Prompt: Is “laggard” an appropriate term for the slower adopters? Does it promote change? Is there another word that might be more fitting?
Laggard seems to be an appropriate choice given the time period that it was first utilized by Everett Rogers. There is a distinct group who do, “hold out to the bitter end” and while laggard may not be appropriate were the theory being written today, these people do exist. The term slow starter or sluggish/hesitant/reluctant adopter could be more fitting and less harsh.
Laggards or reluctant adopters are hesitant to make change because what they’ve known for a long time has worked and there is no reason to do things differently. If they were to hear themselves referred to as laggards it could influence them to change and be more open to something new. When people are called out for something that seems negative it is human nature to analyze what we’re doing and reassess if we want to change.
Looking at a standard S curve it seems to me that someone who is in the late majority might not adopt until later because they are waiting to know for sure that things work and work better than what they have now, whereas a laggard or reluctant adopter really doesn’t want to change at all but is sometimes forced to out of necessity.
For instance, my college roommate waited until 2016 to buy a smartphone because she was waiting to gather enough information on which phone to get, if it was really making life easier for people and if the investment would pay off. My husband still has an iPhone 3 (which he didn’t really even want in the first place) and even though the phone doesn’t work because the software isn’t supported anymore and it’s clearly not functioning properly he just doesn’t want to learn something new. The difference, to me, seems to be in the final stages of motivation to change. Cautiously waiting and then deciding to make a change vs being forced to make a change.