Will communication of job creation facilitate diffusion of innovations in the automobile industry?

Abstract

The electrification and automation of vehicles are two upcoming trends in the automobile industry. However, these two new technologies also raise public concerns related to road safety, range, and, most crucially, job creation in the automotive and transportation industries. This study investigates if job creation facilitates the diffusion of innovation. Analysis of 32,006 tweets from 33 global automobile manufacturers and their international job creation records revealed that communication of job creation can improve stakeholders’ adverse social media engagement on vehicle electrification and automation, the latest innovations in transportation and logistics. Car manufacturers should continually communicate their job creation achievements to gain public acceptance when introducing innovations, which may improve the diffusion of innovations.