Relative+Advantage

"Is it better than what I've got now?"
__Relative Advantage__ represents the extent to which the innovation in question is perceived as being better than the tool or practice it replaces.

6 Sub-dimensions of relative advantage:
 * 1) Economic profitability
 * 2) Low initial cost
 * 3) Decreased discomfort
 * 4) Social prestige
 * 5) Savings in time and effort
 * 6) Immediacy of reward

3 things to watch out for when considering relative advantage:
 * 1) __Overadoption__ refers to the decision to adopt an innovation when those knowledgeable to both the innovation and the context would recommend rejection. (Note: Beware of the "pro-innovation bias" that you may have.)
 * 2) __Preventive innovations__ include those where the reward occurs long after adoption and those where the only reward is avoidance of an unpleasant event.
 * 3) __Use of incentives__ is a diffusion strategy that has been both controversial and common. Rogers notes that incentives can be monetary or non-monetary, and that they may be paid directly to the intended adopter, to someone in the system who can influence the intended adopters, or to the system as a whole. (Be aware that innovators and early adopters tend to be of a higher socio-economic status.)

The above taken directly from

Ellsworth, J.B. (2000). Surviving change – a survey of educational change models. (ERIC Clearing House on Information and Technology, Syracuse, NY. (ED443417)