Pathfinders for Independent Living, Inc., a non-profit organization, was founded after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Pathfinders provides information and assistance to elderly and disabled people and their carers on how to live as independently as possible. Its core value is Promote self-sufficiency. The culture within Pathfinders is one of friendly support. Pathfinders IT leadership proposed a project to design and build a network infrastructure that would provide security for sensitive data, data storage, Internet access, email access, up-to-date applications and hardware, and user training. Changing the environment would affect the organizational structure and culture of the Pathfinders. This document discusses the organizational changes that occurred due to a change in technology.
technology transfer
Technology transfer describes activities that aim to establish measurable process improvement through the adoption of new practices. Assistive technology bridges the gap that people with disabilities and older people experience in performing their daily activities. Some of these technologies are text telephones, Braille computer monitors, infrared pointing devices, artificial limbs, and assistive software. Introducing and encouraging the use of these technologies and many others to Pathfinders consumers is the responsibility of independent living specialists.
Independent living specialists help consumers identify needed assistive technologies, apply for funds to purchase the technologies, and educate the public on the various technologies available. However, in order to serve its consumers, Pathfinders had to adapt to today’s information technologies.
A strategy for technology transfer
Recognizing the relationship between technology transfer and process improvement is central to Pathfinders’ approach to change. Technology cannot be changed without some impact on the process or the people using the technology, whether it be an increase in productivity, a reduction in cost, or a fundamental change in method. A number of key issues needed to be addressed for the technology to be successfully transferred. These fall into several categories; technology issues, process changes, and culture changes.
technology problems
The pioneers would join the information age by installing new computers, file servers, network printers, a local area network (LAN), and Internet access. The installation process required preparing the PCs before handing them over to Pathfinders, then an office site visit to build the network and deploy the equipment. PCs standardized on Microsoft applications. After the installation of the network, etc., training on the use of the software was provided. With the infrastructure setup complete, each independent living specialist and the executive director had a personal computer, email, and Internet access.
Designing and building a training center provided an opportunity for anyone to come and learn more about computers and office application software. The conquistadores provided some basic training courses. Also, computer books were available to use with the computers to learn how to use the programs. Internet access was provided. Funding was allocated through federal funds to support changes in technology.
process changes
Before technology changed, there were only two stand-alone PCs available for staff use, these PCs were very old and ran DOS applications. Employees were forced to share computers or use typewriters to complete correspondence. Data was maintained on diskettes and hard copies. Internet access for research was achieved by going to the local library, which consumed valuable time and staff resources. The implementation of the new infrastructure significantly changed the way employees worked. Infrastructure changes provided real-time access to the Internet, consumer data, and improved data security.
Changes in culture
Before the implementation of the technology, the employees had the same knowledge about the use of the tools available in Pathfinders. With the handover of their network, a fundamental change occurred within the employee dynamic. An atmosphere of resentment developed due to an imbalance of knowledge and workload. Some of the employees went to great lengths to understand the advancement of technology, thereby improving themselves and their work processes. They pursued the educational opportunities offered by Pathfinders and improved their knowledge of computer applications. The productivity of these people increased, causing an increase in the satisfaction of Pathfinders consumers.
On the contrary, there was a minority of employees, who positioned themselves not to exempt these changes. These people spent much of their time complaining that they couldn’t get the job done with the tools provided, or repeatedly asking employees who understood the technology for help. Defense mechanisms were used to justify their reactions to the new technology. These employees saw technological change as a threat and wanted nothing to do with improving their computer skills or their work environment. However, as training and practice in using the technology improvements progressed, acceptance began to increase and resistance began to diminish. Change is difficult in all organizations, but to stay in business, Pathfinders was forced to change with the times.
Pathfinders operations are heavily dependent on federal grant money. Each year, Pathfinders must forecast how that money will be spent and report that the previous year’s goals have been met. The federal reporting system began as a paper report that evolved into an online reporting system. Without the changes in technology, Pathfinders would find it difficult to apply for federal grant funds or report their disbursement.
Conclution
Careful consideration was used to determine if a change to the IT infrastructure within the Pathfinders organization was warranted. Potential obstacles were identified and anticipated. One of those hurdles was the effect a change in technology would have on Pathfinders’ organizational culture in the face of improved customer service. The pioneers identified that resistance to change and fear played a role in the effectiveness of the change. Additionally, Pathfinders identified that as staff progressed along the learning curve, acceptance of technology increased and fear of technology decreased.
