Understanding discontinuance: Towards a more realistic model of technological innovation and industrial adoption in Britain

The paper outlines the ideas and theory behind a recently begun research project. The project consists of an investigation of the complexities, and particularly the problems, inherent in introducing technological innovation into production systems in industry. The practical and theoretical need for work of this kind is examined and the character and focus of the proposed investigation sketched. The concept of “discontinuance” is analysed and seen to apply both to the cessation of innovation production by a supplier and the termination of innovation usage by an adoptor. Rogers and Shoemaker's (1971) division of adoptor discontinuance into “replacement” and “disenchantment” discontinuance is considered and reformulated using the terms “replacement adoption”, “negative changeover effects” and “regressive discontinuance”. Finally, a number of models both of innovation development and innovation adoption are considered, synthesized and revised. An initial framework for the comprehension of innovation development and adoption is sketched and some of the potentially important issues therein are highlighted.