A Multiplex Network Perspective of Innovation Diffusion: An Information-Behavior Framework

Information transmission of innovation and peer effect among firms have significant impacts on innovation adoption decisions of firms, but those effects usually depend on the different types of inter-firm networks. Therefore, the diffusion of innovation (DOI) can be regarded as a process occurring in complex systems composed of different types of interactions, which can be categorized into links belonging to different layers of multiplex networks. This study aims to shed light on the complexity of innovation diffusion from the perspective of an information-behavior framework based on multiplex networks. The process of technology innovation adoption is formulated into two stages including information perception and decision making, and a novel innovation diffusion model based on duplex inter-firm networks, in which one layer has influence on information transmission and the other carrys the peer effect, is further proposed in this study. The simulation experiments indicate that the random-scale-free duplex networks are favourable to the diffusion speed while scale-free-scale-free duplex networks are conducive to the diffusion range. Moreover, within the scale-free-scale-free duplex networks, the diffusion speed will increase with the increasing of the power law index in the information network and decrease with the increasing of the power law index of the behavior network. The study contributes to the literature by establishing duplex network model that distinguishes links between information and behavior networks, and offers insights concerning optimization of network configuration in the promotion of DOI.