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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.

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.

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.

In this paper, we examine the comparative advantage of Korea and China while focusing on their technology level. The three digit SITC (Standard International Trade Classification) data is classified by technology level and the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) is derived from 1992-2009 by using UN COMTRADE data. For careful interpretation of the comparative advantage and technology levels, we also examined intra-industry trade and unit values of bilateral Korea-China trade, and semi-conductor industry technology. We found that the revealed comparative advantage has moved from low technology products to high technology products in Korea. China still maintains a comparative advantage in low technology products such as textiles and clothing, but at the same time, China’s high and medium-high technology products have recently gained a comparative advantage. The perception that China only has a comparative advantage for labor intensive products with low technology should be changed based on our analysis. However, China’s advancement in technology should not be overestimated. When comparing the unit value of basic materials of Korea’s and China’s exports, we found that Korea’s export product prices are on average higher than that of China’s, although the gap is reducing. A wider technology gap between Korea and China still exists in the semi-conductor industry, which is one of the most advanced high technology industries throughout the world.

This paper reports some results of an investigation of the product innovation strategies of Australian high technology firms. While theoretical and empirical research undertaken outside of Australia reveals the importance of firms' adopting appropriate new product strategies to enhance their profits and prospects for growth (Booz, Allen & Hamilton 1982, Maidique & Zirger 1984, Cooper 1985), very little is known about the strategic behaviour and performance of Australian manufacturing firms whether high, medium or low technology.

The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that underpin consumer switching intention in the smartphone industry. Most of the literature on brand switching uses conventional models that lack the ability to explain this behavior for high-technology products. Such products have unique characteristics that make the switching process more challenging from the consumer perspective.

The proposed model is built based on the related theories that consider the distinctive aspects of high-technology products. Furthermore, two variables “relative advantage of product features” and “company innovativeness” are introduced for the first time to evaluate consumer attitude to switch a high-technology product. The smartphone industry was selected to test the proposed model, where an online survey was sent to Apple and Samsung users.

The results confirm the expectation that perceived product usefulness, perceived ease of use and relative advantage of product features are the major factors driving the intention of users to switch, whereas subjective norms have limited impact. The financial cost of switching is the main barrier to consumers’ decision to switch to a new technology. The pleasure consumers feel toward their brand and the other brand is positively associated with their attitude toward switching.

This research contributes to the literature on brand switching by introducing a comprehensive model that explains consumer switching behavior of high-technology products. Research findings would allow managers to draft better marketing strategies to improve consumer brand awareness.

The majority of literature on brand switching uses simple models to explain consumer behavior. This study is the first attempt to build a comprehensive model that considers the characteristics of high-technology products and how they shape consumer behavior during the decision-making process.

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 purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between product innovativeness and the process of technology switching. This issue is important for two reasons: (1) in mature markets, the only way to increase market share is through consumers' switching from competitor firms and (2) it is essential to determine whether the product innovation strategy can meet users' needs in high-technology markets.

Research centers (university hospitals) specializing in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the lead users of the MRI market. In this market, the technology switching process was tracked using an annual conference database. Interviews with industry experts and lead users were conducted in order to determine the relationship between product innovativeness and technology switching.

The findings reveal that in the lead users' segment, technology switching is occurring at a significant level. The interviews emphasized the influence of product innovativeness on technology switching in the global MRI market, as well as the importance of adopting an open innovation process as a strategy to enhance product innovativeness.

The results can be generalized to industries with similar characteristics, such as high rates of technological change and technology heterogeneity. In high-technology markets, managers should monitor switching behavior. They should also study the influence of product innovativeness on such behavior in order to determine the correct product innovation strategy and meet users' preferences effectively.

The literature reports considerable research that investigates switching behavior, but most publications use data from a short time period and cover a limited geographical region. This is the first study that uses data to track the switching behavior of high-technology products on a global scale over a 22-year period.

Studies of capability building and organisational learning through networked arrangements have been growing in recent years. In high‐technology industries, in particular, small and medium‐sized enterprises overcome problems of resource and information limitations by becoming a part of a knowledge network. This paper seeks to examine innovation networks of the Australian high‐technology small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by focusing on the linkages employed by small businesses to learn, adapt to technological change, and innovate.

To study the innovation networks of high‐technology firms, research was conducted on biotechnology firms within the Sydney region and information and communication technology (ICT) firms within the metropolitan area of Melbourne. A mixed methodology approach for this research was adopted and a combination of quantitative and qualitative data was collected, via the means of a questionnaire and face‐to‐face interviews.

The paper reports a range of findings on the nature and type of networked relationships and offers analysis of the extent of innovation linkages within the biotech clusters in Sydney and ICT cluster within Melbourne.

Limitation of the sample size indicates limited generalisability of final results and findings should be treated with caution.

This research highlights critical factors of innovation success in the context of network linkages. This network analysis may enable more effective decision making on improving innovation processes on competitive capabilities by regional policy makers and firm managers.

The paper reports the analysis and extent of innovation linkages within the biotech cluster in Sydney and ICT cluster the in Melbourne metropolitan area.

Examines best current product innovation practice. Describes the organizational arrangements currently used by firms which are regular product innovators in order to guide those which are less active. Centres on measuring the properties of loose/tight organization structures in relation to corporate renewal through product innovation. Presents results which suggest that there are important organizational differences between high‐tech firms which are active, experienced product innovators and those which are not.