A dynamic process of buyer-seller technology adoption

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to propose a process through which channel stakeholders interact with one another to adopt a buyer-seller technology with the purpose of improving the efficiency of their supply chain. The paper seeks to examine how ongoing business relationships between channel stakeholders influence the process of buyer-seller technology adoption. Design/methodology/approach: The paper extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) to dyadic adoption behaviour by incorporating a social network perspective for buyer-seller relationships. Findings: Buyer-seller technology adoption occurs at multiple levels throughout a supply chain network. Although each channel stakeholder forms its own behavioural intention to adopt a new enterprise technology, actual adoption occurs at the dyadic level between two channel stakeholders. Network embeddedness and resource dependence can influence the individual firm and dyadic processes of buyer-seller technology adoption. Research limitations/implications: The results of the study imply that successful implementation of a buyer-seller technology requires attention to the relationships between channel stakeholders as well as each channel stakeholder's internal needs and capability of adopting the technology. Originality/value: The paper offers a social network perspective of buyer-seller behaviour when adopting a new technology. The model provides a framework through which the impact of internal and relational factors on technology adoption behaviour can be examined systematically at the dyadic level of supply chain relationships.