Innovation diffusion among heterogeneous agents: Exploring complexity with agent-based modelling (ABM)

Abstract

In this chapter we apply agent-based modelling (ABM) to capture the complexity of the diffusion process depicted in Medical Innovation, the classic study on diffusion of a new drug tetracycline byColeman, Katz, and Menzel (1966). Based on our previous model with homogenous social agents, Gammanym (Ratna et al., 2007), in this chapter we further our analysis with heterogeneous social agents who vary in terms of their degree of predisposition to knowledge. We also explore the impact of stage-dependent degrees of external influence from the change agent, pharmaceutical company in this case. Cumulative diffusion curves suggest that the pharmaceutical company plays a much weaker role in accelerat..