A Process Study of the Diffusion of Career Development

The process of communicating new ideas - diffusion - transpires over timealong communication channels in a social system. In education, much stands to begained from successful innovation. The process is a perilous course with highrates of casualty. As viable innovations fail, our schools bear theconsequences. This dissertation includes a process study of the diffusion of aninnovation at a state department of education and in two school districts. Thestudy was framed by Rogers' model of innovation in organizations (1995) todetermine if the diffusion of a comprehensive career development programverified theory.Through instrumental case studies, the process of diffusing careerdevelopment was traced. The investigative procedure included the examination oftemporal patterns that, when sequenced, indicated operational links in a multi-dimensional process of innovation.Findings indicated five stages as delineated by Rogers (1995) but morebroadly defined. Additionally, the stages emerged in interactive loopingpatterns unlike Rogers' linear model. Different outcomes were evidenced in eachcase. The state department of education was the only agency that verified theproblem-based foundation of Rogers' initiation stages. The model'simplementation components were found to be too linear, precluding the recyclingpatterns that occurred during the on-going mutual adaptations between theinnovation and the organizations.Rogers' model of the innovation process in organizations attempts,unsuccessfully, to reach beyond the complex communication networking that hisdescriptions of diffusion categorize. To attempt to spread the strength of thetheoretical implications of actual diffusion is to misuse the assets andunjustly ascribe an inadequacy to them. Diffusion of innovation in individualsand in organizations involves different complexities that are not accounted forin Rogers' organization model. Rogers' model for individuals is deployable tothe organization innovation process as explanation of individuals acting withina greater body, yet explaining the parts of a whole does not necessarily explainthe whole. Rogers' model lacks content explanation and complexity explanation ofthe process of organizational innovation.