Diffusion of the Fax Machine

1
Diffusion of the Fax Machine

• Henry C. Co
• Technology and Operations Management,
• California Polytechnic and State University

2
The Fax Machine

• Invention of the fax machine
• When?
• Who?
• What was the purpose of the fax machine?

3
Questions

• Why did it take so long for the fax machine to
  diffuse?
• Invention to innovation (commercialization)
• Innovation to wide-spread use (diffusion)
• Why has the fax machine been so successful
  lately?
• What are some characteristics that help explain
  success and failure of innovations?

4
Perceived Attributes

• Relative advantage
• Compatibility
• Complexity
• Trialability
• Observability

5
Relative Advantage

• Beginning
• Very slow
• Hand operated telegraph and telephone system
• Missing network or critical mass.
• Later ...
• Faster and cheaper to fax than to mail a letter
  (especially overnight).
• More reliable to fax than to mail.
• Clearer message than phone call
• Leaves paper trail.
• More convenient than phone call given different
  time zones.

6
Compatibility

• Beginning
• Stand alone invention in systemic technology
• Compatible with telegraphs (cumbersome)
• Telegraphs not as widely spread as phones later.
• Later ...
• Compatible with copiers
• Compatible with phones
• Compatible with scanners.

7
Complexity

• Beginning
• Assistance needed
• Transmission by telegraph or radio-wave.
• Later ...
• As easy to use as the phone
• As easy to use as a photocopier.

8
Trialability

• Beginning
• Very expensive to adopt
• User has to be convinced of adopting the fax
  machine before investing so much money
• No critical mass to try out using the fax
  machine.
• Later ...
• Rent, try, buy
• Special trial offers (supported by phone
  companies)
• Gifts to certain groups (schools, universities).

9
Observability

• Beginning
• Hardly anybody used it, no observation possible.
• Later ...
• Early adopters spread the use
• Students learn about it in schools
• Everybody has it (business cards).

10
Communication Channels

• Mass media
• Beginning no
• Later yes
• From expensive office equipment to personal home
  use equipment marketed everywhere.
• Face-to-face contact yes.
• Networks Business people (whats your fax
  number?).