The Diffusion and

Adoption of Innovations
A Quick Summary of ‘The Diffusion of Innovations’ by Everett Rogers
Sections:
1. Overview of technological diffusion
2. Stages in the innovation-decision making process
3. Attributes of innovations and their rates of adoption
4. Adopter categories
5. Putting it all together: the innovation process is an
organization
1. Overview of technological diffusion
What is technological diffusion?

A process by which:
1. any innovation
2. is diffused through certain channels and then adopted
3. over time
4. among the members of a social system (for instance a
culture, a subculture, an organization)

- What is an innovation?
- Examples?
The elements of technological diffusion:

1. the innovation

2. communication channels

3. time

4. the social system (people and the organization)

Lets look at the characteristics of the first element in detail…

Characteristics of the INNOVATION that relate to diffusion and adoption:

1. Relative advantage

2. Compatibility

3. Complexity

4. Trialability

5. Observability
Relative advantage: degree to which an innovation is perceived

as better than the technology it supersedes.

Measured in?
Compatibility: the degree to which an innovation is perceived

as being consistent with existing values, past experiences,

and needs of potential adopters.

How much change is required…

Examples?
Complexity: The degree to which an innovation is perceived

as being easy or difficult to adopt.

Examples?
Trialability: the degree to which an innovation may be

experimented with prior to adoption

Why important?
Observability: the degree to which the benefits (+ and -) are

visible to others

Examples?
Characteristics of the INNOVATION that relate to diffusion and adoption
2. Stages in the innovation-
decision making process
Innovation-decision process: an information-seeking and

information-processing activity in which an individual is

motivated to reduce uncertainty with the advantages and

disadvantages of the innovation

Examples?
Steps in the innovation-decision process:
1. knowledge

2. persuasion

3. decision

4. implementation

5. Confirmation

Lets look at each step in detail…

 A big picture

Communication Channels

Prior conditions
1.Previous practices
2.Felt needs/problems 1. knowledge 2. persuasion 3. decision 4. implementation 5. confirmation
3.Innovativeness
4.Norms of the social
system 1. Adoption Continued Adoption
Late Adoption
Characteristics of the Perceived characteristics
Decision-making of the innovation 2. Rejection
Discontinuance
unit 1. Relative advantage Continued Rejection
1. Socieconomic 2. Compatibility
Characteristics 3. Complexity
2. Personality 4. Trialability
variables 3. 5. Observability
Communication
behavior
The rate of awareness-knowledge for
an innovation is more rapid than its rate of adoption
Knowledge:
when an individual (or other decision-
making unit) is exposed to an
innovation’s existence and gains an
understanding of how it functions

Examples?
Persuasion:
when an individual (or other decision-making
unit) forms a favorable or unfavorable attitude
towards the innovation

Examples?
Decision:
when an individual (or other decision-making unit)
engages in activities that lead to a choice to adopt or
reject the innovation

Examples?
Implementation:
when an individual (or other decision-making
unit) puts a new technology to use

Examples?
Confirmation: when an individual (or other decision-making

unit) seeks to reinforce or revoke (reject) an innovation-decision

Examples?
Two types of innovation rejection:

Active – consideration and then rejection

Passive – no consideration and no adoption

 A big picture

Communication Channels

Prior conditions
1.Previous practices
2.Felt needs/problems 1. knowledge 2. persuasion 3. decision 4. implementation 5. confirmation
3.Innovativeness
4.Norms of the social
system 1. Adoption Continued Adoption
Late Adoption
Characteristics of the Perceived characteristics
Decision-making of the innovation 2. Rejection
Discontinuance
unit 1. Relative advantage Continued Rejection
1. Socieconomic 2. Compatibility
Characteristics 3. Complexity
2. Personality 4. Trialability
variables 3. 5. Observability
Communication
behavior
The rate of awareness-knowledge for
an innovation is more rapid than its rate of adoption
3. Attributes of innovations and
their rates of adoption
Attributes of innovations: (differences) in perceived
properties of innovations

Rate of adoption: the speed with which an innovation is

adopted by members of a social system.
Another big picture
4. Adopter categories
Innovators – gatekeepers, control flow of new ideas

Early adopters – highest level of opinion leadership. Potential

adopters look to them

Early majority – Seldom hold positions of opinion leadership

Late majority – general acceptance is established Laggards – do

not accept change

 Two main types of diffusion systems:

Centralized (linear – top-down)

Decentralized (non-linear bottom-up

convergence)
5. Putting it all together: the innovation
process is an organization
 The innovation Process in an Organization

Decision
I. Initiation II. Implementation

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Agenda-setting Matching Redefining/ Clarifying Routinizing

Restructuring

General Fitting a The innovation The The innovation

organizational problem from is modified relationship becomes an
problems that the and re- between the ongoing
may create a organization’s invented to fir organization element in the
perceived need agenda with an the and the organization’s
for innovation. organization, innovation is activities, and
innovation. and defined more loses it identity.
organizational clearly
structures are
altered.
Agenda-setting – organizational problem is defined
that creates a need for an innovation. For example a performance gap

Matching – stage at which a problem from the agenda is fit with an

innovation

Redefining/restructuring – reinvention of innovation to organizations

needs. Organizations structure is modified to fit with the innovation

Clarifying – Flexibility. Social construction or technological determinism

Routinizing – Integration into everyday life

But its iterative!
So…we must analyze consequences

1. Desirable vs. undesirable

2. Direct vs. indirect
3. Anticipated vs. unanticipated
 CONSEQUENCES
Desirable – functional effects on individuals or more
Undesirable – Dysfunctional effects

Direct consequences – changes that occur in immediate response

Indirect - the consequences of consequences

Anticipated – changes that are recognized and intended

Unanticipated – neither recognized nor intended
(c) Dr. David J. walczyk
Questions