Adopter Fatigue Phenomenon in Diffusion of Innovations

Author(s):  
Augustine O. Ejiogu

This chapter examines the adopter fatigue phenomenon in the diffusion of nanotechnology and microelectronics innovations. It is hypothesized that innovations spread through a social system in an s-curve and that the speed of technology adoption is determined by two variables p and q where p represents the speed at which adoption takes off and q the speed at which later growth occurs. However, this two-variable model has been criticized as an over-simplification of a complex reality hence the need to examine adopter fatigue phenomenon defined as the hesitation, delay, or refusal by an individual to adopt an innovation on account of prevailing circumstances including the rapid evolution of new technologies. This phenomenon is particularly relevant to nanotechnology and microelectronics products and processes which are characteristically continuously refined and upgraded. Because the phenomenon is a symptom of poverty, it is recommended that overcoming adopter fatigue be achieved through multidisciplinary approach including empowering individuals by subsidizing the cost of adoption, and developing ancillary infrastructure such as electricity. Both governments and non-governmental organizations, in the spirit of public-private-partnership, should act in synergy in solving the poverty-linked problem of adopter fatigue.

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
V. O. Igbineweka ◽  
J. K. Adeyemi

The paper evaluated implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme for the first ten years of implementation, 2002-2012. Pupil enrolment for the period was projected and the cost implication of implementing the scheme estimated to guide government assess its ability to continue the implementation of the scheme, review its strategies of implementation or even abandon the scheme like the previous experiment with UBE scheme. The two research questions raised for the study were answered using documentary analysis, models and descriptive statistics. The result of analysis showed that over 46 million children would have been enrolled in schools and N52.9 billion spent annually if the scheme had been effectively implemented. The sight of basic school-going aged children at motor parks, markets and hawking along major streets during school hours suggests that the implementation of the scheme has not effective. It was therefore recommended among others that government should concentrate only on the supply and management of basic education in order to garner adequate funds to sustain its implementation and, allow private individuals and non-governmental organizations to supply and manage other levels of education.


2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
YENENESH TADESSE ◽  
CONNY J.M. ALMEKINDERS ◽  
ROGIER P.O. SCHULTE ◽  
PAUL C. STRUIK

SUMMARYThere are many prerequisites for potato production to meet its full potential as a food security crop for subsistence farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. One of these is the introduction of improved varieties. Traditionally, the introduction of new varieties is by government agencies or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). To understand the diffusion of seed tubers (seeds) of new potato varieties in farmer networks, we analysed social factors influencing the sharing of seed of improved potato varieties amongst farmers in Chencha, Ethiopia. We interviewed 166 farmers and analysed 146 seed transactions. We used seed flow mapping to visualize seed sharing amongst farmers. We found that the social networks of farmers are differentiated by wealth, gender and religion, and that this differentiation affects the dispersion of new varieties through the farming communities: Wealthier farmers shared seed tubers most frequently and poor farmers did not share seed at all. Seed sharing was influenced by, but not restricted to, gender and religion categories. Most sharing was with relatives (as gifts) and neighbours (in exchange for labour). There weas no equal access to seed for all households because of (i) the targeting of the better off farmers by the NGO (ii) differences in frequency of sharing and (iii) terms and motivation of the transactions. Our results show that wealthy farmers most effectively multiply and share the seed of new varieties with medium wealthy and poor farmers. This study shows that for the introduction of new technologies into a community, its dynamics of social differentiation need to be understood.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-131
Author(s):  
Fallys Masambuka-Kanchewa ◽  
Mary Rodriguez ◽  
Emily Buck ◽  
Jera Niewoehner-Green ◽  
Alexa Lamm

Agricultural communication (AGCOM) has been known to aid in disseminating research-based agricultural information among Malawian farmers. In 1958 the Malawi Government, via the Ministry of Agriculture, established the Agricultural Communications Branch (ACB) in an attempt to increase access to and adoption of scientifically-proven technologies among farmers. Moreover, in 2000 the Malawi Government started implementing an agricultural extension policy that promoted pluralistic demand-driven extension, which led to the increased availability of non-governmental organizations providing AGCOM services to farmers. However, after several decades of using different communication tools to promote new technologies, low productivity in most small holder farms remains a challenge, with limited adoption of improved technology as one of the contributing factors. In this exploratory, convergent, mixed methods study, 30 Malawian farmers and six AGCOM officers who were selected using convenient and snow ball sampling respectively participated in key informant interviews. In addition, 64 AGCOM officers who were selected using simple random sampling were involved in a survey. The findings of the study revealed that information delivered to farmers does not address farmer needs in most cases. Specifically, existing policies, source and availability of funding, and the agricultural calendar influenced choice of information that was disseminated. For example, the existing policy does not allow AGCOM officers to disseminate local and innovative farmer practices unless they are tested and approved by scientists. Such policies, perpetuates a mindset among farmers that innovations originate from outside their communities, thereby making it hard for them to share their local, indigenous ideas with their colleagues. Moreover, it has contributed to the inability of AGCOM to be used as an innovation creation tool, hence AGCOMs’ limited impact. Keywords: adoption, improved technologies, agricultural communication, increased productivity, information dissemination


Author(s):  
Juan de Lucas Osorio

This article aims to show how the pandemic situation has given rise to the digital exodus of activities that were originally designed to be carried out in person, organized by public bodies (town councils, county council and the Andalusian Ministry of Employment, Training and Autonomous Work) and non-governmental organizations (associations, foundations of Andalusia), raising the following questions: Are face-to-face activities transferred to the digital sphere without adapting? Are there triggers to encourage participation? Do you offer a solution in terms of technological tools or digital literacy to access the activity? To give answers to these questions, between April and September 2020 we have analyzed 233 activities, 91 activities of public organizations and 142 of social entities: training course, informative workshops, conferences, orientation, and presentation of resources. In these activities the main areas covered were: employment, social revitalization, new technologies, gender equality, health, entrepreneurship and resources for youth. With these questions, necessary and current, we obtain answers that lead to a lack of transformation of face-to-face activities towards the digital field, which does not take advantage of the benefits of digital tools; Institutions and organizations do not take into account the degree of knowledge of the public with respect to communication channels and that they require them to know how to use, without forgetting the economic circumstance and assuming that each person has the necessary software and hardware to be a connected citizen. In parallel, we have discovered that this acceleration of the digital transformation of face-to-face activities has found social entities devoid of knowledge and materials. On the one hand, it does not have the materials to carry out the subsidized programs, but the administration requires it to develop them, and on the other hand, it does not have the resources to offer citizens quality technological services, since its mission was based on in the face-to-face field, for which they demand training for their workers and collaborators, as well as computer equipment not only so that citizens can participate but also so that the organization itself can develop its relationship with the administrations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 135 ◽  
pp. 03049
Author(s):  
Mikhail Leontev

Green building as a new concept is gaining more and more value, acts as an important mitigating measure against the negative side effects of economic activity in cities. The implementation of the ideas and practices of sustainable development in the construction industry has led to the emergence of a new direction – benvironmental (“green”) construction, which provides a much higher level of quality of facilities for constructed object. A study was carried out of the problems and prospects of green construction and architecture in cities. In this paper, the concept of green building and architecture is refined. The perception of green building and architecture practices by future construction industry professionals, the advantages and benefits of green building and architecture was investigated, factors that impede the implementation of green building in practice were identified. Currently, green building is little practiced for objective reasons. The practice of green building is hindered by a number of factors, for example, an unfavorable external environment in the form of policy or legislation, the economic situation in the country, negative market expectations, and lack of awareness. Health and increased productivity have been identified as the most important benefits of green building, followed by a reduction in the cost of construction and individual operations, and the conservation of natural resources. The recommendations addressed to non-governmental organizations, government bodies, professional communities are formulated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (02) ◽  
pp. 36-45
Author(s):  
Muhammad Samson Fajar ◽  
Muhammad Nur

Development da'wah is a religious activity that encourages improvement and changes in the social system of the community so that the community is able to take the initiative and take initiative on the existing environmental potential, which in turn can improve the welfare of life. In achieving this welfare, da'wah can use two development models, namely, value oriented development and people centered development.Da'wah institutions apply the two models above by establishing partners with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government agencies as needed. Then, the development programs must be implemented in an integral manner, and must involve the participation of rural communities and jama'ah because the essence of this development da'wah is the community (jama'ah) as actors to empower themselves.


Entropy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1388
Author(s):  
Elena V. Nikolova ◽  
Nikolay K. Vitanov

In this study we extend a model, proposed by Dendrinos, which describes dynamics of change of influence in a social system containing a public sector and a private sector. The novelty is that we reconfigure the system and consider a system consisting of a public sector, a private sector, and a non-governmental organizations (NGO) sector. The additional sector changes the model’s system of equations with an additional equation, and additional interactions must be taken into account. We show that for selected values of the parameters of the model’s system of equations, chaos of Shilnikov kind can exist. We illustrate the arising of the corresponding chaotic attractor and discuss the obtained results from the point of view of interaction between the three sectors.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. e23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan-Luis Muñoz-Sánchez ◽  
Carmen Delgado ◽  
Andrés Sánchez-Prada ◽  
Mercedes Pérez-López ◽  
Manuel A Franco-Martín

Background New technologies are an integral component of today’s society and can complement existing suicide prevention programs. Here, we analyzed the use of new technologies in the prevention of suicide in 8 different European countries. Objective The aim of this paper was to assess the opinions of professionals in incorporating such resources into the design of a suicide prevention program for the region of Zamora in Spain. This investigation, encompassed within the European project entitled European Regions Enforcing Actions against Suicide (EUREGENAS), includes 11 regions from 8 different countries and attempts to advance the field of suicide prevention in Europe. Methods Using a specifically designed questionnaire, we assessed the opinions of 3 different groups of stakeholders regarding the use, frequency of use, facilitators, content, and format of new technologies for the prevention of suicide. The stakeholders were comprised of policy and public management professionals, professionals working in the area of mental health, and professionals related to the social area and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A total of 416 participants were recruited in 11 regions from 8 different European countries. Results The utility of the new technologies was valued positively in all 8 countries, despite these resources being seldom used in those countries. In all the countries, the factors that contributed most to facilitating the use of new technologies were accessibility and free of charge. Regarding the format of new technologies, the most widely preferred formats for use as a tool for the prevention of suicide were websites and email. The availability of information about signs of alarm and risk factors was the most relevant content for the prevention of suicide through the use of new technologies. The presence of a reference mental health professional (MHP) was also considered to be a key aspect. The countries differed in the evaluations given to the different formats suggesting that the cultural characteristics of the country should be taken into account. Conclusions New technologies are much appreciated resources; however they are not often underused in the field of suicide prevention. The results of this exploratory study show that new technologies are indeed useful resources and should be incorporated into suicide prevention programs.


Author(s):  
George Lawson

This chapter examines the rise of modern international order. It begins with a discussion of international orders before the modern period, focusing on how trade and transport helped to link diverse parts of the world. It then considers debates about the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, along with nineteenth-century developments such as industrialization and imperialism. It also explores the main ideas that underpinned modern international order, the ‘shrinking of the planet’ that arose from the advent of new technologies, the emergence of intergovernmental organizations and international non-governmental organizations, and the advent of a radically unequal international order. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the significance of nineteenth-century developments for twentieth- and twenty-first-century international relations.


Author(s):  
Mirjam A. F. Ros-Tonen ◽  
Louise Willemen ◽  
Michael K. McCall

AbstractParticipatory spatial tools—community mapping, PGIS, and others—find increasing resonance among research and non-governmental organizations to make stakeholder claims and community perspectives explicit for more inclusive landscape governance. In this paper, we situate the use of participatory spatial tools in debates on integrated landscape approaches and inclusive development. We show that using such spatial tools is not new but argue that their application for inclusive landscape governance requires a new research agenda that focuses on expanding the scope of application of the tools, improving the inclusivity of the processes, and developing new technologies.


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