The pioneering institutions tend to be one to two years ahead of early followers, who are early adapters of leading edge technology that has been developed elsewhere. Competitive institutions attempt to keep up with the leaders in their peer group and are usually about three years or one to two computer generations behind the pioneers. The vast majority of institutions are conservative. Their technology level is more than two generations behind that of the leaders.
Resistive institutions tend to be three or more generations behind the pace setters.
In institutions that are highly decentralized, it is not uncommon to find schools of engineering or computer science, for example, whose strategic commitment to technology is one or more levels higher than other faculties at the same institution. In such institutions, arts and humanities faculties are often one or two levels behind the average. Pioneers and early followers believe that the accelerating information revolution will dramatically change the way in which knowledge workers work, and they are endeavoring to shape and lead that revolution. A growing number believe that their own institutions will be transformed or re-engineered by new applications of information technology. Classrooms are equipped with computers and projectors, and student laboratories have current-generation hardware and software.