Diffusion Of Innovations Theory

A theory that attempts to explain how technological advances spread throughout society, and the adoption rate at which this happens.

The hypothesis was popularized back in 1962 by Everett Rogers. He wrote that the biggest factor in how quickly an innovation is spread is interpersonal communication (essentially, word of mouth). Er, social media, these days.

For example, a company that makes widgets can reach only so many people. The firm needs to sell widgets to those people it can reach, who in turn will influence their own social circles to purchase the widgets, and so on, until it all grows out into a big, lovely mandala of consumerism.