Individual and cultural factors affecting diffusion of innovation

Several research studies attempted to study and analyze the factors that affect innovation diffusion. However, the focus was on the innovation attributes rather than the individual factors that help or prevent innovation acceptance and diffusion. This paper advances a conceptual model that integrates individual and cultural factors that affect acceptance and diffusion of innovations. Individual factors include the roles of lead users and opinion leaders, while cultural factors are represented by uncertainty avoidance and individualism. This model aims to link all factors in order to help managers manage the innovation process optimally in different markets. It is recommended to identify the key groups that would support the process; including lead users (inventors) and opinion leaders (promoters); as well a unique groups that combines both characteristics (champions). Online communities are the contemporary tool that could be used in order to best utilize the above groups. Further, cultural factors, such as individualism and uncertainty avoidance should be considered in order to optimize the efforts and maximize innovation diffusion.