Superinnovators
Although I believe that the diffusion theory is obsolete on some points, it still has its value. For example the concept of 'superinnovators' used by Rogers (1995) in his masterpiece 'the diffusion of innovations'. The concept of a superinnovator reffers to someone who decides to not adopt a certain innovation (for example pesticides) but is already anticipating on the next wave of innovations (for example biological based farming). They may seem like laggards but in fact they are superinnovators because they will be an innovator for this new innovation (Rogers, 1995). For example consider the problem of traffic jams. The next big thing might be a system to give indications to drivers how to drive. A company might decide that this system is not relevant and thus might be a laggard and work on a system for cars that drive themselves and be a 'superinnovator' on the long term. It is thus important to decide what is the best decision for your company or you as a person. Are you an innovator or a 'superinnovator'?