Interorganisational networks of pressure and influence: A study of B2B in the Thai tourism industry

The old paradigm in technology adoption focuses on the technical implementation and uptake of innovation. A new paradigm has emerged that considers the social, cultural, and political context in which innovation is implemented and addresses the enablers and constraints to its effective diffusion and utilisation. To that end, we apply the institutional theory as a social lens to examine the diffusion of B2B technology in Thailand. This study posits that mimetic, coercive and normative pressures may influence B2B technology utilisation and performance. Data were collected from firms that have adopted B2B technology in the tourism industry. The Partial Least Squares method was used for data analysis. Results show that normative and coercive pressures had a significant influence on firms' utilisation of B2B technology, while normative pressure had a significant influence on performance. We conclude by hypothesising that only through addressing the social factors can innovation achieve 'real' diffusion and effectiveness.