
The Blueprint for Integration
Based on information drawn from the interviews, I developed a
pre-
liminary plan to begin to integrate IT into the day-to-day
operations
at Ravell, and to bring IT personnel into regular contact with
other
staff members. According to Senge (1990), the most productive
learn-
ing occurs when skills are combined in the activities of
advocacy and
inquiry. My hope was to encourage both among the staff at
Ravell. The
plan for integration and assimilation involved assigning IT
resources
to each department; that is, following the logic of the self-
dissemina-
tion of technology, each department would have its own
dedicated IT
person to support it. However, just assigning a person was not
enough,

so I added the commitment to actually relocate an IT person
into each
physical area. This way, rather than clustering together in an
area of
their own, IT people would be embedded throughout the
organiza-
tion, getting first-hand exposure to what other departments did,
and
learning how to make an immediate contribution to the
productiv-
ity of these departments. The on-site IT person in each
department
would have the opportunity to observe problems when they
arose—
and hence, to seek ways to prevent them—and, significantly, to
share
in the sense of accomplishment when things went well. To
reinforce
their commitment to their respective areas, I specified that IT
person-
nel were to report not only to me but also to the line manager in
their
respective departments. In addition, these line managers were to
have
input on the evaluation of IT staff. I saw that making IT staff
offi-
cially accountable to the departments they worked with was a
tangible
way to raise their level of commitment to the organization. I
hoped
that putting line managers in a supervisory position, would help

build
a sense of teamwork between IT and non-IT personnel.
Ultimately,
the focus of this approach was to foster the creation of a
tolerant and
supportive cultural climate for IT within the various
departments; an
important corollary goal here was also to allow reflective
reviews of
performance to flourish (Garvin, 1993).
Enlisting Support
Support for this plan had to be mustered quickly if I was to
create an
environment of trust. I had to reestablish the need for the IT
func-
tion within the company, show that it was critical for the
company’s
business operations, and show that its integration posed a
unique
challenge to the company. However, it was not enough just for
me
to claim this. I also had to enlist key managers to claim it.
Indeed,
employees will cooperate only if they believe that self-
assessment and
critical thinking are valued by management (Garvin, 2000). I
decided
to embark on a process of arranging meetings with specific line
man-
agers in the organization. I selected individuals who would
represent
the day-to-day management of the key departments. If I could
get
their commitment to work with IT, I felt it could provide the

stimulus
we needed. Some line managers were initially suspicious of the
effort
because of their prior experiences with IT. However, they
generally
liked the idea of integration and assimilation that was presented
to
them, and agreed to support it, at least on a trial basis.
Predictably, the IT staff were less enthusiastic about the idea.
Many
of them felt threatened, fearing that they were about to lose
their
independence or lose the mutual support that comes from being
in a
cohesive group. I had hoped that holding a series of meetings
would
help me gain support for the restructuring concept. I had to be
care-
ful to ensure that the staff members would feel that they also
had an
opportunity to develop a plan, that they were confident would
work.
During a number of group sessions, we discussed various
scenarios of
how such a plan might work. I emphasized the concepts of
integra-
tion and assimilation, and that a program of their
implementation
would be experimental. Without realizing it, I had engaged IT
staff
members in a process of self-governance. Thus, I empowered
them

New Problems in Todays Technological Era An Adlerian Case.docx

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