Examining Mobile Marketing Technology Adoption from an Evolutionary Process Perspective: The Study of UK Service SMEs

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine mobile marketing technology adoption research and practice in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from an evolutionary and dynamic process perspective using the concept of dynamic capabilities (CDCs). This study adopted a qualitative method to explore how small services oriented SMEs regularly engage in mobile marketing technology adoption. Two stages of interviews (unstructured and semi-structured) were carried out with a total of 26 interviewees. The data collected from the interviews were analysed using a thematic approach to understand the evolutionary and dynamic nature of the mobile marketing technology adoption process, entities involved and how they interact. The findings revealed the reiterative and the evolutionary nature of mobile marketing technology adoption and the continuous interactions and negotiations of numerous entities in the process, underpinned by the concept of dynamic capabilities and validated by the empirical data. The study developed a framework depicting the process of mobile marketing technology adoption, significant activities and entities involved in the process. The study advances mobile marketing technology adoption research and practice by developing a framework that describes the interactive, dynamic and evolutionary nature of mobile marketing technology adoption, entities associated with the framework and their interactions in the process.