Purpose: This paper aims to draw upon the findings of a research project which investigated networking styles by owner/managers of small businesses. The authors' specific objective was to analyse the impact of such networking activities on business growth to develop a taxonomy of networking based on size, business model and attitudes of the owner to their use of online and offline networking. Design/methodology/approach: the data in this study comes from analysis of an online survey completed by 645 firms based in both the USA and Europe. The authors compared the networking behaviours of small businesses using face-to-face vs online modalities, and assessed the differences between business size and home market (USA vs UK vs Europe). The data was analysed for significant differences between the responses of different classes of respondent, providing a unique taxonomy of networking across a broad geographic area. Findings: the results identified three distinct categories of networking behaviour in terms of attitude towards scaleability and geographic reach, and the authors showed that effective online networkers tended to be good face-to-face networkers also. Practical implications: the authors confirmed that effective online networkers can stay small and flexible but still "punch above their weight" in competition with larger organisations that are often more traditional in their approach and structure. Originality/value: the authors have undertaken one of the first analyses of the circumstances in which SMEs make use of Web 2.0 tools to supplement their more conventional marketing activities, and developed a coherent framework for analysing which companies are likely to make the best use of them. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Purpose: the "digital divide" between the "haves" and the "have nots" in the developed world is now less about access to the web than it is about understanding how to actively participate in the networked society. The paper shows how people with the skills, time and confidence to navigate and manage the online chaos will gain access to new career opportunities, find audiences for their work and enrich the lives of others. Those without such initiative risk being marginalized or left behind. Design: This work draws upon the results of an ongoing research project which is investigating the use of new technologies by entrepreneurs and small businesses in the South East of England. Findings: the paper demonstrates how various online services such as blogging and social networking can be harnessed to develop and enhance a personal brand. Practical implications: Finding a job and managing career progression increasingly involves understanding how today's networks work and how to deploy them effectively to build a personal brand, both online and offline. Originality/value: the paper provides practical guidance on building a personal brand for business or career development, based on lessons learned from "early adopters" in the field. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

The purpose of this paper is to carry out an exploratory investigation into the emerging interactions between young consumers and consumer products/services on social networks. In particular, we examine the extent to which a small exploratory sample of participants are willing to incorporate social shopping behaviour, namely, product/service recommendations and retail purchase activities. We draw upon a qualitative study of four focus groups carried out with students at two UK-based universities. The results lead us to suggest specific avenues of enquiry that could be pursued in future larger scale work in this new area of consumer behaviour research. We note that for our participants, a 'nudge' in the form of recommendations from friends appears to be influential in changing online shopping behaviour and that a hierarchy of trust ordinal scale in recommenders/reviewers ranging from 'real' friends at the top down to reviews on retailers' websites may be positively associated with intention to purchase. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Purpose: the authors review recent developments in online marketing strategy that demonstrate the growing power of online communities in building brand reputations and customer relationships. Design/methodologies/approach: This work draws upon the results of an ongoing research project that is investigating the use of new technologies by entrepreneurial growing businesses in the London area. A range of examples from our 30 case study businesses are drawn upon to illustrate some of the opportunities and threats associated with these new marketing priorities. Findings: the authors conclude that social networks will play a key role in the future of marketing; externally they can replace customer annoyance with engagement, and internally they help to transform the traditional focus on control with an open and collaborative approach that is more conducive to success in the modern business environment. Research limitations/implications: Further research should aim to track this activity as it integrates with more mainstream marketing over time. Practical implications: Developments in the technologies themselves, as well as a reduction in costs, will mean that more and more information will be available to consumers. This results in unprecedented levels of transparency of dealings between businesses and their customers. A key challenge when engaging customers through these social networks is how to give away power and control while at the same time avoiding embarrassment to the company. Originality/value: the paper provides practical guidance on the opportunities and threats associated with marketing through social networks, based on lessons learned from "early adopters". © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Purpose - the purpose of the paper is to demonstrate the characteristics and impact of "gifted amateurs" who are maximising the potential of Web 2.0 technologies to grow their businesses creatively and in a cost-effective manner. They are "punching above their weight" in their dealings with larger competitors who are less exposed to these new skills and more restricted in their structures. Design/methodology/approach - a total of 378 small businesses in the South East of England are surveyed and 30 detailed empirical case studies charting the activities of these "early adopters" of Web 2.0 tools are developed. Findings: Proactive "gifted amateurs" can systematically raise their profile through blogging, networking and judicious use of search engine optimisation techniques. They are competing effectively against larger organisations by applying network effects to their marketing activities, often circumventing the need for increasingly complex IT systems by continuing to rely upon cost-effective Web 2.0 tools and their own networking skills as the business grows. Practical implications - Technology has now developed to the point where the entry costs and barriers to remote and collaborative working have disappeared. "Gifted amateurs" can acquire new online marketing skills and secure IT systems, plus the ability to network and collaborate globally if necessary on knowledge projects, by creating virtual (and even disposable) organisations without having to commit themselves to a traditional IT infrastructure. Therefore they can avoid reliance on IT suppliers and grow their businesses in more flexible ways. Originality/value - By recording the characteristics and experiences of these early adopters, this paper is one of the first to document the significant changes in business growth patterns and priorities that these tools are starting to facilitate. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

This paper investigates what is needed to make the mobile phone a more effective tool for the interaction between government and governed. Recent studies have shown that a significant proportion of the UK population have no intention of accessing the Internet; however, it is reported that there are more web-enabled mobile phones than there are PCs in the UK. Mobile phones may thus offer the most viable electronic channel through which to encourage large-scale take-up of online public services. Although people have integrated mobile phones into their everyday lives, we argue that unless there is a substantial change in social practices the much heralded 'm-government' will take a significant amount of time to become a reality. Despite these ongoing challenges, mobile technologies offer huge potential to represent mainstream government/citizen interaction. The paper will draw upon case studies of best practice from around the world to investigate the emerging ways in which large-scale usage of this type of government/citizen interaction can be achieved.

Purpose - the aim of this paper is to investigate whether technological developments can be used in call centre environments to build trust and hence lasting customer relationships beyond the usual focus on efficiency gains through automation. Design/methodology/approach - Draws upon depth interviews with management and staff in three very different types of call centre to critically examine the ways in which caring attitudes and competent behaviour of call centre staff can contribute to building durable bases for customer trust. Findings - While one of the case studies exemplifies a purely economic rationale for call centre operations, the other two demonstrate that a truly optimal application of technology creates a shared system of which customers and employees form an integrated part. Employees' knowledge of the system and the product it underpins are applied in a positive way to create relationships and trust with the customers with whom they transact. Practical implications - Argues that competitive advantage can be gained if the customer perception is of an organisation that is concerned with building relationships based on competence or empathy to meet individual needs - features which stand out clearly in an industry sector often associated with standardised services, "sweatshop" working conditions and control-based management practices focused on a purely economic rationale. Originality/value - Demonstrates that multi-channel environments for customer interaction offer potential for competitive advantage beyond short-term efficiency gains when the convenience of channel choice is creatively combined with competent and empathetic customer service. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

This paper examines the current position of copyright for the music industry in the light of innovation and diffusion of technologies which enable audio file sharing amongst web users. We note that there currently appears to be conflicting assessments between the major corporations and the many small firms in Europe with regard to the business potential for online music. In particular, we show that the convergence of technologies together with the emergence of particular practices of ‘net culture’ have posed a number of marketing opportunities and threats for industry incumbents. The role of the Napster program, as well as subsequent innovations in peer-to-peer software, is examined together with the responses that have been made by different sections of industry. © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

While much attention has recently been focused on the problems facing Internet start-ups, the challenge of e-business affects a much broader constituency of organisations. For established companies, the key challenge is one of change. Such companies must rethink fundamental aspects of company strategy, which may lead to a radical overhaul of existing ways of doing business, with company structure and culture becoming much more customer-focused. Resistance at all company levels may need to be overcome, with a need to build commitment and consensus around e-business strategies. However, companies must also deal with a paradox in e-business change. As the "dot.com" crash showed, there are many strengths in "bricks and mortar" companies. Evolving a new business model based around "e-enablement" must therefore avoid the "baby and bathwater syndrome". Only by recognising and rising to these challenges and dilemmas, and devoting sufficient time, resources and expertise to them, will companies make a success of their e-business ventures.

A key debate about the nature and role of ecommerce centres around the question of whether it is merely an old activity in a new form, or a discontinuous process that rewrites the ideas and assumptions of the ‘old’ economy. The objective of this exploratory and qualitative study is to shed some light on this issue through the lens of business ethics. We will examine whether established ethical principles still apply to e-commerce, or instead if the ‘rule book’ now needs to be re-written. © 2003, MCB UP Limited

Examines whether business really is undergoing a revolution or just the latest in a series of incremental changes with the universal and seemingly exponential spread of Internet technology. While it is tempting to regard the Internet as a unique challenge through its dual role as a driver of change and provider of tools for change, the article begins by drawing on a number of historical precedents in order to question some of the “hype” surrounding current Internet developments. By analysing relevant literature and primary data from a number of case studies in the UK and the USA, the particular challenges facing marketing are then examined to establish whether there are any parallels in marketing history from which lessons for the future may be learned. From our examples it is concluded that many “new” developments have in fact been practised for centuries and traditional processes are an important constituent of “evolutionary” rather than “revolutionary” innovation. © 2003, MCB UP Limited

Networks are often seen as models of organisational flexibility, promoting the building of trust and exchange of information between different business functions while offering both cost savings and reductions in the uncertainties usually associated with innovation. Both internal and external networks have been identified as key elements in the collaborative development of new products. The actual process of network building and ongoing network management is not well researched, although the existing literature highlights difficulties for organisations attempting to maintain active product development networks. This article examines the development and management of such a network in the defence industry and focuses on network building processes in terms of the interactions between the individuals involved. This network has endured and evolved over many years despite a series of conflicts. One of the key findings is that the effective functioning of the overall network is closely allied to established processes within the two participating firms.

This article considers the issue of learning in the context of new technology projects that have recently been implemented in the UK retail banking industry. Continual changes in the business environment have focused attention upon the need for organisations to “learn” if they are to retain their market positions. Interviews were conducted with 42 bank managers and industry consultants over an 18 month period. Five case studies of major new projects are drawn upon which provide evidence that learning from past mistakes, or even building upon past successes, continues to be the exception rather than the rule. As a result, even successful projects had a limited impact upon the activities of the organisations as a whole. It is concluded that reluctance to disseminate lessons learned throughout the organisation means the full potential offered by new technologies will continue to elude banks until their apparently complacent attitude towards learning is addressed. © 2002, MCB UP Limited

This article address causes of the so-called 'information technology productivity paradox' in the context of UK retail banks. It investigates why massive investments by retail banks in information technology are not being translated into significant productivity gains, given that successful implementation of new technology is particularly important in increasingly competitive banking environments.