Diffusion of Innovation Everett Rogers

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Diffusion of InnovationEverett Rogers

• CECS 6220
• Dr. Knezek

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Diffusion

• Diffusion the process by which an innovation is
  communicated within a social system.

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Communication

• Communication the process in which participants
  create and share information in order to mutually
  understand one another.
• Often conceived as linear two-way

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Diffusion

• Diffusion is a special type of communication
  concerning a new idea
• The newness of the idea gives the diffusion its
  special characteristic
• Involves some sort of uncertainty

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Uncertainty

• Uncertainty the degree to which a number of
  alternatives are perceived with respect to the
  occurrence of an event and the relative
  probability of these alternatives.
• Implies a lack of predictability, structure,
  information
• Information is a means of reducing uncertainty

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Information

• Information a difference that affects
  uncertainty in a situation where a choice exists
  among a set of alternatives
• May exist as printed or spoken words, or
  electronic communication

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Diffusion

• Diffusion also defined as a social change
• When ideas are disseminated, adoption/rejection
  leads to consequences affecting social change

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Diffusion

• Diffusion can be both planned and spontaneous

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4 Elements in Diffusion of Innovation

• Innovation
• Communication Channels
• Time
• Social System
• Diffusion is the process by which an innovation
  is communicated through communication channels
  over time among the members of a social system.

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Innovation

• Innovation an idea, practice, or object
  perceived as new
• Doesnt have to be truly new
• Research questions
• How early adopters differ from later adopters
• Why critical mass occurs at 10-25 adoption

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Innovation

• Technology Innovation are used synonymously.
• Technology as information, a political or
  religious idea
• Technology as hardware/software such as VHS and
  tapes

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Innovation

• Technology innovation creates one kind of
  uncertainty for adopters (about its expected
  consequences) and reduced uncertainty (solving
  perceived problems)
• When the uncertainty about consequences is
  sufficiently reduced, the innovation is adopted
• Key questions adopters ask
• What are the innovations consequences?
• What are its advantages to my situation?

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Characteristics of Innovation

• Most important to diffusion
• Relative advantage its better than previous
• Compatibility with existing values and needs
  (i.e. contraception, boiled water)
• Complexity how easily its understood
• Trialability limited experimentation
• Observability obvious results

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Characteristics of Innovation

• Reinvention the process by which an innovation
  is further innovated by end users in unexpected
  ways

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Communication Channels

• Communication channels the means by which
  messages get from one individual to another
• Mass-media channels vs. interpersonal channels
• Most people heed subjective evaluations of
  innovations from others
• Most effective communications occurs among
  similar groups rather than disparate
  (homophilous vs. heterophilous communication)
• One difficulty facing diffusion of innovation is
  that most folks are in heterophilous groups

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Time

• Innovation decision process individual processes
  information about innovation and initially
  decides to accept or reject
• Innovativeness of an individual adopter
  categories include innovators, early adopters,
  early majority, late majority, and laggards

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Time

• Rate of adoption the speed at which an
  innovation is adopted by members of a social
  system
• Often falls into an S-shaped curve innovators
  adopt it first, then many others, then it tapers
  off
• Speed of adoption depends on compatibility and
  other issues discussed earlier

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Social System

• Social system a set of interrelated units
  engaged in joint problem-solving to accomplish a
  common goal
• All peasant families in a village all doctors in
  a hospital
• Little research in how social or communication
  structure affects the diffusion of innovation in
  a system

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Social System

• System norms established behavior patterns for
  members of a social system, serving as a guide
  for behavior in the system
• In a study of Korean villages, contraceptive
  choices differed due to local norms despite all
  choices given equal representation by the
  government.

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Social System

• Opinion leaders have a high degree of ability to
  frequently influence attitudes
• Exposed more to external communications
• Higher social status
• More innovative
• At the center of a strong communication network

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Social System

• Change agents influences innovation decisions in
  a direction deemed desirable by a change agency
• May try to prevent adoption of perceived negative
  innovations
• May use opinion leaders in their efforts
• Often highly educated and heterophilous with the
  social groups they are trying to affect

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Social System

• Innovation decisions in a social system may be
  made by some individuals, all elements, or those
  members in charge or with power
• Authority decisions are faster but may be
  circumvented in implementation (e.g., seatbelts)
• Sequential combinations of the above are also
  possible

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Social System

• Consequences changes occurring to an individual
  or social system following adoption of an
  innovation
• Desirable/undesirable effects are
  functional/dysfunctional
• Direct/indirect effects occur immediately or
  secondarily
• Anticipated/unanticipated effects are
  recognized and intended or not

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Case Illustrations

• Boiling Water
• Controlling Scurvy
• Dvorak Keyboard
• Hybrid Corn
• Oil wells AR

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