Older Users’ Commercial Diffusion of Their Innovation : A Vocational and Retirement Perspective

Users can develop innovations which will benefit other people and contribute to firm’s innovation capability. However, user innovation often fails to diffuse. In this study, we take the perspective of vocational and retirement studies to analyze whether the older age (60+ years old) of the innovator can diminish this diffusion failure. The premise is that commercial diffusion provides a paid work and older people may want to continue the work-related identity and avoid the feeling of unemployment after retirement. Based on the survey data in Japanese household sector, we found that the innovation developed in users’ older age is more likely to be diffused commercially rather than to peers. Because the person-organization (P-O) fit creates a satisfied work experience which enhances people’s reliance on work for self-respect and satisfaction, we further found that P-O fit augments the relationship between users’ older age and commercial diffusion of their innovation. We conclude that the vocational and retirement approach helps to better understand the diffusion of user innovations