Quality Evaluation Models - High Level Models and Methodologies for Information Systems - page 103

conducted on knowledge management systems (KMS). This allowed for SCT to
add the important behavioral element that TTF lacks, which has been the most often
criticized aspect of the model.

6.8 Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT)

The innovation diffusion theory (IDT) has its origin in the social psychological

research area, and it was designed to explain the practices of adoption, to explore
prediction mechanisms and to help with the anticipation of whether a new technology
will be successful, and in what way. Originally outlined by Rogers and Shoemaker
( 1971 ), it was continually revised in later editions of his work, and its use to explain IT
adoption patterns is widely documented in several studies (Wang et al. 2012 ).
The IDT is conceptualized primarily as a process, designated the innovation

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decision process, which consists of a set of five consecutive stages of user expe-

rience. Knowledge is the stage at which the user is first exposed to the innovation

and learns how it works. Persuasion is the second stage, when the user forms an
opinion and attitude toward the innovation. Decision happens when the user takes
actions that lead to either the adoption or rejection of the innovation. Implemen-
tation occurs when the user effectively puts the innovation to use. Finally, con

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mation is the stage at which the user looks for a reinforcement of his/her decision; at
this stage, it is also possible to reverse that decision (Rogers 1983 ) (Fig. 6.9 ).
This process is initiated on the basis of prior conditions that involve a combi-
nation of needs, perceptions, and past experiences of the user, with the social
system and environmental context in which the user is active. However, it is not
clear whether the need for innovation precedes the knowledge of the innovation, or
vice versa, since it is possible that the user never realized he needed that innovation
until he learned about it (Rogers 1983 ).
What is crucial to the IDT is that once users contact with new technology that
can bene t them directly, they will obtain, as well as disseminate, information on

that technology that will shape their (and others ) decision to adopt it or reject it. In

this particular stage of the process, the IDT emphasizes the importance of early
knowers, those who

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first gain knowledge of the innovation, as research suggests
that people who are involved in early adoption are more self-con dent and tend to

be more positive than later adopters (Jackson et al. 2013 ).
Another aspect that is essential to understand the IDT is the role of communi-
cation channels in disseminating the information about the innovation along all the
stages of the decision process. Communication channels can be constituted by
either the mass media or interpersonal exchange. At the first stage of the process

(knowledge), the mass media tend to play a bigger role, but interpersonal com-
munication is fundamental at the later stages (Rogers 1983 ).
IDT is fundamentally based on the premise that new technology is adopted and
accepted through the reduction of incertitude. When faced with an innovative
technology, people try to obtain information about it and organize what they have