Symbolic Innovations: Consequences of Convergence of Adoption and of Implementation

Abstract

A symbolic innovation is one that stands for something else. Here we will explore eight conditions resulting from a bipolar configuration of stakeholder interests, extrinsic benefits, and intrinsic benefits that have different consequences for the decoupling of innovation adoption and of implementation for symbolic innovations. The underlying forces, or generative motors, that drive these processes are quite different with stakeholder interests and extrinsic social, bandwagon effects much more important in adoption and more immediate, intrinsic benefits coming to the fore in implementation. The degree to which these factors converge produces conditions that are more likely to result in innovations that have positive performance impacts.