International internet marketing: A triangulation study of drivers and barriers in the business‐to‐business context in the United Kingdom

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to investigate empirically the drivers and barriers operation on the adoption of internet technology by business‐to‐business marketing companies that operate at the international level.Design/methodology/approach – A review of the literature concerning the diffusion and adoption of innovations precedes a triangulation study involving a questionnaire‐based survey of 123 companies (a 59 percent response rate) and case studies of four others, all located in the UK. Data were factor‐analysed, following testing for validity, reliability and adequacy of the research instrument.Findings – The paper concludes that powerful drivers of international internet‐based marketing in business‐to‐business firms will generally outweigh significant barriers to its adoption in the future. It also explains how innovation‐diffusion theory identifies factors instrumental in the adoption of internet marketing.Research limitations/implications – The study was confined to business‐to‐busines...

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