Title: Consumer innovativeness and opinion leadership: revisiting consumer characteristics in new product diffusion model

Authors: Somkiat Eiamkanchanalai; Nuttapol Assarut

Addresses: Department of Marketing, Chulalongkorn Business School, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand ' Department of Marketing, Chulalongkorn Business School, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Abstract: This study aims to examine new product adoption behaviours of consumers in the electronics sector. Past literature of new product and innovation diffusion research studied the characteristics of consumers who adopted the product in different time periods. These studies assumed that consumers adopted the product based on its utilitarian values alone. None of the studies include hedonic values. The objectives of this study are to extend the innovation diffusion model by applying the concept of consumer innovativeness; to classify groups of consumers based on their innovativeness; to compare this classification with the original categorisation by Rogers (1983); and to explore their opinion leadership role in the new product diffusion process. Managerial implications and limitations are suggested.

Keywords: consumer innovativeness; opinion leadership; new product diffusion; diffusion modelling; utilitarian values; hedonic values; symbolic values; adoption behaviour; consumer behaviour; electronics industry; new products; leadership role.

DOI: 10.1504/GBER.2016.073299

Global Business and Economics Review, 2016 Vol.18 No.1, pp.15 - 27

Received: 28 Jul 2014
Accepted: 16 Sep 2014
Published online: 30 Nov 2015 *

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