This presentation is for course participants in Penn State's WFED 597G Fall Semester 2011.

1. The Change Agent
Diffusion of Innovations
Chapter 9
WFED 597G Fall Semester 2011
Lori Johnson-Vegas

2. Chapter 9 Highlights
• Targeting
• Change Agents as Linkers
• Factors in Change Agent Success
• Communication Campaigns
• Homophily and Change Agent Contact
• The Use of Opinion Leaders
• Client’s Evaluative Ability
• Centralized and Decentralized Diffusion Systems
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Decentralized
Diffusion

3. Chapter 9 Summary
This chapter defines change agent, lists the two
main problems faced by change agents and the
seven roles of the change agent. The chapter also
lists eight generalizations related to an agent’s
success in securing the adoption of innovations by
clients. Information on centralized and
decentralized diffusion is also provided.

4. Chapter 9 Summary continued
Two main problems faced by change agents:
• their social marginality, due to their position
midway between a change agency and their
client system
• information overload, the state of an individual
or a system in which excessive communication
inputs cannot be processed and used, leading to
breakdown),

5. Chapter 9 Summary continued
Seven roles of the change agent:
• Develop a need for change on the part of clients
• Establish an information-exchange relationship
• Diagnose problems
• Create an intent to change in the client
• Translate intention into action
• Stabilize adoption and prevent discontinuance
• Achieve a terminal relationship with clients

6. Chapter 9 Summary continued
Eight generalizations
• Extent of the change agent’s effort in contacting clients
• A client orientation, rather than a change agency
orientation
• Degree to which the diffusion program is compatible
with clients’ needs
• Change agent’s empathy with clients
• His or her homophily with clients
• Credibility in the clients’ eyes
• Extent to which he or she works through opinion leaders
• Increasing clients’ ability to evaluate innovations

7. Directions
Class participants – please review and complete
the 3 of the 5 assignments included in this
presentation.

8. Targeting
Targeting is the process of customizing the design
and delivery of a communication program based
on the characteristics of an intended audience
(Dearling et al., 1996).
Diffusion of Innovations
Chapter 9
Page 367

9. Assignment 1
Please provide an example of when WFED
professionals may have been “targeted” during the
diffusion of an innovation.

10. Change Agents…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ATKY2g2YA

11. Communication Campaigns
The term derives from military origins and from
Latin meaning “to go to the field”. Military
terminology, like “target”, for example, still is
utilized in describing campaigns. So a campaign
is purposive, intended to bring about certain
specific effects.”
Diffusion of Innovations
Chapter 9
pp 378-379

12. Assignment 2
Please share a communication campaign related
to WFED you believe was successful and explain
why you feel that way.

13. Change Agents…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFxOEBTPzo
A&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL95
0F973150855EEA

14. The Use of Opinion Leaders
Opinion Leadership is the degree to which an
individual is able to influence other individuals’
attitudes or overt behavior in a desired way with a
relatively high frequency.
Diffusion of Innovations
Chapter 9
Page 388

15. Assignment 3
Describe a time when you were influenced by an
Opinion Leader.
or
Describe a time when you were used as an
Opinion Leader.

16. More on Opinion Leaders…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUE84Y22eUg

17. Assignment 4
Rogers states, “Change agents usually posses a high degree
of expertise regarding the innovations that are being
diffused. Change agency personnel may have a Ph.D….
Their superior know-how actually poses a barrier making
it difficult for them to communicate directly with clients.”
Diffusion of Innovations
Chapter 9
Page 368
How do you feel about the above comments?

18. Assignment 5
Please take a moment to comment on two of the
videos included in this presentation.

19. What can change do for you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc