Managing rapid diffusion: the case of cellular communications

South Africa has experienced extraordinarily rapid growth in the cellular communications industry, with subscriber numbers growing from zero to 5,3 million in the first six years since its introduction in 1994. Research was conducted to investigate the way in which the industry managed this rapid diffusion. The study highlighted the way in which the diffusion of cellular communication was managed, particularly through networks and linkages between hardware suppliers, network operators and service providers. The study has found that industry cooperation is the most important factor that drives rapid diffusion of new technology in a non-integrated industry such as the cellular communications industry in South Africa. The findings of this single-case study support propositions based on the innovation network theory. OPSOMMING Suid-Afrika het buitengewoon vinnige groei in die sellulêre kommunikasiebedryf ervaar, en intekenaarsyfers het van nul tot 5,3 miljoen in die eerste ses jaar sedert die bekendstelling daarvan in 1994 opgeskiet. Navorsing om vas te stel op watter wyse die bedryf hierdie snelle verspreiding bestuur het is, gedoen. Die studie het gekonsentreer op die manier waarop die verspreiding van sellulêre kommunikasie bestuur is, veral deur middel van netwerke en skakeling tussen apparatuurverskaffers, netwerkoperateurs en diensverskaffers. Die studie het bevind dat industriesamewerking die belangrikste faktor is wat vinnige verspreiding van nuwe tegnologie dryf in ʼn nie-geintegreerde nywerheid soos die sellulêre kommunikasiebedryf in Suid-Afrika. Die bevindinge van hierdie enkel-gevalstudie ondersteun proposisies gebaseer op die innovasie-netwerkteorie