Early Majority

What is ‘Early Majority’

The first sizable segment of a population to adopt an innovative technology. The early majority tends to be roughly 34% of the population, and will adopt a new product after seeing it used successfully by either “innovators” and “early adopters” that they know personally. People in this segment are less affluent and less educated than innovators and early adopters, but are willing to take a chance with a new product.

Explaining ‘Early Majority’

Populations in innovation adoption are broken into five primary segments: innovators (the first to adopt an innovation), early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards. Companies use the diffusion of innovation theory to evaluate how long it will take a new product to be adopted by at least 50% of the population. “Innovators” and “early adopters” tend to try a new product out relatively quickly, but it may take a while for the early majority to feel comfortable enough with the technology to make a purchase.

Further Reading

  • Internet banking adoption among mature customers: early majority or laggards? – www.emerald.com [PDF]
  • Deficit Finance during the Early Majority of Henry VI of England, 1436-1444. The" Crisis" of the Medieval English" Tax State" – search.proquest.com [PDF]
  • Towards a new early warning system of financial crises – www.sciencedirect.com [PDF]
  • Innovation vs. Normalization: Politicians' Twitter use at the early majority stage of its diffusion in the Korean assembly – www.tandfonline.com [PDF]
  • Populism and the Principle of Majority – www.oxfordhandbooks.com [PDF]
  • Financial Management Practices In Small And Medium Enterprises in Selected Districts In Western Uganda. – dspace.fudutsinma.edu.ng [PDF]
  • Leaving university early: Exploring the differences between continuing and non‐continuing students – www.tandfonline.com [PDF]