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Little conceptual and empirical effort has been directed toward differentiating high technology from low technology products, and identifying effective strategic alternatives for marketing technology‐based products. The purpose of this paper is to answer such fundamental questions as: what a high technology product is; what dimensions differentiate between high and low technology products and their marketing strategies; and what types of marketing strategies high technology companies should use. These issues are tackled from a contingency theory perspective with the assumption that marketing of high technology products, compared to that of low technology products, is influenced by different industry/market situations, and thus strategies should be designed and used differently. The paper reports the results from a survey of over 100 Australian firms, which examined the environment‐strategy‐performance link for low versus high technology‐based products. It discusses the implication of the results for marketers of high‐tech products.

The effects of variations in the external environment on channel member behaviour have been widely acknowledged in marketing channel literature. This paper focuses on the behavioural issues associated with the management of distribution channels dealing in high‐technology products in India. The marketing task environment associated with high‐technology products being highly dynamic and unpredictable, the attendant channel management functions become extremely challenging. The paper presents a conceptual model for managing the distribution channels operating in highly dynamic and unpredictable environments. The conceptual model is validated through a sample survey conducted among computer hardware dealers.

Although the marketing of high technology has attracted a number of writers over the 1980s and 1990s, there is, as yet, no shared agreement as to the critical issues marketing managers must address to be successful in this area. Based on observation and experience, suggests a framework of six emerging themes which regularly appear when examining marketing in the high‐technology arena and which are closely – related to the key characteristics of high‐tech products. Each of the themes identified has implications for the marketing task facing marketing managers of high‐tech products – they reinforce the need to address both internal and external marketing issues and the importance of further research to develop paradigms appropriate to successful commercial activities in high‐technology industries. Includes the “softer” problems of technology seduction and the usefulness of concepts such as the technology life cycle, and also covers the need to focus on credibility, standards, positioning and infrastructure, all of which impact on the way marketing managers will orchestrate the marketing mix. The themes in no way replace standard marketing approaches, but do provide a background for the formulation of marketing strategy and a basis for further development in this area.

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the use of IMC in new high technology product launches among companies that operate in different fields of business, yet providing similar innovation to the same market.

A qualitative case research methodology is applied. Multiple sources of evidence are gathered. These include interviews with key informants and documentary data, and IMC mini audits. Concerning the theoretical approach, the related literature in IMC, new product launch and high technology marketing is reviewed.

IMC is vital to high technology marketers launching new products and services. The analyses reveal that IMC practices vary across firm size, industry type, product/service orientation, and customer orientation.

Companies of different types can be on an equal footing in their integration efforts. Whether service‐ or product‐oriented companies, business‐to‐consumer or business‐to‐business marketers, companies from all backgrounds can achieve higher levels of IMC. What matters most is customer‐centricity, i.e. having a close interaction with customers and being responsive to their feedback.

The study contributes to the integrated marketing communications research field in several important respects. First, it focuses on IMC usage among firms in different industries. Second, it takes a genuinely refreshing view on studying IMC strategies by focusing on usage of IMC as part of new high technology product launch strategy.

The complicated environment surrounding high-technology firms, involving a high degree of market uncertainty, a high degree of technological uncertainty, a high degree of competitive volatility, high R&D expenditures and the rapid obsolescence of products, creates a great need for sophisticated marketing (Mohr & Shooshtari, 2003). Yet these firms continue to have underdeveloped competencies in marketing (Mohr & Sarin, 2009).

High‐technology markets are characterized by rapid evolution that alters the emphasis existing in some traditional marketing decisions. This article examines the nature of these markets and suggests certain factors for special consideration in the pricing decision. First, it relates the economic, technological, and competitive factors that affect the firm's objectives. Then, it examines these factors and offers alternative strategies in view of high‐technology dynamics.

Discusses the various strategies for mass merchandizing technologically complex products and services. Considers fear of technology, high‐tech aficionados, and lifestyle differences as factors in marketing high‐tech goods. Concludes that separate strategies for aficionados and non‐aficionados should be developed, and also that more customer‐oriented strategies should take into account that the aficionados themselves can be segmented by interests.

Although culture appears to be an important element in consumer behaviour, few have researched its direct impact on the adoption of innovation. In an exploratory study, research was conducted with migrants from Vietnam and Poland to examine the impact of culture on the adoption of high technology products. Specifically, data were examined for differences in adoption of these products between Vietnamese and Polish migrants to Australia; and the effect of cultural factors of “traditions,” “religion” and “fatality” (beliefs about man's inability to control nature), on adoption. This research was a preliminary study, but the results indicate that culture has an important role in the adoption process of high technology products.

Describes an empirical study which aimed to compare the marketing practices used by high‐tech and low‐tech companies in the UK, and to attempt to explain any significant differences. Concludes that there is increasing awareness of the salience of marketing by UK high technology companies, though they are still not as market oriented as low‐tech ones. Suggests that broadly speaking results replicate earlier findings in US high technology firms, with the critical difference that the British companies rate both the possession of the latest technology and price competition less seriously than the American organizations.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that underpin brand switching of medical imaging products by mass-market users. Most of the literature on brand switching is focused on competitive market products, for which switching costs are manageable. However, little consideration is given to brand switching of high-technology capital products.

The conceptual model is developed based on the existing literature on B2B brand switching. An online survey was developed and distributed to decision makers involved in purchasing medical imaging technology.

The results confirm the expectation that product features is the most influential factor underpinning brand switching. Product features are critical for medical organizations who want to maintain their competitive advantage. The findings suggest that the set of factors that influence the decision to switch is unique for users of different market segments in the same industry (e.g. lead users and mass-market users). This difference stems from technology utilization of each market segment.

In high-technology markets, managers should develop a reliable strategy to evaluate the antecedents behind brand switching that are specific to their industry. Knowledge of the major factors that cause users to switch is essential to allow firms to determine the strategy needed to prevent the erosion of their market share.

Although the literature reports considerable research on brand switching, this study is a first-of-its-kind in that it demonstrates that the factors underpinning brand switching vary within the same industry, based on the characteristics of each market segment. This paper develops new knowledge on the factors that influence the decision of users of high-technology capital products to switch between brands to renew or improve their internal capabilities.