Digital entrepreneurship: A longitudinal case study in a traditional firm

Through a longitudinal case study, this chapter explores the repercussions from introducing a mobile commerce platform as just another instrument in the marketing toolbox in a traditional sales-oriented firm. Findings suggest that the implementation of the m-platform in addition to its intended purpose-establish a marketing channel to key customers-spawns a digital business model that allows the company to change its relations to distributors, retailers, and customers enabling access to direct communication with end-users. However, the emerging new business model has the potential to change the organization essentially. The authors argue that although the emerging digital business model was indeed a success seen from a sales-, marketing-, innovative-, and relational perspective, it was perceived as a disaster from an organizational perspective. Consequently, top management abandoned the new digital platform. The chapter highlights the importance of not underestimating resistance in an organization when implementing a new marketing instrument such as m-commerce platforms.