Digital engagement via Social Network Platforms (SNPs) in the commercialisation of innovation: A case study of high-tech start-up

<p>  </p> <p>Undertaking a phenomenological approach, this research investigates the ways by which customer engagement is progressed using Social Network Platforms (SNPs), to enhance our understanding of engagement in small high-tech firms in B2B markets. Owners/managers counter challenges in their pursuits of commercialisation of innovation due to resources constrains, strategically use of resources in their engagement with customers become a part of capabilities being critical to drive the firms’ success in bringing new products to markets. With increasing research interests in employing SNPs in B2B markets, we focus on how the engagement is unfolded with evolving changing nature and functions in supplier-customer relationships that facilitate new products commercialisation at a micro-level. Through a case study of high-tech small firm via in-depth interviews and collecting the secondary data, we offer insights into the digital engagement processes and how the dyadic relationships featured by primary trust are reinforced by contractual trust and the role played by SNPs in developing engagement outcomes in terms of long-term relationships and commercialisation of innovation. The research findings would be useful references to innovative small high-tech firms their endeavours of creating trusting customer relationships through digital engagement and of sustaining commercialisation of innovation in B2B markets.</p>