Reading Packet 4 Summary
BUS 540- Marketing Management
Reading Packet 4
Weekly Summary
1/36/15
Josh Guiser
New Product Adoption and Diffusion- Everett M. Rogers Much of what this article revolves around is the under- utilization and under-appreciation of diffusion research. Rogers seemingly isolates in on how useful diffusion studies can be for field like marketing, specifically when it comes to innovation of new products. This seems to serve as his theme. Innovation comes when a major breakthrough or reconceptualization occurs that allows people to look at something in a different way. Rogers describes diffusion of innovation as the method and rate at which a new idea, practice or object is communicated, or spread. Rogers explains that diffusion studies follow the trends of scientific patterns. As a result of this characteristics diffusion studies shave been used to study the modernization occurring in developing countries, agriculture trends, and many other areas that show an importance on the way information is communicated. Studies have shown that “interpersonal communication with peers was the most frequent channel leading to persuasion.” (Rogers 292) Rogers also explains some short comings of diffusion research. He explains that diffusion studies lack accuracy because they are asking to recall feelings and information from the past that is often influenced by the future feelings and events. Diffusion studies also measure “what is” rather than “what could be”. Diffusion studies often tend to consider only the individual rather than the communication and influence the individual is subjected to by his peers. This also leads to placing the blame on individuals rather than the group which leads to bias in testing. (I.e. studying the poor because they are poor, rather than studying why the rich are not poor.) Rogers explains that the proper way to conduct diffusion research involves following the path of communication that the news about innovations take. This
Reading Packet 4
Weekly Summary
1/36/15
Josh Guiser
New Product Adoption and Diffusion- Everett M. Rogers Much of what this article revolves around is the under- utilization and under-appreciation of diffusion research. Rogers seemingly isolates in on how useful diffusion studies can be for field like marketing, specifically when it comes to innovation of new products. This seems to serve as his theme. Innovation comes when a major breakthrough or reconceptualization occurs that allows people to look at something in a different way. Rogers describes diffusion of innovation as the method and rate at which a new idea, practice or object is communicated, or spread. Rogers explains that diffusion studies follow the trends of scientific patterns. As a result of this characteristics diffusion studies shave been used to study the modernization occurring in developing countries, agriculture trends, and many other areas that show an importance on the way information is communicated. Studies have shown that “interpersonal communication with peers was the most frequent channel leading to persuasion.” (Rogers 292) Rogers also explains some short comings of diffusion research. He explains that diffusion studies lack accuracy because they are asking to recall feelings and information from the past that is often influenced by the future feelings and events. Diffusion studies also measure “what is” rather than “what could be”. Diffusion studies often tend to consider only the individual rather than the communication and influence the individual is subjected to by his peers. This also leads to placing the blame on individuals rather than the group which leads to bias in testing. (I.e. studying the poor because they are poor, rather than studying why the rich are not poor.) Rogers explains that the proper way to conduct diffusion research involves following the path of communication that the news about innovations take. This