Blog #8 Diffusion of Innoations

The Diffusion of Innovations is a theory to express how a technology, movement or idea is slowly accepted or integrated into society.  

1. The first step is knowledge or the creation of the idea or technology.  
2.  The second step is the early adoption of technology. People are invited to use the technology experimentally. Many ideas or technologies can die in this stage because they are unpopular, obscure, or not useful. 

3. This is the turning point. The technology or idea is gaining mass usage and appeal. 

4. This is a late adoption. Many people do not use technology unless it is popular so they know that they know it is trustworthy.

5.  This is the laggard stage. A technology or idea never fully penetrates the total population. People may not like the idea or technology, they could not have enough money or time to purchase it, or a variety of other reasons. 

I looked at the invention of the radio for my EOTO. Nikola Tesla first used the radio in 1893, but the first signal was sent across the Atlantic in 1901 by Guglielmo Marconi. This would represent the knowledge phase of the innovation.

The early adoption phase was the use of the radio by governments in WW1. The radio was also bought by wealthy people who could afford it. When an invention is first created, the production of it has not been mastered so it can be expensive to produce. As technology becomes more widely used, it becomes more affordable to the masses. 

The turning point is when the technology gains mass usage and appeal. By the 1930s, the vast majority of homes had a radio. Many people used the radio for listening to music or other forms of entertainment. However many people still did not have the technology

This is the late adoption stage. People acquire technologies incrementally. As the radio became more famous more people acquired it. As Radio shows and music began to develop more people began to get the radio. The Golden era of radio shows is said to be from the 1920s to the 1950s. 

This is the Laggard Stage. Technology never is used by everyone. Either people cannot afford it, aren't able to use it, or are simply not interested in it.  This might represent other nations purchasing the radio. It could represent people who have been born after the creation of the invention buying it.