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● 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 arrive 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 accompanies the decline of an idea or offering. As the new idea
displaces the old, adherents of the old abandon it in roughly the same
sequence as they joined the new (leaders, followers, laggards). Just as
there are tipping points etc. on the way up so they exist for the old idea
on the way down.

It is an interesting reality that there are few academic and practice
writings plotting the dissipation of business systems.

Links to Other Constructs

Emergence: Kicks off diffusion

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