Internet Marketing Adoption by Iranian Distribution Industry: An Attempt to Understand the Reality

Although the internet has become a significant platform for the advancement of marketing strategies and developments, there have been inadequate empirical research efforts concerning its adoption for conducting internet marketing in developing countries, specifically in the Middle East, and more particularly in Iran. Previous studies investigated internet marketing adoption and acceptance extensively, by employing different theories of new technology adoption in developed countries. However, there have been inadequate empirical research efforts concerning its adoption in developing countries. It is recognised widely that the adoption of internet marketing can offer substantial opportunities for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). In developing countries, internet marketing opportunities can be a meaningful approach for SMEs to be able to compete with large businesses and to access, with lowest possible costs, targeted customers. This study aims to investigate the factors which influence SMEs’ adoption of internet marketing and the relation between such adoption of Internet Marketing and Marketing Performance of SMEs. In order to accomplish this objective, the researchers investigated previous studies in order to identify the different research gaps within the literature regarding the adoption of internet marketing amongst SMEs. Additionally, the researchers integrated existing theories of new technology adoption in order to develop a conceptual framework for the determinants of the adoption of internet marketing in the SMEs sector in Iran. Within this regard, the researchers reviewed the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB), Diffusion of Innovation (DOI); Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) Model; Social Cognitive Theory (SCT),Institutional Theory, Motivational Model and Model of PC utilisation(MPCU) to examine the major factors influencing the adoption of new technology in Small, Medium organisations. The approach adopted for the research is a semi-structured interview with 26 owner/mangers of Iranian SMEs in distribution sector. These data are qualitative in nature and involve sample of 300-400 of mangers/owners, retailors and suppliers of Iranian SMEs in distribution sector. The study will provide great benefits for practitioners, researchers, and educators