A techno-cultural emergence perspective on the management of techno-change

Using Cultural Theory derived from Anthropology as a theoretical lens, this paper investigates the role of culture in the management of techno-change (short for technological change). More specifically, using this lens, the relative effectiveness of three approaches in the management of techno-change, namely, technological determinism, cultural determinism and techno-cultural emergence perspective, is examined. Using findings from three in-depth interpretative case studies, the central thrust is that neither technological determinism, nor cultural determinism, will be successful in the management of techno-change and that what is required is a techno-cultural emergence perspective in the enabling forms of hierarchism, individualism/market, and egalitarianism for successful management of techno-change. Managers should avoid a top-down technocratic or culture-driven approach to implementing and managing techno-change. Instead an incremental/evolutionary approach with ad-hoc improvisation made to culture and technology over time and space makes for an effective techno-change solution.