KWAMINA TANDOH
BACP2015059
LEVEL 400 PR REGULAR
One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea. It makes you think that after all, your favorite notions may be wrong, you firmest beliefs ill-founded. Naturally, therefore common men hate a new idea, and are disposed more or less to ill-treat the original man who brings it.- Walter Bagehot Physics and Politics.
BACP2015059
LEVEL 400 PR REGULAR
One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea. It makes you think that after all, your favorite notions may be wrong, you firmest beliefs ill-founded. Naturally, therefore common men hate a new idea, and are disposed more or less to ill-treat the original man who brings it.- Walter Bagehot Physics and Politics.
Definition
of Diffusion of Innovation–Everett Rogers. In his comprehensive book Diffusion of Innovation. Everett
Rogers defines diffusion as the process by which an innovation is communicated
through certain channels over time among the members of a social system.
Rogers’
definition contains four elements that are present in the diffusion of
innovation process.
The four main elements
are: 1.
Innovation- an idea, practices, or objects that is perceived as knew by an
individual or other unit of adoption. 2.
Communication channels – the means by which messages get from one individual to
another. 3. Time- the three time factors are
·
Innovation- decision process
·
Relative time with which an innovation
is adopted by an individual or group.
·
Innovations rate of adoption.
4. Social system- a set of interrelated unit’s that is engaged in joint problem solving to accomplish a common goal.
4. Social system- a set of interrelated unit’s that is engaged in joint problem solving to accomplish a common goal.
Background
on Diffusion of Innovation
The original diffusion
research was done as early as 1903 by the French sociologist Gabriel Trade who
plotted the original S-shaped diffusion curve. Trades’ 1903 S-shaped curve is
of current importance because “most
innovations have an S-shaped rate of adoption”.
( Rogers, 1983) The variance lies
in the slope of the “S.
Some new innovations diffuse rapidly creating a steep S-curve; other
innovations have a slower rate of adoption, creating a more gradual slope of
the S-curve. The Rae of adoption, or diffusion rate has become an important
area of research to sociologists, and more specifically, to advertisers.
In 1940’s two sociologists, Bryce Ryan and Neal Gross “published their seminal study of the diffusion of hybrid seed among lower farmers “renewing interest in the diffusion of innovation S-curve. The now infamous hybrid-corn study resulted in a renewed interest in the diffusion of innovation S-curve. The now infamous hybrid-corn study resulted in a renewed wave of research. “The rate of adoption of the agricultural innovation followed an S-shaped normal curve when plotted on a cumulative basis over time”. This rate of adoption curve was similar to the S-shaped diffusion curve graphed by Tarde forty years earlier.
Ryan and Gross classified the segments of Iowa farmers in relation to the amount of time it took them
to adopt the innovation, in this case, the hybrid corn seed. The five segments of farmers who adopted
the hybrid corn seed or adopter categories are:
1. Innovators - Brave people, puling the change. Innovators are very important communication.
2. Early Adopters - Respectable people, opinion leaders, try out new ideas, but in a careful way.
3. Early Majority - Thoughtful people, careful but accepting change more quickly than the average.
4. Late Majority - Sceptic people will use new ideas or products only when the majority is using it.
5. Laggards - Traditional people, caring for the "old ways", are critical towards new ideas and will
only accept it if the new idea has become mainstream or even tradition. .
Rogers identifies several additional characteristics dominant in the innovator type:
In 1940’s two sociologists, Bryce Ryan and Neal Gross “published their seminal study of the diffusion of hybrid seed among lower farmers “renewing interest in the diffusion of innovation S-curve. The now infamous hybrid-corn study resulted in a renewed interest in the diffusion of innovation S-curve. The now infamous hybrid-corn study resulted in a renewed wave of research. “The rate of adoption of the agricultural innovation followed an S-shaped normal curve when plotted on a cumulative basis over time”. This rate of adoption curve was similar to the S-shaped diffusion curve graphed by Tarde forty years earlier.
Ryan and Gross classified the segments of Iowa farmers in relation to the amount of time it took them
to adopt the innovation, in this case, the hybrid corn seed. The five segments of farmers who adopted
the hybrid corn seed or adopter categories are:
1. Innovators - Brave people, puling the change. Innovators are very important communication.
2. Early Adopters - Respectable people, opinion leaders, try out new ideas, but in a careful way.
3. Early Majority - Thoughtful people, careful but accepting change more quickly than the average.
4. Late Majority - Sceptic people will use new ideas or products only when the majority is using it.
5. Laggards - Traditional people, caring for the "old ways", are critical towards new ideas and will
only accept it if the new idea has become mainstream or even tradition. .
Rogers identifies several additional characteristics dominant in the innovator type:
• venturesome,
desire for the rash, the daring, and the risky,
• Control of
substantial financial resources to absorb possible loss from an
unprofitable
innovation.
• the ability to
understand and apply complex technical knowledge, and
• The ability to
cope with a high degree of uncertainty about an innovation.
Characteristics
Rogers identified in the Early Adopters:
• integrated part of
the local social system,
• greatest degree of
opinion leadership in most systems,
• serve as role
model for other members or society,
• respected by
peers, and
• Successful.
Characteristics
Rogers identified in the Early Majority:
• interact
frequently with peers,
• seldom hold
positions of opinion leadership,
• One-third of the
members of a system, making the early majority the largest category.
• Deliberate before
adopting a new idea.
Characteristics
Rogers identified in the Late Majority:
• one-third of the
members of a system,
• pressure from
peers,
• sceptical, and
• Cautious.
Characteristics Rogers identified in the Laggards:
• possess no opinion leadership,
• isolates.
• point of reference in the past,
• suspicious of innovations,
• innovation-decision process is lengthy, and
• Resources are limited.
Although additional names and titles for the adopters of an innovation have been used in other research studies, Everett Rogers labels for the five adopter categories are the preferred or standard for
The Adoption Process
In his book Diffusion of Innovations, Rogers defines the diffusion process as one "which is the spread of
Five Stages of Adoption
Rogers breaks the adoption process down into five stages. Although, more or fewer stages may exist,
1. awareness,
2. interest,
3. evaluation,
4. trial, and
5. Adoption.
In the awareness stage "the individual is exposed to the innovation but lacks complete information
about it".
At the interest or information stage "the individual becomes interested in the new idea and seeks
additional information about it".
At the evaluation stage the "individual mentally applies the innovation to his present and anticipated
future situation, and then decides whether or not to try it". During the trial stage "the individual makes
full use of the innovation".
At the adoption stage "the individual decides to continue the full use of the innovation".
• sceptical, and
• Cautious.
Characteristics Rogers identified in the Laggards:
• possess no opinion leadership,
• isolates.
• point of reference in the past,
• suspicious of innovations,
• innovation-decision process is lengthy, and
• Resources are limited.
Although additional names and titles for the adopters of an innovation have been used in other research studies, Everett Rogers labels for the five adopter categories are the preferred or standard for
The Adoption Process
In his book Diffusion of Innovations, Rogers defines the diffusion process as one "which is the spread of
Five Stages of Adoption
Rogers breaks the adoption process down into five stages. Although, more or fewer stages may exist,
1. awareness,
2. interest,
3. evaluation,
4. trial, and
5. Adoption.
In the awareness stage "the individual is exposed to the innovation but lacks complete information
about it".
At the interest or information stage "the individual becomes interested in the new idea and seeks
additional information about it".
At the evaluation stage the "individual mentally applies the innovation to his present and anticipated
future situation, and then decides whether or not to try it". During the trial stage "the individual makes
full use of the innovation".
At the adoption stage "the individual decides to continue the full use of the innovation".
