Track: Technology Management

Abstract

The concept of Diffusion of Innovation outlines the transmission of innovatory solutions in different fields and among its key components social systems and communication channels act in the effective dissemination of novice solutions. Thus, Opinion Leaders are required to be identified within a social system where interconnectivity among the actors imply the nature of the Social Network for effective dissemination of innovative solutions. Under this context, it is essential to understand the Opinion leadership, their relationship with adopter categories in relation of diffusion of innovation, communication channels, threshold of adoption and the methods by which an opinion leader could be identified in a social system. A comprehensive literature review is conducted to review and analyze opinion leadership and its attributes in relation to effective dissemination of innovative solutions. The research findings elaborate on the characteristics of opinion leadership and their identification methods and the involvement of organizational opinion leaders in innovation diffusion. The findings of this review would be beneficial for those researchers who are attentive in identifying opinion leaders and their influence in social networks and related fields.

Keywords

Diffusion of Innovation, Opinion Leader, Characteristics.