Using the analytical logic underlying the classical adopter categorization approach proposed by Rogers, the authors suggest that adopter categories for a product innovation can also be developed by using other well-established diffusion models such as the Bass model. With data on 11 consumer durable products, they compare adopter categories generated by the classical approach and the Bass diffusion model, respectively. An application examining the diffusion of personal computers is documented to illustrate the usefulness of the adopter categorization based on the Bass diffusion model in studying differences among adopter categories.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BassFrank M. (1969), “A New Product Growth Model for Consumer Durables,”Management Science, 15 (January), 215–27.
2.
BassFrank M. (1986), “The Adoption of a Marketing Model: Comments and Observations,” in Innovation Diffusion Models of New Product Acceptance, MahajanVijay, and WindYoram, eds. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger Publishing Co.
3.
BurtRonald S. (1973), “The Differential Impact of Social Integration on Participation in the Diffusion of Innovations,”Social Science Research, 2, 125–44.
4.
DickersonMary Dee, and GentryJames W. (1983), “Characteristics of Adopters and Non-Adopters of Home Computers,”Journal of Consumer Research, 10 (September), 225–35.
5.
EngelJames E., BlackwellRoger D., and MiniardPaul W. (1986), Consumer Behavior, 5th ed.Hinsdale, IL: Dryden Press.
6.
FeickLawrence F., and PriceLinda L. (1987), “The Market Maven: A Diffuser of Marketplace Information,”Journal of Marketing, 51 (January), 83–97.
7.
GatignonHubert A., EliashbergJehoshua, and RobertsonThomas S. (1989), “Modeling Multinational Diffusion Patterns: An Efficient Methodology,”Marketing Science, forthcoming.
8.
GatignonHubert A., and RobertsonThomas S. (1985), “A Propositional Inventory for New Diffusion Research,”Journal of Consumer Research, 11 (March), 849–67.
9.
HeelerRoger M., and HustadThomas P. (1980), “Problems in Predicting New Product Growth for Consumer Durables,”Management Science, 26 (October), 1007–20.
10.
JohnsonN. I., and KotzS. (1970), Continuous Univariate Distributions, Part I. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
11.
KotlerPhilip, and ZaltmanGerald (1986), “Targeting Prospects for a New Product,”Journal of Advertising Research, 16 (February), 7–20.
12.
LekvallP., and WahlbinC. (1973), “A Study of Some Assumptions Underlying Innovation Diffusion Functions,”Swedish Journal of Economics, 75, 362–77.
13.
MahajanVijay, MasonCharlotte H., and SrinivasanV. (1986), “An Evaluation of Estimation Procedures for New Product Diffusion Models,” in Innovation Diffusion Models of New Product Acceptance, MahajanVijay, and WindYoram, eds. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger Publishing Co.
14.
MahajanVijay, and MullerEitan (1979), “Innovation Diffusion and New Product Growth Models in Marketing,”Journal of Marketing, 43 (Fall), 55–68.
15.
MahajanVijay, and PetersonRobert A. (1985), Models for Innovation Diffusion.Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.
16.
MidgleyDavid F., and DowlingGrahame R. (1978), “Innovativeness: The Concept and Measurement,”Journal of Consumer Research, 4 (March), 229–42.
17.
OlshavskyRichard W. (1980), “Time and the Rate of Adoption of Innovation,”Journal of Consumer Research, 6 (March), 425–8.
18.
PetersonRobert A. (1973), “A Note on Optimal Adopter Category Determination,”Journal of Marketing Research, 10 (August), 325–9.
19.
RaoAmbar G., and YamadaMasataka (1988), “Forecasting with a Repeat Purchase Diffusion Model,”Management Science, 34 (June), 734–52.
20.
RogersEverett M. (1983), Diffusion of Innovations, 3rd ed.New York: The Free Press.
21.
SchmittleinDavid C., and MahajanVijay (1982), “Maximum Likelihood Estimation for an Innovation Diffusion Model of New Product Acceptance,”Marketing Science, 1 (Winter), 57–78.
22.
SrinivasanV., and MasonCharlotte H. (1986), “Nonlinear Least Squares Estimation of New Product Diffusion Models,”Marketing Science, 5 (Spring), 169–78.
23.
SrivastavaRajendra K., MahajanVijay, RamaswamiSridhar N., and CherianJoseph (1985), “A Multi-Attribute Diffusion Model for Forecasting the Adoption of Investment Alternatives for Consumers,”Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 26 (December), 325–33.
24.
TannyS. M., and DerzkoN. A. (1988), “Innovators and Imitators in Innovation Diffusion Modelling,”Journal of Forecasting, 7 (4), 225–34.
25.
ZiemerDouglas R. (1985), “Growth and Saturation Scenarios: A Practical Application of Diffusion Theory,” presented at ORAS/TIMS Conference, Atlanta (November).
