thumbnail

Diffusion Theory / Diffusion of Innovations

auch:
%s
/

The diffusion theory of the communication scientist Everett Rogers explains the development of innovations and especially their diffusion on the market.

Diffusion occurs because innovations such as new services or products are usually adopted with a time lag.

The potential of an innovation changes gradually over this time course, divided into:

– Open potential: possible buyers/users are still unaware of the innovation
– Adoption potential: potential customers familiar with the innovation are hesitant or look forward to a decision to adopt the innovation
– Inventory potential: potential customers have already embraced the innovation

Customers can be companies as well as households or individuals. Different types of consumers are distinguished. They are classified according to their willingness to innovate in connection with social status, income level and age.

The impetus comes from the innovators (2.5% “innovators”), is taken up and multiplied
by the early convinced (13.5%, “early adopters”) and adopted by the early majority (34%, “early majority”). The late majority (34%, “late majority”) imitates the early majority, and the laggards (16%, “laggards”) are the last – if any – to adopt innovation.

The groups that pick up innovations earlier than the masses play the most important role in innovation development as opinion leaders and gatekeepers.

The following factors play a weighty role in the rapid diffusion of an innovation:

– Compatibility with structures of potential customers
– risk-free takeover opportunity
– Understandability
– Exceptionality on the market
– Vividness of the benefits/utility

Innovation establishment rarely follows an ideal-typical normal curve and is more likely to follow its own characteristics. The simplified graph shows the model described by Rogers with respect to the takeover timing in the normal course. The consumer type designations are based on this.

An extended interpretation of Rogers’ model, particularly in relation to the change process in the company, is shown in the graphic “Attitudes toward change in organizations” (after Krebsbach-Gnath).

This representation (originally formulated by Krebsbach-Gnath) describes the distribution of attitudes that are perceptible at the beginning of a change trend: Here one speaks of about 10 to 15 percent ‘ believers’. In other words, target groups that are actually convinced that there is a need for the changes in question and that they also recognize the benefits and positive effects accordingly.

From this group, the ‘ lip-readers’ differ in that they profess the same, but are not really convinced upon closer scrutiny.

The numerically largest group at the beginning of a change trend comprises the ‘ wait-and-see’, about 45 percent. These do not have an opinion on the issues in question at this time. This does not mean that the issues seem to them to be of little importance; on the contrary. They are looking for relevant information and are therefore particularly impressionable.

The 10 percent or so of the ‘upright opponents’ are characterized by the fact that they are clearly of the opinion that this change is not needed and, if necessary, make this known just as clearly. They take a position and do not doubt that it is the (only) right one.

This position is also taken by the so-called ‘underground fighters’. However, these 10 percent do not openly represent their views, but only raise their arguments in familiar circles.

And finally, another 10 percent are considered ‘ non-adapters’.

Advertising psychology assumes that so-called non-adopters are simply not interested in the respective developments and will indifferently live their previous behavioral pattern. They are not opponents in the proper sense, i.e. they are not argumentatively active, but have no interest in the relevant issues and try to ‘get past them’.

Registered users will find a detailed description of how to use the method in a meeting or workshop context in the next section. Registration is free of charge.

In addition to this description, you will find complete instructions on how to use the method in a team meeting or workshop in the Innovation Wiki. All you need to do is register free of charge and you will have access to this and more than 700 other methods and tools.

Would you like free access to more than 700 methods for better workshops, innovation projects and sustainable meetings - tested and described by innovation professionals from all over the world?

Then you’ve come to the right place. Register once, free of charge, and off you go!