Explain the Diffusion of Innovations Theory as posited by Everett Rogers

“A good idea doesn't win simply because it is good, it must be presented properly if it is to win.”-Josef Goebbels

Everyday around the world, people are doing something new from fashion to food, from science to art; there is a constant frenzy of creative people developing new ideas, creating new apps, producing new gadgets and technology for almost everything. The internet is buzzing with new information, advancements, updates and upgrades that are coming in by the second. The amazing thing is, people are eager to share their ideas and knowledge with the rest of the world and today thanks to internet and other social media; a lot of people are able to do just that. Advertisers are on the other hand left with the task of pushing all these ideas into the consciousness of people in the bid to capture the imagination of global audiences.

One of the theories which explains how innovation can be propagated through channels to a particular target audience to gain their acceptance is the Diffusion of Innovations Theory as propounded by Everett Rogers.

He explains diffusion as the process by which an innovation is communicated through channels of communication over time among the members of a social system. Diffusion is a special type of communication concerned with the spread of messages that are perceived as new ideas.  An innovation on the other hand is an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption. The characteristics of an innovation, as perceived by the members of a social system, determine its rate of adoption.  

The Diffusion of Innovations theory can therefore be explained in my personal parlance as the ability for any new idea, advancement in thinking or technology to be accepted by a particular society, it must be done through the use of creative communication channels. It involves the skill, knowledge and expertise used to ensure that an idea is able to touch base with the people it is intended for by making utmost use of the correct communication platforms available to sell the idea. The success of an advertising campaign also relies largely on the ability of the creators of the message to make it relatable enough to the social system or context the innovation is going to be used in.

This means that new ideas should make sense in the context and environment it is being used in. New ideas will not miraculously gain societal acceptance until they are somehow pushed and driven into the minds of people to accept and adopt it as the norm. Even this process of adoption does not happen at once for everyone as everyone’s rate of processing information is different. An excellent use of the right communication channel will ensure that the message is able to penetrate the barriers of the personal, cultural, environmental and religious consciousness of the audience that may be obstacles. The process of diffusion is one that allows the information to be broken down, simplified and spread from one person to another.

Tigo’s drop the yam advert is a classic example of the diffusion of innovation theory at work. The advert took a slice of the Ghanaian culture and expression and found a way to promote technology with it. This advert made it easy for Ghanaians to relate the need for smart phones with everyday hence making it easy to relate with. It therefore took the Ghanaian context or pre-existing mode of thinking to propel or sell a new idea.

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What, Jesus?

by Ryan Duncan, Crosswalk.com Entertainment Editor

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." – Matthew 3:16-17 

It was Sunday morning, and I was making my way to my seat at church, when I happened to glance at the program. The title of the day’s sermon was short and to the point, “Jesus”. What happened next embarrassed me more than I can say. I looked at the title again and said to myself,

“Jesus? Why are we talking about that?”

C.S. Lewis once cautioned readers about how easy it is to start using Christianity as a convenience. The center of our faith can easily slip from Jesus sacrifice to preserving marriage, social justice, tithing, or a hundred other things Satan can use to distract us from God. The truth is that everything written down in the Bible, everything we believe as Christians, can be summed up in John 14.         

"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father '? "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves." Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. – John 14:7-13 

Jesus wasn’t just a great teacher, He wasn’t some vague Jewish mystic, He was God. Through His life and death, we are finally reconciled with our Creator. Nothing else, no politics or policy, is more important than that. As long as we remember that, we will remember Jesus.      
Intersecting Faith and Life: Have you allowed something minor to take your attention away from Christ? Take a moment to examine where the priorities of your faith lay.  
Further Reading
John 14

A TRIP WHERE YOU DISCOVERED SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF OR A PLACE YOU VISITED THAT YOU WEREN’T AWARE OF

CONTINUTATION.....

The next day I was greeted with the sound of the crowing cock which isn’t something you hear in the city very often. The atmosphere smelled pure and refreshing. My cousins immediately walked up to me and asked if I needed anything; they were practically at my beck and call. It felt so comforting with a piece of stick in my mouth that we broken from the branch of a tree in my uncles compound, I decided to join my cousins to go and fetch water from the stream nearby. 

The paths that lead to the stream was green and lush with trees and plants and the aroma of the bush filled my nostril. Once in a while I would see strange looking insects and animals. When we got back, I agreed to accompany my uncle, my dad and some of my older cousins to the farm while my mum, aunty and little cousins and brothers stayed behind prepare breakfast. After walking for over a mile or so through, bushes and forests, we reached the farm. It was my first of being to a farm. 

It was incredible how such a small family such as my uncles, was able to cultivate such a large piece of land. The farm stretched as far as the eye could see. They had all kinds of crops and vegetables. On one side were palm trees and mango trees, on the side were cocoyam, cassava, yam, maize and beans. They also had a snail farm. I wasn’t accustomed to farm work, but I tried to do the best I could, after trying to week and harvest some yams, it was obvious I wasn’t good at it. They worked really thoroughly on the farm and seemed to take it very seriously. 

It reminded me of how many times I had complained when I had been asked my parents to do something and I would grumble and complain even though what I was normally asked to do didn’t even come close to this one. I realized how hard they worked, yet how happy they were about it and still they managed to go school and study. Back in Accra most kids couldn’t even hold a cutlass, yet they would rather spend time watching TV than read their book. I realized how disadvantaged we really were even though we seemed to be enjoying.

TO BE CONTINUED....

A TRIP WHERE YOU DISCOVERED SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF OR A PLACE YOU VISITED THAT YOU WEREN’T AWARE OF

CONTINUATION....

After the 3hour drive we got off the bus after my dad yelled to the driver to stop at Ve-Deme. It was late afternoon by the time we got there and even though it seemed like a pretty remote village, there was some commercial activity going on. The folks seemed really friendly and welcoming. A few kids wanted to help us with our luggage which I held on to very tightly, even though it was heavy. Seconds later, an old gray haired man approached and shook my dad, they seemed quite pleased to see each other and after exchanging greetings.

The rest of the day was spent, greeting family members I didn’t even know existed, and hanging out with my new found cousins. They seemed pretty interesting; even though they weren’t too educated they seemed to have a lot of common sense, something we city boys seemed to lack. They knew so much about the town and the names of everyone in every house, like the whole village was one family. It reminded me of how everybody minded their own business in the city. Even though we spoke the same language, theirs seemed much stronger and seasoned; I felt really ignorant speaking with them and was amazed at how much they knew about our culture and people. 

I had spent all my life learning about someone else’s culture and neglecting my very own. Suddenly, I began to feel at home. The void I felt before didn’t feel so empty anymore. As the night wore on, we exchanged stories about our worlds and the more I listened the more I amazed I was. They were also very fascinated about my world too. I tried to describe the city to them, how busy it was and how there were tall building everywhere with people dressed in suits and ties and how every seemed so serious going about their. On the contrary, this place was peaceful, everybody waved and smile and greeted each other. They would spend time asking about the family and among other things.

TO BE CONTINUED.....