Introduction
Data accessible to business investors have exploded in recent times and will keep its pattern with enhanced pace (Hair et al. 2013). The expanded data is spilled into information distribution centres from various sources, which are accessible for mining to improve basic leadership. Among various information sources to enhance this distribution centre is the Social media (SM), which is picking up prevalence and enthusiasm in business (Gharib, Philpott & Dua 2016). The information accessible to organisations and investors through SM can be linked with leadership goals and competitor’s advantage (Gharib, Philpott & Dua 2016).
There has been an unmistakable pattern in SM use and organisations understand that one of their most important resources is communication with clients and key partners (Kumar & Werner 2016). The foundation of stable business relationship is vital in B2B organisations. Social media platforms create a continuous relationship between organisations. Business relationship can be considered as a standout amongst the most vital resources of an organisation. A consistent user will be willing to pay premium costs and make referrals, which expands the business value (Rai 2016). The awareness of relationships as a progressing procedure has stimulated the thought of the improvement process. The procedure respects the start of a relationship, its improvement, support, and disintegration. The relationship that exists between companies and organisations is called business-to-business (B2B). However, the relationship between organisations and consumers is called B2C. In B2B, the purchasing procedure is longer than in Business to Customer (B2C) markets and the items and services that are sold are complex, requiring a few people to take part in the purchasing choice. This paper investigates the cause and effect relationship between the use of technology and intention to use technology.
Background of the Study
With the approach of innovation in Internet advancement, key changes are driven in the B2B exercises and business activities (Bharti, Agrawal & Sharma 2015). As per Emarketer (2013), most B2B organisations in the United States showed interest in promoting their spending plans in 2013, 67.2% planned to increase budget on Internet advancements, for example, sites improvement, email promoting, social media, video to mention a few. A survey conducted by Emarketer (2013) estimated the quantity of SM clients is estimated at 2.55 billion by 2017. Hence, the value of social media in business cannot be ignored as associations are encountering new patterns that keep on emerging through the approach of innovation (Emarketer 2013). Some contend that significant value can be driven from observing prospects, clients, and their discussions in social media for a more extensive, more prescient view on product inclinations, the status of the market to mention a few.
Problem Statement and Literature Gap
There has been rare research on the use of B2B in online networking. As contended by Itani, Agnihotri and Dingus (2017) most literature analysed the prospects of online networking from a B2C point of view. Some exploration has been directed on tools and SM used in B2B organisations (Järvinen et al. 2012). They found that online networking apparatuses are utilised by different B2B organisations. One of these destinations is to gather new clients and keep a dynamic association with existing consumers. Järvinen et al. (2012) found that advanced channels such as online networking have expanded throughout the years to help B2B organisations. B2B organisations still have issues of incorporating the new instruments of social media in promoting business investments.
This paper investigates the cause and effect between the use of technology and intention to use technology. Internet advancements have gained huge changes the field of business. With the rising number of the Internet clients, more coordinated exercises are displayed for various purposes, for example, increasing competitive edge, creating leads and income (Bodnar & Cohen 2011), advancing brands (Saravanakumar & Suganthalakshmi 2012), and encouraging correspondence. The positive effects of the Web on business exercises have gained little attention in previous literature. In spite of the prevalence of SM, potential instruments and strategies, they accommodate organisations. for example, encouraging exertion and time checking on aggressive situation, many supervisors still disregard such capacities and do not comprehend what they are and how to connect with them (Lombardo & Cabiddu 2016).
The potential advantages and downsides of SM to businesses require a far reaching and watchful approach toward applying SM, which require observational proof (Pohlmann & Kaartemo 2017). This research aims at gaining effective metrics for measuring SM use by B2B organisations. Both investigations discussed web-based social networking by B2B organisations to increase client base. Consequently, this is an intriguing stage for an investigation on B2B in social media. Literatures by Järvinen et al. (2012) and Christodoulides (2011) found that social media is utilised to pull new clients. It is utilised as the underlying period of the relationship improvement process and would be a legitimate beginning stage of this paper.
Significance of the Study
SM is a new phenomenon in the business field, thus, experimental and comparative analysis on its use is restricted (Saeed 2011). Most organisations utilise SM, but as mentioned, the absence of exact confirmation exists on their effectiveness in business exercises and execution in a B2B setting (Hajli et al. 2017). This examination endeavours to fill this gap by researching the effect of applying SM in a B2B environment, the understanding it gives to the B2B associations to help their basic leadership forms (Hinterhuber 2017). As SM gain notoriety and intrigue, it is important to distinguish and measure the tools they provide for associations and business investments. The present examination has a theoretical and practical significance. It can be gainful to the association to acknowledge whether SMs can be an instrument in increasing business insight, capacities, and suggestions (Sugathan, Ranjan & Mulky 2017). From an official point of view, SM can enhance the information accessible to supervisors for their basic leadership forums. The study will be the basis for further research in B2B branding, marketing, and sales.
Purpose of the Study
The examinations via web-based networking media have centred in the B2C territory, which is a sign that more learning should be added in the field of B2B. Given that the improvement of relationships is essential in B2B setting, an experimental confirmation will constitute the framework of this paper. Besides, the study focuses on how to utilise social media in the underlying pace of e relationship building procedure and attraction. Notwithstanding, past examinations are conducted to frame a general comprehension of SM utilisation in B2B settings, in view of quantitative information. This examination will contribute to a subjective report on B2B organisations. This paper investigates the cause and effect relationship between the use of technology and intention to use technology
Study Objectives and Research Questions
The Internet is a tool for quick, effective, coordinated, and intelligent trade of data (Voyer, Kastanakis & Rhode 2016). It furnishes users with various devices to help them in different exercises, which require the recognisable proof and achievement measures of such capacities (Voyer & Kastanakis 2016). This paper investigates the cause and effect relationship between the use of technology and intention to use technology. By noting the implication on administrative direction for the utilisation of SM by B2B organisations, the study will provide answers on SM benefits. This examination will likewise close the hypothetical gap between the potential and genuine utilisation of online networking by B2B organisations. Keeping in mind the goal to investigate this point the accompanying exploration, this research poses the following questions:
- How is SM utilised by B2B organisations to pull new clients?
- What disadvantages are there to utilise SM in this perspective?
In particular, this proposal tried to answer the accompanying questions:
- What are the B2B supervisor’s points of view toward SM-driven information in view of their encounters?
- What are the B2B supervisor’s points of view toward SM in light of the accompanying sorts of basic leadership?
- When contrasted with different sources of information, are there any distinctions in the effectiveness of SM-driven information on external condition?
Literature Review
Business-to-Business (B2B)
The historical backdrop of trade and marketing between associations goes back to hundreds of years (Wallpach et al. 2017). Notwithstanding, literature on this territory has no comparable history and comprehension of B2B sales strategies and standards has been based on suggested and individual inductions of the administrators as opposed to logically based evidence (Zhang et al. 2015). In spite of an incomplete consideration, B2B presentation gained relevance in marketing literature (Saeed 2011). Besides, with the present development and advances in innovation, changes are integrated in the abilities of B2B business exercises. It creates a need for precise examinations on the Internet-based B2B and the part of SM appears to be vital. B2B marketing is characterised as encouraging, providing sales, administrations, and institutional markets instead of private retail clients (Saeed 2011).
B2B use of SM is different from B2C communication, which is based on quality and setting (Agrawal & Rahman 2015). However, B2C investments can be small and trivial, while in B2B communication influences the whole business because of the number of procurement units and customer base (Burdon, Mooney & Al-Kilidar 2015). Along these lines in B2B, deals are longer, mind boggling, and inclusive (Chandler & Vargo 2011). In a B2B organisation, purchasers and merchants are more refined without impulse behaviour with no individual feelings associated with the buying choice. This approach reduces the risk of acquiring a wrong item or service (Chandler & Vargo 2011).
B2B Organisations and the Internet
The developments and advances of innovation have prompted changes in the B2B marketing exercises and capacities (Kleinaltenkamp et al. 2012). The enhanced elements of the Web and the expanded volume of hierarchical trade and coordinated efforts have provoked higher correspondence capacities in value chains and supply networks in B2B organisations (Kleinaltenkamp et al. 2012). Michaelidou, Siamagka and Christodoulides (2011) in their investigation on SM in B2B highlighted the significance of web-based social networking on B2B organisations. By implication, B2B organisations can use online networking through channels, for example Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, and LinkedIn, keeping in mind the goal to communicate with clients and suppliers. The researchers revealed that pulling new clients and developing relationships are the most vital objectives for B2B associations when utilising online networking. Järvinen et al. (2012) revealed that scholastic research is restricted in web-based social networking in a B2B environment. The gap in using social media for branding, marketing, employment, and decision-making process would form the basis of this research.
Social Media Definition
SM is a social communication stage accessible to people and associations to collaborate and communicate through innovation (Vargo & Lusch 2011). SM includes online groups and websites in which people and organisations can make, share, examine, and adjust contents (Kietzmann et al. 2011). Vargo and Lusch (2011) characterises SM as innovations that enable people and associations to see and distribute materials on the Internet to advance, buy, send, or gather criticisms on item and benefits. Through SM, correspondence and collaborations occur, a part performed by “customary SM, for example, phone, regular postal mail, print publicising, radio, TV, and boards, however, SM plays a compelling part in associations (Sugathan, Ranjan & Mulky 2017). With the goal of this paper, the expression social media is utilised to indicate to distinctive Online SM sites and applications that permit designing, sharing, deliberating, and changing distinctive sorts of substance.
Intension to use Technology
A survey analysed pre-benefit instructor’s intention to utilise innovation. The researcher used one hundred fifty-seven participants to review their reactions to six construct that incorporated the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (Teo 2012). The research findings demonstrated that the TAM constructs influenced teachers expectation to utilise innovation (Teo 2012). Another survey evaluated the perception of pre‐service educators in using technology (Teo & Lee 2010). The analysis was conducted by utilising the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as its framework (Teo & Lee 2010). The results revealed that individual personality toward utilisation and subjective standards were critical indicators of behavioral aim to use technology (Teo & Lee 2010). Teo and Zhou (2014) analysed the elements that influence an individual’s intention to use the innovation. The researchers collected samples from 314 participants. The research findings revealed that Internet self-adequacy and subjective standard influenced the use of technology (Teo & Zhou 2014).
Social Media and GCC Countries
Social media sites are an archived socio-political distinct advantage in the GCC district, with people, foundations, and governments utilising these channels to impact and control human interest (Lombardo & Cabiddu 2016). GCC nations have the highest cell phone subscribers globally (Grönroos & Ravald 2011). It is vital to understand the need for each progression of the long purchasing process. The purchaser must feel certain that the provider approves the soundness of their judgement because of the enormous interests in assets that oblige a B2B purchase (Gillin & Schwartzman 2011). Thus, building relationship among investors is an effective tool in the business environment (Till et al. 2015). The present examination is an exploration on the use of Social media in a B2B environment. This paper evaluates whether SM can provide business-to-business (B2B) with powerful tools through information, value, and predictions to coordinate the business market.
Kietzmann et al. (2011) revealed that numerous B2B supervisors still overlook SM capacities, likely because of the absence of adequate quantifiable proof of the achievement. In this investigation, because of their notoriety and global acknowledgment, this paper will analyse three social media sites, which include Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. With the goal of this study, the term Social media is utilised to denote online social networking applications that permit marketing, sharing, examining, and adjusting distinctive contents (Kietzmann et al. 2011).
Regardless of district, sexual orientation and, age, people are utilising SM to get associated with their families and companions far and wide. Some analysts argue that the growth of SM in GCC countries is connected to political instability in the regions. People transmit information concerning their location through SM platforms globally (Lombardo & Cabiddu 2016). Others ascribe its usage to the rapid development in the region (Saeed 2011). There are limited resources on the use of SM in GCC countries. This paper will evaluate the use of SM by B2B firms in GCC countries.
SM now penetrates every part of the day-to-day lives of a large number of Arabs, influencing the way they communicate, work together, and partake in the social uprising. The devices of SM assumed a critical part in monitoring and mobilising for the oppressed. Media analysts have asserted that web-based social networking has advanced a more open belief system, a solid social and political security for correspondence and trade of thoughts and as a stage encouraging development in GCC nations (Lombardo & Cabiddu 2016). More importantly, SM is a tool for business marketing. As a result, B2B organisations in the region use SM to interact, sell, evaluate, and make decisions. Therefore, the importance of SM to B2B organisations cannot be overemphasised.
Social Media Websites and Applications
At present, there is a substantial number of social media websites differing from extension and usefulness, some for public clients and others applying specialised features for expert clients (Grönroos & Ravald 2011). They offer similar component, which differentiates them from other communication channels. Social media websites have user profiles and information. Naturally, clients can see each other’s profiles, unless the proprietor denies such authorization (Grönroos 2011). SM websites are different in structures and functionalities. Some websites incorporate sharing photographs, sounds, and recordings. Others include Web discussions, wikis, social systems, and RSS feeds.
Hypothesis Statement
This section paper shows the correlation among variables that support technology use. Therefore, an individual’s orientation can be achieved using business intelligence connections. Business intelligence alludes to innovation, advances, applications, and techniques for the gathering, reconciliation, examination, and introduction of business data. Thus, Business intelligence enhances the decision-making process of B2B organisations. However, organisations use various platforms to create channels of communication. Business intelligent connections are systems that create communication channels for business technologies. Thus, an individual’s intention to use a particular technology would evaluate different BI connections based on its objectives. The need to use technology creates conditions such as perceived usability, perceived usefulness, and perceived utility. The term perceived usefulness (PU) describes a person’s belief system. Perceived usability describes the policies that affect an individual’s intention to use technology. Based on the underlying framework, the hypotheses for the paper can be summarized below.
- Hypothesis: 1 Social media will have a significant impact on B2B organisations and intension to use technology
- Hypothesis: 2 Social media has a positive influence on the competitive intelligence connection in B2B organisations
Research Methodology
Rational for Research Topic
Innovative improvements have encouraged a reality where web-based social networking is present and it attracts global attention, likewise in the domain of scholarly research. As expressed by Järvinen et al. (2012), previous literature analysed the chances of web-based social networking from the B2C point of view. This stimulates existing and rare scholarly research of SM uses in B2B. After reviewing the literature to show signs of knowledge of the subject of B2B, it was discovered that relationships with clients are essential for B2B organisations (Gillin & Schwartzman 2011). It was discovered that B2B communication could be considered to have a few stages including initiation, improvement, and support in the supposed relationship advancement process (Gharib, Philpott & Dua 2016).
Data Collection Method
Information will be collected through a subjective method in light of semi-organised meetings, which will be a fitting technique for this exploratory research since it permits the interviewees to respond freely on SM themes (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill 2009). The investigation will be furnished with data and angles that were not considered. Thus, participants will reflect on open-ended questions, keeping in mind the goal to provide confidential responses. The approach of information gathering is ideal because it answers the research questions.
Method for Data Analysis
The observational discoveries will be displayed under each organisation and their individual answers. The information gathered will be analysed in accordance with statistical research tools. The research variables include notoriety, familiarity, likeness, and decision choices. The disadvantages of utilising online networking will be investigated independently with a specific goal to perceive what issues organisations experience with SM.
Potential Implications
This investigation will contribute to a subjective report on rare scholarly research in B2B web-based social networking. Consequently, the exploration will provide rules for B2B organisations in the use of social media. Given its disadvantages, the study will help organisations to be mindful of the drawbacks of social media.
Ethical Issues
The researcher will collect signed consent from each participant. Consequently, participants are free to withdraw at any stage of the research. The researcher will pay attention to age authentication, consent forms, certification, user confidentiality, and data sharing. The research will be conducted in accordance with research ethics.
Timeline and Gantt Chart
The study will use mixed methods for the analysis. As a result, participants will be interviewed. Consequently, survey questions will be distributed via online channels. The timeline will be based on the approved deadline. Data collection method will take place in two phases. Phase A will be used for the interview, while Phase B will be used for online survey.
Reference List
Agrawal, A & Rahman, Z 2015, ‘Roles and resource contributions of customers in value co-creation’, International Strategic Management Review, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 144-160.
Bharti, K, Agrawal, R & Sharma, V 2015, ‘Value co-creation: literature review and proposed conceptual framework’, International Journal of Market Research, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 134-145.
Bodnar, K & Cohen, L 2011, The B2B social media book: become a marketing superstar by generating leads with blogging, Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Email, and more, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Burdon, S, Mooney, G & Al-Kilidar, H 2015, ‘Navigating service sector innovation using co-creation partnerships’, Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 25, no. 2. pp. 285-303.
Chandler, J & Vargo, S 2011, ‘Contextualization and value-in-context: how context frames exchange’, Marketing Theory, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 35-49.
Emarketer 2013, Web development top B2B priority in 2013. Web.
Gharib, R, Philpott, E & Duan, Y 2016, ‘Factors affecting active participation in B2B online communities: an empirical investigation’, Information and Management, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 516-530.
Gillin, P & Schwartzman, E 2011, Social marketing to the business customer: listen to your B2B market, generate major account leads, and build client relationships, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
Grönroos, C & Ravald, A 2011, ‘Service as business logic: implications for value creation and marketing’, Journal of Service Management, vol. 22, no. 3, pp. 5-22.
Grönroos, C 2011, ‘A service perspective on business relationships: the value creation, interaction and marketing interface’, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 240-247.
Hair, F, Black, C, Babin, J, Anderson, E & Tatham, L 2013, Multivariate data analysis, 7th edn, Pearson Education Limited, New York, NY.
Hajli, N, Shanmugam, M, Papagiannidis, S, Zahay, D & Richard, M 2017, ‘Branding co-creation with members of Online brand communities’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 136–144.
Hinterhuber, A 2017, ‘Value quantification capabilities in industrial markets’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 5, no. 1, p. 34.
Itani, O, Agnihotri, R & Dingus, R 2017, ‘Social media use in B2b sales and its impact on competitive intelligence collection and adaptive selling: examining the role of learning orientation as an enabler’, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 35.
Järvinen, J, Tollinen, A, Karjaluoto, H & Jayawardhena, C 2012, ‘Digital and social media marketing usage in B2B industrial section’, Marketing Management Journal, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 102-117.
Kietzmann, H, Hermkens, K, McCarthy, P & Silvestre, S 2011, ‘Social media? Get serious: understanding the functional building blocks of social media’, Business Horizons, vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 241-251.
Kleinaltenkamp, M, Brodie, R, Hughes, T, Peters, L & Woratschek, H 2012, ‘Resource integration’, Marketing Theory, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 201-205.
Kumar, V & Werner, R 2016, ‘Creating enduring customer value’, Journal of Marketing, vol. 80, no. 6, pp. 36-68.
Lombardo, S & Cabiddu, F 2016, ‘What’s in it for me? Capital, value and co-creation practices’, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 98-123.
Michaelidou, N, Siamagka, N & Christodoulides, G 2011, ‘Usage, barriers and measurement of social media marketing: an exploratory investigation of small and medium B2B brands’, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 40, no. 7, pp. 1153-1159.
Pohlmann, A & Kaartemo, V 2017, ‘Research trajectories of service-dominant logic: emergent themes of a unifying paradigm in business and management’, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 53-68.
Rai, R 2016, ‘A co-opetition-based approach to value creation in interfirm alliances: construction of a measure and examination of its psychometric properties’, Journal of Management, vol.42, no. 6, pp. 1663-1699.
Saeed, S 2011, ‘Key issues in B2B marketing and a need to develop appropriate theories and models’, Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research In Business, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 815-825.
Saravanakumar, M & Suganthalakshmi, T 2012, ‘Social media marketing’, Life Science Journal, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 4444-4451.
Saunders, M, Lewis, P & Thornhill, A 2009, Research methods for business students, 5th edn, Prentice Hall, Harlow.
Sugathan, P, Ranjan, K & Mulky, A 2017, ‘An examination of the emotions that follow a failure of co-creation’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 78, no. 1, pp. 43-52.
Teo, T & Lee, C 2010, ‘Explaining the intention to use technology among student teachers: an application of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)’, Campus-Wide Information Systems, vol. 27, no. 2, pp.60-67.
Teo, T & Zhou, M 2014, ‘Explaining the intention to use technology among university students: a structural equation modeling approach’, Computer High Education, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 98-124.
Teo, T 2012, ‘Examining the intention to use technology among pre-service teachers: an integration of the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior’, Interactive Learning Environments, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 45-134.
Till, H, Pascal, G, Laura, S & Jan, W 2015, ‘Engaging customers in coproduction processes: how value-enhancing and intensity-reducing communication strategies mitigate the negative effects of coproduction intensity’, Journal of Marketing, vol. 79, no. 6, pp. 17-33.
Vargo, L & Lusch, F 2011, ‘It’s all B2B…and beyond: toward a systems perspective of the market’, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 181-187.
Voyer, B & Kastanakis, M 2016, ‘The importance of developing a multi-epistemological framework for studying co-creation research: a reply to Csaba’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 70, no. 2, p. 67.
Voyer, B, Kastanakis, M & Rhode, A 2016, ‘Co-creating stakeholder and brand identities: a cross-cultural consumer perspective’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 70, no. 2, p. 45.
Wallpach, S, & Voyer, B, Kastanakis, M & Mühlbacher, H 2017, ‘Co-creating stakeholder and brand identities: introduction to the special section’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 70, no. 2, p. 56.
Zhang, J, Jiang, Y, Shabbir, R & Du, M 2015, ‘Building industrial brand equity by leveraging firm capabilities and co-creating value with customers’, Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 51, no. 1, p. 110.