USCHHS Communications Diffusion of Innovation Theory Discussion

Part One: Answer 2 discussion questions

Part Two:Reply to 6 students

1. Are You a Technology Nerd? – 200 Words
First, describe the technology you use by addressing the following questions:
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When did you start using a computer?
What kind of computer do you use now?
When did you get your first smartphone and what kind?
Do you have a tablet? If so, what kind?
Would you say you are an early or late adopter of new technologies technology?
Next, describe how you use your technology by answering the following questions: How do
you use your devices to carry out the activities listed below? Over the time you have used
these devices, has the way you do the following activities changed?
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Finding and getting information for work or school
Shopping for clothing or household items
Managing your bills and banking
Getting answers to random queries that come up in everyday life
Getting news
Watching television
Listening to the radio
Contacting and communicating with friends and family
2. Diffusion of Innovation Theory – 200 Words
According to Rogers (1963), diffusion is “the process in which an innovation is
communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social
system.” Discuss the role of social media in the application of this theory today. What
are the characteristics of the various groups of innovation adopters? Give examples of
how digital marketers can target each of these groups of innovation adopters.
Required Book Reading:
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Grant, A. E., & Meadows, J. H. (Eds.). (2018). Communication technology update and fundamentals (16th
ed.). Routledge.
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Chapter 1: The Communication Technology Ecosystem
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Chapter 2: A History of Communication Technology
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Chapter 3: Understanding Communication Technologies
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Chapter 4: The Structure of the Communication Industries
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1. I started using a computer from a pretty reasonable age. I would say at the age of
probably 8 years old, I was playing games online and it has progressed from there. I
currently use an Apple MacBook Air from 2015 which I bought when I graduated high
school,my first “big purchase.” I believe I got my first phone during middle school since
I was walking home everyday. It was a Razor phone and then I got my Iphone
smartphone around highschool time. I do not have a tablet or ipad, I would like one but
prefer the keyboard and screen size of a personal laptop. I would say that I am a late
adopter of technology. I do not need the newest technology on the market. My laptop is
about 8 years old and works perfectly fine as well as my Iphone which is an Iphone 10
and I am in no rush to be in line for the next up and coming one. I mainly use my IPhone
for social media and my computer for school work or shopping. I find my phone to be
easier to access Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter and I take my phone everywhere with
me so these things are always accessible. As for managing bills and banking, I have my
banks app on my phone which I access often but paying bills I will always do on my
computer. The only reason for this is because I keep my passwords saved for each site
which is only saved on my computer or it just makes it so much easier on my laptop.
Random queries that come up day to day, I will almost always use my phone to research
this. Like I stated, my phone is beside me 99% of the day. I do most of my TV watching
at home on an actual TV. If I am traveling, I will have videos pre downloaded or read a
book. I usually am not a radio listener but on drives, I will connect my Iphone to
bluetooth and always listen to that. When I am at the gym, I will always connect to a
music app on my IPhone but never radio. Finally, contacting and communicating with
family is always done through my Iphone. Even Facetime calls, I will use my phone.
2. Without revealing my age, my first time using a computer was in the fifth grade and I
played a little game called The Oregon Trail. Times have definitely changed since then,
because now I use a Mac book for all of my computer needs. My first cell phone I got
was back in 2003 and it was by a company called Metro PCS. I currently don’t own a
tablet. I would say that I am a early adopter of new technologies. Throughout the years,
I have kept up with the many changes of technology and had no choice but to adapt to
them. Technology has pretty much taken over my life now. My entire life is all in my
cellphone, which allows me to view everything I can think of. When it comes to work
and school, all of my emails and messages come onto my phone. I am also able to send
information to both of those entities. Since COVID, I have grown very fond of shopping
online. Majority of my shopping, for clothing or household goods, happen online. In
regards to banking and paying my bills, this also takes place on my cellphone or my
home computer. Google helps me answer any of life’s random queries that I may
encounter. I don’t watch the news as much as I use to, but most of the time I use to
watch it on TV or through my CNN app on my cell phone. Nowadays, the only time I
watch television is if I am watching something sports related or a good movie. I listen
to the radio and various music apps on my cellphone. I use different social media
platforms to keep in touch with family, friends, and co-workers.
3. I first started using a computer around 13 or 14 years old. I had maybe sparingly used
one before this but I got a laptop around this time and I really started to use the computer
then. I still use a MacBook today just a newer version of my original, I have not ventured
into the pc world but after dealing with some problems with Macs over the years I am
definitely considering it. I got my first smartphone at 12 so I’ve been using this
technology for a while. I don’t have a tablet, for me I just like to use my computer instead
of a tablet. I am kind of a late adopter of technologies, when I was younger I was really
into new tech but as I’ve gotten older I can’t keep up with the latest tech it can be a bit
too complicated for me.
I use technology for school as we are able to attend college online, pretty amazing. I
travel a lot for work so school would not be possible for me without the access to online
schooling. I still like to shop traditionally in stores, I’m not sure why but I have not got
into the online shopping craze but it is just not for me. One day when I have a family
and need to save more time I’m sure I will use online shopping to help save time. I love
using my smartphone for credit card bills and banking it is so convenient and saves so
much time instead of going to the bank. I’m able to use my phone to communicate with
family members who live across the country which is amazing. FaceTime is a gam e
changer for many people. I used to sit and watch TV for catching up on news and sports
but now I like to listen to podcasts or check sports scores on my phone which is really
convenient.
4. One way that I think of diffusion is how trends spread. For example, this could be a Tik
Tok trend that has taken over on Instagram, day to day life, and media campaigns. The
role of social media as it relates to this theory is a segway into our daily life. The theory
behind diffusion of innovation is that it “will be adopted by members of a given culture”
(Infante, Rancer, & Womack, 2003).This is what produces innovation adopters. Social
Media puts new trends out on the map for them to then get bigger and more of a trend.
This is where social media influencers come into being one of the biggest innovation
adopters. They can be considered opinion leaders, those who influence others. There are
five categories for this theory which includes; innovators, early adopters, early majority,
late majority and laggards. Those who fit into these categories are determined based on
who they influence and to how big of a scale this is on. Where innovators have the
highest influence and laggards usually don’t follow trends or have a great influence on
their culture. The biggest way that digital marketers can target each of these groups is
by knowing their demographic. Who is going to be the biggest cultural influence for
their product or have the greatest impact on early adopters.
5. Social media has made access to new ideas and innovations almost instantaneous. It is
truly amazing that something can be posted on social media and anyone in the entire
world can see what idea has been posted online. Back in 1963 when Rogers discussed
this topic, a new innovation would take a very long time to be seen across the country
never mind across the entire world. Innovation adopters are described as the first 2.5
percent of people to adopt an idea. These people will simply adopt any idea because it
is new and they are willing to try it. Digital marketers will be able to target these
innovators by identifying what their target audience is and advertising specifically
towards them. This is a very niche marketing technique. The next stage is early adopters.
This group can be nervous about putting their reputation on the line so they need a little
bit more convincing. Marketers will need to make sure their product is reliable and will
not fail its customers. These early adopters create opinions and are able to launch a
product to a larger audience so getting them on board is key to success. The next group
is the early majority which is more concerned with practicalness than being cool or hip.
To target these customers digital marketers will need to show their product is reliable
and the cool influencers are using it. If they can combine these two and blend practicality
and “coolness” the product will be well on its way to success.
6. Innovation is quite remarkable, in my personal opinion it takes a bright and brave mind
to really push the envelope with that ideas that at first may seemingly see impossible or
unachievable, if lived in a world where there were simply no innovators than I doubt our
world would be very much like it is today. Social media is one of those things that really
has taken a world and mind of its own. If I can think of my earliest social media days
using website like Xanga and Myspace, and think of how it is today, the world is more
and more involved in the world of web and technology. One idea like Myspace and now
we have Facebook and Linken IN for a professional setting or Twitter where you can
tell everyone and everything what you’re doing and where you’re going and it is not seen
as weird. Even Instagram, it started off as this fun app to post pictures, and now it has
literally turned in to its own world and life! and now, posting pictures on Instagram is
some people’s actual job. The different groups of innovation, innovators, early adopters
and early majority and late majority all play in an important role when it comes to digital
marketing. The perfect example is advertisement, each category has something to gain
from that, one person is creating that idea, one person to create the idea and to send the
trend, and then one influential person to set the tone for the idea and to help it grown
and then you finally have a team or swarm of people talking about the said idea.