BUS 338: Foundation of Innovation

Individual Assignment: Technology Adaption Cycle

Davide Paliaga
Student number: 301295279

Technology Adaption Cycle

Market Segment
Purpose of the research is to analyze the market of Exchange Students. It represents a
niche market formed by a group of students that have the great opportunity to study abroad
for one or more semesters. For BuzzIt this market could be very interesting, in fact this
market is characterized by the following needs:
To meet new people
To make new friends
To find new events to attend
To connect with local students
To connect with other Exchange students
All these needs fit completely with the two key differentiators of BuzzIt:
1. Location-based the Exchange students have the opportunity to meet new people
that are physically close to them
2. Anonymity the students can post/text on BuzzIt without compromising their privacy

My Expert
Lorenzo Mariotti is my expert.

Who is Lorenzo?

He is studying Industrial Design

he loves drawing cars, in particular Audi
he plays the violin

Why Lorenzo is my expert?

Four years ago Lorenzo founded a start-up named PixApper, that is specialized in the
development of iOS Apps (iPhone and iPad). Until now he and the co-founder have
developed 7 Apps for iPhone and iPad. Their most famous app is iTV HD, an App for
streaming TV channels. This app was downloaded by 120,000 users.
In my opinion Lorenzo is a perfect expert, because I consider him an specialist of app
development and also of exchange student. In fact, the last year he studied for one semester
in London.
This mix of features provides me the following relevant information.

Information about the market

During our conversations on Skype I got the following information:
Lorenzo explained me that this kind of market starts with the innovators, the people in this
category pursue new technology products aggressively. In fact, they learn about new tech
online, principally on blogs and on the technologys websites. They do not only read the
posts but also comment, contributing actively to the development of determinate techs.
Technology is really important in their life and they spend a lot of time and money in it.
However, the market of Apps is usually cheap. Generally, applications for smartphones cost
from $0.99 to few dollars. They buy from 2 to 5 apps for week. Consequently, the
expenditure is not really high. Of course, they have the last iPhone or a new Android
Smartphone. They like testing new Apps and for them bugs are not relevant.
Technology enthusiast have a strong influence on the early adopters, the difference
between innovators and early adopters is that the people in the second group are not
technologist. However, they buy the new App very early in their life cycle. They know about
the new technology from their friends, or from technology blogs that they read weekly. Early
adopters like to try new Apps that can satisfy their own needs. Before buying they prefer
asking to experts and do researches online. Early adopters are mostly keen on getting free
Apps but for them is not a big problem buying occasionally an App.
Early majority is the third market, it is essential for start-up because it represents around
the 30% of the entire market. They know about the App from other friends or maybe they
read about it on newspaper and magazines not specialized in technology. They buy the
product only when is really popular. Usually they are not interested in the new applications
but they appreciate the benefit.
About late majority and laggards is really difficult to get some information because in the
dynamic world of App only who is interested and get involved can benefit from these new
technologies. Generally, late majority buy the product when it became essential to interact
with others.
The information that my expert transmitted to me are really interesting, even if apparently in
some parts seem that the description is very similar to normal students. In fact, sometimes
is quite difficult to separate Exchange students from students in general.

Description of the adoption of innovation

Name
Age

Innovator
Marco Airoldi
23

Early Adopter
Veronica Buscaglia
21
Business
administration and
financial accounting
Minneapolis,
Minnesota

Early Majority
Francesco Toschi
21
Law and
International
Business
Los Angeles,
California

Field of studies

Biomedical
Engineer

Study abroad

Oslo, Norway

Decision making

When he buys
something he is not
impulsive, because
he wants to know
everything

Before buying she

asks to experts and
does research
online

Before buying he
asks to friends who
are innovators or
early adopters

Blogs and tech

website (daily)

Technology website
and magazines
(weekly)

Friends, generic
magazines,
advertisements (TV,
Youtube, Facebook)

Intensive

High

Moderate

$15 per week

$4 per month

$1 per month

Samsung Galaxy
Shazam

iPhone
Amazon
English, Italian, and
Spanish

iPhone
WhatsApp
English, Italian, and
French

Where they get

info
Usage of
smartphone
Expenditure in
Apps
Smartphone
Favourite App

Languages spoken English and Italian