There are five categories of adopters that participate in the diffusion process. Name and briefly describe each of these five categories in the correct order from earliest adopter to last adopter.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

INNOVATORS represent the first 2.5 percent of adopters. They are venturesome and eager to try new products. They have higher incomes, better education, and more self-confidence than non-innovators and rely less on group norms. Moreover, they are active outside their communities. Innovators obtain information from scientific sources and experts.

EARLY ADOPTERS represent the next 13.5 percent of adopters. They are reliant on group norms and values, oriented to the local community, and likely to be opinion leaders.

THE EARLY MAJORITY is the next 34 percent to adopt. They are deliberate in their information collection and are likely to be the friends and neighbors of opinion leaders.

THE LATE MAJORITY is the next 34 percent to adopt. They adopt to conform to social pressure. They tend to be older and below average in income and education. They rely on word-of-mouth communication rather than the mass media. Their dominant characteristic is skepticism.

LAGGARDS are the final 16 percent to adopt. They are tradition bound and do not rely on group norms. Laggards have the lowest socioeconomic status, are suspicious of new products, and are alienated from a rapidly advancing society. Marketers typically ignore laggards.