DIFFUSION OF INNOVATION IN SOCIAL NETWORKING
Karol I. PELC [1]
Paper accepted for publication as a chapter in the book "Technology - Society - Sustainability" ed. L. Zacher, Kozminski University, Warsaw, Poland. Forthcoming in 2014.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of
this paper is to present a model of innovation diffusion process applicable for
analysis of innovation in social networking. Until recently, the innovation
diffusion was measured by the rate of adoption expressed by the number of
adopters vs. time or by penetration rate within given population. On basis of
literature review and available empirical data, a new, additional dimension
called “interactivity level” is proposed in this paper. It is specific to
innovations in social networking, where the main purpose of innovation is to
improve interactive contacts among actors in a network. The interactivity level
reflects amount of active knowledge and effective use of social
media/technologies. This dimension has not been systematically studied yet.
However some recent surveys of social media users demonstrate a need and
suggest application of that dimension. It is possible to improve evaluation of
diffusion of innovation in social networking by introducing a scale of
interactivity level, expressed by the mode/scope and intensity of interactive
contacts among users of different social media. Such approach implies that
adoption of innovation should not be viewed just as an event but rather as a
learning process of each adopter. Hence some phases of that process need to be
identified and assessed in terms of dynamics of learning. Six basic phases of
this process are proposed in this paper. Comparative study of average interactivity
levels of users in different countries is proposed as an indicator of evolution
of social media in the global business environment.
[1] Dr. Karol I. Pelc is a professor
of technology and innovation management, emeritus, at the Michigan
Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, U.S.A. Please address any
comments or questions to kipelc@mtu.edu
