DETERMINANT FACTORS OF INDUSTRIAL PURCHASING PERSONNEL’S ADOPTION OF INTERNET FOR BUSINESS PURCHASING RELATED ACTIVITIES

Background: The purpose of this research is to examine a path model and the mediating effect of perceived communication convenience towards explaining industrial purchasing personnel’s Internet adoption for business purchasing related activities. It involves sequencing paths examining the predictive effect of perceived Internet skills and supplier support on perceived communication convenience. Consequently, perceived communication convenience would influence Internet adoption as communication tools in a business-to-business context. It also examines the indirect effects of perceived Internet skills and supplier support on Internet adoption mediated by perceived communication convenience.

Method: A structured questionnaire was developed to carry out a cross-sectional survey. A business-to-business company’s database consists of its current and potential customers was selected as the sampling frame. A total of 139 responses was collected and Partial Least Square – Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM 3.0) was utilized in data processing and hypotheses testing.

Results: The findings of the study indicate that perceived Internet skills and supplier support have a significant effect on perceived communication convenience. Subsequently, perceived communication convenience have a direct impact on industrial purchasing personnel’s adoption of the Internet for business purchasing related activities. Perceived communication convenience significantly mediates the effect of perceived Internet skills and supplier support on business Internet adoption.

Conclusion: This study contributes towards identifying significant predictors and mediator of adopting Internet for business purchasing related activities among purchasing personnel. Practitioners need to emphasize on Internet skills and support in order to enhance communication convenience, thus encourages industrial buyers to adopt the Internet in purchasing activities.