This study examines the patterns of mobile phone adoptions based on Types of culture. Employing the Bass diffusion model (1969) and Hofstede's model (1980), our research finds that Type I culture (i.e., individualistic; weak uncertainty avoidance; low long-term orientation) has higher innovation coefficient p than Type II culture has, and that Type II culture (i.e., collectivist; strong uncertainty avoidance; high long-term orientation) has higher imitation coefficient q than Type I culture has. In the initial period, the adoption rate of Type I culture (i.e., U.S.) was greater than that of Type II culture (i.e., South Korea). On the other hand, in development stage, Type II culture experienced explosive adoption, which make S-shape curve; while Type II culture did not. These results show that people in an individualistic culture are more likely to seek information by themselves from direct and formal sources; meanwhile, people in collectivistic culture mainly rely on subjective evaluation of an innovation that is conveyed from other like-minded individuals who have already adopted the innovation. Theoretical contributions for national level cross-culture literature and practical strategies for national market penetration are discussed.
