Implementation Exchange: The Implementation Profile

It all started ten years ago. First, there was a perceived need. MS/OR researchers had discovered by the early 70's that, in spite of the technical sophistication and instrinsic beauty of many of their models, a relatively small percentage were being used by practicing managers. Better understanding of the implementation process was needed. We became interested in the problem as an aspect of behavioral science. And finally, a research site emerged. A major US corporation was implementing a computerized sales forecasting model.

Great care was taken to make sure that the research was rigorous and “correctly done.” The research questions were straightforward: 1. What basic attitudes affect implementation success? 2. How can these attitudes be measured? 3. How do these attitudes affect implementation success?