5 Stage of ROGES’ (1995) Innovation-Decision Process Model

INTRODUCTION

Book Diffusion of Innovation written by Rogers explains details about adoption model. In his model, Rogers always use the words “technology” and “innovation” because when we discuss about diffusion, it related to technological innovation.

In his book, Rogers define “a technology is a design for instrumental action that reduces the uncertainty in the cause-effect relationships involved in achieving a desired outcome”. It is composed of two parts: hardware and software. While hardware is “the tool that embodies the technology in the form of a material or physical object,” software is “the information base for the tool”. In other word we can say that the technology is the best method that the producer use to produce output. The better technology is it able to produce a large quantity of output per hour.

Innovation, Roger stated it is “an idea, practice, or object perceived as new by the individual”. The word “perceived as a new by the individual” is the important character to characterize the particular invention as an innovation. In other word, the innovation is the action to commercialize the original invention or basic idea so that it easy for the society to adopt the idea and use it to gain a benefit.

PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3)

PlayStation 3 (PS3) is the best example of technological innovation. Sony has produce PlayStation 1 (PS1) and PlayStation (PS2) before they come with the new innovation of PS3 (optical drive) attach with the high technology of Blu-ray. Previously, Sony introduced PS1 with using the technology of VCD (optical drive) and after that they came with the new innovation of product, PS2 with using the technology of DVD (optical drive). The latest innovation of Sony is they introduce PS3 with the variety of up to date technology. Additionally, the technology is not only upgrading the quality of product but attach with a high security to restrict the piracy activity. People perceived PS3 as a new product is because of the new technological innovation from Sony. But, actually it is not a new product. It is just the upgrading from the previous product (PS1 and PS2). We can make a sense that the PS3 is an innovation product because it is not a new product but it comes with a new technology as a refreshment of PS2.

5 STAGES OF ROGES’ (1995) INNOVATION-DECISION PROCESS MODEL

Innovation-Decision process model explain the process of adoption for every existed innovation in a market. Rogers said the innovation-decision process is “an information-seeking and information-processing activity, where an individual is motivated to reduce uncertainty about the advantages and disadvantages of an innovation”. He added the innovation-decision process involve five steps which are knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation.

The Knowledge Stage

This model starts with the knowledge stage which is stage that an individual learns about existence of innovation and find out what it’s all about. During this phase, the individual attempts to determine “what the innovation is and how and why it works” (Rogers, 2003, p. 21). There are three types of knowledge which are awareness-knowledge, how-to-knowledge, and principles-knowledge.

Awareness-knowledge is a knowledge that shows the existence of innovation. From this type of knowledge also, it can provoke individual to learn more about the innovation and at the same time to implement it. Meanwhile, how-to-knowledge is about how to use an innovation correctly. This knowledge is important because even though we have the technology but we didn’t know how to use it, it will become an obligation. Therefore, how-to-knowledge is all about teaching how to use the technology. Every individual should have a sufficient level of how to knowledge to increase the adoption chances of innovation. Next is principles knowledge which is it telling how and how an innovation works. Even though without knowing this kind knowledge, an innovation still can go on but a chance to misuse its may cause discontinuance.

Lets us take the innovation of the new PS3 which was introduced by Sony. The early of it existence, people who aware of it are encourage to get to know what is the innovation that PS3 brought and what was the different of PS3 compare to the PS2. In other word, the awareness of it encourages people to know what that innovation is and how is it work.

PS3 is the innovation of PS2 and PS1. So, the consumer who already used the PS2 and PS1 actually we can say that they categorize as a people which have “awareness-knowledge” where they already know the basic thing of what the technological innovation of PS3 is and also know the basic of using PS3. The knowledge of PS1 and PS2 makes them encourage learning more about the innovation of PS3 and have a potential to adopt the innovation.

After they know roughly about PS3, the next step, they are starting to seek the information on how to use it wisely. The successful to get to know the knowledge of using it wisely is important because it will increase the probability that the innovation are going adopt. The reason is, it actually contribute on the utility maximizing in using PS3 because they will gain the pleasure in enjoying the PS3 entertainment.

It is not enough just to know how to use PS3. The knowledge will be perfect if they know on how and why the PS3 work. They start to learn on the characters of Blu-ray optical drive, the function of PS3’s CPU, the free wire of joystick and so on.

The Persuasion Stage

The persuasion occurs when an individual already know about the innovation. It is an attitude that response a negative or positive attitude toward the innovation. This stage follows the knowledge stage in the innovation-decision process.

Again we take the PS3 as our example in this stage. The consequence of the first stage, from the knowledge did the people get, they will express the early of their perception whether it is positive or negative perception about PS3. But it is just an early perception and it doesn’t mean that they will totally reject the innovation of PS3. Example of the positive attitude about the PS3 is like they satisfy the innovation of PS3 and spread and share the good information about PS3 to the society. Example of the negative attitude about PS3 is like they unsatisfied the innovation of PS3 where the PS3 cannot read the piracy optical drive because the blu-ray cannot be copy write in easy way. However, they still try to collect the information about PS3 but it is different to the first stage. They collect the information by asking the opinions of other people about the innovation.

The Decision Stage

At the decision stage, the individual decide whether to accept or reject the innovation. There is two types of rejection which is active rejection and passive rejection. An individual is already try the innovation and considering whether to adapt it or not even though in the end he or she decide that do not adopt it is call active rejection. Meanwhile, passive rejection is an individual is not think to adapt at all the innovation.

Continue with the example of PS3 at the second stage, most of the consumers accept the PS3 because of their fresh innovation. PS3 is comes with the very new technology that able to maximize the satisfaction of their consumer. There is a large different between PS3 and PS2. Although the price is quite expensive, the pleasure of playing PS3 games able to compensate the expensive price. It is not only consumers accept the PS3, the producer who publish the Blu-ray’s disc games also adopt this innovation. The reason is the PS3 use Blu-ray optical drive which the blu-ray technology is very high securities that may restrict particular parties to copy write the dics. This is the extra ordinary of PS3. The first launch of PS3, Sony did an event to shows the demo of PS3. The first day of PS3 release in the market, just an hour, the PS3 was sold out. The PS3 is adopted until today.

But just a minority of the people who reject the PS3 because the innovation is “anti-piracy” (cannot be easily copy write). The result, the consumer cannot get the disc games pirate. They actually buy the pirate disc because it is cheaper than the original disc.

The Implementation Stage

At the implementation stage, an innovation is put into practice. However, reinvention which is the new idea discovered which bring changes or modify the innovation by individual that using the innovation. The more reinvention take place, the more rapid an innovation is adapting and become institutionalized.

Again we continue the example of PS3 above. In this stage, consumer is playing the PS3 games to get the pleasure did they expect before. The highest rating of PS3 games is Metal Gear Solid 4. PS3 is still new in the market and consumers are in practicing to use it correctly. Consumers may need a guide line from Sony on how to play PS3 and gain the pleasure. Sony realizes on this condition, and they react by always updating the information on how to use the PS3 correctly. Consumer will follow the information do Sony gives.

So far, PS3 doing a good performance because until know there is no problem happen and the technology of blu-ray with its high security still tough and it is difficult for the piracy to pirate the disc games. Although PS3 doing a good job in the market, in this stage, Sony is start collecting the information of PS3’s weakness by requiring the respond or comment from the consumers. From that information, Sony may do the reinvention or the new innovation for their next new product.

The Confirmation Stage

At the confirmation stage, an individual is searching for support the decision that already make. Discontinuance may exist in this stage in two ways which is replacement discontinuance and disenchantment discontinuance. In replacement discontinuance, an individual is rejecting the innovation and replace it with others innovation. Furthermore, disenchantment discontinuance happen when an individual reject the innovation caused that individual is not satisfied with the innovation or the innovation does not meet the need that he or she wants.

Regarding to the example of PS3 above, actually the innovation of PS3 is already made where most of the people adopt the innovation. But it is not a full stop of its innovation. While consumers enjoy Playing PS3, at the same time, they required disc games producing continuously or extra accessory of PS3 to support their decision of adopting the innovation. In other word, they meet what the want. It is important to make sure PS3 can survive in the market in the long life time.

CONCLUSION

The process of adopting the innovation is influence by the current trend, the culture of particular society and the behavior or interest of every person. Before doing the innovation, the innovator should research and study these three influences to avoid the innovation rejected later. A better innovation is it contributes a pleasure to the consumers and brings the new paradigm of technological innovation.