1. Paper 104, Communication for
development.

2. The outline:
 The subject-matter.
 The advent of diffusion studies.
 How it works.
 Everett Roger’s S-shaped curve.
 The bell shape curve of adopters.
 The innovation decision/adoption process.
 Common scope of diffusion research.
 Purpose of diffusion research.

3. The subject matter:
 Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is
communicated through certain channels over time
among members of a social system.
 An innovation is an idea, practice, or object perceived as
new by an individual or other unit of adoption.
 Messages concerned with new ideas are disseminated
among the people so that the modern innovative ideas or
products are easily accepted.
 Diffusion research revolves round the conditions which
increase or decrease the likelihood that a new
idea, product, or practice will be adopted by members of
a given culture.

4. The advent of diffusion studies:
 First studied by the French sociologist Gabriel Tarde in
1903 and by German and Austrian anthropologists such as
Friedrich Ratzel and Leo Frobenius.
 In the year 1962 Everett Rogers, took into consideration
the research from over 508 diffusion studies and produced
a theory for the adoption of innovations among
individuals and organizations.
 Everett Rogers identified six traditions that impacted
diffusion research: anthropology, early sociology, rural
sociology, education, industrial, and medical sociology.

5. How it works:
 Rogers proposed 4 main elements that influence the
spread of a new idea: the innovation, communication
channels, time, and a social system.
 Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is
communicated through certain channels over time.
 Individuals progress through 5 stages:
knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and
confirmation.
 It spreads via various communication channels and
during communication, the idea is generally processed
basing on the perceptions of the innovation which
further influences diffusion.

6. Everett Rogers S-shaped curve
 The S shaped curve indicates the adoption of an innovation over time.
The curve has a typical S-shape. Initially only a few innovators and
early adopters are prepared to experiment with new techniques: about
16% of the population. As the idea gains ground, the majority—the
next 68%—accept the innovation. Finally, the laggards take notice.

7. The bell shape curve of adopters:
 Consumers can be grouped according to how quickly they
adopt a new product.
 Diffusion studies convey that adopter categories of a
particular product can be divided into: (1) innovators, (2)
early adopters, (3) early majority, (4) late majority, and (5)
laggards.

8. The innovation decision and adoption process

9. Common scope of diffusion research
 The characteristics of an innovation which may
influence its adoption.
 The decision-making process that occurs when
individuals consider adopting a new idea, product or
practice.
 The characteristics of individuals that make them
likely to adopt an innovation.
 The consequences for individuals and society of
adopting an innovation.
 Communication channels used in the adoption
process.

10. Purpose of diffusion research
 To depict the successive increase in the
number of adopters over time.
 Permits prediction of the continued
development of the diffusion process.
 Facilitates a theoretical explanation of
the dynamics of the diffusion process.

11. That’s all.
Thank you.