Abstract
BackgroundNew food technologies developed by producers who want to spread their innovation require potential new adopters to receive information about the innovation as well as to develop trust about the appropriateness and quality of the new technology. Social networks are key for spreading information and for developing trust. In this essay, I will summarize sociological knowledge about how the structure of social networks can accelerate or inhibit innovation diffusion among consumers. Scope and approachInnovation adoption is mostly a multistage process in which potential adopters/consumers need to obtain information first. A second step towards adoption is developing appreciation for the advantages of the innovation. A third step is the development of trust that the new product or technology indeed brings the advantages that it promises. I will explain based on existing literature why and in what manner, different structural properties of social networks are crucial for the consumer side of the adoption process. Key findings and conclusionsWhile for information diffusion predominantly the number of channels through which information can flow is important, and prevention of redundant information transfers helps to speed up information, the appreciation for the advantages of the innovation will require some redundancy and recurrent confirmation of the success of the innovation. To develop trust, even more confirmation is likely to be important and close social circles in which people repeatedly meet and know each other's acquaintances are known to be especially beneficial to create trust.
Highlights
For the introduction and diffusion of many technological de velopments, the role of the social dimension is often neglected or at least understudied
I distin guish three types that often represent different stages for accepting a new technology: information, appreciation and trust. These stages represent that people first need to be informed about a certain new technology or product, they need to be convinced that the new technology or product can be an improvement over existing options, and they need to trust the supplier or producer that the product does what it promises to do
A fast innovation adoption needs the bandwagon effects that social networks can bring and will not fly on convincing each individual personally. Summarizing, it is crucial for producers of new technologies in general and food technologies in particular to realize the three main lessons from the social network literature on innovation diffusion among consumers
Summary
For the introduction and diffusion of many technological de velopments, the role of the social dimension is often neglected or at least understudied. Specific structural features of social networks play a key role in diffusion processes. I distin guish three types that often represent different stages for accepting a new technology: information, appreciation and trust. These stages represent that people first need to be informed about a certain new technology or product, they need to be convinced that the new technology or product can be an improvement over existing options, and they need to trust the supplier or producer that the product does what it promises to do.
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