FRASER, ALEXANDRA HAYNES; PHD

                         THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON, 1987
 
                         SOCIOLOGY, GENERAL (0626); ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (0768)
 

                         A multi-method research design consisting of in-depth interviews with program officials and builders, field
                         level observation, and field surveys with randomly chosen acceptors has been used to provide a unique
                         set of insights into the process of diffusion and acceptance of improved smokeless wood-stoves in
                         Rajasthan, India. Over 450 village women were interviewed about their energy use, use of their stove,
                         cooking practices as well as family characteristics. These women were improved stove acceptors and
                         non-acceptors associated with three improved stove disseminating organizations in Rajasthan, the Rural
                         Development Department of the Rajasthan state government, the Local Self Government Institute and
                         the Social Work and Research Center. The improved stoves disseminated by these three programs are
                         all largely subsidized by the Government of India. I have constructed a variable named Levels of
                         Acceptance in order to aid in quantifying differences in stove condition and frequency of stove use. The
                         traditional literature on dissemination of innovation has concluded that the acceptor's personal
                         characteristics from caste and wealth through personal motivation are the decisive factors in the adoption
                         of an innovation. I find, however, that programmatic variables, and the disseminating program itself are
                         consistently the most highly correlated and important variables for attaining a high Level of Acceptance. If
                         my experience in Rajasthan can be generalized, and improved smokeless wood-burning stoves are ever
                         to be adopted in large numbers with a high Level of Acceptance, it is important and encouraging to note
                         that disseminating program policies, rather than an acceptor's personal characteristics are the most
                         important variables.

Social Systems Simulation Group P.O. Box 6904 San Diego, CA  92166-0904 Roland Werner, Principal Phone/FAX  (619) 660-1603