Theory: Diffusion of Innovations

Everett Rogers earned academic renown for his Diffusion of Innovations theory. He defines diffusion as "the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system" (Rogers, 1995, p.5). He states there are four main elements of diffusion - innovation, time, communication, and social system.

Innovation is "an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption" (p.11). There are five characteristics of innovation. The first characteristic is that potential adopters need to see an advantage for adopting the innovation and then it needs to fit in with their current practices and values. The third characteristic is lack of complexity, which will lead to more rapid adoption. Prospective adopters want the availability of "testing" before adopting and they want to see observable results. Finally, time or the rate of adoption relates to the speed with which an innovation is adopted.

According to Rogers, "diffusion is a particular type of communication in which the message content that is exchanged is concerned with a new idea" (p.17). As a form of communication, mass media is an effective way to generate awareness of the innovation and interpersonal communication is more effective in influencing the decision to adopt.

Rogers defines a social system as "a set of interrelated units that are engaged in joint problem-solving to accomplish a common goal" (p. 23). The culture within the social system and the individuals who make up the social systems can affect the diffusion of new ideas.

Diffusion is not a single, all-encompassing theory, but is several theoretical perspectives that relate to the overall concept of diffusion. In the Individual Innovativeness Theory, Rogers classifies adopters into five categories. Adopters from the same category share similar socioeconomic status, personality values, and communication behavior.

The first category of adopters is composed of innovators. They are the first 2.5% who adopt an innovation. This category is generally eager to try new ideas, has more years of formal education, a higher social status, and substantial financial resources. Early adopters are the next category (13.5%) to adopt an innovation. They are role models for the other members of their social system. Early adopters are change agents and are respected by their peers. The Early Majority category is the next 34% of individuals to adopt an innovation. They deliberate before adopting a new idea, but accept them before the average member. Late Majority category members represent the next 34% of individuals to adopt an innovation. They approach innovations with caution and skepticism and adopt them after the average member. This group is unwilling to risk scarce resources and adoption may be due to economic necessity or peer pressure. Laggards represent the last 16% to adopt an innovation. They resist innovations because they are suspicious of change and hold on to traditional values.

Major barriers to be considered in diffusion and adoption of an innovation are cultural traditions, risk aversion, lack of knowledge, and user acceptance. Innovation Decision Process theory states that diffusion is a process that occurs over time and can be seen as having five distinct stages. These stages are knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. Adopters must learn about the innovation, be persuaded of its merits, decide to adopt, put it in place, and reaffirm their decision. Diffusion results once all five stages are achieved.