The role of the influencer in innovation adoption

The current paper seeks to investigate the role of the influencer in innovation adoption. Specifically, this study explores the social dynamics of innovation adoption, considering how the influencer contributes to foster a cascade of adoptions over time. We argue that the influencer triggers a herd behavior within the social community. We consider herd behaviors in the evolutionary perspective, as the emulative response which occurs semi-unconsciously as a means to increase survival chances. Simplifying, the influencer can be a trigger for herd behaviors. We originally introduce a specific type of herd behavior, named the waterfall effect. A waterfall effect occurs when an individual is called to action (and he/she actually acts) after observing others behaviors. It impacts on intuitive thinking of individuals; and, thus, they need less information and less time than usual to make a decision. In sum, we argue the influencer triggers a cascade of innovation adoptions. Individual adopters are biased by the waterfall effect when making the decision. As a result, the influencer fosters herd behaviors at the collective level. The model was tested on a sample of 60 individuals, through using the decision gambles method. Results of our explorative analysis confirm the likelihood of the model: individuals do use the influencer behavior as a shortcut for making the decision on innovation adoption. Thus, they are subjected to the waterfall effect, because they consider the influencer behavior as a heuristic, without searching for further information. At the firm level, this model sheds light on the decision-making process in innovation adoption: managers are more likely to adopt innovations when other critical players, for instance the incumbent, have already adopted it. At the consumer level, the model explains the critical role of influencers to foster the diffusion of new products.