Adoption process and stages

Adoption process

Introduction

Adoption is a decision to make full use of innovation as a best course of action availableAdoption process according to Rogers, “adoption process is the mental process through which an individual passes from hearing about an innovation to final adoption”. Adoption process at individual level.

Adoption process models and concept

An innovation diffuses within a social system through its adoption by individuals and groups.

The decision to adopt an innovation, however, “is not normally a single, instantaneous act” , it involves a process.

The “adoption process” is a decision-making process goes through a number of mental stages before making a final decision to adopt an innovation.

In their pioneering work of diffusion of

hybrid corn seed in two Lowa ’s communities in

the United States, Ryan and Gross

(1943) first drew attention to the existence of a sequence of stages in the

process of adoption by

farmers

“Awareness” of the

existence of an innovation

“Conviction” of its

usefulness

“Acceptance” in the sense

of willingness to try the innovation

“Complete” adoption

The existence of an adoption process involving four interrelated stages was also outline by Wilkening (1953).

He described that adoption of innovation as a process composed of learning, deciding and acting over a period of time.

AwarenessObtaining informatio

nConviction Trial adoption

Adoption is essentially a decision-making process. According to Johnson and Haver (1955) , decision-making

involves the following steps:-Observing

the problem

Making analysis of it

Deciding the available course of

action

Taking one course

Accepting the

consequence of the decision

Further, it should be remembered that there is no complete agreement as to the numberof stages in the adoption process, although there is general consensus on the existence of stages andthat adoption is seldom an impulse decision. For instance Singh and Pareek (1960) have developeda seven stage model of the adoption process. Need Awareness Interest Deliberation Trial Evaluation adoption

The North Central Rural Sociology Subcommittee for the study of Diffusion of Farm Practices (1955) identified 5 stages of the adoption process, which received world wide attention . This is the pioneer work of Beal and Bohen, they are as follows:

Awareness At this stage an individual becomes aware of some new idea such

as maize hybrid or new pesticide. He knows about the existence of the new idea but he lacks details

about it. For instance, he may know only the name and may not know what

the idea or product is, what it will do or how it will work.

Interest At the interest stage, a person wants more information about the

idea or product. He wants to know what it is, how it works and what its potentialities

are. He may say to himself that this might help him increase his income,

or help him control insects or diseases or improve farming or home life in some other way.

Evaluation At this stage, the individual makes mental application of the new

idea to the present and anticipated future situations and decides whether or not to try it.

He applies the information obtained in the previous stages to his own situation.

At this stage, the individual judges the worth of the innovation. The person makes an assessment whether the idea is applicable to

own situation, and if applied what would be the result. He asks himself “can I do it? And if I do it, will it be better than I am

doing now; will it increase my income or otherwise bring me satisfaction?”

Trial The individual actually applies the new idea on a small scale in

order to determine its utility in own situation. If he decides that the idea has possibilities for him he will try it.

The trial stage is characterized by small-scale experimental use, and by the need for specific information which deals with: “How do I do it; how much I do I use; when do I do it; how can I make it work best for me?”

Apparently individuals need to test a new idea even though they have thought about it for a long time and gathered information concerning it. Trial may be considered as the practical evaluation of the innovation. It provides evidence of the advantages of the innovation.

Trial in the farmers field

Adoption This final stage in the process is characterized by large scale,

continued use of the idea, and most of all, by satisfaction with the idea.

Trial may be considered as the practical evaluation of an innovation. It provides evidence of advantages of the innovation.

Being satisfied with the trial and considering the pros and cons of the situation, the individual takes final decision and applies the innovation in a scale appropriate to own situation on a continued basis.

conclusion these five stages are not necessarily a rigid pattern which people

follow. These stages are influenced by cultural differences and social

factors as well as by the kind of practice , place and person. At any stage the recommendation can be thrown off. There can be

jumping from one stage to another. If the farmers have confidence in the extension worker, and his

recommendations, they may jump form “evaluation” to “adoption” stage.

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