The Adoption and Uses of Corporate Websites in Business Organisations: A Theoretical Analysis

Abstract

This paper attempts to examine the rationale behind the use of corporate websites (a corporate communication tool) while at the same time provide insight into how the concept has grown and developed over the years. The study examines various theoretical approaches which have compartmentalised the meaning of corporate website. It also highlights how these compartments interrelate. The paper used longitudinal approach to view how the concept has been defined over time. Consequently, a table on how the meaning of the concept is constructed over the years was developed. Also, it was observed as changes occur in the adoption and use of the website, so does scholars use new constructs to define the concept. The table led to the development of a definition of the concept. This paper enhances a better understanding of the meaning of corporate website by developing a definition and a table of constructs so as to give a better understanding of the meaning of corporate website. Since knowledge on the uses of corporate website has been scarcely addressed, this paper theorises 8: i. business size and age; ii. business industry; iii. Support; iv. marketing benefits; v. strategic information; vi. competitive advantage; vii. corporate reputation management and promotion; viii. relationship management - basic reasons firms adopt and use their corporate website. A review of literature about how the meaning of corporate website has been constructed gave insight into how five periods of development (i.e. 1-preactive; 2-reactive; 3-interactive, 4-integrative; 5-streaming) evolved in both theory and practice. It is anticipated that the knowledge of why firms adopt and use a corporate website will help firms to understand how to effectively use the corporate communication tool to develop a number of organisational phenomena such as positive brand image, increased sales level, increased market share, consumer purchase decisions and so on.