Facilitating, accelerating, and sustaining the innovation diffusion process: an epidemic modeling approach

Abstract

Our focus in this article is on a conceptual framework that has the potential to help managers achieve the goals of facilitating, accelerating, and sustaining the innovation diffusion process in organizations. We use concepts and variables from epidemic modeling to develop a series of algebraic equations that mathematically demonstrates the process by which innovative ideas are diffused throughout organizations, and then derive a set of propositions from the equations that specify how variables in the equations might be affected to facilitate, accelerate, and sustain the innovation diffusion process. After identifying strategies designed to affect these variables, we discuss factors that may be required to implement the strategies successfully. Finally, we discuss other factors that managers should consider as they take actions to facilitate, accelerate, and sustain the innovation diffusion process.