| Summary: | This study sought to explore the pressures and reconciliations of the Technological Change associated with social media adoption at both an internal and external level through the theoretical lens of Institutional Theory. It employed a qualitative approach, utilising semi-structured interviews to gather data from various human actors internal and external to the organisation. The research process consisted of interviews with social media managers and consultants through the United Kingdom (UK), Republic of Ireland (RI) and the United States of America (USA) over a 25-month period. Findings highlighted that Institutional pressures are significant at four levels: External stakeholder, Platform, Internal stakeholder and Independent forces. This study revealed that reconciliation of Technological Change pressures can be refined into four distinctive strategies, which are both implicit or explicit in nature: non isomorphic behaviour, utilise internal capabilities, strategies and utilise external resources. Among the theoretical contributions of this thesis, is the extension of the understanding of mimetic isomorphism, as the same pressures that constrain Technological Change can assist with the reconciliation of pressures. Further, it highlights that a cohort of Institutional Entrepreneurs can work together to achieve Technological Change. It confirms the rate of innovation is not only a critical concern once the technology has been adopted but it is also a concern in the pre adoption phase. The theoretical framework developed offers a significant contribution to the existing literature highlighting that Technological Change is an ongoing process and a layer of institutional pressures must be navigated through appropriate reconciliation techniques to achieve change.
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