Transformative power of mundane technologies in institutional change

Abstract

To examine the role of mundane technologies in institutional change, we conduct an inductive longitudinal study of a translation in the field of UK grocery retailing and elucidate a process of bottom-up transformation, where customer data replaced product data as a key determinant in decision-making. Our analysis uncovers that such change develops over time through three phases: (1) triggering change through the costs of the technology, (2) capturing value through the benefits of the technology, and (3) retaining transformative momentum through the ability of the technology to develop. While illustrating the process, we show how mundane technologies do not take on new meaning as a result of their innate features but through their relationality in mutual constitution with the field. Hence our study illustrates the fact that each technology holds the potential for generativity.