Diffusion of Innovation Theory: An Effective Approach to Accelerate Adoption of Information and Communication Technology in Twenty-First Century Knowledge Society

Abstract

Purpose: The rapid technological advancement worldwide has precipitated the adoption of innovations by social systems to be abreast of development worldwide. The adoption of Information and Communication Technology in the twenty-first-century knowledge society has the potential to open the members of the social system to a limitless wealth of knowledge that would aid rapid human capital and infrastructural development. However, there seem to be issues that tend to determine the pace of adoption of such innovations. This paper examined the Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) theory, its four main determinants; communication channels, attributes of the innovation, the characteristics of the adopters and the social system. Knowledge society and its characteristics, as well as the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by the twenty-first-century knowledge society in relationship with the DoI theory approach from empirical studies, were highlighted. Design/Methodology & Approach: The methodology adopted was a contextual analysis that involved the review of materials ranging from publications, textbooks, and the relevant internet sources.Implication: The successful and accelerated adoption of an innovation in a social system(21st Century Knowledge Society) require the thorough application of the determinants of diffusion of innovation in the DOI theory without which the adoption of an innovation may not be feasible in any social system.