Health promotion technology transfer: organizational perspectives

This paper explores the relationship between organizational dynamics and program dissemination. Specifically, it is an analysis of factors affecting the directed diffusion of health promotion innovations which target schools and worksites as delivery channels. Technology transfer is the construct which is used to capture this notion of directed diffusion. The term is defined for the purposes of the paper as all strategically planned efforts to promote, influence, or accelerate the natural diffusion or dissemination processes. The paper has three main objectives: first to identify the theoretical perspectives which have influenced my thinking in the area of health promotion technology transfer; second, to describe an organizing framework for the study of health promotion technology transfer; and third, to recommend directions for health promotion planning efforts in the future and the role that research might play in that process.