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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.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors attempt to apply the diffusion of innovations theory to the current concepts of branding of products and services that have roots in both marketing and communication, and draw correlations between the fundamental principles of diffusion and those of branding in practice.
Abstract: This article attempts to apply the diffusion of innovations theory to the current concepts of branding of products and services that have roots in both marketing and communication. The authors attempt to analyse the diffusion of innovation theory and to draw correlations between the fundamental principles of diffusion and those of branding of products and services in practice. The following research question was posed: What are the correlations between the diffusion of innovations theory and branding principles and practices today? The concepts of ‘diffusion of innovations’ and ‘diffusion of information’ are used interchangeably throughout this article. The rationale for this is that in some cases, a technology may be almost entirely composed of information although a methodological problem in such studies is that their adoption cannot be so easily traced or observed in a physical sense. The innovation–decision process is essentially an information-seeking and information-processing activity in which the individual is motivated to reduce uncertainty about the advantages and disadvantages of the innovation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, two empirical studies were reported, one using a kiosk prototype, the other an in-store trial system, and they were able to predict around 50% of intention to use.
Abstract: In-store interactive kiosks using Internet technology represent a channel within a channel in many retail and service settings. They offer wide-ranging informational, transactional and promotional benefits, as well as contributing to customer relationship management. Widespread adoption by customers is, however, required to realize their full potential. Drawing upon the diffusion of innovations and technology acceptance models, two empirical studies are reported, one using a kiosk prototype, the other an in-store trial system. In both cases, a model was able to predict around 50% of intention to use. Implications for retail strategy, positioning within stores, facility promotion and system design are discussed.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is argued that the reason for which the model of the cigarette epidemic may not be fit to the lower educated is that the imitation mechanism underlying the diffusion of innovations works well with regard to adoption of the habit, but is much less relevant with regards to its rejection.
Abstract: The original four-stage model of the cigarette epidemic has been extended with diffusion of innovations theory to reflect socio-economic differences in cigarette use. Recently, two revisions of the model have been proposed: (1) separate analysis of the epidemic stages for men and women, in order to improve generalization to developing countries, and; (2) addition of a fifth stage to the smoking epidemic, in order to account for the persistence of smoking in disadvantaged social groups. By developing a cohort perspective spanning a 35-year time period in France and the USA, we uncover distinctive features which challenge the currently held vision on the evolution of smoking inequalities within the framework of the cigarette epidemic. We argue that the reason for which the model may not be fit to the lower educated is that the imitation mechanism underlying the diffusion of innovations works well with regard to adoption of the habit, but is much less relevant with regard to its rejection. Based on those observations, we support the idea that the nature and timing of the epidemic differs enough to treat the stages separately for high and low education groups, and discuss policy implications.

14 citations

Dissertation
01 May 2010
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study analysis of this data was undertaken to examine the decision making of the interviewees in relation to some of their most challenging managerial situations, concluding that for the majority of these interviewees, theory played little, or no, overt part in their decision making.
Abstract: During the second half of the 20th century there has been both a burgeoning intellectual interest in business and management as a topic and an exponential growth in the formal study of business and management as an academic subject. Indeed by the end of the century it was estimated that worldwide there were 8,000 business schools and more than 13 million students of business and management. In addition, it was estimated that worldwide annual expenditure on university level business and management education had reached US $15 billion (The Global Foundation for Management Education, 2008). However, despite this there is a lack of clarity regarding both the scale and the nature of the influence that academic scholarship exerts over managers. Accordingly this research study has sought to investigate the appropriation of ideas, theories, concepts and models by management practitioners. The thesis has reviewed and evaluated the two most obvious, most established and most influential potential explanations. These were diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 1962) and fashion theory (Abrahamson, 1991 & 1996; Abrahamson & Fairchild, 1999). It has been concluded that whilst both these potential explanations provided important insights, neither was able to provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation for this research study. Accordingly, a much broader range of pertinent scholarship was reviewed and evaluated. This included, but is not limited to, the scholarship that is associated with learning by adults (Dewey, 1933; Bartlett, 1967; Schank & Abelson, 1976; Mezirow, 1977). Although this additional scholarship provided a further range of potential explanations, the extent to which any of these would be found within the particular setting of management practitioners remained unclear. In addition, the literature review highlighted a number of unresolved debates regarding issues such as (i) whether management was a science or an applied science; (ii) whether it was a craft or a profession; (iii) whether in reality there were fashionable trends in management practice or whether in fact such practices were remarkably stable; and (iv) whether management theoreticians, gurus and consultants actually exerted significant influence over management practitioners. The literature review also highlighted methodological concerns relating to the use of citation analysis as a proxy for primary information regarding managerial practice. Hence, this research is situated in a gap which is delineated by the unresolved issues that are associated with both diffusion theory and fashion theory; the applicability of the broader range of scholarship to a management setting; the unresolved debates within this field of interest and the need to obtain primary information relating to management practice, rather than being dependant upon citation analysis. The research study has utilised qualitative data and inductive reasoning to examine these matters and the overarching research philosophy has been that of realism (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003). Ultimately, 39 semi-structured, recorded interviews were undertaken using the critical incident technique (Flanagan, 1954). Collectively these interviews lasted for 35 hours and obtained information relating to 160 critical incidents. The verbatim transcripts of the interviews totalled 350,000 words. A case study analysis of this data was undertaken to examine the decision making of the interviewees in relation to some of their most challenging managerial situations. This analysis concluded that for the ‘generality’ of these interviewees; theory played little, or no, overt part in their decision making. The data was also subjected to a content analysis using a bespoke compendium of 450 ‘terms’ that represented the development of theorising about management over the whole of the 20th century. This analysis concluded that the influence of the 20th century’s management theoreticians over these interviewees was weak. Finally, the possibility that any such influence might be a covert, rather than an overt; phenomenon was examined using both the insights of intertextuality (Allen, 2000; Bazerman, 2004) and the framework analysis technique (Ritchie, Spencer & O’Connor, 2003). This analysis demonstrated that the discourse, dialogue and language of these interviewees could be indexed to four domains; (i) the theoretical; (ii) the conceptual; (iii) the tactical; and (iv) the practical. The intertextual indexing outcomes were corroborated both by substantial extracts from the verbatim interview transcripts and by three unrelated strands of scholarship. These were (i) adaptive memory systems (Schacter, 2001); (ii) the realities of management (Carlson, 1954; Stewart, 1983; Mintzberg, 1989) and (iii) the role of concepts and conceptual thinking in nursing (McFarlane, 1977; Gordon, 1998; Orem, 2001). On this basis it has been concluded that management can be characterised as a conceptual discipline; that in its essential nature management is at least as conceptual as it is either theoretical or practical; and that managers appropriate concepts and ideas, rather than theories and models per se.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This descriptive study may encourage agricultural educators who work in the contexts of extension education and agricultural communications to collaborate with journalists and the social institution of mass media to inform consumers about food biotechnology to enhance their collective efforts of informing the public about foodBiotechnology.
Abstract: Mass media are the primary source that increases people 's awareness about agriculture and are an important resource for the diffusion of innovations. Educating journalists is important because journalists play a significant role in shaping public perceptions. The public has a stake in the outcomes of science because of the social, economic and environmental implications of innovations; therefore, a scientifically literate public is important to a democracy. This descriptive study may encourage agricultural educators who work in the contexts of extension education and agricultural communications to collaborate with journalists and the social institution of mass media to inform consumers about food biotechnology. Eighty-eight journalists for 62 of the nation 's largest metropolitan newspapers provided data for the study. Major findings and recommendations are as follows: journalists’ knowledge of food biotechnology was relatively low; most journalists considered genetic modification of plants as “acceptable " and of animals as “somewhat acceptable," and journalists had greatest faith in "university scientists” as sources. Journalists perceived genes moving to other organisms, food safety, and environmental harm as obstacles to the acceptance of biotechnology innovations. These journalists considered that farmers would accept food biotechnology as a farm practice within three years while consumer acceptance would take almost eight years. Introduction and Theoretical Framework Most agricultural innovations are marketed to the users of the technology--farmers; thus, there is little effort to inform consumers. Food biotechnology differs because people perceive it to affect the food they eat (Hoban, 1996). This direct effect launches food biotechnology into a public discourse, one that is often played out in the media (Peterson, 1996). An unprecedented profusion oftechnology has been diffused into society with inadequate inquiry and communications regarding negative consequences (Rogers, 1983). Extensive review of agricultural news by numerous investigators revealed that mass media coverage of agriculture is collectively distorted, and long-term negative Journal of Agricultural Education 134 news on agriculturally related issues could affect public confidence and support for agriculture (Reisner, 1991; Hall, Connell & Curti, 1977; Protess & McCombs, 1991; Fowler, Hodge, Dress & Trew, 1979). Mass media have great influence on public perception, influence that Rogers called the Hypodermic Needle Model. According to the model, media cause “direct, immediate and powerful effects” (p. 272) by figuratively injecting information into society. Rogers (1995) determined that 52% of potential agricultural adopters use mass media channels for information regarding innovations. Denton's (1996) research found that 74% of US consumers point to their local Sunday newspaper as their primary source of information. “The media are often blamed for Vol. 41 Issue 4, 2000 making science seem revolutionary rather than evolutionary and are frequently held responsible for consumer contusion” (Cosby, 1998, p. 4). to collaborate with journalists to enhance their collective efforts of informing the public about food biotechnology. The prominence of news media as a primary information source continues to have significant influence on society. This was validated in a 1993 survey of adults when 81% considered news media their primary source of information on science topics, especially environmental and natural resources (American Opinion Research, Inc., 1993). Because consumers acquire most of their scientific information from mass media (Terry, 1994), and agricultural scientists and extension educators continuously search for improved methods to educate the masses, researchers in this study wanted to know journalists’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the science of food biotechnology. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of metropolitan journalists regarding food biotechnology. The objectives of this study were to (a) investigate and determine the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions held; and (b) describe the relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding food biotechnology, and selected personal and situational characteristics of selected metropolitan journalists. Agriculture is perceived by most consumers as slow paced and sustaining. Yet, consumers may not know the rapid rate of change that biotechnology has brought to agriculture. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency approved the first genetically modified seed for commercial row crop production in 1996. Dispersed throughout approximately 400 million U. S. crop acres, genetically modified seeds were planted on an estimated 5 million, 30 million, and 60 million acres during 1996, 1997, and 1998, respectively (NABC, 1998). Purpose and Objectives

14 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202310
202236
202172
202078
201977
201898