REFINING THE FRAMING PERSPECTIVE - THE EARLY DIFFUSION OF NETWORK CONTRACT

We want to contribute to the debate on the change in the motivations of adoption during diffusion process by refining the 'framing perspective' (Kennedy & Fiss, 2009). While we agree with Kennedy and Fiss (2009) that motivations of adoption are better understood in terms of perceived opportunity and threats, we contend that adopters do not consider only expected social and economic gains/losses in their adoption decisions. Using diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1962, 2003), we include complexity, compatibility, trialability, observability and institutionalization as perceived attributes capable to influence the motivations adoption. We also use Configurational Comparative Methods (CCM) to shed new light on how different combinations of these perceived attributes could explain adoption in diffusion process. In doing so, we study the early diffusion of network contract (contratto di rete) among industrial firms in Friuli Venezia Giulia and in the eastern part of Veneto.