{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.01692524682651622, 'fraction_numerical': 0.0028208744710860366, 'mean_word_length': 6.276923076923077, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
A comprehensive model for understanding technology selection decisions of interconnected information technologies

Information technologies are becoming increasingly interconnected and interdependent, which enhances functionalities and communications, but also introduces new risks and considerations such as technical incompatibilities, technology mortality, switching costs, and lock-in. This research aims to build on innovation diffusion theory and network effects theory by introducing switching costs theory to construct a more comprehensive framework explaining technology selection decisions. Additionally, the research model has been informed and tweaked based on several interviews with technology selectors, and the resulting model will be empirically verified. From this research, practitioners can better understand the factors that make a difference in success and failure of technology decisions, and consequently, develop strategies to mitigate the risks which accompany selection decisions. For researchers, this research will provide empirical verification of a range of existing theories when their relationships are examined together.Justin Cochran is a doctoral candidate in Management Information Systems at the University of Georgia. His research interests are technology selection, IS strategy, and service-oriented computing. He expects to graduate in Spring 2007. His advisor is Dale Goodhue.