IPA IP 2021 Question 8

Topic: Business Strategy Management

A question IPA Japan published in 令和3年度 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問8, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.

When an innovative product or service spreads among consumers, the consumers can be classified into five groups, early adopters, early majority, innovators, laggards, and late majority, according to their interest in the innovation and the timing of their adoption. Among these, which of the following is the group that is positioned as the group with the second earliest timing of adoption, that evaluates the value of the innovation by itself, and that influences the majority of the remaining consumers?

Explanation

Early adopters — the second group to adopt an innovation, who judge its value for themselves and sway the majority who follow.

Rogers' diffusion of innovations orders consumers by when they adopt:

  1. Innovators (about 2.5%): adopt first, keen on novelty, accept the risk
  2. Early adopters (about 13.5%): adopt early after evaluating the innovation themselves; as opinion leaders they influence others
  3. Early majority (about 34%): cautious, adopt once others have
  4. Late majority (about 34%): sceptical, adopt after most people have
  5. Laggards (about 16%): most conservative, adopt last or never

Because the majority looks to them, winning the early adopters is the key to spreading a product widely.

Answer (a)

Why not others:

  • •(b) Early majority — the third group; they follow the early adopters' lead rather than influence the rest
  • •(c) Innovators — the first group to adopt; too far ahead of the market to sway most consumers
  • •(d) Laggards — the last group to adopt, the opposite of an influential early group

Key rule: Order of adoption: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, laggards; the early adopters are the opinion leaders.

Business Strategy Management · AI-written, may contain errors

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This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.