University of Twente Student Theses
Skills and leadership in the implementation of smart technology : adapting to change over time
Kubiczek, Weronika (2024) Skills and leadership in the implementation of smart technology : adapting to change over time.
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| Abstract: | This study investigates the key skills and leadership styles necessary for the effective implementation of smart technologies in the workplace, with a particular focus on the Connected Worker program. This program exemplifies smart technology that supports industrial and manufacturing employees by enhancing communication and facilitating access to information, thereby improving daily operations in the workplace. An extensive literature review delineates four key skill categories critical for effective working with smart technologies : technical skills, adaptability skills, communication skills and professional & leadership skills. Relevant leadership styles, particularly transformational and instrumental, are also examined for their roles in guiding technology adoption. To underpin the theoretical framework, the study employs the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to elucidate factors influencing technology acceptance, and Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory to investigate the relationship between leadership style and employee skill development. A retrospective, multi-perspective case study approach was applied, focusing on operators and their direct supervisors at Company X in Poland. Interviews were conducted in the participants' native language, with questionnaires tailored specifically to their roles. Following transcription, the interviews were inductively coded and organized into Gioia tables, which categorized the data into first-order concepts, second-order themes, and aggregate dimensions. The analysis was conducted across three stages of smart technology implementation, each stage employing the same Gioia methodology for consistency. Based on this analysis, the researcher identifies an opportunity to extend the original UTAUT model by incorporating leadership style as an additional factor influencing behavioral intention. At the same time, leadership style affects the development of key employee skills required for working with smart technologies, which in turn have a direct impact on use behavior within the UTAUT framework. Additionally, a conceptual framework has been developed, that suggests the most effective leadership style for fostering the skills most needed at each stage of smart technology implementation, aligning the most suitable leadership approach to each stage. It proposes that transformational leadership is most effective in the pre-implementation stage, supporting the development of technical, professional, communication, and adaptability skills required at this stage. During implementation, instrumental leadership is suggested to enhance professional, leadership, adaptability, and technical skills. In the post-implementation stage, empowering leadership is seen as most beneficial, promoting adaptability, professional and leadership skills, and communication skill that are crucial at this phase. This research addresses a critical gap in understanding the evolving relationship between leadership styles and employee skills within a changing technological landscape, differentiating the implementation process across three distinct stages and aligning specific leadership styles with each phase. The findings contribute to both theory and practice by proposing a dynamic framework that supports organizations in selecting the most effective leadership approaches to foster essential skills throughout each stage of smart technology adoption. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/104425 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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