Query on technology dissemination

I'm not sure my subject line is accurate. I'm interested in studies  
that examine the specific behavioural/human aspects of technological  
dissemination within any given population. My focus happens to be  
Foss, but it could actually be anything.

The problem: all of us have doubtless encountered human obstacles (so  
to speak) who resist clearly better technology and techniques for  
producing and distributing it.  These people resist for generally  
rational but personal reasons: they will lose power, influence, their  
job if they acquiesce to the new order. You can't really fault them  
and working with them is the generally the best solution. But what  
studies are out there that examine this general phenomenon, that could  
be characterized as, "Resisting the New"? Again, Foss is my focus but  
it could be anything, or perhaps anything sufficiently disruptive to a  
large enough group. I'd suspect that anthropology has examined this  
best but I'd not be surprised if behavioural economics has also taken  
on the issue. If not, it's a fine subject :-) One need only choose a  
particular technology, practice, issue.

Thanks
louis


--
Louis Suarez-Potts, PhD
Community Manager, Sun Microsystems, Inc.
OpenOffice.org