DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION THEORY

                                    

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.

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.

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: 

• 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,
 • economic necessity,
• 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 industry. Moreover, the specific characteristics that Rogers' identifies for each adopter category is of significance to advertisers interested in creating an integrated marketing plan targeting a specific audience. Ideas confine a man to certain social groups and social groups confine a man to certain ideas. Many ideas are more easily changed by aiming at a group than by aiming at an individual.-Josephine Klein, Working with Groups: The Social Psychology of Discussion and Decision.
  
The Adoption Process  
In his book Diffusion of Innovations, Rogers defines the diffusion process as one "which is the spread of a new idea from its source of invention or creation to its ultimate users or adopters". Rogers differentiates the adoption process from the diffusion process in that the diffusion process occurs within society, as a group process; whereas, the adoption process is pertains to an individual. Rogers defines "the adoption process as the mental process through which an individual passes from first hearing about an innovation to final adoption".  
Five Stages of Adoption  
Rogers breaks the adoption process down into five stages. Although, more or fewer stages may exist, Rogers says that "at the present time there seem to be five main functions". The five stages are:  
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".