Purpose -The management literature has extensively discussed innovation diffusion as an essential part of corporate and economic competitiveness. However, most work centers on diffusion external to the organization. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for understanding post adoption innovation implementation. Design/methodology/approach -Research concerning diffusion inside the firm has focused almost exclusively on innovation creation as opposed to implementation. Although current definitions of innovation often make clear the internal/external distinction, the authors propose that it could be made more meaningful by further delineating the components of internal innovation diffusion. To that end, prominent innovation research is synthesized to explore innovation implementation. Findings -A systematic review of the literature suggests three main types of influences on implementation: organizational, innovation, and human. Each represents unique challenges for innovation implementation. Practical implications -The model presented here can serve as a useful organizing rubric for leaders attempting to facilitate change. Originality/value -This paper fulfils a need for greater understanding of internal innovation implementation.

Purpose-The paper seeks to evaluate the prescriptive value of ethical decision-making models. Design/methodology/approach-The paper explores various types of models in the ethics literature in concert with knowledge from the decision sciences literature to develop a tentative list of evaluative criteria that might be applied to prescriptive models. It then applies these criteria to one prescriptive model from the ethics literature, developed by Petrick and Quinn, in an attempt to demonstrate the value of more comprehensive evaluation. It closes by considering future research aimed at the evaluation of ethical decision-making models as well as research needed to validate the Petrick and Quinn model. Findings-This critique finds that the Petrick-Quinn judgment integrity model satisfies most of the criteria discussed in the ethical decision-making literature. The primary opportunities for refining the Petrick-Quinn model as a prescriptive framework for ethical decision making are: articulating the operational judgment component of the model as a formal, quantitative decision analysis, and conducting research to assess the real-world utility of the model. Originality/value-While there has been a proliferation of research concerning business ethics, little attention has been focused on evaluating the utility of ethical decision-making models. Accordingly, this paper advances theory, research and practice regarding ethical decision making in organizations.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of electronic health records (EHRs) for competitive balance among hospitals in the USA.Design/methodology/approachTo analyze the competitive balance implications of EHR networks on hospitals, the authors reviewed empirical, theoretical and practical literatures bearing on the problem.FindingsUS hospitals are increasingly facing decisions regarding whether, when and how to participate in networks of EHRs. EHRs can replace paper‐based medical records, improve the quality of patient care and decrease medical errors. EHRs also support product innovations such as e‐visits and online prescribing. Such a significant innovation will alter the competitive standing of many hospitals, some favorably and others unfavorably. Hospitals with dynamic capabilities, absorptive capacity and organizational designs that facilitate innovation will fair best.Practical implicationsHospitals can also utilize several strategies to increase their odds of improving their competitive positions as the industry adopts EHR networks. Examples include strategies involving new products, early entry into an EHR network, promotion of organizational learning, and management of social impacts of workflow changes.Originality/valueThe findings show which hospitals are most likely to embrace EHR networks, and how hospitals can best manage the adoption of EHR networks.