Who propounded the concept of "Innovation Diffusion as a Spatial Process"?

Correct option is C

Introduction
This question asks to identify the pioneering geographer credited with propounding the concept of "Innovation Diffusion as a Spatial Process."

• This concept is a major component of spatial analysis in human geography, studying how new ideas, technologies, and practices spread over space and time from a point of origin.
• Understanding the mechanisms of diffusion—such as relocation and expansion—is critical for analyzing cultural change, disease spread, and economic development.

The correct proponent of this influential geographical model is Hagerstrand.

Information Booster

Hagerstrand and Innovation Diffusion

• The concept of "Innovation Diffusion as a Spatial Process" was propounded by the Swedish geographer Torsten Hägerstrand (1916–2004).
• Hägerstrand developed the concept primarily in the 1950s and 1960s, using Monte Carlo simulations and empirical studies (like the spread of farm subsidies in Sweden) to model how information moves through a population.
• His model emphasized the importance of distance and the role of social networks in the adoption of innovations, often resulting in a characteristic S-shaped curve of cumulative adoption over time.
• He identified three main stages in the spread of an innovation: the primary stage (slow, concentrated adoption), the diffusion stage (rapid, widespread adoption), and the saturation stage (slow, final adoption).

Additional Knowledge

Other Geographers

• Ullman (Edward Ullman): A key figure in urban and economic geography, known for his work on Interacting Opportunity and the Trade Area analysis, and for his contributions to the Müller-Ullman Model of Urban Growth.
• Morrill (Richard L. Morrill): Known for his work in quantitative geography, particularly his models on the spatial distribution of settlements and his research on redistricting and racial segregation.
• Reilly (William J. Reilly): Known for the Law of Retail Gravitation (1931), which is used to determine the boundary of the trade area between two competing cities or retail centers.