A Study of Perceived Innovation Characteristics Across Cultures and Stages of Diffusion

The intense competition for consumer spending and the significant costs, risks, and potential rewards associated with multinational product introductions make it imperative that every aspect of consumer reaction to new products be explored. This study investigates consumer perceptions of innovation characteristics in two different cultures for technology-based consumer durables representing early and late stages of diffusion. Based on survey data from young adults in the United States and South Korea, we find that significant cultural effects exist between consumers from an individualism-centered and a Confucian/collectivism-centered country.