3. The Innovation-Decision Process
• Consists of a series of choices and actions over
time
• Evaluation of the new idea and decision
whether to incorporate into ongoing practice
• Behavior consists of dealing with uncertainty
4. The Innovation-Decision Process
1. Knowledge
Occurs when individual is exposed to an innovation (existence and
function)
2. Persuasion
Occurs when individual forms favorable/unfavorable attitude toward
the innovation
3. Decision
Takes place when individual engages in activities that lead to a
choice
4. Implementation
Occurs when individuals put a new idea into use
5. Confirmation
Seeks reinforcement of an innovation-decision already made
6. The Knowledge Stage
• Awareness knowledge
– What is it?
• Change agent note: mass media or interpersonal?
• How-to knowledge
– How does it work?
• Change agent note: Technical or anecdotal?
• Principles knowledge
– Why does it work?
• Change agent note: Whose job is it?
7. The Persuasion Stage
• Favorable or unfavorable attitude
– Attitude is an individual’s belief about an object
that predisposes his/her actions
• Main stage of “thinking” is affective
– Feeling (gut or informed)
• More psychologically involved with an
innovation
– Actively seeks information about the innovation
8. The Persuasion Stage
• Decides on credible sources
– What information is credible?
– How should I interpret this information?
• Perceived attributes of the innovation are
formed
• Uncertainty reduction
– What are some ways to reduce uncertainty?
• Persuasion should lead to adoption or
rejection
10. The Decision Stage
• Full adoption or partial adoption
– Does it matter?
• Trials often lead to adoption
– Some adopt innovations without trials, but
majority will reject unless uncertainty is very low
• Change agent note: Relative advantage is key!
• Rejection can occur at ANY stage of the
decision process!
13. The Implementation Stage
• Occurs when an individual or other
decision-making unit puts an
innovation to use
• Uncertainty still exists
– Active information seeking is still going
on
15. Implementation in Organizations
• More problems occur than with
individuals
– Structure of organization
• People making decisions are not always
implementing the innovation
• Resistance
16. Re-invention
• The degree to which an innovation is
changed or modified by a user in the
process of its adoption and
implementation
• Re-invention occurs most in the
implementation stage
– Why in this stage?
20. Why re-invention occurs
• Clean air ordinances
– Innovations do not always “fit” perfectly
in a system
• Nordic Walking
– Transferability
21. Re-invention occurs when:
– An innovation is complex and difficult to
understand
– An individual lacks detailed knowledge
(principles knowledge) about the innovation
– An innovation has multiple uses or
applications.
– An innovation is implemented in order to solve
a wide range of users’ problems
– A change agency influences its clients to
modify or adapt an innovation
– An innovation must be adapted to the
structure of the organization that adopting it
– Later adopters profit from the experiences
gained by earlier adopters
22. The Confirmation Stage
• Individual or decision-making unit
seeks reinforcement for the
innovation-decision already made
• May reverse decision based on
conflicting messages
• Two Ds
– Dissonance and discontinuance
23. Dissonance
• An uncomfortable state of mind an
individual seeks to reduce or eliminate
• In confirmation stage, individual is
trying to persuade himself/herself if
they made the correct decision to
adopt an innovation
24. Discontinuance
• Occurs when individual or decision-
making unit rejects an innovation
after adopting it
• Two types:
– Replacement
• Discontinue to adopt a new innovation that
supersedes it
– Disenchantment
• Discontinue because of dissatisfaction
25. Fads vs. trends
• Fads = short term
– Slap bracelets
– Crocs
• Trends = staying power
– The Green Revolution
– Organic Foods
• Why the difference?
