Diffusion of Innovation Theory

Diffusion of Innovation Theory is: A theory that seeks to explain how, over time, a new idea or technology spreads through a specific population or social system. Innovation diffusion research has attempted to explain the variables that influence how and why users adopt an innovation.

The main theorist: E.M. Rogers (Diffusion of Innovations, 1962)

Core statement: A technological innovation is communicated through particular channels, over time, among the members of a social system (Rogers, 1995). The diffusion of innovations involves both mass media and interpersonal communication channels.

Diffusion of an innovation occurs through the following fivestep process, which is a type of decision-making: 1) Knowledge person becomes aware of an innovation and has some idea of how it functions. 2) Persuasion person forms a favorable or unfavorable attitude toward the innovation. 3) Decision person engages in activities that lead to a choice to adopt or reject the innovation. 4) Implementation person puts an innovation into use. 5) Confirmation person evaluates the results of an innovation-decision already made.

Rogers defines several intrinsic characteristics of innovations that influence an individuals decision to adopt or reject an innovation: 1) Relative advantage: How improved an innovation is over the previous generation. 2) Compatibility: The level of compatibility that an innovation has to be assimilated into an individuals life.

3) Complexity: If the innovation is perceived as complicated or difficult to use, an individual is unlikely to adopt it. 4) Trialability: How easily an innovation may be experimented. If a user is able to test an innovation, the individual will be more likely to adopt it. 5) Observability: The extent that an innovation is visible to others. An innovation that is more visible will drive communication among the individuals peers and personal networks and will in turn create more positive or negative reactions.

The diffusion process does not happen simultaneously in a social system; rather it is a process whereby some people are more apt to adopt the innovation than others. There are five established adopter categories:

Opinion Leaders: There are Opinion Leaders, leaders who are influential in spreading either positive or negative information about an innovation. They have the most influence during the evaluation stage of the innovation-decision process and late adopters.

Additional readings: 1. Makowsky, Mark et al. Factors influencing pharmacists adoption of prescribing: qualitative application of the diffusion of innovations theory. Implementation Science 2013, 8:109. <http://www.implementationscience.com/content/8/1/109> This study aims to understand what factors influence pharmacists adoption of prescribing using a model for the Diffusion of Innovations in healthcare services. It founds that interpersonal communication within pharmacists is highly influential in their

prescribing behaviors. This finding proves that that a social group contributes to the adoption of new things, such as a new drug, by members of that group. 2. Burstein, Rcheal et al. The Case for Strengthening Personal Networks in California Local Government. New America Foundation. April, 2013. <http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/The_Case%20for%20Stre ngthening_Personal_Networks_in_CA_Local%20Government.pdf> The report is a six-month study based on surveys and interviews with city managers and county administrators in California. This examines why and how the managers and administrators adopt new approaches and the processes of the adoptions. This emphasizes the importance of knowledge sharing in the diffusion of innovations and identifies personal connections as a significant source of information.