BUSINESS LIBRARIANS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Innovative Trends and Characteristics

Elisabeth LeonardBetsy Clementson

Hunter LibraryWestern Carolina University

IN THE BEGINNING

Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations

“an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption”

Elisabeth Leonard (!)

Innovation is the adoption of a new idea, service or product that provides value to the adopter.

Little research exists on innovation within libraries; less on innovativeness within libraries

We wanted to know how innovative are we (librarians) really…at work

METHODOLOGY:GROUNDED THEORY

“A qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop an inductively derived grounded theory about a phenomenon.” Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park: Sage.

Provides building blocks on which theory can be constructed (no initial hypothesis)

Procedures so far: survey with a mix of open ended and Likert scale questions

To follow: interviews with managers, document analysis (mission statements, strategic plans, etc.)

METHODOLOGY:PARTICIPANTS

Web survey of business librarians associated with the ten schools listed in America’s Best Graduate Schools

Received IRB approval (and consent from participants)

Identified librarians via library websites

90% response rate for the schools/38% response rate for individuals

PARTICIPANTS

Babson College

UC Berkeley

Harvard University

IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University)

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Stanford University

University of Southern California

University of Texas at Austin

University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Arizona did not participate

ADOPTION CURVE

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

ANOTHER VIEW OF OUR RESULTS

Not all our participants were easily typecast!

INNOVATORS: VENTURESOME

“They are very eager to try new ideas.”

“…must be able to cope with a high degree of uncertainty about an innovation…”

INNOVATORS: VENTURESOME

Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

EARLY ADOPTERS: RESPECTABLE

“…has the greatest degree of opinion leadership in most social systems.”

“…the role of the early adopter is to decrease uncertainty about a new idea by adopting it…”

EARLY ADOPTERS: RESPECTABLE

Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

EARLY MAJORITY: DELIBERATE

“They follow with deliberate willingness in adopting innovations, but seldom lead.”

EARLY MAJORITY: DELIBERATE

Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

LATE MAJORITY: SKEPTICAL

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

LATE MAJORITY: SKEPTICAL

Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

LAGGARDS: TRADITIONAL

“The point of reference for the laggard is the past.”

“…precarious economic position”

LAGGARDS: TRADITIONAL

Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

AND THIS AFFECTS ME …….HOW?!

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

WHAT’S NEXT?

Begin a real discussion

Expand survey?

National definition of innovation?

CHECK US OUT