Bagel manufacturing has been amplified radically in the United States over the last few decades. This general surge in production can be attributable to a rapid increase in demand for the healthy bread product. Increased production has meant new market penetration across the entire United States. In a frequent pattern, bagel demand has endorsed bagel diffusion, and bagel diffusion has increased demand for more bagels.
The “original” bagel was invented by a Jewish baker who was feeling a little ambitious and wanted to try something new to thank King John III Sobieski of Poland. Jewish Immigrants brought this idea to the new world in the early 20th century. This type of diffusion is called relocation diffusion, where the Jewish Immigrants took their culture with them as they migrated.
While the bagel was in New York City, it took on a different look by adding the more recognizable hole in the middle. Shops in Americas’ major cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles started producing and selling their own bagels. Expansion did not occur though until the early 60’s due to the Jewish mob. This expansion of the recipe and the design is called expansion diffusion.
Expansion diffusion is when an idea simply spreads out from the point of origin in a snowballing effect. Direct contact involving people did not truly start until the early to mid-1990’s, when the bagel companies and stores around the country really took off. This type of diffusion is called contagious diffusion.
The widespread popularity of bagels has been echoed across our great nation. From New York to Seattle, different types of bagels have been an idea of many great minds. Cinnamon bagels, blueberry bagels, apple crisp, chocolate chip the list goes on and on about different bagel ideas. This kind of idea sharing diffusion is called hierarchical diffusion. It has help revolutionize the bagel industry and make it grow into a multimillion dollar business.
When a specific trait is rejected, but the underlying idea or concept is accepted it is called stimulus diffusion. This can be found in the notion that bagels would never survive as long as they did. From changing its look when it came to a new country to now being one of the top go-to breakfast foods in the world. Diffusion is found everywhere in life, even with a simple round piece of dough with a hole in it. Have a great morning souls.
The Mind Wonderers 