Influence Methods and Innovators: Technocrats and Champions

Abstract

About the Authors: Chris Crawford (ABD, University of Kansas) currently teaches organizational and group communication at Fort Hays State University. Chris was an instrumental player in building the FHSU Leadership Studies program and teaches classes in leadership from time to time. Chris is executive director of CK Consulting Groupe, specializing in a variety of organizational and leadership related topics. Chris' current research interests focus on innovation, mediated delivery methods, technological leadership, and other organizational topics.C. Sue Strohkirch (Ph.D., University of Washington) teaches communication education classes as well as a variety of presentation and interpersonal related classes. Dr. Strohkirch is also the Basic Course Director for the department. Sue's research interests center around communication apprehension, gender studies in communication, and communication pedagogy. Executive SummaryResearch on innovation has focused on the relationship between technology and the social implications of its implementation. Further research is needed to flesh out the theoretical underpinnings of innovation theory. This paper examines the relationships between technological innovation and methods of influence. Subjects (N = 238) completed copies of the Acceptance of Technological Innovation and the Survey of Influence Behaviors. Preliminary results suggest that innovators use whatever influence means they feel are necessary including rewarding, punishing, or manipulative behaviors. Conclusions focus on the implications of these specific findings to the broader fields of innovation and influence methods in organizational contexts.

Transformational Leader as Champion and Techie: Implications for Leadership Educators

“…In this study, there was no link between innovation and transactional leadership as expected, but there was a correlation with contingent reward, one aspect of transactional leadership. Contingent reward is strikingly similar to the reward, punishment, and manipulation influence method isolated by Crawford and Strohkirch (1997). Innovators use this "less than mature" form of leadership to elicit action on the part of others.…”

“…They noted technology is simply interjected, but the change comes from the adaption to technology. It is important to consider that innovators use different leadership methods, which implies using different methods to influence others , 1997.…”

Effects of transformational leadership and organizational position on knowledge management

“…Champions are generally considered to be key organizational decision‐makers that advocate enhanced use of technological solutions, but often are not as technologically literate as specialists in the organization. Champions operate in three ways:Implement rational methods that promote sound decision making based on organizational rules and procedures.Engage in a participative process, enlisting others' help to gain approval and implementation of the innovation.Work outside the formal channels of bureaucratic rules and engage in the renegade process (Howell and Higgins, 1990a, b, c).In a series of articles, Crawford (1998), Crawford and Strohkirch (1997a, b, 2000), and Crawford et al (2003) established the argument that transformational leadership was related to personal innovation. In their findings, transformational leaders were significantly more innovative than transactional and laisse‐ faire leaders.…”

Champions and Traditional Technocrats: The Role of Environmental Value Orientation in Stormwater Management

“…2015; Harrington and Hsu 2018; Hamlin and Nielsen‐Pincus 2020). “Traditional Technocrats” refers to the other cluster based on organizational leadership research that finds Traditional Technocrats contrast with Champions and do not drive innovation in an organization (Crawford and Strohkirch 1997). “Agree” was the mean response to most pro‐environment statements in the Traditional Technocrat cluster, while “strongly agree” was the mean response in the Champion cluster.…”