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tipping point occurred when Zuckerburg put up the first
“thefacebook” page thereby changing the world of social media
interactions forever. A similar argument could be made for

Wikipedia or Google.

 Thresholds: A tipping point may result from an offering (say)
passing some minimum point - a threshold. Example: the

volume of sales of a technology solution arrives at a point where
it is accepted as the de facto standard. The idea of Thresholds is
attributed to Thomas Schelling and developed further by Mark
Granovetter.

 Bandwagon Effect: A tipping point event triggers a shift of
opinion encouraging others to shift their opinion abruptly.
Example, suppose history indicates that if a political candidate

for President wins in say Iowa, this is taken as a hint that he or
she will win overall. At that point, voter sentiment may shift and
the candidate becomes inevitable.

 Cascade: Example: It’s people who believed they were alone in

their beliefs who suddenly find out that they are part of a much
larger group. It’s human nature to not want to be an oddball. It’s
human nature not to want to be a one-man revolution. It’s when

you find out that most of the people around you share your views
that revolutions are made.

 For a deeper mathematical treatment of Tipping Points go
Lamberson and Page (2012 Sante Fe Working Papers).

Patterns of Diffusion: Decline

The spread of favorable opinions accompanies growth and the spread
of an idea. Unfavorable opinions and the abandonment of earlier
beliefs accompany the decline of an idea or offering. As the new idea

displaces the old, adherents of the old abandon it in roughly the same

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