Title: Discriminant analyses of field sales force adoption of wireless technologies

Authors: Susan DelVecchio, Elaine Seeman

Addresses: Department of Marketing, College of Business, East Carolina University, 3416 Bate Building, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, USA. ' Department of Decision Sciences, East Carolina University, 342 Slay Hall, Greenville, NC 27858-4353, USA

Abstract: Although mobile computing offers the field salesperson distinct dvantages, adoption lags. This study examined differences in sales organisations. We found distinctive differences between non-adopters, adopters and innovators. Adopters tend to be more customer-driven relying on smaller well supported sales forces. Field sales forces yet to adopt are less likely to value customer-driven strategies. IT vendors can target new markets by identifying these strategic differences. Management of firms that have not yet adopted and are not sufficiently customer-driven may be exposing themselves to competitive vulnerabilities.

Keywords: m-business; wireless technology adoption; field sales force; organisational adoption; sales force automation; innovation diffusion theory; marketing strategy; strategic differences; customer-driven; profit-driven; mobile business; mobile communications; mobile computing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMC.2007.011488

International Journal of Mobile Communications, 2007 Vol.5 No.1, pp.32 - 47

Published online: 01 Dec 2006 *

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