Diffusion Theory

When discussing the Diffusion Theory I would like to focus on the Invention of the motor vehicle. Today the automobile industry is a multi-trillion dollar industry with factories, warehouses, and stores all over the world. Also according to Forbes about 91.7% of American households own at least one car, and 22.2% own 2 or more cars. Yet how did the industry get this far? According to this article the Diffusion Theory has five steps that help establish the change in a new product or inventions acceptance into the public marketplace; awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. 

The first Automobile, designed by Karl Benz

The Five Steps. We begin to see awareness of the Automobile after its invention in 1886, by Karl Benz but we start to see true interest in the Automobile when Henry Ford introduces his Model-T in 1908. We see evaluation when the car was originally tested and given the okay to travel the roads, and so on. What was most important about the development of the Automobile was the last step; adoption. 

Henry Ford's Model T, designed and released in 1908

Adopting the Automobile. While today almost everyone has a vehicle in some way shape or form, that was not the case when the invention first came into the public eye. Issues pertaining to the actual price of said vehicles was one reason why it was hard for it to be adopted by the public. As I said previously it wasn’t until Henry Ford’s Model-T, that more of the public could afford a vehicle. 

Shows an increase in the sell of the Model-T as
it becomes more available and affordable.

The Adoptee’s. Early adopters of the motor vehicle were higher class citizens, as stated previously it would take some time for those who lived in rural or impoverished areas to begin purchasing or giving into the Automobile Craze. Yet once they were affordable they started to be adopted and purchased like wildfires, the Henry Ford T-Model was extremely beneficial for day to day farm work and made traveling easier on those who lived in rural areas. 

Family beside the famous Model-T

The Fire Spreads. Due to its not easily accessibility and affordability, more and more American households began purchasing and using Automobiles in their day to day life. They became a staple for the new modern industrial America.