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B) Select and discuss a writing that represent his key work

“Communication is a process in which participants create and share information

with one another in order to reach a mutual understanding.”( Rogers,2003, p.5). This
statement explained that there are two ways communication between two or more
individual in order to deliver the message to one another to achieve same goals. So, in
this content, Rogers has explained that diffusion of innovation means how the
innovation ideas can be adopt by the social system and how its spread through the
channels over the time via communication.

We can use Facebook as an example, at the early stage, Facebook only be used
by the student and professional at the education institution. By the time, students
spread use of Facebook to the others and become famous among the society at those
time. Then, Facebook are commonly used by the society who has adopt to this
product until now.

Everett Rogers explained that there are four elements in diffusion of innovation
that explained what are those things that influence development of the innovation.
The four element are the innovation, communication channels, social system and
time.

The innovation

As mentioned by Rogers (2003) “An innovation is an idea, practice, or object that

is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption.” (p.11). The innovation
must involve new information, persuasion and decision to adopt because certain
people might know already about the innovation but they are not ready to adopt yet.
The characteristics of an innovation in the rate of adoption is important so that the
social members can accept the innovation. Thus, the five characteristics that
determine an innovation's rate of adoption is a relative advantage, compatibility,
complexity, trialability, and observability.

Communication Channel

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 “A communication channel is the means by which messages get from one
individual to another.”(Rogers,2003,p.17). The message is delivered to receiver to
reach a mutual understanding about the innovation. Its a communication between an
individual or more that knows the innovation with another individual that has no idea
or information about the innovation. Usually, the individuals or organizations who
have knowledge about the innovation will be finding ways on how to spread the
information to others such as using mass media. Most individuals or organizations
evaluate an innovation from external sources by experiences with the innovation
before they decide to adopt the innovation or not.
Social system

A social system is a group of units that has a different function and committed with
problem-solving to achieve the same goal. As mentioned by Rogers (2003) “The units
of a social system may be individuals, informal groups, complex organizations, or
subsystems.” (p.24). An innovation that diffused within the social system Is effected
by a social structure, opinion leadership and types of innovation. The structure of a
social system involves a set of boundaries within which innovation diffuse. The new
product can be rejected or accepted depends on special values and norm. The
traditionally oriented social system is harder to accepts the innovation than modern
oriented social system.

Time

Time is one of the important things to be considered in the process of diffusion

which involved the innovation-decision process. “The innovative-decision process is
the mental process through which an individual unit of adoption progresses from
initial awareness of an innovation, to a decision to adopt or reject it, and finally to
confirmation of the decision.”(Rogers,2003,p. 20). The process involves four main
stages which are knowledge, persuasion, decision, and confirmation.
 The rate of adoption is the key work in this research which explains how the
innovation spread to the adopter.

Innovators: venturesome

Innovators is the person who taking risk to create new invention that be used by
others which they are the 2.5% from thew rate of adoption. According to Orr (2013)
“Innovators are venturesome types that enjoy being on the cutting edge” (para.6).
Their interest of creating something from their new ideas is one of their obsession.
This innovators is usually has high income when their innovation has been adopt by
the social members.According to Rogers (2003) “The innovator must be able to cope
with the high degree of uncertainty about an innovation at the time that the innovator
adopts.”(p.248). This person usually someone who never give up,always take a
risk,creative,has self motivation etc.

Early adopters : Respectable

13.5% of the social system is the early adopter which they make their adoption
decision by taking consideration the innovator’s implementation. As mentioned by
Halton (2019), early adopter is people who are interested in trying new technologies
and emplimenting their efficiency in society. This persons most often has high
opinion leadership than the others in that sosial system. The early adopter will observe
the effectiveness of the innovation before they encourage the society to adopt with it.
“So the role of the early adopter is to decrease uncertainty about a new idea by
adopting it and conveying a subjective evaluation of the innovation to near-peers
through interpersonal networks” (Rogers,2003,p.249). Thus, they are they one who
implement and observe the innovation beside the innovators before the innovation
being adopt by others.

Early Majority : Deliberate

Rogers (2003) pointed out that “The early majority adopt new ideas just before the
average member of a social system”(p.249). 34% of the adopter is the early majority
and they interact with their peers but hardly holding leadership positions. The early
majority rarely taking risk from the innovation and adopt it when the effectiveness of
the innovation is proven. “Their innovation-decision time is relatively longer than
innovators and early adopters, since they deliberate some time before completely
adopting a new idea. Seldom leading, early majority adopters willingly follow in
adopting innovations” (Rogers, 2003).

Late Majority : Skeptical

Another 34% from the adopters is skeptical group which is this late majority

adopt new ideas after the average of the adopters. As mentioned by Rogers (2003)

“Adoption may be both an economic necessity and the answer to increasing network

pressures”(p.249). This adopter mostly will hesitate with the innovation until most of

the society use the innovation then they will adopt with it. The weight of system

norms must favor an innovation before the late majority are majority are convinced to

adopt. “The pressure of peers is necessary to motivate adoption. Their relatively

scarce resources mean that most of the uncertainty about a new idea must be removed

before the late majority feel that it is to safe to adopt.”(Rogers,2003,p.250)

Laggards : Traditional

The last 16% of the adopters is the laggards which they acquare almost no opinion
leadership. “Laggards are the most localite of all adopter categories in their
outlook”(Roges,2003,p.250). This laggard make decision to adopt based on the past
and will against any changes. Rogers (2003) also observe that “ When laggards finally
adopt an innovation, it may already have been superseded by another more recent idea that
is already being used by the innovators. Laggards tend to be frankly suspicious of
innovations and change agents.”(p.250)