Content area
Full Text
Abstract
A multi-dimensional model of innovation adoption process in interactive communication networks is proposed. In addition to the economic dimension, analyzed in earlier publications (Pelc, 2014, and 2015), the author presents social, technological and cultural dimensions of the innovation adoption process. Three hypotheses are formulated concerning the influence of non-economic factors on the adoption process. Those hypotheses are used as a framework for the literature review and comparative analysis of data on the innovation adoption in interactive communication networks in different countries. For illustrative purposes, the Facebook adoption is used as representative of such networks with specific statistical data on the adoption process in selected countries of Europe and in the U. S., the social dimension is represented by percentage of the millennials' population as the most active in interactive networking. The technological dimension is represented by two measures: (1) Access to broadband transmission and (2) Number of smartphone users. A set of measures representing the cultural dimension is based on the Flofstede's model of national culture. The following quantitative measures of culture have been selected for comparative analysis: power distance, individualism index, uncertainty avoidance index and indulgence index. Correlation between the Facebook penetration in different countries and selected measures is discussed. The cultural dimension and the individualism index appear to have a stronger influence on innovation adoption than any other non-economic factor.
1.Introduction
Adoption of innovation constitutes the final phase of the diffusion process, in which innovation transforms resources in a new way and generates economic outcomes (Schumpeter, 1975). It has been the subject of many publications due to its importance for the overall effectiveness of innovation (Rogers, 1962; Skiadas, 1985; Girifalco, 1991; Wildemuth, 1992). The majority of authors emphasized economic importance of innovation diffusion and analyzed economic conditions that determine rate of diffusion measured by number of adopters in proportion to total population. That proportion is frequently referred to as the penetration rate. In recent decades, penetration rate of the Internet, as a major innovation, has become a common reference point for studies of technological and economic development of societies. Commonly accepted opinion suggests that the rate of penetration of the Internet is correlated with economic status and wealth of society. In general, the rate of penetration is much higher in rich...
