1. Rate of Adoption Attributes of Innovations
ALEC 640

2. Objectives Define rate of adoption
Discuss Relative Advantage in terms of rate of adoption
Discuss Complexity in terms of rate of adoption
Discuss Compatibility in terms of rate of adoption
Discuss Observability in terms of rate of adoption

3. Something Different today!
Find a partner
You and your partner will take one of the following objectives, investigate, and share your findings with your classmates
Feel free to share personal stories or case studies from the book
Discuss Complexity in terms of rate of adoption
Discuss Compatibility in terms of rate of adoption
Discuss Observability in terms of rate of adoption
I will take the first two, “Define the rate of adoption” and “Relative Advantage”

4. Define the Rate of Adoption
Rate of adoption is the relative speed with which an innovation is adopted by members of a social system.
It is generally measured as the number of individuals who adopt a new idea in a specified period, such as each year.
So the rate of adoption is a numerical indicator of the steepness of the adoption curve for an innovation.

5. Relative Advantage and Rate of Adoption
Diffusion scholars have found relative advantage to be one of the best predictors of an innovation's rate of adoption.
Relative advantage indicates the benefits and the costs resulting from adoption of an innovation.
The sub-dimensions of relative advantage include the degree of economic profitability, low initial cost, a decrease in discomfort, social prestige, a savings in time and effort, and the immediacy of the reward.
This last factor explains in part why preventive innovations generally have an especially low rate of adoption.
The relative advantage of preventive innovations is difficult for change agents to demonstrate to their clients, because it occurs at some future, unknown time.

7. Summary Defined rate of adoption
Discussed Relative Advantage in terms of rate of adoption
Discussed Complexity in terms of rate of adoption
Discussed Compatibility in terms of rate of adoption
Discussed Observability in terms of rate of adoption

8. Reminders Next week, first group of innovation presentations
Next week, classifying and describing adopter categories
Wishing safe travels to Lori as she travels to National FFA Convention starting this Friday!
Other announcements or questions?