Marketing

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     The purpose of this research project is to analyze the marketing efforts of the Military Health Service System’s (MHSS) TRICARE program and compare them to the Diffusion of Innovation theory (Rogers, 1983) to test whether or not the campaign has been successful in getting the beneficiaries to adopt the innovation of TRICARE.

     The research is important to military public affairs offices everywhere since they are continually challenged with disseminating new information on TRICARE and its benefits. The authors selected a specific TRICARE brochure to analyze if it follows the characteristics of innovations which leads to successful adoption of the product. The Diffusion of Innovation theory fits the purpose of this study since Coleman, Katz, and Menzel (1966) found that individuals try to avoid changes in medical treatment and care. TRICARE has seen a slow rate of diffusion among its beneficiaries. The study discusses the five characteristics of innovations, which include relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, triability, and observability. These are used to analyze the TRICARE brochure and discuss to what extent it follows the characteristics. These characteristics are then combined with the five stages of the innovation-decision process to develop a solution to ameliorate the marketing strategies of TRICARE to military retirees.

  Introduction

  Discussion

  Conclusion

  References