FRAMEWORKS AND THEORIES: DIFFUSION AND ADOPTION

DISCUSSION OF MARSHALL MCLUHAN’S “THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE” AND CLASS READINGS

UW MCDM COM546Discussion Group 1 Jan. 27, 2008Suna Gurol

MARSHALL McLUHAN The Medium is the Message

Understanding the effects of technology as it relates to popular culture

How technology affects people and their relation to each other in their communities

A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM McLUHAN…

The electric light is “pure information”

All media are extensions of some human faculty

Message is controlled by technology

Accelerated media change

CLASS READINGS “Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave”

Companies resist new ‘disruptive’ technologies

Disruptive technologies lead often to new business

Five tips on how a company can succeed in developing (and accepting) new technology

CLASS READINGS“The Innovation-Decision Process”

A five-step process for innovative decision-making – knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation

Interpersonal and mass communication channels influence innovation adoptees

Rogers argues that Internet can replace the interpersonal communication channel

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Cave paintings and story-telling also can be said that the medium was the message. How was it different in the modern world?

McLuhan’s theory was also about how the message is controlled. Today, with everyone able to report ‘news’, is this theory still relevant?

What would McLuhan’s view be of the Internet or social media?

REFERENCESFOR MORE ANAYLYSIS

http://sunagurol.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/week-4-frameworks-and-theories-diffusion-and-adoption/

REFERENCES Bower, J. & Christensen, C. (Jan/Feb. 1995). “Disruptive Technologies:

Catching The Wave,” Harvard Business Review, pp. 43-53. Digitalecologist. "The Message is the Medium." [PowerPoint slides]

Retrieved from Slide Share Web site: http://www.slideshare.net/digitalecologist/mcluhan-review

Kenrg. (2006, Oct. 26). "Marshall McLuhan & YouTube?” [Film]. Video posted to YouTube Web site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7GvQdDQv8g

McLuhan, M. (1962) “The Medium Is The Message” from Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. In Ed. Wardip-Fruin, N. and

Moatfort, N. The New Media Reader: MIT Press. (pp. 205-209) Rogers, E. (2003). “Chapter 5 The Innovation-Decision Process”. Diffusion

of Innovations. Glencoe: Free Press. Yiasamatha, N. "Marshall McLuhan & the Internet." Retrieved from Slide

Share Web site: http://www.slideshare.net/ninanyc/marshall-mcluhan-the-internet-presentation

AND JUST FOR FUN

Marshall McLuhan in "Annie Hall”