Deck 5: The Adoption and Diffusion of Technological Innovations

Question 1

Who is the author of the book Diffusion of Innovations (1962), which is considered one of the most influential texts in the diffusion field of study?

A) Diamond
B) Rogers
C) Dvorak
D) Nelida

Answer 1

B

Question 2

What was one of the main criticisms of the early models of the diffusion of innovations?

A) They posited that diffusion was solely a matter of the readiness of the social system.
B) They failed to take into account the influence of early adopters and their cultural norms.
C) They did not consider the social capital of their participants.
D) They focused too much on the machine as a tool.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The reason why pottery has several independent origins of invention throughout history is:

A) of the sophistication of design involved
B) creating pottery involves the handling of a raw material, in this case clay
C) it requires the integration of various domains of knowledge with technical skills
D) every society that makes pottery learned the procedure from another region

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The first few centuries of Japan's relationship with guns are a good example of what?

A) Ease of invention
B) Interconnectedness
C) Interrelatedness
D) Technological regression

Question 5

Uncertainty and _________ are concepts central to the diffusion process in the innovation-decision process as postulated by Rogers?

A) information
B) innovation
C) adoption
D) technology

Question 6

What is the correct order of stages in the innovation-decision process?

A) Persuasion, knowledge, implementation, decision, confirmation
B) Persuasion, knowledge, decision, implementation, confirmation
C) Knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, confirmation
D) Knowledge, decision, persuasion, implementation, confirmation

Question 7

What is one of the factors that influence people when they decide on whether or not to adopt an innovation?

A) The amount of money associated with the ad campaign aimed at promoting the innovation
B) The adoption rate among members of their immediate family
C) The percentage of gatekeepers who are in their social sphere
D) Information received about the innovation through communication channels

Question 8

Fitbits and similar tracking tools have become very trendy. In a study of the effects of trackers on weight loss, the key finding was: ________.

A) neither those with trackers nor a control group with no trackers lost weight
B) those with trackers and a control group with no trackers lost equal weight
C) those with trackers lost less weight than a control group with no trackers
D) those with trackers lost more weight than a control group with no trackers

Question 9

What describes the level of proficiency needed to comprehend the workings of a technology and its ease of use?

A) Compatibility
B) Complexity
C) Comprehendability
D) Skill set

Question 10

With what possibility does observability provide potential adopters?

A) To gather evidence about an innovation's value and potential risk through prior experience
B) To gain a greater understanding of the impact of the innovation on those who are less fortunate
C) To change the way the innovation is designed
D) To observe and discuss the innovation

Question 11

What is the most commonly utilized, though not the most effective form of communication for the purpose of diffusing an innovation?

A) Mass media
B) Interpersonal communication
C) Socio-technical personal conversation
D) Social group interactions

Question 12

One type of knowledge not relevant to the knowledge stage of the innovation-decision process is ________.

A) practical knowledge
B) awareness knowledge
C) principle knowledge
D) how-to knowledge

Question 13

What may potential adopters decide to do during the persuasion stage?

A) Reject the innovation
B) Adopt the innovation
C) Seek out information about the innovation
D) Test the innovation for a while

Question 14

What would be an example of "trial by others"?

A) lending your copy of a new videogame to a friend to see what she thinks of it
B) giving your mom your old smartphone
C) asking your friend how she likes her new smartphone
D) buying your friend a new iPad Pro so she can test it out

Question 15

What may happen to conclusions about an innovation's acceptance rates if researchers do not consider discontinuance?

A) They may be grossly underestimated.
B) They may be undervalued.
C) They may be overestimated.
D) They may be underestimated.

Question 16

AI assistants such as Alexa are becoming more widely used in homes. One aspect of their adoption and diffusion that is considered a potential drawback is ________.

A) how Alexa can replace human-to-human contact
B) how Alexa can make the use of other tools unnecessary
C) how Alexa can facilitate for surveillance and monitoring of users
D) how Alexa can replace the telephone.

Question 17

An adopter who acts as an interconnector is likely to be a part of this adopter group: _______.

A) early adopters
B) early majority
C) late majority
D) gatekeepers

Question 18

Which social group is the very first to adopt innovations?

A) Innovators
B) Early majority
C) Early adopters
D) Opinion brokers

Question 19

Which of the following characteristics describes laggards?

A) They like to try new things if they know there is an economic gain for them.
B) They associate with people who share their values.
C) They have high levels of social capital.
D) They have high levels of cultural capital.

Question 20

Which of the following factors is central for the diffusion of innovations?

A) Having a critical mass of adopters
B) Developing a technology with a clear relative advantage
C) Understanding how laggards think about technology
D) Pushing those who are reluctant of an innovation to adopt quickly

Question 21

"Diffusion" is the term used for a group's decision to start using an innovation to achieve a specific goal.

Question 22

Geographical location is not a factor in a society's adoption of a new technology.

Question 23

Rogers followed in the steps of sociologists of the past when he was studying the spread of agricultural innovations, by focussing on the social factors that influenced adoption.

Question 24

One domain that AI assistants are to revolutionize is consumer choice.

Question 25

The diffusion of innovations theory has been praised as it describes in detail the innovation-decision process within organizations.

Question 26

Apple has always had a great relation with its early adopters.

Question 27

Research in the diffusion of innovations is similar to other types of research in the social sciences in terms of its emphasis on time.

Question 28

Potential adopters of an innovation will actively seek out information during the persuasion stage of the innovation-decision process.

Question 29

Gatekeeping and opinion leadership roles are absent in the early majority adoption category.

Question 30

When analyzing innovation, the OECD stressed identity as one of the areas in which governments worldwide are moving.

Question 31

List the drawbacks of engaging in self-tracking through the use of tools like the Fitbit.

Question 32

List the four main elements detailed by Rogers (2003) as being part of the diffusion of innovations model.

Question 33

What are the three different types of knowledge present in the knowledge stage of the innovation-decision process? Explain each.

Question 34

Explain what characteristics of AI assistants makes these tools a good choice for consumers.

Question 35

Give an example of how social theory on the adoption and diffusion of technological innovations can be applied to market research.

Question 36

Compare and contrast gatekeepers, opinion leaders, and interconnectors in terms of the adoption of innovation curve. Define the terms and use examples.

Question 37

The government of Canada has taken a bold approach by financially supporting superclusters. Explain what superclusters are and how they operate. Discuss what elements of the way that the government of Canada has set up these superclusters will facilitate real innovation and new technology development. Are there any important challenges that need to be considered that the government has overlooked in how it has developed the program?