A perspective of the innovation-diffusion process from the self-organizing system

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the conventional diffuison theory and the critics against it, and to propose a conceptual model for the innovationdiffusion process into the social system. Applying the evolutionary perspective focusing on the self-organizing system, the conceptual model for the innovation-diffusion process is built. Based on the investigation, this paper argues the necessity of reconstructing the diffusion-innovation theory in terms of the self-organizing system. Especially, this paper proposes the reconsideration of the critical mass, innovator/imitator dichotomy, and the meanings of such parameters as internal and external influence factors as well as the number of the potential adopters. © 2001 by Springer Science+ Business Media New York.