ladder rack system. While performing the loading/unloading of
ladders from the vans, video tape of the work task was also performed.
The collected data from the MTx and the video tape
information were used to calculate the two-dimensional peak L4/L5
compression force. Due to the small number of subjects, a statistical
tests with P < 0.1 was considered significant.
3.7. Opinion leader surveys
Key informant interviews were conducted with 27 management
representatives. The initial telephone interview with the opinion
leaders lasted about an hour. It included questions on what influenced
their decision to accept the ladder lift on a long-term basis,
what made their company more innovative than others, and the
changes they believed would be required, whether administrative,
managerial, financial or organizational to facilitate further adoptions
of innovations. Part of this interview schedule included
questions adapted from Van der Molen et al. (2006) that tracks
phases of adoption from awareness, through receptivity, understanding,
and intention to buy, to the ability to use the innovation.
There was a second, shorter, follow-up interview at the end of the
project. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed for
themes