E. Rogers's diffusion theory of innovation: genesis, development and modern interpretations

this article provides a theorydriven review of Everett M. Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), tracing its genesis, evolution and contemporary interpretations for innovation economics and policy at sectoral and regional levels. Building on DOI’s core constructs (adopter categories; innovation attributes – relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability; stages of adoption; communication channels and opinion leadership), we show the shift from linear and chainlinked models to systems/network perspectives that incorporate collective behavior, network externalities, standards and critical mass. The limits of applicability of the theory of innovation diffusion are clarified, and current trajectories for its development are outlined: analysis of digital platforms and media innovations, network forms of interaction within and between organizations, as well as the integration of DOIs with technology adoption models and arrays of scientific and bibliometric data. Policy implications include targeting adopter segments, designing communication architectures, and reducing uncertainty in sectoral clusters and regional ecosystems. The contribution is a synthesized systems/network framework aligning DOI mechanisms with contemporary digital and organizational contexts.

diffusion of innovations, attributes of innovations, network effects, innovation policy