Rogers' (2003) theory of diffusion of innovations describes adoption of an activity as a
function of both the people and the innovation. Opinion leaders, those with strong influence and
credibility, are essential for successful adoption of a new activity. Changing practice requires
opinion leaders who can convince team members about the advantages of an innovation. Even
with opinion leaders, individuals' paces of learning and accepting change vary. Team members
undergo a five-stage behavioral process to arrive at a decision about whether or not to change
practice. The five stages are