B2e mobile internet: an exploratory study of Italian applications

Purpose – The paper presents an exploratory study to investigate the impact of B2e MI applications and, in particular, an empirical analysis of the main features of Italian B2e MI applications for automating salesand field-force activities. Design/methodology/approach – The study has been carried out with 16 case studies of B2e MI applications employed in different Italian companies. Findings – The paper describes the main features and impacts of the applications, showing how the network is utilized, how the device and the usage mode (online or offline) affect these applications and indicating the major opportunities for improvement. Practical implications – Some indications for management regarding B2e mobile applications are the need: to develop simple applications; and to start mobilizing the sales-force, because this provides faster pay-back and easiest implementation. Originality/value – The paper provides material to illustrate the current situation and serve as a starting point for scientific analysis. Findings regarding the use of mobile phones and mobile networks as compared to fixed-line solutions are presented and explained. Differences in the use patterns of the applications are also discussed with real case examples.