Consumer innovation resistance as routines: is it an obstacle to development and well-being?

Abstract

In this article we define the role of innovation in the economy of knowledge and in providing social and economic wellbeing to the population. The innovation resistance is defined as a complex phenomenon and as a result of agent-object relationships. Then the article is focused on consumer innovation resistance as a main obstacle to development of knowledge-based economy. Two types of consumer innovation resistance are revealed. The source of active consumer innovation resistance is the result of non-compliance of consumer expectations and characteristics of a new product. Passive consumer innovation resistance comes from the lack of desire to change stable behavior patterns and from unwillingness to learn. Also we classify the deterministic factors of consumer innovation resistance as exogenous indirect and direct factors and as endogenous factors, what can help to work out a general approach to overcoming the innovation resistance. Innovations can be considered as habits and routines to changes, which can be developed and distributed both to the young population and to the elderly. Some insights in this direction are offered.