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

Abstract

In this paper 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 by (Coleman, Katz, & Menzel, 1966). Based on our previous model with homogenous social agents, Gammanym (Ratna, Dray, Perez, Grafton, Newth, & Kompas, 2007), in this paper we further our analysis with heterogenous 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 mu..