It adoption within Veteran Service Organizations and nonprofit organizations: A descriptive study

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore how Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and nonprofit organizations (NPOs) use technology and how using it affects their required compliance with regulatory organizations such as the Internal Revenue Service, state, and local governments. The approach was the modified Delphi method. This approach allowed participants to be considered experts when traditionally they may not meet the standard to be considered an expert. The findings showed that the impact of technology on regulatory compliance was not as complex as was expected. VSOs and NPOs do not purchase technology for regulatory compliance, but rather for increased efficiency and reduced costs of operations. While nonprofit organizations are similar to for-profit organizations, their decision-making process for adoption of technology is very different. VSOs and NPOs also differ from traditional for-profit organizations in that they often do not budget for technology purchases and may keep technology longer than for-profit organizations. This can lead to inefficiency in meeting the goals of regulatory compliance and long-term financial soundness. VSOs and NPOs must consider the willingness of their often all-volunteer workforces to adapt to new technology, and which factors often inhibit its adoption. This study contributes to the general knowledge of nonprofit organizations by giving scholars, practitioners, and leaders' insight into how nonprofits adopt technology in order to meet their mission and organizational goals. These contributions include insights as to why leaders of VSOs and NPOs may have different mindsets and goals than traditional firms that eagerly embrace and adopt technology.