diffusion of innovation
DESCRIPTION
Diffusion of innovation made simple. A condensed and applied summary of ‘The Diffusion of Innovations’ by Everett Rogers. A presentation I've given many times!TRANSCRIPT
The Diffusion and Adoption of Innovations
A Quick Summary of ‘The Diffusion of Innovations’ by Everett Rogers
or
‘Really, all you need to know about innovation diffusion and adoption was written over 50 years ago
(and updated a few times since then)’
Dr. David J. Walczyk
(c) Dr. David J. Walczyk
Sections: 1. Overview of technological diffusion 2. Stages in the innovation-decision making process 3. Attributes of innovations and their rates of adoption 4. Adopter categories 5. Putting it all together: the innovation process is an organization
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
1. Overview of technological diffusion
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
A process by which: 1. any innovation 2. is diffused through certain channels and then adopted 3. over time 4. among the members of a social system (for instance a
culture, a subculture, an organization)
- What is an innovation?- Examples?
What is technological diffusion?
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
The elements of technological diffusion: 1. the innovation 2. communication channels 3. time 4. the social system (people and the organization)
Lets look at the characteristics of the first element in detail…
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Characteristics of the innovation that relate todiffusion and adoption: 1. Relative advantage 2. Compatibility 3. Complexity 4. Trialability 5. Observability
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Relative advantage: degree to which an innovation is perceivedas better than the technology it supersedes.
Measured in?
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Compatibility: the degree to which an innovation is perceivedas being consistent with existing values, past experiences,
and needs of potential adopters.
How much change is required…
Examples?
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Complexity: The degree to which an innovation is perceivedas being easy or difficult to adopt.
Examples?
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Trialability: the degree to which an innovation may beexperimented with prior to adoption
Why important?
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Observability: the degree to which the benefits (+ and -) arevisible to others
Examples?
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2. Stages in the innovation-decision making process
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Innovation-decision process: an information-seeking andinformation-processing activity in which an individual is
motivated to reduce uncertainty with the advantages anddisadvantages of the innovation
Examples?
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Steps in the innovation-decision process: 1. knowledge 2. persuasion 3. decision 4. implementation 5. confirmation
Lets look at each step in detail…
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Knowledge: when an individual (or other decision-makingunit) is exposed to an innovation’s existence and gains anunderstanding of how it functions
Examples?
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Persuasion: when an individual (or other decision-makingunit) forms a favorable or unfavorable attitude towardsthe innovation
Examples?
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Decision: when an individual (or other decision-makingunit) engages in activities that lead to a choice to adoptor reject the innovation
Examples?
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Implementation: when an individual (or other decision-makingunit) puts a new technology to use
Examples?
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Confirmation: when an individual (or other decision-makingunit) seeks to reinforce or revoke (reject) an innovation-decision
Examples?
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Two types of innovation rejection:Active – consideration and then rejectionPassive – no consideration and no adoption
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
A big picture
1. knowledge 2. persuasion 3. decision 4. implementation 5. confirmation
Prior conditions1. Previous practices2. Felt needs/problems3. Innovativeness4. Norms of the social system
Characteristics of theDecision-making unit1. SocieconomicCharacteristics2. Personality variables3. Communicationbehavior
Perceived characteristicsof the innovation1. Relative advantage2. Compatibility3. Complexity4. Trialability5. Observability
1. Adoption
2. Rejection
Continued Adoption
Late Adoption
Discontinuance
Continued Rejection
Communication Channels
The rate of awareness-knowledge foran innovation is more rapid than its rate of adoption
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
3. Attributes of innovations and their rates of adoption
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Attributes of innovations: (differences) in perceivedproperties of innovations
Rate of adoption: the speed with which an innovation isadopted by members of a social system.
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Another big picture
Variables Determiningthe Rate of Adoption
Dependent VariableThat is Explained
I. Perceived Attributes of Innovations1. Relative Advantage2. Compatibility3. Complexity4. Trialability5. Observability
II. Types of Innovation-Decision1. Optional2. Collective3. Authority
III. Communication Channels(e.g. mass media or interpersonal)
IV. Nature of the Social System(e.g. its norms, degree of networkInterconnectedness, etc.)
V. Extent of Change Agents’Promotion Efforts
Rate if Adoptionof Innovations
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4. Adopter categories
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Adopters: measured in terms of the behavioral, cognitive, andattitudinal openness to change
Diffusion follows an “S” curve (similar to in the real-world) – anormal distribution
Distribution of adopter categories follows a bell curve
The “S”-curve and the normal distribution curve overlap to give a general/generic view of technological diffusion
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Categories: (3 to left, 2 to right on a bell curve)- innovators 2.5%- early adopters 13.5%- early majority 34%- late majority 34%- laggards 16%
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Innovators – gatekeepers, control flow of new ideas
Early adopters – highest level of opinion leadership. Potential adopters look to them
Early majority – Seldom hold positions of opinion leadership
Late majority – general acceptance is established
Laggards – do not accept change
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Two main types of diffusion systems:Centralized (linear – top-down)
Decentralized (non-linear bottom-up convergence)
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5. Putting it all together: the innovation process is an organization
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
The innovation Process in an Organization
I. Initiation II. Implementation
Agenda-setting MatchingRedefining/
RestructuringClarifying Routinizing
#1 #5#4#3#2
Decision
Generalorganizationalproblems thatmay create aperceived needfor innovation.
Fitting aproblem fromtheorganization’sagenda with aninnovation.
The innovationis modified andre-invented tofir theorganization,andorganizationalstructures arealtered.
Therelationshipbetween theorganizationand theinnovation isdefined moreclearly
The innovationbecomes anongoingelement in theorganization’sactivities, andloses it identity.
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Agenda-setting – organizational problem is definedthat creates a need for an innovation. For example a performance gap
Matching – stage at which a problem from the agenda is fit with aninnovation
Redefining/restructuring – reinvention of innovation to organizationsneeds. Organizations structure is modified to fit with the innovation
Clarifying – Flexibility. Social construction or technological determinism
Routinizing – Integration into everyday life
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
But its iterative!So…we must analyze consequences
1. Desirable vs. undesirable2. Direct vs. indirect3. Anticipated vs. unanticipated
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Desirable – functional effects on individuals or moreUndesirable – Dysfunctional effects
Direct consequences – changes that occur in immediate responseIndirect - the consequences of consequences
Anticipated – changes that are recognized and intendedUnanticipated – neither recognized nor intended
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End
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk