Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Expansion Diffusion
When a cultural trait, such as a religion, spreads, it typi-
cally does so from a hearth. Islam's hearth was on the
Arabian Peninsula, and from there, Islam diffused to
Egypt and North Africa, through Southwest Asia, and
into West Africa. This is a case of
expansion diffusion
,
when an innovation or idea develops in a hearth and
remains strong there while also spreading outward.
Geographers classify diffusion processes into two broad
categories: expansion diffusion and relocation diffusion.
In the case of expansion diffusion, an innovation or idea
develops in a hearth and remains strong there while also
spreading outward (Fig. 1.22).
Expansion diffusion takes several forms. The sili-
con bands that are different shapes and colors, like an
animal, a football, or a continent, and that stretch into
bracelets are called Silly Bandz. Robert Croak, a busi-
nessman from Toledo, Ohio, invented the bands in 2008
after seeing similar rubber bands produced by a Japanese
company when he was at a trade show in China. The vast
majority of Croak's marketing came from
contagious
diffusion
, a form of expansion diffusion in which nearly
all adjacent individuals and places are affected. One child
had Silly Bandz, and the next day, many more children in
his classroom would have the bracelets.
Croak already had a company, Brainchild Products,
that sold silicon awareness bracelets, and he worked with
his Chinese supplier to create Silly Bandz. Croak trade-
marked the name and launched a website in the summer of
2008. Without spending any money on marketing, Croak
started a Facebook page. Between the website and the
Facebook page, the demand for Silly Bandz diffused conta-
giously and quickly.
Business Week
reports the company that
once shipped 24 boxes a day out of its Toledo headquarters
now ships 1500 boxes a day. Croak reports Silly Bandz are
“carried in approximately 18,000 stores in 25 states.”
Although several other competitors quickly entered
the market, the demand for Croak's Silly Bandz increased
in stores. Croak now offers Silly Bandz in partnership
with celebrities and companies, including Justin Bieber.
A. Contag ious Diffusion
LEGEND
Hearth
Early diffusion
Later diffusion
Important person
or place
Figure 1.22
Contagious and Hierarchical Diffusion.
No diffusion
© E. H. Fouberg,
B. Hierarchial Diffusion
A. B. Murphy, H. J. de Blij, and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
