This book is based on the premise that research necessary to advance the utility of geographic informatior. systems must extend far beyond concerns with technical issues. The search for formalisms and generalizable principles relative to the behavior and needs of individuals, organizations and institutions is just as important in enabling optimal use of geographic information innovations. This book consists of papers prepared by participants in the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on "Modeling the Diffusion and Use of Geographic Information Technologies. " The workshop was held AprilS-II, 1992, in Sounion, Greece. The idea for the workshop and this volume arose from discussions among U. S. and European researchers who had been involved in carrying out studies on the use and diffusion of geographic information innovations and actively involved in critically analyzing each other's work. We felt the time was ripe for reporting studies recently accomplished by the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (U. S. A. ), the Economic and Social Research Council (U. K. ), and others relative to these research topics. A workshop would allow contact among and international comparisons with those who were working independently on similar problems with similar or alternative approaches. It would also allow the bringing together of scholars in technology diffusion, management information systems, and sociology with scholars from the GIS community.

Klappentext

The diffusion and use of geographic information technologies have increased dramatically in recent years. This book considers the geographic information systems (GIS) phenomenon from a number of different perspectives. It presents the findings of recent research on the diffusion of GIS in Europe and North America. These highlight the extent to which national cultural and institutional factors influence the nature of the diffusion process in different countries and different applications fields.br/ Because it brings together an unique collection of materials on the diffusion and use of geographic information technologies this book will be of particular interest to students taking advanced courses on geographic information systems as well as readers researching the shape of the future market and those involved in implementing these systems in a wide variety of organisations.

Inhalt
Diffusion and Use of Geographic Information Technologies: An Introduction.- Diffusion and Use of Geographic Information Technologies: An Introduction.- The Diffusion of Innovations Model: Keynote Address.- The Diffusion of Innovations Model: Keynote Address.- Section 1: Research Methodology and Interdisciplinary Perspectives.- 1.1 Gaining User and Organisational Acceptance for Advanced Information Systems.- 1.2 Implementation of New Information Technology.- 1.3 Commentary on Implementation of New Information Technology by Paul Goodman.- 1.4 The Application of Research and Development from the Information Systems Field to GIS Implementation in Local Government: Some Theories on Successful Adoption and Use of GIS Technology.- 1.5 Implications from MIS Research for the Study of GIS Diffusion: Some Initial Evidence.- Section 2: Assessing and Modeling the Diffusion of Geographic Information Innovations.- 2.1 The Diffusion of GIS in British Local Government.- 2.2 GIS Implementation in British Local Government.- 2.3 Diffusion and Use of Geographic Information Systems in Public Sector Agencies in the United States.- 2.4 Correlating Adoption Factors and Adopter Characteristics with Successful Use of Geographic Information Systems.- 2.5 Embodied GIS -A Concept for GIS Diffusion.- 2.6 Comments on Embodied GIS -A Concept for GIS Diffusion by Peter R. Zwart.- Section 3: Assessing Cultural and Institutional Issues.- 3.1 'Universal' GIS versus National Land Information Traditions: Software Imperialism or Endogenous Developments?.- 3.2 The Use of Geographic Information Technology in the City of Padova.- 3.3 Impact of GIS on a Southern European Country: The Case of Portugal.- 3.4 Geographic Information Technology as Appropriate Technology for Development.- Section 4:Mechanisms for Facilitating the Diffusion of GIS Technology.- 4.1 Developing the Spatial Information Marketplace: A Canadian Case Study.- 4.2 NEXPRI: A National Center to Support the Diffusion of Geographical Information Technology.- 4.3 Technology Transfer and Training Needs: The URSA-NET Experience.- 4.4 Urban and Regional Planning Models and GIS.- Section 5: Extending the Research Agenda.- Appendix: NATO Advanced Research Workshop Participants.