The late take-off phenomenon in the diffusion of telecommunication services: network effect and the critical mass

Telecommunication services are distinctive in that their adoptions are influenced by network effect resulting in the late take-off phenomenon and the critical mass problem. In this paper we examined the late take-off phenomenon in the diffusion process of telecommunication services. We first compared the parameters of the diffusion process of consumer durables with those of fax services in the US and Korea. By analyzing the parameters of a new diffusion model based on the threshold model proposed by Markus, we found that the late take-off phenomenon resulted from the low heterogeneity of the threshold distribution for the potential adopters. A simulation approach was proposed for the theoretical implication of the critical mass problem in the start-up telecommunications services.     

Investigation of the effect of secondary market on the diffusion of innovation

In the high-tech product market, the number of hungry adopters, a new type of early adopters who buy new products and sell them soon in the on- or off-line secondary market to seek for the other new products, has been increasing due to the short product life cycle of high-tech products and the low transaction cost on the Internet. This new phenomenon means that it is inappropriate to consider customers only in the primary market as total adopters in innovation diffusion modeling, since purchasers in the secondary market also have a word-of-mouth effect on the remaining non-adopters. To explain this new phenomenon, we modify the basic Bass diffusion model by incorporating the effect of the secondary market and conduct an empirical analysis. As a result, we conclude that the basic Bass model is likely to overestimate sales volume and tends to forecast lagged peak time when there is an effect from the secondary market. This means that applying a diffusion model to high-tech products without considering the secondary market effect would provide an inaccurate market forecast.     

Identification of effective opinion leaders in the diffusion of technological innovation: A social network approach

Opinion leaders are the people in a social network who have the greatest influence on other people's acknowledgment or adoption of products/services in the diffusion process of technological innovation. In this research, we investigate which opinion leader is the best marketing choice in terms of diffusion speed and maximum cumulative number of adopters, using a social network approach and threshold model. On the basis of the simulation result, we find that opinion leaders with high sociality are the best ones for fast diffusion, whereas those with high distance centrality are the best ones for the maximum cumulative number of adopters. Moreover, we conclude that the characteristics of effective opinion leaders selected as initial adopters could vary depending on the characteristics of the social network and type of innovation. Finally, we find that opinion leaders affect the diffusion process only when the percentage of initial adopters reaches a critical mass.     

双边间接网络效应对平台产品扩散与定价的作用研究

本文在BASS扩散模型的基础上,引入双边间接网络效应的作用,建立平台产品的扩散模型。研究发现:双边间接网络效应产生潜在的市场规模扩张,其和市场单边自扩散共同作用,使得平台产品的扩散形态可能呈单峰或多峰形状。按双边扩散表现为相互制约还是相互促进,平台产品市场扩散可分为潜在市场规模扩张起飞前和潜在市场规模扩张起飞后两个阶段。平台运营者需要正确判断产品扩散所处的阶段,谨慎制定正确的定价策略。     

Drivers of diffusion of consumer products: empirical evidence from the digital audio player market

We empirically study the factors affecting the timing of adoption of a consumer technology. We account for four possible effects (epidemic, probit, stock, and order effect) in relation to the diffusion of portable digital audio players (DAPs) using an original dataset of several hundred potential adopters from eight European countries and Japan. Our findings suggest that each one of these effects, which are often incorporated into competing models of diffusion, contribute to explain the diffusion of DAPs. Thus while researches informed by a specific approach to the study of innovation diffusion could lead to important results, they also run the risk of accounting for only a part of the phenomenon. This consideration highlights the quest for a more comprehensive approach to diffusion studies.     

A note on the diffusion of innovation

The paper deals with the process of substitution between technologies in a framework of increasing returns to scale. The approach stresses the interaction between capacity expansion and market demand as explanations of the diffusion of technologies into their niches. The demand and supply sides of the diffusion process are therefore brought together to determine simultaneously patterns of output and prices.It analyzes the dynamics of the substitution path, where a logistic diffusion process for the new technology is assumed, and determines the substitution curve between the old technology and the new one.     

Polynomial innovation diffusion models

In an earlier paper [42] the authors presented a comprehensive evaluation and extensions of available causal models of “binomial type” for describing the time pattern of the innovation diffusion processes. The binomial models are based on the assumption that the entire population can be divided into two groups—adopters of an innovation and the potential adopters—such that eventually everyone adopts the innovation and an innovation once adopted is never rejected. However, many examples can be cited where this assumption is unrealistic. Therefore this paper presents some polynomial innovation diffusion models that are less restrictive compared with the binomial models. The paper also shows the link between the polynomial diffusion process and the multilevel technological substitution process.     

A non-homogeneous non-uniform influence model of innovation diffusion

A model of innovation diffusion which gives unequal weightage to the adopters of different temporal stages and captures commonly observed ups and downs in new product diffusion is proposed. It is shown that our model possesses features of the existing flexible diffusion models and shows better fit which is indicated by the values of R²_adj, mean absolute deviation, and mean percentage error and estimates a larger market potential, M. It has an interesting feature of conversion factors, first increasing then vanishing, much before we approach market saturation, implying that there is a scope of new thrust in converting remaining potential adopters.     

复杂网络视角下技术创新扩散种子选择研究

创新是企业生存发展的根本，企业希望通过创新提升自身竞争力，然而，创新扩散效果不佳会最终制约企业发展。针对技术创新扩散种子用户的选择问题，运用复杂网络方法，构建了技术创新级联扩散非线性模型，通过寻找客户网络中分散于不同社区的重要节点展开技术创新扩散，以达到最大限度的扩散效果。对模拟网络和真实网络的仿真分析发现，该种子选择方法确实能够加快技术创新在整个网络的扩散速度，提升扩散效果，为企业赢得竞争优势，促进企业创新良性发展。     

Diffusion, substitution and competition dynamism inside the ICT market: The case of Japan

Under the new information society paradigm that emerged in the 1990s, contrary to its conspicuous achievement as an industrial society, Japan is experiencing a vicious cycle between non-elastic institutions and insufficient utilization of the potential benefits of information and communication technology (ICT).However, a dramatic deployment of mobile telephones with Internet access service such as NTT DoCoMo's i-mode service in the late 1990s provides encouragement that, once the potential is exploited, Japan's institutional systems can effectively stimulate the self-propagating nature of ICT. The rapid deployment of Internet Protocol (IP) mobile service in Japan can be attributed to worldwide advances in the utilization of personal computers (PCs) and the Internet. Thus, a complex technology web triggered by the dramatic advancement of PCs and the Internet and co-evolving diffusion, substitution and competition dynamism has emerged in the global ICT market, particularly in Japan's mobile communication business.The above observations prompt the hypothetical view that, despite a lack of institutional elasticity, recent advances in Japan's IP mobile service deployment can be attributed to a co-evolutionary dynamism between diffusion, substitution and competition inside the ICT market. Thus, policy questions could be how to create such a co-evolutionary dynamism by means of ICT innovation, enriched functions, reduced price and competitive environment.In order to demonstrate the foregoing hypothesis, an empirical analysis of the mechanism co-evolving diffusion, substitution and competition dynamism inside Japan's ICT market is attempted by utilizing four types of diffusion models identical to respective diffusion dynamics.     

企业技术多样性、实质性社会责任信息披露与创新扩散

技术多样性是企业创新能力的重要表征，但现有研究对于技术多样性与创新扩散的关系存在争议。对此，区分相关和不相关技术多样性对创新扩散的异质性影响，并检验实质性社会责任信息披露作为一种信号传递机制对上述关系的调节作用。基于2008—2017年中国研发密集型上市企业数据进行实证分析，结果发现：相关技术多样性能够积极影响创新扩散；不相关技术多样性对创新扩散的影响存在滞后效应；实质性社会责任信息披露正向调节不相关技术多样性与创新扩散的关系。结论丰富了创新扩散理论与实证研究，可为企业创新实践提供决策依据。     

A dynamic diffusion model for managing customer's expectation and satisfaction

The paper aims at answering the generic question on how suppliers make the suitable and well-timed decisions in diffusing new technology effectively to adopters. Three major attempts are made for the study: First, investigating the entire process of the adoption and diffusion of technology innovation with reasonably well-accepted models in each areas. Second, proposing an integrated model by concatenating in structured manner the three prominent models for the management of technology innovation such as diffusion model, adoption model, and customer satisfaction model. Third, exploring the dynamic mechanism underlying outward behaviors of the integrated model proposed in the study which depicts the causal relationships that influence technology adoption and diffusion behaviors. An exploration of the dynamic mechanism underlying outward behaviors of the integrated model is presented in the study by introducing the system dynamics simulation technique. These attempts made for the study and the results perhaps allow both researchers and practitioners to gain insight into the causal factors influencing customers' adoption decision making processes and thereby into the potential diffusion patterns resulting from those adoption processes.     

Innovation diffusion in a heterogeneous population

One of the assumptions made in modelling innovation diffusion is that of complete mixing of prior and potential adopters. In the present paper we give a deterministic model for diffusion of innovation in a population for which this assumption is inappropriate. The population of interest is divided into two spatially separated groups. Diffusion in the first group near the single centre of innovation is assumed to follow the logistic model. A modified model is proposed for the second group. Individuals in this group are assumed to receive information from previous adopters in both the groups. The model is fitted to data on diffusion of crossbred goats in villages around Narayangaon, a town about 70 kilometers from Pune in Western India.     

物流服务创新与物流需求关系研究——基于共生理论视角

物流服务与物流需求之间的关系日益紧密,本文从生态学共生理论视角分析物流服务创新与物流需求之间的关系。在对相关理论进行分析的基础上,以无水港为服务创新案例,提出了基于共生关系的物流服务创新与物流需求之间的相互作用机制,并结合共生理论,分析了在不同共生模式下,物流需求与物流服务创新之间的关系。研究发现,在互惠型共生关系下,物流服务创新与物流需求达到良性互动,实现物流企业与客户的共同发展。     

Localised Technological Change: The Interaction Between The Generation And The Diffusion Of New Technologies

The main contribution of this paper is to explore the role played by heterogeneity in supply and demand in selecting technological paths amongst many different alternatives, and in localising technological change in niches of potential adopters. Technological change is therefore inherently localised. For given levels of technological superiority, the innovations that are selected during the diffusion process are shown to be sensitive to the specificities of the production process at those points.     

The diffusion of Internet telephony among consumers and firms: Current issues and future prospects

This paper analyses the current demand and market potential for Internet telephony—the transmission of voice over the public Internet or over a private Intranet—a technology that has attracted considerable attention as an appealing alternative to traditional telephony but that is likely to develop as a component within an integrated system of video, data and voice applications. The paper investigates technical, economic and social factors supporting and hindering the adoption of Internet telephony. In doing so, it relies upon the idea that the diffusion of Internet telephony is determined both by the attributes of the technological applications as perceived by the potential adopters, and by the characteristics of different users. According to this view, the research points out that relevant uncertainties reside on the demand side, particularly among residential users, and that in the future, businesses are more likely to adopt these applications than consumers. The assumptions concerning the future diffusion of Internet telephony are supported by the results of a survey carried out among a sample of Internet telephony service providers in Europe and North America.     

Exploratory analysis of the impact of information dynamics on innovation diffusion

Understanding the dynamic nature of innovation diffusion processes, and mechanisms underlying these dynamics is crucial, since such an understanding is potentially very important in designing effective innovation support policies and developing better diffusion forecasts. The role of information diffusion in conditioning the diffusion dynamics of an innovation is the locus of this study. In order to investigate this, a simulation model that distinguishes between the real attributes of the innovation and their perceived levels by the user groups has been developed. The model makes it possible to separately trace the diffusion dynamics of innovation and the information about an innovation. Additionally, the formulation of the model enables the message broadcasted via word-of-mouth to change in nature from positive to negative, or vice versa. This generic model is used in an exploratory way, which is discussed as a novel approach for conducting a simulation-based analysis. Such an exploration covers a wide range of plausible diffusion behaviors, and aims to demonstrate the extent to which information imperfections and dynamics may influence the diffusion process. During experiments it is observed that information imperfections as well as the pace of learning processes may yield significant changes in the diffusion patterns. These changes may be in the form of altering the basic characteristics of the well-known S-shaped diffusion curve, as well as stopping the diffusion at much lower levels than full adoption. The analysis presented in the article shows that exploratory analysis is a promising way to utilize simulation models for developing general insights about dynamics processes.     

分析技术创新扩散过程的事件扩散新模型

针对互动扩散模型和链联接扩散模型的不足,提出了分析技术创新扩散过程的新模型——事件扩散模型,并将它与已有的扩散模型进行比较,最后通过联通公司CDMA技术扩散的实例分析,证明了应用事件扩散模型解释技术创新扩散更具有合理性和更强的适应性。     

众创背景下高校学生创新行为演化系统动力学分析

“互联网+”和“大众创业,万众创新”环境为高校学生参与创新创业提供了机会,而高校学生的创新行为又有益于推动我国创新驱动型经济发展。在分析众创模式下高校学生创新决策和创新行为演化的基础上,构建了创新需求者和高校学生创新行为演化博弈模型,采用系统动力学方法进一步描述博弈双方的动态决策过程。仿真结果表明：高校学生创新行为与需求者参与度相互影响,如果只有一方选择纳什均衡策略,双方无法达到演化均衡状态;当需求者选择参与策略概率大于0.2,或高校学生创新成果被采用的几率大于0.5时,系统会最终达到演化均衡状态。最后,从高校学生与政府视角,提出提升大学生创新创业水平的建议。