Orville Jenkins Articles Menu
Orville Jenkins Home
Orville Jenkins Book Reviews Menu

Reviews

Diffusion Theory:  A Definitive Introduction
Dr. Orville Boyd Jenkins
A review of the book by Everett M Rogers
Diffusion of Innovations (NY:  Free Press, 2003.  477p.)

See my book reviews on Amazon.com
See menu of all book reviews on this site

This is a definitive reference on Diffusion Theory, focusing on defining and clarifying concepts of diffusion.  This is a classic reference still a mainstay for understanding market concepts of diffusion of ideas and change.  This will be helpful from a cross-communication point of view.

The concepts presented here will apply to any arena involving the development and dissemination of new ideas, as well as products or methods.  Rogers surveys the history of Diffusion Theory and provides a summary of the current concept's principles.  The book seems to serve mainly as a comprehensive introduction to the discipline.

Rogers presents a detailed theory, with excellent and numerous examples of Diffusion, illustrating the various principles presented.  In this regard, this resource is definitive and useful, and will continue to serve as a valuable authority.

Rogers focuses on the dynamics of Diffusion as a process.  There is not much here on synthesis and trends.  The principles developed by Rogers here, however, will enable even a newcomer to Communication or Marketing to better understand the factors involved in analyzing target audiences and developing communication and marketing approaches appropriate to the situation.

The writers seem to write primarily in the context of internaitonal buisness and to an audience involved in those activities.  The principles inherent in the examples and analyses, however, are applicable to any cross-cultural enterprise.  The concept of how ideas and concepts are transferred across cultural lines touches every human enterprise.

Anyone involved in education, training, technology, health or other human endeavor wil lbenefit form this book.  No, more than that, those who are not aware of the questions and problems this philosophy and this volume address will be severely hampered in reaching long-term success.  The dynamics of Communication and Relationships involved in the theory of Diffusion involve not just making money, but making sense!

This should be a shelf reference for anyone involved in crossing cultural or economic boundaries, as well as introducing new ideas or facilitating cultural change, whether economic or otherwise.

See related reviews and articles on this site:
[review] Dealing with Worldview in Business
[reviews] Globalization 101
[Review] Migration, Ethnicity and Economics
[reviews] Toward a Realistic and Moral Capitalism
[Review] Worldview, Ethnicity and Social Dynamics in African Politics
[review] Worldview in the Disciplines

See this book with my review on Amazon.com
See my book reviews on Amazon.com
See menu of all book reviews on this site
See my reading lists
Many other books have review notes with the reading list entry

OBJ

Book read in February 2005
Basic review written on Amazon 9 June 2005
This version prepared 24 May 2009
Posted on Barnes and Noble and Thoughts and Resources 29 May 2009
Revised for Thoughts and Resources 29 September 2009
Last edited 20 December 2011

Orville Boyd Jenkins, EdD, PhD
Copyright © 2009 Orville Boyd Jenkins
Permission granted for free download and transmission for personal or educational use.  Please give credit and link back.  Other rights reserved.

Email:  orville@jenkins.nu
Orville Jenkins Articles Menu
Orville Jenkins Home
Orville Jenkins Book Reviews Menu

filename:  rogersdiffusion.html