Barriers to diffusion of innovation: an empirical study in India

The various models on innovation diffusion hint that people's actions are determined by their attitude towards innovation. The main purpose of this study was to explore the factors which were driving consumers' behaviour towards innovations. Five innovations in the Indian context, introduction of iDiscoveri methodology of teaching, reservation of tickets over the internet (e-reservations), banking transactions through teller machines, internet shopping and use of tissue paper have been selected, to explore the consumers' attitudes governing the acceptance/non-acceptance of a particular innovation. This paper, apart from exploring the factors determining the comfort level of consumers with respect to a particular innovation, also brings out the importance of consumers' perceived needs with respect to acceptance of an innovation.