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[gerrymck]

Colleagues/

Diffusion of Innovations is a theory of how, why, and at what rate new ideas
and technology spread through cultures. [snip]

The publication of a study of Ryan and Gross on the diffusion of hybrid corn
in Iowa[3] was the first sustainably visible contribution in a broader
interest in innovations which was especially popularized by the textbook by
Everett Rogers (1962), Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers 1962). He defines
diffusion as "the process by which an innovation is communicated through
certain channels over time among the members of a social system."

[snip]

Diffusion of an innovation occurs through a five–step process. This process
is a type of decision-making. It occurs through a series of communication
channels over a period of time among the members of a similar social system.
Ryan and Gross first indicated the identification of adoption as a process
in 1943 (Rogers 1962, p. 79). Rogers categorizes the five stages (steps) as:
awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. An individual might
reject an innovation at anytime during or after the adoption process. In
later editions of the Diffusion of Innovations Rogers changes the
terminology of the five stages to: knowledge, persuasion, decision,
implementation, and confirmation. However the descriptions of the categories
have remained similar throughout the editions.

[snip]

Rogers defines an adopter category as a classification of individuals within
a social system on the basis of innovativeness. In the book Diffusion of
Innovations, Rogers suggests a total of five categories of adopters in order
to standardize the usage of adopter categories in diffusion research. The
adoption of an innovation follows an S curve when plotted over a length of
time.[10] The categories of adopters are: innovators, early adopters, early
majority, late majority, and laggards (Rogers 1962, p. 150)

BTW: Rogers is an Iowa native who attended Iowa State [:-)]

This Weekend I Had An Epiphany >>>

Would It Be (More) Useful To Consider Innovation And Its Adoption As A
Matter Of One's Time Zone >>>

That Is > One's Temporal Orientation > The Past And/Or The Present And/Or
The Future ?

I Would Most Appreciate Your Thoughts On This WorldView / Please Post As A
Comment On The Associated Blog Entry At

[ http://bit.ly/b6UdDE ]

I Would Also Appreciate Any/All Relevant Cites/Sites >>>

BTW: It Just Learned Of A Key Site That Has Exactly What I Had In Mind [:-)]
And Have Sited It In The Blog Entry

>>> Great Minds Do Think A-Like >>>

Thanks !

/Gerry

Gerry McKiernan
Associate Professor
Science and Technology Librarian
Iowa State University Library
Ames IA 50011

Follow Me On Twitter > http://twitter.com/GMcKBlogs

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