On the transferability of innovations

Abstract

Under the hypothesis that fiscal impact budgeting simulation models represent a class of management science models which will improve the rationality of decision-making, this paper explores factors relating to the transferability of large-scale computer-based models in the public sector. These models are comprised of linked state-of-the-art urban development, transportation, fiscal impact and budgeting models. The exploration of the model transfer process serves to identify barriers or promoters of innovation. Categories of factors include: individual factors of decision-makers' attitudes toward innovation; organizational factors such as complexity, size and track-record of the organization in previous adoptions; environmental factors including community characteristics and other external organizations and individual interfaces; and innovation specific factors related to cost-benefits and model structural characteristics. Understanding issues in the transfer process should serve to further the diffusion of management science models in urban decision-making.