Decentralized, Iterative, and Adaptive : Adoption of AR technologies in crisis within the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry

This paper investigates the adoption of Augmented Reality (AR) technologies within the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in response to the COVID-19 regulations. Given that the novel context introduced by the pandemic puts into question the effectiveness of traditional technology adoption models, we adopt a grounded theory approach to develop a more nuanced understanding of the influential factors and emergent dynamics. Semi-structured interviews with 22 employees of a multinational pharmaceutical and three of its manufacturing partners reveal a distinct adoption process that is decentralized, iterative, and adaptive. This process is underscored by widespread initiative among employees, technological tinkering to optimize functionality, the multi-purpose utilization of AR tools, and enhanced collaboration across organizational boundaries. The findings highlight critical shortcomings of established models, particularly their assumptions of linear progression, top-down decision-making, and the artificial separation of technology adoption from organizational process innovations. The insights contribute to refining theoretical models and establish a potential bridge to open innovation literature. Additionally, practical guidance is provided to better navigate the adoption of disruptive technologies in response to exogenous shocks.