Title: The effects of Information and Communication Technology on Customer Relationship Management and customer lock-in

Authors: Ja-Shen Chen, Russell K.H. Ching

Addresses: College of Management, Yuan Ze University, 135 Yuan-Tung Road, Nei-Li, Chung-Li 320, Taiwan. ' College of Business Administration, California State University, Sacramento, 6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819-6088, USA

Abstract: The continual advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have opened many new global opportunities for businesses. To help them strategically compete, many Taiwanese businesses have invested in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The survey results of Taiwan|s largest companies indicate that three CRM elements benefiting from ICT, market orientation, IT investment and mass customisation, have positive relationships with CRM performance and partnership quality, and CRM performance has a positive relationship customer lock-in. The findings also indicate that CRM performance mediates the effects of the CRM elements on customer network effect.

Keywords: customer relationship management; CRM; information technology; communications; ICT; electronic business; e-business; Taiwan; customer lock-in; market orientation; IT investment; mass customisation; customer network effect.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEB.2007.015446

International Journal of Electronic Business, 2007 Vol.5 No.5, pp.478 - 498

Published online: 17 Oct 2007 *

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