The role of channel orientation in B2B technology adoption

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an in‐depth understanding of the issues that organizations consider and experience when making the decision to adopt B2B technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses a qualitative approach to collect and analyze data. In‐depth interviews were conducted to help generate new themes, and ideas about B2B technology adoption. After the data were collected, the authors used an elaborate multi‐stage process to code, analyze, and interpret the data generated from the interviews.

Findings

The main theme that emerged out of this study is that an organization's response to requests from its trading partner to adopt B2B technologies is highly influenced by its marketing channel orientation. The study identifies three types of marketing channel orientations that can influence a firm's technology adoption decision and demonstrates how each of these orientations influence a firm's responses and attitudes towards B2B technology adoption.

Originality/value

The study is important to practitioners since it helps them recognize the value of understanding their trading partner's channel strategies and orientations as they develop strategies to get their suppliers to adopt B2B technologies. It also contributes to the academic literature by demonstrating the value of a firm's channel strategy orientation, a very important concept that has been ignored in the channels and B2B technology adoption literature.

Citation

Asare, A.K., Brashear Alejandro, T.G., Granot, E. and Kashyap, V. (2011), "The role of channel orientation in B2B technology adoption", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 26 No. 3, pp. 193-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/08858621111115912