Use of Entrepreneurial Marketing in Fostering Resellers’ Adoption of Smart Micro-Grid Technology

This thesis investigates how entrepreneurial marketing (EM) can foster suppliers' adoption of smart micro-grid (SMG) technology. Previous studies have emphasized the technical aspects of this new area of power systems industry. However, there is a need to understand the market adoption, especially that of resellers who act as intermediaries between suppliers and end-customers. An online survey based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and EM literature was used to gather data from 99 resellers. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares method to validate a model of the relationships between resellers’ antecedents and intention to adopt SMG technology, and the role of suppliers' EM for the adoption. The results suggest that TAM can only partially be applied to the reseller context. Moreover, suppliers need to demonstrate EM, particularly entrepreneurial orientation, to increase resellers’ performance expectancy and to decrease effort expectancy to foster the diffusion of novel SMG technology.