Attitudinal Factors in the Acceptance of Innovations in the Navy
Abstract
In response to evident resistance by military personnel to innovations in operating equipment, training devices, and operational procedures, sometimes culminating in outright rejection, an attempt was made to translate principles derived from laboratory research on attitude formation and change into practical guidelines that would maximize acceptance of innovations by Navy personnel. This attempt was only partially successful because of certain characteristics of much of the laboratory research. As a complementary approach, case studies were conducted of the actual introduction to Navy personnel of several innovations, including an operational equipment, a training device, and two operational procedures. The case studies, in addition to revealing a number of violations of good practice relating to the variables typically studied in laboratory investigations of attitude change, suggested that variables not typically studied in the laboratory are often crucial in practical situations, and provided insights which supplemented the principles reflected by the research literature. Consideration of the laboratory research and the case studies together led to the formulation of a number of practical guidelines for the introduction of innovations in the Navy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0874789
Entities
People
- Michael Mecherikoff
- Robert R. Mackie