Diffusion of innovations

About: Diffusion of innovations is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2139 publications have been published within this topic receiving 191397 citations. The topic is also known as: diffusion of innovation & diffusion of innovations theory.

Investigating the Role of Innovation Attributes in the Adoption, Rejection, and Discontinued Use of Open Source Software for Development

Abstract: Drawing on technology adoption research, particularly diffusion of innovations, this article analyzes organizational adoption decisions of a new ICT by organizations in Nairobi, Kenya. Through a multi-case study and interviews with potential adopters, this research assesses the influence of perceived innovation attributes on adoption decisions regarding the Ushahidi Platform, a tool designed for collecting, aggregating, and mapping information. Findings suggest that perceptions of trialability and observability, two attributes that have been found to be less predictive in past research, were influential in the decision process. Additionally, perceived flexibility is added to the list of attributes that should be considered, particularly for analyzing the adoption of free and open source technology.

Diffusion of innovations revisited: from social network to innovation network

Abstract: The spreading of innovations among individuals and organizations in a social network has been extensively studied. Although the recent studies among the social computing and data mining communities have produced various insightful conclusions about the diffusion process of innovations by focusing on the properties and evolution of social network structures, less attention has been paid to the interrelationships among the multiple innovations being diffused, such as the competitive and collaborative relationships between innovations. In this paper, we take a formal quantitative approach to address how different pieces of innovations socialize with each other and how the interrelationships among innovations affect users' adoption behavior, which provides a novel perspective of understanding the diffusion of innovations. Networks of innovations are constructed by mining large scale text collections in an unsupervised fashion. We are particularly interested in the following questions: what are the meaningful metrics on the network of innovations? What effects do these metrics exert on the diffusion of innovations? Do these effects vary among users with different adoption preferences or communication styles? While existing studies primarily address social influence, we provide a detailed discussion of how innovations interrelate and influence the diffusion process.

Adoption and Diffusion of Business Practice Innovations: An Evolutionary Analysis

Abstract: This paper examines how innovative business practices are developed, diffuse across organizations, and effect industry-level change. Applying evolutionary economics and evolutionary organizational theory as a theoretical lens, it conceptualizes the adoption and diffusion of innovations as a dynamic process whereby innovations propagate vertically within firms via successive instantiations (or generations) as well as horizontally across firms via imitation and replication. Innovations that describe observable, transparent, and transferable business practices are the specific concern. Examples from management, software development, and e-commerce support the theoretical analysis. A two-level study, based on a formal stochastic process model, examines how innovations arise, which innovations do or do not survive in the market, and whether and under what conditions best practices emerge and industry standardization is achieved.

Diffusion of innovations: Successful adoption needs more effective soft-DSS driven targeting

Abstract: Despite the promising prophecies that usually go hand-in-hand with the introduction of new technologies or any other innovation, they often turn out to be a big disappointment due to a bad introduction and communication strategy. In order to improve these strategies a soft Decision Support System (DSS) was developed by combining a measurement and segmentation tool, the Delphi method-based product specific innovativeness (PSI) scale with the bowling pin marketing communication model. This new combined approach enables a researcher to detect in advance (ie before the actual introduction) the innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards for a certain innovation. Based on the resulting segments and profiles, it is possible to develop an introduction and communication strategy that has a better chance of successful customer adoption.

Diffusion Dynamics and the Pricing of Innovations

Abstract: This doctoral thesis deals with two closely interconnected phenomena, the adoption and diffusion of innovations. The research aims at developing both the theory of individual adoption decisions and the theory of the diffusion of an innovation in society. Especially how the pricing of an innovation tends to influence adoption and diffusion is focused. Two empirical studies within the telecommunication product domain are presented. The first study is a test of the prevailing theory, which prescribes a high willingness to pay by the most innovative adopters. This view is complemented by two additional adoption behavior determinants known from pricing theory, the use of price as a quality signal and the use of reference prices in the evaluation of innovations. Based on findings contradicting the prevailing theory, the second study explores the causes behind the market "take-off" phenomenon. Beyond the traditional view of communicated experiences, are also explored the effects of changes in perceived value, network externalities, and technological "lock-in." The findings of the second part of the thesis indicate that the causes of the "take-off" phenomenon can be found in the formation of conditional adoption decisions, especially by the most innovative potential adopters. The statistical analyses and theory tests in both parts of the thesis are conducted by use of structural equation modeling in LISREL. (Less)