Diffusion of innovation

1. Diffusion of innovation • Technological aspect of communication technology • Diffusion of communication technology • Effects of communication technology on society and individual

2. Diffusion of innovation: • …Is a process by which ideas are communicated via various channels, over time, among people who belong to a given social system. (widening communication) • Usually applied to diffusion of new technology/ideas in a society • Assumption that there is a pattern to the way new ideas/new technologies are accepted by a community

3. Diffusion process/Opinion leaders • Mass media and voting behavior • Personal contacts were more influential than media in influencing the study (Erie county study) • Opinion leaders • Status • Gender • Age etc. • Also relative to group they belong.

4. Diffusion process/Opinion leaders • Homophily: degree to which pairs who interact are similar, in certain attributes such as beliefs, values, education or social status. • Heterogeneity: degree to which pairs of individuals who interact are different in certain attributes (the mirror opposite of homophily)

5. Change agent • Change agent, a professional person who attempts to influence adoption decisions in a direction that he or she feels desirable. • Often change agent will use local opinion leaders to assist in diffusing an innovation to prevent the adoption of what may be seen as harmful innovation. • Sales people? Dealers of new products? • However, when gate keeper is a commercial change agent, his integrity is questioned by the people he seeks to change.

6. Change agent • Who/what is more effective? Mass media or people? • Mostly a combination of both. • In some cases, mass media fills interpersonal needs

7. Findings about opinion leadership: • Personification of values--- who one is • Competence---what one knows • Strategic social location (position) ---whom one knows

8. Diffusion process • Knowledge • Trial or persuasion stage: begin to try out and thinking about new technology • Decision making • Implementation, put the technology • Confirmation

9. DOI research focuses on • Communication channels, which and how • Awareness, how do people get information, and become aware of new technologies • Criteria for decision making • Characteristics of potential adopters • Potential advantages of new technologies • Complexity of what is being adopted • Costs (relative-comparative and monetary-specific dollar terms) • Who is promoting the technology

10. Characteristics of potential adopters • Innovators • Early adopters • Early majority • Late majority • Later adopters • Laggards

11. Outcome considerations • Time of adoption • Percent of adoption • Classic DOI graph/curve

12. Number of people using the tech Time after tech is introduced

13. Critical mass • Radioactive material needed to set chain reaction • Number of people who have to be involved in a social movement that are required before it takes over a community/society/country

14. Markus propositions • Predict reaching critical mass in adoption of a new tech • All or nothing proposition (either adopted by all or no one gets to use the technology) • The lesser the demands that a tech makes on the resources of an individual the higher the chances of tech being adopted • Greater heterogeneity in a community facilitates the adoption of a tech (think concentration of wealth) • Early adoption by high resource individuals increases the likelihood of the technology being adopted.