Organizational Adoption Models for Early Asp Technology Stages: Adoption and Diffusion of Application Service Providing (Asp) in the Electric Utility Sector

Application Service Providing (ASP) is a recently emerged software delivery model under which an Application Service Provider hosts, manages and delivers software as a service to customers via the Internet or a private network. Customers who are unsure about the value of ASP and their demands may be reluctant to commit to ASP contracts. The underlying research identifies determinants influencing adoption intentions in the early technology stages of ASP within electric utilities. The theoretical framework is based on the findings of studies from van Everdingen and Frambach and is adapted from Rogers work on the diffusion of innovations. The tested model includes characteristics of the innovation, such as relative (dis-) advantage of ASP, as well as characteristics of the environment, the adopting company and importance of social influence. After a broad qualitative study a quantitative web-based survey was employed. All constructs rank high in measurement quality and the overall model reveals food for an improved conception of ASP as well as managerial practices.