AN EMPIRICAL-STUDY OF THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN THE ITALIAN PUBLIC-SECTOR

Adoption and implementation of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) offer the promise of successful improvements in environmental and terr itorial planning and monitoring. However, the characteristics of these GISs and the complexity of managing them require that, in order to ad opt and implement them successfully, there must, from the outset, be a high level of commitment within the organization itself which latter has to invest a large amount of both financial and human resources in the new system. Using a multiple case research strategy, this study in vestigates the process of adoption and implementation of these systems within local government administrations in Italy. First, the reasons that initially led to the decision to adopt a GIS and the decision mak ing process involved, are highlighted and the obstacles to adoption ar e identified. This research also offers insights into how local govern ment has managed their GIS implementation and which obstacles have bee n encountered. Lastly, guidelines are suggested to assist management w hich is having to grapple with these complex issues. The impetus for t his research is not very different from that which has encouraged othe r researchers to examine the process of adoption and implementation of automation in industrial firms. However, the Public Sector has certai n unique features that render a specific study of the organizational p rocesses involved in the adoption of new technology particularly inter esting.