Table 1 Comparison of the three dimensions of the intra-organizational legitimacy of technology

Performance legitimacy

Other users on the market

Technical maturity, market ranking, cases of influential and successful adoption, etc.

Based on external performance recognition

When decide whether or not to adopt the technology

Affecting the technology adoption decision

Important reference for the adoption decision

Organizational members^a

Technology-organization fit, cost-benefit ratio calculation in technology adoption

Based on internal performance recognition

Organizational members’ will to meet the change requirements for the technology use

Affecting organizational members’ tolerance to the application challenges, like resource-demands, change requirements, amounts of problems, etc.

The basis on which the technology is used

Task legitimacy

Organizational leaders and multi-level managers

Compulsory strength of task of the technology adoption

Based on the recognition of organizational authorities

Amount of formal resources input into the technology application

Decide the amount of formal organizational resources input, the organizational members’ will to adapt to the technology, the room left for the opponents to negotiate

To guarantee the success of technology adoption

Value legitimacy

Organizational members

Implication of the technology for long-term organizational development

Based on the recognition of the technology acting on the organizational future

Drive the informal resources input for technology application

Initiate the organizational members to cooperate with technology adoption. When formal resources lack, it activates the informal resources input to maintain the technology's survival; when task legitimacy and performance legitimacy are given, it facilitates technology application.

To help the technology to survive during crises and promote its application when used