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National Level Culture and Global Diffusion 95

play a role in adoption. Thus, although not explicitly stated by
Rogers, the need to “adjust” diffusion theory for interactive networks
points to a need for a two-fold conceptualization of innovation at-
tributes for diffusion theory.
The usefulness of this dual conceptualization is further demon-
strated by the following hypothetical example, which is concerned
with the specific innovation attribute of compatibility. In a theoreti-
cally derived study of the adoption of NetMeeting software it would
be possible to explain, without considering subjective perceptions of
compatibility, why workgroups who use Microsoft Explorer are more
likely to adopt NetMeeting than those who use Netscape. The com-
patibility of NetMeeting with Microsoft Explorer is an objective
(very well-planned) trait. By limiting the study to only objective
traits the study admittedly misses information, namely the impact
of perceived attributes. However, by concentrating only on objective
characteristics it may be possible to take a broader perspective on
the issue. Thus, by “going up” levels of analysis, away from the indi-
vidual, overall adoption information is sacrificed. However, the in-
formation derived from macro-level studies may help inform a
different audience as well as lay the groundwork for more focused in-
dividual level research.
The preceding discussion has laid the basis for our study of cul-
ture in global diffusion. The nature of culture was considered along
with issues of levels of analysis and measurement in the use of cul-
tural variables. The use of culture in global diffusion studies was
also discussed. This discussion led to a call for a reconceptualization
of attributes within diffusion—most importantly, our emphasis on
objective traits and attributes—that would then allow diffusion the-
ory to be applied at higher levels of analysis. Thus this section con-
cludes with a theoretical basis for global diffusion studies that
includes culture as a variable driving this diffusion. In the following
section a case study of Internet diffusion will demonstrate how dif-
fusion theory, as revised in these ways, can be applied at the global
level and how quantitative measures of national culture can be in-
cluded in such an analysis.

The Case of Global Internet Diffusion

The following case demonstrates how diffusion theory can be ap-
plied at the global level. The study of Internet diffusion attempts to