Example Of Diffusion Of Innovation Theory Essay

Application of the Diffusion of Innovations Theory

Diffusion of innovation theory seeks to explain why, how and the rate at which new technology and ideas spread across cultures. This paper addresses the application of this theory in injury prevention intervention. Injury prevention equals an effort to avert or minimize the severity of body injuries inflicted by external forces like accidents, before the occurrence (Greenhalgh et al, 2004). Its goal mainly is improving the health of the population through prevention of injuries therefore improving the quality of life. There are many interventions to prevent injuries one of them being home safety. Home safety aims at reducing injury risks where we live. Sensitizing society on home safety is vital owing to the fact that kids and adolescents spend more hours there. Diffusion manifests in various ways depending on the innovation (Harting et al, 09). Home safety as an innovation should be applied wherever we dwell. Proper, new and advanced know-how should be employed for easier adoption. Adopters range from innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. The innovator who is the initiator has home safety intervention as the innovation. Emphasis and efforts should be made to ensure a majority of early adopters and the early majority. They also act as proper ambassadors to late majority and laggards (Cheng, Kao & Lin, 2004). Potential adopters may be influenced by many issues among them environmental contexts or settings. They may be internal for example prejudice or external in nature for example religion.Diffusion of innovation theory is strong in that it recognizes the process of disseminating information to the society, that is, how, why and at what rate. This ensures the proper, efficient flow of information. Identification of different types of adapters enables the fast, efficient passage of knowledge. This is because no much time is wasted on laggards.

References

Cheng, J. M., Kao, L. L., & Lin, J. Y. C. (2004). An investigation of the diffusion of online games in Taiwan: An application of Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory. Journal of American Academy of Business, 5(1/2), 439-445.
Greenhalgh, T., Robert, G., Macfarlane, F., Bate, P., & Kyriakidou, O. (2004). Diffusion of innovations in service organizations: systematic review and recommendations. Milbank Quarterly, 82(4), 581-629.
Harting, J., Rutten, G. M., Rutten, S. T., & Kremers, S. P. (2009). A qualitative application of the diffusion of innovations theory to examine determinants of guideline adherence among physical therapists. Physical Therapy, 89(3), 221-232.