http://wwwlisc.clermont.cemagref.fr/ImagesProject/FinalReport/literature_scientific_bacground/final_rep_1.3_fichiers/final_rep_1.3.pdf

In class we have been touching on the subject of network diffusion, and how it can result in innovation diffusion, with early adopters, etc. The linked paper expands upon those ideas. It takes into consideration several factors, including the risk of early adoption, how the media affects this diffusion, and the idea of “critical mass”. Critical mass is the ammount of people it would take before this innovation propogates to the rest of the population.

The authors use several different types of models to analyze this innovation diffusion. They begin with the classical approach. Where 5 key stages of network diffusion are indicated and discussed. The 5 stages are Awareness, Persuasion, Trial, Adoption, and Consolidation. For more indepth analysis and information about these stages please refer to the paper.

The network approach model, which is more relevant to the class, analyzes the position people play in the social network, and how their position affects this innovation diffusion. They identify “Opinion leadership.” These are the people who become influenced to adopt a product from the media, and use their leadership to spread it into their social networks.

The paper continues on about how centrality, and other sociological network analysis can shed light on who and how innovation diffusion occurs. The paper then critiques the limits of their models, and gives a very nice conclusion.