A Tale of Three Technologies: A Survival Analysis of Municipal Adoption of Websites, Twitter, and YouTube

Abstract

This study addresses and compares the adoption rate of three technologies by Dutch municipalities: the adoption of websites between 1994 and 2000, the adoption of Twitter between 2008 and 2018, and the adoption of YouTube between 2006 and 2018. It analyses the municipal adoption curves of websites, Twitter, and YouTube, relating to DOI theory. Survival analysis is conducted of Twitter and YouTube adoption by municipalities, assessing the relationship between technology adoption and organizational and environmental factors. Additional survival analysis is conducted of the relationship between municipal adoption, media coverage of the technology, and user engagement with the technology. Media coverage appears to be a strong predictor for municipal adoption of websites, Twitter, and YouTube, as well as the level of user engagement. Twitter was adopted the fastest by municipalities, followed at a greater distance by website and YouTube adoption. Other findings include that municipalities already using YouTube were quicker to adopt Twitter, but not the other way around. Recently amalgamated municipalities were slower to adopt Twitter, as well as municipalities with a relatively larger presence of IT professionals.