Diffusion of Innovation Theory
The Diffusion of Innovation theory is also known as DOI theory originated in communication to explain how, over time, an idea or product gains momentum and diffuses (or spreads) through a specific population or social system (Sphweb.bumc.bu.edu, 2015). This theory developed by Gabriel Tarde, French Sociologist in 1903 and popularized by Everett Rogers in 1964 and by German and Austrian anthropologists such as Friedrich Ratzel and Leo Frobenius. Tarde Tarde
In diffusion of innovation theory, Rogers developed five established adopter categories, which are: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards
Five established adopter categories
1. Innovators
Also know as technology enthusiast, approximately 2.5% of individuals who first adopted the innovation. Characteristics: adventurous, risk-taking, mobile, intelligent, high economic capacity. As we know only a few of people that can adopt an innovative product. Let's take the google glass from google as the example. Google knows that smart glasses have a big opportunity in the future. They are taking risks to invent the prototype of google glass to fullfil hey also have the high economic capacity to produce google glass, because to produce google glass is not cheap this is happening because they need money to research about the technology that used to build google glass.
2. Early adopters
Also know as visionaries, only 13.5% which s we know at the first google glass is the first smart glasses in the world and become the leader in the smart glasses development. It is the same thing as samsung as the forerunner of smart television.
3. Early Majority
Known as a pragmatist and 34% of the early followers. Characteristics: deliberate contact, opinion leader, avoid risk, thoughtful, high internal interaction. We know that Sony is the pioneer of smart watch and then samsung also made smart watch that we know samsung gear. But the even samsung made samsung gear not many costumers buy it.
4. Late Majority
34% who follow the end of the acceptance of innovation. Characteristics: skeptical, receive due consideration of economic or social pressure, too cautious. This is also known as conservatives. Continuation of samsung smart watch is Apple as a main competitor of Samsung also begin to create a smart watch, then they are competing to sell smart watches.
5. Laggards
16% last is the conservative / traditional. Characteristics: traditional, isolated, limited insight, not opinion leaders, limited resources. Known as skeptics.
Element of diffusion
Elements of the theory of diffusion of innovation consist of Innovation, adopters, communication channels, time and social system
- Innovation
- Adopters
- Communication channels are can through social media and mass media to promote the product of new media technology. Such as samsung use social media,
television commercial and billboard to promote samsung smart tv. - Time, many companies need a lot of time to adopt the product before created the prototype.
such as googleneed a lot of time to research about google glass. Social system is the combination of external influences (how they you mass media communication or another platform to promote their product) and internal influence (strong and weak social relationships, distance from opinion leaders)
Adoption process
There are also have 5 stages of the adoption process: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation.
- Knowledge or also known as awareness stage is when people directed to understanding the existence and the advantages / benefits and how an innovation function. Such as when google glass created, some of people try to understand the function and advantages of using google glass.
- Persuasion or interest stage is when people form a good or bad attitude. Such as google let people judge about the google glass weather is good or bad.
- Decision or evaluation stage appears when people involved in activities that lead to the election of the adoption or rejection of an innovation. Then, for the first launch for google glass, they are only sale
to the exclusive people to know about they are rejecting google glass or not. - Implementation or trial stage is when people define the use of an innovation.
- Confirmation or adoption stage is when people seeking to strengthen against the decision of acceptance or rejection of innovations that have been made previously.
Innovation characteristic
References
Kaminski, J. (2011). Theory in Nursing Informatics Column. 6th
Sphweb.bumc.bu.edu, (2015). Diffusion of Innovation Theory. [
