Diffusion of new technology

Peres, Muller and Mahajan (2010) suggest that Innovation diffusion of a new technology is "the process of the market penetration of new products and services that is driven by social influences, which include all interdependencies among consumers that affect various market players with or without their explicit knowledge". [25]

Eveland (1986) evaluated diffusion of innovations from a strictly phenomenological view, which is very different from the other perspectives he found. He asserts that, “Technology is information, and exists only to the degree that people can put it into practice and use it to achieve values”[26]

Diffusion of existing technologies has been measured in S curves. These technologies include radio, television, VCR, cable, flush toilet, clothes washer, refrigerator, home ownership, air conditioning, dishwasher, electrified households, telephone, cordless phone, cellular phone, per capita airline miles, personal computer and the Internet. This data[27] can be assessed as a valuable predictor for future innovations.

Diffusion curves for Infrastructures[28] This data reveals stunning contrast in the diffusion process of personal technologies versus infrastructure.