Adoption of New Inovations

According to Rogers and Scott's report, since podcasting and the use of MP3 players are demanded by a great part of the members os the social system, particularly students in the university setting, this increases its relative advantages. Based on their report podcasting should be given attention as part of the educational system.



Diffusion of Innovations Model -- Rogers and Scott Report

An innovation is an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption. The characteristics of an innovation, as perceived by the members of a social system, determine its rate of adoption. Figure 2 shows the relatively slower, and faster, rates of adoption for three different innovations. Why do certain innovations spread more quickly than others? The characteristics which determine an innovation's rate of adoption are:

(1) relative advantage, (2) compatibility, (3) complexity, (4) trialability, and (5) observability.