Inertia among Early Stage Employees towards New Technology in an International Sales Organization

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Inertia among Early Stage Employees towards New

Technology in an International Sales Organization

Master Programme: M.Sc. Digital Business

Authors: Baldeón Eizaguirre, M. C. &

Haavisto, M.

Supervisor: Isaak, A.

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Abstract

Title: Inertia among Early Stage Employees Towards New Technology in an International Sales Organization

Authors: Baldeón Eizaguirre, M. C. & Haavisto, M. Master’s Thesis: Jönköping University

Jönköping International Business School 66 pages, 2 tables, 8 figures, and 9 appendices

Year: 2020

Supervisor: Isaak, A.

Key terms: Inertia, Resistance, New Technology, Digital Tools, Inside Sales

According to previous studies, inertia towards new technology is broadly researched in established companies, specifically among senior employees. However, the existing literature leaves a research gap for inertia experienced among young employees, specifically in an organization that operates in the information technology industry. This study aims to investigate inertia among early stage employees towards new technology. The main purpose of this study is to answer the research question: How to overcome inertia of multinational early stage employees towards the new technology in their daily workflow in an international sales organization? To answer the research question, a qualitative research approach was chosen, and a single case study was conducted. The empirical data was gathered through semi-structured interviews. The scope of research is limited to the sales development representatives of Company A, who are based in EMEA.

After the data collection, the analysis was carried out with a thematic coding approach. The findings showed that the managers are having tremendous responsibility when it comes to the adoption process of a new digital tool, and some of them are not showing interest towards the new technology. Hence, the lack of communication was concluded as the main cause of inertia among young employees. The authors created a framework for fighting against inertia (FAI). The use of FAI framework results in supporting the management team to overcome resistance towards new technology.

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Figures

Figure 1. Technology Acceptance Model. ... 8

Figure 2. The ADKAR Model ... 13

Figure 3. Interview question themes used in the SDRs’ semi-structured interviews. ... 25

Figure 4. Interview question themes used in the Head of Digital Tools’ semi-structured interview. ... 25

Figure 5. The data analysis process of this study. ... 25

Figure 6. SDRs’ perception about Outreach in words. ... 36

Figure 7. The FAI Framework. ... 55

Tables

Table 1. Thematic network. ... 27

Table 2. General overview of the SDRs interviewed. ... 28

Appendix

Appendix 1. The main digital tools for SDRs in Company A.. ... 75

Appendix 2. View of a Sequence in Outreach.. ... 76

Appendix 3. Table of Attitudes of Generation Y and Z. ... 77

Appendix 4. Letter of Consent for Interviewees. ... 78

Appendix 5. Illustration of the interview flow of Interview 1. ... 79

Appendix 8. Quotes from the interviews to support FAI framework. ... 83

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List of Abbreviations

APAC Asia-Pacific COVID-19 Coronavirus

CRM Customer Relation Management CTI Computer-Telephony Integration EMEA Europe, the Middle East and Africa FAI Fighting Against Inertia

GDPR Generic Data Protection Regulation HCI Hyper Converged Infrastructure IAE Inside Account Executive

IS Information System

IT Information Technology

SDR Sales Development Representative SFDC Salesforce

SQB Status Quo Bias

TAM Technology Acceptance Model TOC Theory of Constraints

UET Upper Echelon Theory

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1. Introduction

___________________________________________________________________________ The introduction chapter reviews the research conducted for this master thesis. This chapter gives an overview of the study background and the problem definition. The objectives and scope of the study are described, including the case introduction. Additionally, the research questions are outlined. Lastly, the research method is defined.

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1.1 Background of the Study

This thesis analyzes how early stage employees experience inertia in their daily workflow towards new technology. Specifically, multinational employees working in an inside sales department of an international sales organization that operates in the information technology (IT) industry. Later in this chapter, the importance of this topic in today’s circumstances is reviewed and the research gap is defined. The fact that the participating company is willing to remain anonymous is fully respected. The name of the organization is introduced as Company A in this thesis. The background of Company A is discussed later in this chapter: 1.2.1 Case: Company A. The goal of the study is to get comprehensive knowledge of the desired topic. Online in-depth interviews as a form of qualitative research are conducted in order to gain novel data.

In this paper, early stage employees are restricted to generation Y, also known as millennials, born in 1981-1996 (Parry & Urwin, 2011) and generation Z, born in 1997-2012 (Pew Research, 2019). In order to study their perception towards digital tools, Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) working in the inside sales department of Company A are interviewed. The SDR role is considered as a first job position in a sales organization (Prowitt, 2019). Thus, it can be concluded that most of the SDRs belong to generation Y or Z and in this thesis, they are defined as early stage employees. The time worked as an SDR does not affect the definition, as the role itself is seen as an early stage position. SDR role is used to supplement the role of Outside Sales Representative. Therefore, SDRs are working tightly with them. The daily workflow of an SDR consists of handling many tasks such as prospecting, generating sales leads, supporting outside sales, handling marginal accounts, making cost-effective sales calls, maintaining strong customer relations and customer service (Head of Digital Tools; Marshall & Vredenburg, 1991). The focus of this research is on ten SDRs who are based in different

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countries across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), in order to get representative data of the international population in Company A.

When referred to new technology, the term stands for Outreach which is the newest digital tool implemented, compared to others (Salesforce (SFDC), RingDNA and Sales Navigator) in Company A. All of them are supportive digital tools that Company A offers for their SDRs to boost their daily workflow. Outreach is a sales engagement platform that is used for multi-channel prospecting and time management (Outreach, 2020a). Outreach is described widely later in the chapter: 1.2.2 Sales Engagement Platform Outreach. SFDC is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) service, that focuses on customer service, marketing automation, analytics, and application development (Salesforce, 2020a). RingDNA is an enterprise voice communication platform that is used e.g. for dialing (RingDNA, 2020a). LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a social selling platform that has search capabilities, visibility into extended networks, and algorithms assisting to reach the right person (LinkedIn, 2020a). Find more detailed information about the tools in Appendix 1: The main digital tools for SDRs in Company A.

Nowadays the efficiency of SDRs is crucially dependent on the digital tools (Digital Marketing Institute, 2020; Zarsky, 2016; SpencerStuart, 2016). Along with the digital age, Big Data brought a lot to digest for SDRs in the form of a massive database of possible customers (Zarsky, 2016). In Europe the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) eased the load by reducing the usage of Big Data in a way it was used in the past. Currently, the databases are a lot more customer- and organization-friendly, organizations are only allowed to keep the data of people who have consented to be contacted for marketing purposes (Wolford, 2019). Still, there is a lot of data to be processed and new technology with data mining features and automation is needed. Thus, the importance of digital tools in modern companies is increasing. According to Zoltners et al. (2020), sales organizations are taking advantage of digital tools in form of data and analytics in order to improve their sales strategy, resource deployment and customer engagement. “We are in a world where sales organizations require analytic capabilities and sales reps must be comfortable with digital tools” (Chappuis et al., 2016, para. 10). Therefore, it is crucial to investigate inertia in a sales organization, in this case specifically, the inside sales department of Company A for this novel topic.

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1.2 Problem Definition

When it comes to defining the research gap, currently there is not enough information available regarding the perception and adaptability of the technology among generation Y & Z in a workplace. Especially, in the case of international sales organizations and the phenomenon of early stage employees experiencing inertia. Inertia is explained in the chapter: 2.5 Organizational Inertia. Young generations are considered as supporters and enablers of IT implementation within workplaces due to the continued connection with technology over the years (Gorman et al., 2004; Savage, 2015). Thus, it is appealing to investigate if there is room for inertia in young generations. Existing research and theories about inertia are focused on established companies and their senior employees, who are struggling with the digital transformation and sticky routines that they have developed among the years (Schoemaker et al., 2018; Gavetti, 2005; Huang et al., 2013). Consequently, it is relevant to research the novel topic of the early stage employees’ perception towards digital tools to find out if they are experiencing inertia and whether it is managed by Company A. Therefore, the findings are important in drawing conclusions that might guide other international sales organizations.

There are plenty of existing data available concerning the main factors of the problem, which are explored later in the chapter: 2 Literature Review. Nonetheless, the unawareness of inertia among young generations is the research gap to be filled in this study. There are no previous studies on how to manage inertia among young professionals. This research is investigating crucial factors for the sales organizations to deal with the resistance within their sales representatives. It can be concluded that this study differentiates itself from already existing data by its targeted population - SDRs that belong to generations Y and Z. The stated problem associated with multinational SDRs is a new approach for a study. The results of the research may be used for other sales organizations to manage and overcome inertia among their young professionals.

1.3 Purpose and Scope of the Research

The main purpose is to get in-depth knowledge of the desired topic. Therefore, a qualitative research is conducted to discover the perception of SDRs towards digital tools in their daily workflow. In addition, to uncover the potential inertia that SDRs are facing and explain how the challenges of inertia are being managed. The study is fully restricted to the inside sales department of Company A, focusing specifically on ten SDRs who operate in EMEA. See the overview of interviewees in the Table 2. Additionally, the Head of Digital Tools was

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interviewed for gaining insights of the adoption process in Company A. In order to ensure the internationality of the research and diverse data collection, ten SDRs from nine different countries were interviewed. However, the cultural differences are out of scope in this study as the main focus is on young professionals’ perception towards digital tools and to reveal the possible existence of inertia. The research gap was not given to the authors. The authors have investigated the topic on their own and constructed the research gap. It was necessary to conduct test interviews to confirm the existence of inertia in Company A. Next, the case of Company A and Sales Engagement Platform Outreach are introduced thoroughly.

1.3.1 Case: Company A

This paper will focus on early stage sales employees at Company A. Accordingly, SDRs working in the inside sales department of Company A are interviewed. Company A is an American multinational enterprise, which operates in the information technology (IT) industry. It is a public company founded in the 2000s1_{. Company A focuses on computing and data} center technology2_{and has been recognized by Gartner Magic Quadrant, which presents a} graphical competitive positioning of technology providers in fast-growing markets by four types, as follows: “Leaders, Visionaries, Niche Players and Challengers” (Gartner, 2020). The headquarters are located in the United States, but they possess several hubs3_{around the world.} The number of employees has been growing year by year. Thousands of employees4_{are hired} by Company A. Moreover, they have thousands of customers5_{around the world. The revenue} is approximately $1 billion6_.

1.3.2 Sales Engagement Platform Outreach

Company A is offering Outreach for its SDRs in order to support their daily tasks and also, to count and record their activities in SFDC, which is the CRM platform at Company A. Outreach is considered the newest digital tool implemented in the inside sales department (Head of Digital Tools). Due to the nature of the research, the focus is mainly on this specific digital tool used by SDRs in Company A.

1_{The foundation year is rounded, due to the protection of anonymity of the company.}

2_{Their products and specialization are not stated, due to the protection of anonymity of the company.} 3_{The exact number of hubs is not stated, due to the protection of anonymity of the company.}

4_{The exact number of employees is not stated, due to the protection of anonymity of the company.} 5_{The exact number of customers is not stated, due to the protection of anonymity of the company.}

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Outreach is a sales engagement platform used by more than 3 000 companies. Some of the

known customers are Cloudera, Adobe, Microsoft and Docusign (Soper, 2019; Kim & Mandaro, 2020). Outreach claims to optimize the interaction between the SDRs and customers throughout the entire customer lifecycle. Outreach brings all customer interaction channels together, such as email, dialer, calendar and social media in a single pane of glass (Outreach, 2020; Forbes, 2020; Soper, 2019). There are more than 60 tools that synchronize with Outreach and more are being announced (Outreach, 2020). The platform leverages machine learning to guide SDRs to take the right actions at the right time (Soper, 2019). Outreach can be seen as a time management tool as well. Once the channels to interact with customers are decided and set in patterns, the contact information can be imported. It will inform the user when and how to interact with customers. Outreach argues that only three SDRs equipped with Outreach, can be selling like twenty SDRs. They claim that without the help of this digital tool, an SDR misses on average 20% of replies from customers. Outreach gives SDRs the opportunity to engage with more customers with less effort. In Appendix 2, an Outreach sequence is visualized (Outreach, 2020).

Sales Engagement Platforms, like Outreach, support CRM platforms that organizations are using. CRM is used as a central storage for the sales relationships. Also, many organizations are using marketing automation platforms for large-scale outreach strategies across multiple digital channels in order to prospect and score potential customers. A Sales Engagement Platform is often perceived as an automated tool regarding its automation features. It also involves quality in the outreach strategy, efficiency in prospecting activities, and effectiveness in conversation efforts. Naturally, high sale engagement generates more sales. Therefore, it is closely linked to pipeline generation as well (Kay, 2016).

Due to machine learning and measurable series of touch points, there is a great amount of information available in the form of statistics. It is possible to draw conclusions on the quality of the content of emails and the schedule of reaching out to customers. Outreach illustrates how many customers opened the emails, clicked the links or replied to the emails, and even, the best time to call the customers – when they are more likely to pick up their phone. All of this is based on the statistics of each SDR in the organization. Outreach provides an A/B testing feature to compare the engagement level on various emails. Thus, it can be used to improve the quality of messaging (Outreach, 2020).

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This sales engagement platform claims that they drive predictable and measurable growth, increase efficiency and effectiveness, and improve visibility into sales activity and performance. Furthermore, they argue of being one of the most successful sales engagement platforms in this era (Outreach, 2020). Company A implemented Outreach, because they aim to collect consistent data, in order to know what works and what doesn’t. “[...] We can get really targeted and invest our time and money in the right areas, which should only make the SDRs’ jobs easier” (Head of Digital Tools).

1.4 Research Questions

Considering the aims of this thesis, the main research question is formulated as follows: Company A: How to overcome inertia of multinational early stage employees towards the new technology in their daily workflow in an international sales organization? In addition, the research question is narrowed into sub-questions as follows:

What drives SDRs to experience inertia towards Outreach? How SDRs experience inertia towards Outreach?

1.5 Research Method

In this study two types of data will be applied; primary and secondary data. For this paper, in order to gather primary data, a qualitative research is performed. This data will be acquired through eleven interviews conducted in total to SDRs and the Head of Digital Tools at Company A. Authors have proved the existence of inertia by conducting two mock interviews with SDRs. Accordingly, the snowball method (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015) was used to choose the population for the interviews according to the recommendations from previous interviewees, in favor of the chosen topic for the study. Thus, it was possible to get in-depth interviews to answer the research questions. The primary and secondary data together allowed the authors to build a framework for fighting against inertia which gives guidance for sales organizations to overcome inertia that young professionals are experiencing. Secondary data of this research study is existing data retrieved through academic books, e-books, journals, governmental statistics, websites and articles (Veal, 2006). The online library of Jönköping University (Jönköping University, 2020) was utilized to aid in selecting academic articles that were most significant for the topic.

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2. Literature Review

___________________________________________________________________________ In this chapter the existing theories and frameworks regarding the topic are introduced and explored. The following data can be considered as a theoretical framework of this paper. The key concepts are illustrated in the Figure 1.

Figure 1: Key concepts of the existing data for this study.

2.1 Attitude Towards Technology in the Workplace

Personal attitude is a crucial factor to accept the introduction of a new technology (Marquié et al., 1994; Elias et al., 2012). The framework TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) introduced by Davis et al. (1989), defines attitude as the primary determinant of an individual’s motivation to use a specific technology. The TAM model is illustrated in the Figure 2. The main purpose of this model is to discover the connection between external aspects, e.g. beliefs, attitudes and intentions (Davis et al., 1989). The root of the framework TAM is related to the model Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) which states that beliefs affect attitudes and therefore, they can be determinant to generate a specific behavior (Fishbein & Azjen, 1975).

TAM suggests perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use as the main beliefs to adopt technologies. Usefulness describes a users’ probability to increase their productivity at work due to the usage of a particular technology, whereas perceived ease of use refers to the user's expectation to use a specific technology without making effort. In this context, external variables, e.g. training sessions influence the aspect ease of use. Moreover, these variables affect the perceived usefulness, e.g. if two programs are easy to operate but one generates a better forecast than the other, then that program would be considered as more useful than the other (Davis et al., 1989).

TAM describes that the variables' usefulness and ease of use determine the individual’s attitude. In one way, usefulness influences the attitude due to the positive outcomes that the user experiences. In the other way, ease of use affects attitude in terms of self-efficiency and enables the user to manage the new system in an autonomous way. Therefore, an individual

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can complete more tasks for the same effort, which will influence their motivation (Davis et al., 1989).

This model also explains that the usage of the actual system depends on the behavioral intention to use which is driven by the attitude, usefulness and ease of use. The relation between attitude and behavior explains that individuals form intentions to acquire a particular behavior. Moreover, the connection between usefulness and behavior refers to the evaluation that an individual goes through in order to decide if they are willing to use the system or not. This evaluation considers the analysis on how the performance of an individual will improve due to the adoption of the new technology (Davis et al., 1989).

Figure 1. Technology Acceptance Model. Reprinted from “User acceptance of computer technology: A comparison of two theoretical models” by F. D. Davis, R. P. Bagozzi, and P. R. Warshaw, 1989, User acceptance of computer technology: A comparison of two theoretical models, 35, p. 985. Copyright 1989 by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences.

It is essential for the management team to make sure that employees have a positive attitude towards technology. A good strategy to overcome unfavorable attitudes among workers is to set up training programs that offer practical explanations for the usage of the new digital tool. That motivates workers to spend more time interacting with the digital tool, which allows them to gain more experience, hence less effort for adapting is needed (Elias et al., 2012).

As it is stated by Elias et al (2012), work motivation is directly connected with attitude towards technology. Motivation is defined by Pinder (2008) as a combination of forces that can be formed inside or outside of human beings and influences their behavior. Motivation can be generated by an individual itself, also called intrinsic motivation or by an external incentive,

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generates pleasure, and in this context, employees experience their work as satisfying. Extrinsic motivation is defined by the value that employees obtain from the performance of their tasks, e.g. monetary compensation (Elias et al., 2012).

Generations are different in terms of personality which can lead to different work attitudes within the workplace (Barrick et al., 2001). Currently, there are several generations in the working age, which might affect the different attitudes towards technology. In this chapter, the two youngest generations are analyzed; individuals born between the years 1981-1996 and 1997-2012, known as generation Y and generation Z, respectively (Pew Research, 2019). 2.1.1 Attitudes of Generation Y in the Workplace

Generation Y is the first generation who has experienced a worldwide integration and postdigital era (Bannon et al., 2011). They interact frequently with technology such as the internet, email and smartphones (Gewald et al., 2017). In comparison with older generations, their main motivation might not be related to the development of their careers (Marston, 2007), as they are looking for a balance between their work and personal life (Bannon et al., 2011). However, they can be as highly dedicated to work as older generations if they work in specific projects of their interests (Myers & Sadaghian, 2010).

There are some aspects about millennials that might be considered as negative. In this sense, they can be characterized for possessing a higher self-esteem and overconfidence compared with other older generations (Ng et al., 2012). This perspective has labelled millennials as the “Look at Me Generation” (Pew Research Center, 2007). Due to these facts, millennials might not be intimidated by people with higher positions or by older people (Myers & Sadaghian, 2010). The reasons for their high level of confidence can be due to the education system, which standardized the examinations and augmented grades, enabling millennials to have a noticeable performance (Greenfield, 1998). Also, the support they have received from their parents allow them to confront authority (Howe & Strauss, 2007). Furthermore, millennials can be perceived as optimistic about their future. Nonetheless, they can be perceived as individuals who are willing to change their jobs, which can be considered as instability in the workplace (Bannon et al., 2011).

In a positive angle, millennials can be recognized as a group who need to be in constant and positive communication with their managers (Marston, 2007), which has its origin in

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motivational messages they received throughout their childhood, like their parents and teachers (Alsop, 2008). Millennials are said to be multitaskers that consider time as a vital resource (Deloitte, 2009). They may avoid being taught and prefer being in an environment of self-directed learning (Jain, 2015). In regard to technology, millennials are familiarized with the usage of computers since their childhood (Gorman et al., 2004), which has enabled them to connect with people and challenge physical boundaries (Fulk & Collins-Jarvis, 2001). This generation is considered as supporters and enablers of IT implementation within workplaces due to the continued connection with technology over the years, which can help companies to develop their competitive advantages (Gorman et al., 2004).

This generation seems to be particularly open to diversity and prefer to work in teams (Gorman et al., 2004). Millennials believe that the interaction with their colleagues makes their tasks more enjoyable (Alsop, 2008). The preference for teamwork can be seen as avoidance of taking the entire responsibility on their own (Alsop, 2008), which is related to autonomous decisions (Shaw, 1981). They are seen willing to become entrepreneurs, but the lack of work experience and capital are the main disadvantage for them to set up their own businesses (Albanese, 2018).

Key terms:

● Higher Interaction with Technology ● Overconfidence: Look at Me Generation ● Instability: Willing to Change Jobs ● Active Communication with Managers ● Multitaskers

● Teamwork Preference ● Self-learners

See detailed table of Generation Y’s attitudes in Appendix 2. 2.1.2 Attitudes of Generation Z in the Workplace

Generation Z is already entering to the labor market (Greer, 2018). This generation is considered as an amplification of millennials, as they share similar perspectives, but they are completely digital since they were raised with smartphones. For this reason, “technology is an extension of their self-expression” (Knowledge@Wharton, 2015, “What to Expect,” para. 2). Hence, it can be assumed that they adapt fast to the new technologies that come within

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nowadays’ volatile market and start being active users of them. It is common for this generation to feel bored when they are doing repetitive tasks at work. They can be seen as proactive and curious as they are able to learn new things on their own and use their digital devices to solve problems by watching tutorial videos (McGowan, 2018). In this context, generation Z can be characterized as practical and intelligent that shows interest in becoming leaders (Bencsik et al., 2016). It is said that they prefer to have flexibility at work, so they can find a work time that is suitable for them and still be productive. This group of people enjoys being challenged, and needs pressure to be successful (McGowan, 2018).

In comparison with the past generations, generation Z has experienced an education that is focused on practical training, encouraging them to start their own businesses and in this way, enabling them to gain experience. They are considered as more entrepreneurial as older generations (Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018). Furthermore, regarding the development of their careers, they are not as optimistic as millennials because they worry about unemployment and not making progress in expanding their knowledge. Additionally, they prefer to do teamwork virtually, and face to face only if it is compulsory (Bencsik et al., 2016).

Another important aspect to mention is that they grew up with social media and it is often part of their daily lives (Work & Family Life, 2016). When it comes to communication, they might choose text messages over phone calls or emails (Greer, 2018). Hence, they can be characterized for being informal due to the use of e.g. abbreviations and emoticons. It would be helpful for them to recognize the type of audience they are communicating with in order to adapt the interaction according to each case (Work & Family Life, 2016).

Key terms:

● Completely Digital ● Enjoy Being Challenged ● Worry to be Unemployed

● Communication is Informal with Others ● Prefer Flexibility at Work

● Prefer Teamwork in a Virtual Stage ● Curious to Learn by Themselves

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2.4 Adaptability

Nowadays, adaptability can be acknowledged as one of the advantages in a working environment in the current constantly evolving era. Technological revolution and the increase of globalization, together with competition, have created a new competitive landscape, as the business environment has been changing rapidly (García-Salmones & Yin, 2014). Therefore, the traditional approaches to advantage strategy, which have been created upon a stable and predictable business environment e.g. Porter’s five forces (Porter, 1985), need to be adjusted to today’s market space. The traditional approaches are well known and used by executives. Hence, it may drive them to underestimate the power of today’s uncertainty, which might lead to the usage of inappropriate strategies. As a result, it may be impossible to defend an organization against its threats and to take advantage of the opportunities (García-Salmones & Yin, 2014).

The openness and responsiveness to environmental changes have become a crucial success factor for organizations, as today’s volatile and turbulent environment makes organizations face constant uncertainty, ambiguity and strategic discontinuities (Reeves & Deimler, 2011). Uncertainty can be distinguished from risks, as uncertainty is a lack of quantifiable knowledge about an occurrence, and risks are predictable and measurable (Knight, 1921). However, risks and uncertainty are both important to be considered by an organization that operates in today’s constantly changing market. Thus, adaptability has become a key factor for organizations in achieving competitive advantage in the current business environment. Reeves and Deimler (2011) have identified four organizational capabilities to attain adaptive advantage:

1. The ability to read and act on signals 2. The ability to experiment

3. The ability to manage complex multi company systems 4. The ability to mobilize

These four capabilities have been proved effective at fostering adaptive advantage also in established companies (Reeves & Deimler, 2011). Sweeney’s (2019) idea of agile and adaptable organization approves the ideology of Reeves and Deimler. It is crucial to make faster decisions and execute immediately. The vision needs to be embraced and feedback encouraged within the organization, in order to promote adaptability in the long run (Sweeney, 2019).

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“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things” (Machiavelli, 1532, p.21).

In order to foster adaptability in an organization at an individual level, there has to be a culture of learning and growth to support their employees towards openness and responsiveness to change. People are seeking comfort that routines bring, but it can be dangerous for the business. Thus, it is crucial to encourage employees to find a level of ease in the unexpected in order to reduce the obsessional routines. In this way, there can be room created for innovation and technological growth (Newman, 2016).

Jeff Hiatt (2006) has developed the ADKAR model (Figure 3) that supports individuals in the organizational setting to move through change and therefore, improve the organizational outcomes. ADKAR stands for awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. It is an effective model for supporting employees throughout a change and strengthening adaptability in an organization. The ADKAR model focuses on outcomes, not tasks to be performed.

Figure 2. The ADKAR Model. Reprinted from ADKAR: a model for change in business, government, and our community, (p.2), by J. Hiatt, 2006, Loveland, Colorado: Prosci Learning Center Publications. Copyright 2006 by "Jeffrey, M. Hiatt."

These five building blocks focus on outcomes, not tasks to be performed. Awareness is the initial stage, where the problem and need for change are understood. Hence, communication

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plays a crucial role in the first building block. Desire reflects a personal decision to support the initiative and therefore, take part and engage in the change. This is only possible after full awareness. Knowledge describes the educational stage where it is important to train the employees towards change in order to implement new skills and behaviours. It is important to know how to change and how to perform once the change is implemented. Ability is the stage where employees are able to demonstrate the knowledge learned, as the change is implemented. They will start using the new way of working to its full effect. This might need time and requires practice, coaching and feedback. Lastly, reinforcement is the stage where the stability of change is ensured by making sure that employees do not revert to the old ways. This can be achieved through positive feedback, rewards, recognition, measuring performance and taking corrective actions. ADKAR emphasizes that successful change in an organizational level can only be achieved if each manager fulfills the ‘desire’ stage (Hiatt, 2006).

New technology supports an organization to adapt to changes. With the help of improved technology, it is easier to drive data and make smarter and more successful decisions that might influence the future of an organization (Sweeney, 2019). Sales professionals using online tools and technologies are stating an increase in their revenue by 63 %, whereas sales professionals with traditional outreach strategies have increased their revenue only by 41 % (Sales For Life, 2016). In order to help employees to adapt to new technology, it is recommended to get everyone in the team onboard and listen to them. It is important to find enough time to train the employees, to provide guided learning and solo learning (Mihalik, 2018). It can be concluded that, organizations that are agile and capable to adapt thrive, whereas inert organizations fail by not adapting fast enough to exploit opportunities in changing economic, technological, social and market conditions (Sweeney, 2019). Nevertheless, by following the ADKAR model, the change transition is supported (Hiatt, 2006).

2.5 Organizational Inertia

The word ‘inertia’ had been formed from Latin word ‘iners’ that means lazy, idle (Zimmerman Jones, 2019). Newton’s interpretation of inertia is “every object remains in a state of rest or of uniform motion unless acted upon by an outside force” (Newton & Machin, 1729, p. 19). This concept can be related to the current reality that some companies face, where resistance to change strategies is an impediment to adapt to the current volatile environment (Huang et al., 2013). Living in today’s VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world results in

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and power to adapt fast to the changes (Schoemaker et al., 2018). In an organizational setting, inertia means the resistance for changes. It can be defined as a strong persistence of existing practices. If the practices in status quo are efficient, inertia is beneficial. Whereas if they are inefficient, inertia is an obstacle (Polites & Karahanna, 2012).

From technological perspective, and specifically in Information System (IS) context, inertia can be described as an “user attachment to, and persistence in, using an incumbent system (i.e., the status quo), even if there are better alternatives or incentives to change” (Polites & Karahanna, 2012, p.24). In other words, it can be related to an attitudinal tendency to maintain status quo, irrespective of current alternatives or also, alternatives that may arise in the future. Inertia is quickly recognized from current alternatives being ignored or incentives being failed (Polites & Karahanna, 2012; Wang et al., 2019).

Gavetti (2005) has divided the phenomenon of inertia into two; cognitive inertia and action inertia. Cognitive inertia is considered to be a barrier for improving the quality of thinking when generating and assessing strategic alternatives. It can be related to the executives having a hard time adapting their business models, theories, beliefs, and assumptions to new situations. This phenomenon might be common in some businesses where executives implemented successful strategies in the past and therefore, resist change to innovate in the present. According to Polites & Karahanna (2012), cognitive inertia indicates that the user consciously chooses to continue using the systems he has always used, even though he is aware that there are better and more efficient systems available. Action inertia is resisting a new strategy implementation in an organization and can be common for all individual employees. It can be recognized from sticky routines, ingrained culture or leadership failures (Gavetti, 2005).

Furthermore, Polites & Karahanna (2012) have conceptualized inertia into two other components within IS context: behavioral and affective. Behavioral inertia indicates that the user is using the systems he has always used, without giving it a thought. This may or may not refer to a subconscious habit. Affective inertia indicates that the user is using the systems he has always used because it would be stressful to change. He enjoys and feels comfortable with the current situation. Additionally, he might have created a strong emotional attachment to his routines (Polites & Karahanna, 2012).

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Upper Echelon Theory (UET) can be closely related to cognitive inertia, as it describes the relationship between the top management and the outcomes of an organization. The developers of UET, Manbrick and Mason (1984) describe an organization as “a reflection of its top managers” (p. 193). UET is a hypothesis that describes how top managers execute and behave under the conditions of bounded rationality. Therefore, the decisions made are based on the cognitive, social and physiological characteristics. For that reason, the decisions may end up being satisfactory, but not optimal (Nielsen, 2010). Top managers make decisions based on their personal interpretation of situations which influence directly their strategic choices and behaviours (Hambrick & Mason, 1984). The decisions are impacted by their experience, personality and values. According to UET, it is crucial to study top managers’ biases and characteristics in order to interpret the organizational outcomes (Kraiczy, 2013).

“Inertia reflects a preference to stay with the incumbent course of action even if there were better alternatives or incentives to change. Inertia thus reflects a bias toward the status quo” (Polites & Karahanna, 2012, p.23). Status quo refers to the current state of the situation (Samuelson & Zeckhauser, 1988). The theory of Status Quo Bias (SQB) is linked to the action of remaining status quo rather than switching to a new system. It explains why individuals make decisions to continue an entrenched course of action, rather than switching to a new course of action. Despite the fact that there are new and potentially better courses of action available (Samuelson & Zeckhauser, 1988; Polites & Karahanna 2012; Wang et al., 2019).

There are three explanations for the formation of SQB: rational decision-making, cognitive misperception of loss aversion, and psychological commitment to the status quo. Rational decision-making refers to the action where an individual compares the switching costs to the benefits received. These costs are defined as time and effort required to adapt to a new system. This results in SQB if an individual sticks with the ingrained habits as it can be seen as a known quantity. Cognitive misperception of loss aversion refers to action where an individual weights the potential losses (even small ones) greater than the potential gains. This results in SQB if an individual believes that the potential loss is greater than the benefits received from the new system. Psychological commitment refers to action where an individual is e.g. willing to protect a feeling of being in control, attempting to maintain its social position, trying to avoid regret of a bad decision, or willing to strive for cognitive consistency in decision making (Samuelson & Zeckhauser, 1988).

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According to Polites and Karahanna (2012), inertia can be considered as a conscious bias toward the status quo, which is formed as the result of the switching costs. The switching costs can strengthen individuals’ inertia, and thus, make the individuals’ switches from a status quo less likely to happen (Polites & Karahanna, 2012).

The organizations that face inertia, have the tendency to remain unchanged. Established organizations are considered to be facing inertia easier than new start-ups. Organizations that have already been performing a long time in the market, have their habitual ways to think and behave. Employees might get stuck with their daily routines and resist changing them. A strong organizational culture is very complicated to change as it is experienced and shared widely across an organization (Gavetti, 2005; Huang et al., 2013). On the contrary, start-ups can be considered as new in the market space. They have fresh ways to work and adapt easily to changes, as they do not possess ingrained routines yet (Schoemaker et al., 2018; Gavetti, 2005; Huang et al., 2013).

The conclusions can be drawn, that the current era has brought new, constantly evolving changes into organizations. Inertia is a common phenomenon in numerous organizations. The change might raise frustration in the employees, as they need to learn new ways to work in order to meet the current demand. If there is noticeable resistance in an organization, it is challenging to change the systems and routines. Inertia can be an obstacle for success as it prevents the advantages of dynamic capabilities and adaptability. Therefore, the organizational innovativeness decreases as well (Schoemaker et al., 2018; Gavetti, 2005; Huang et al., 2013).

2.6 Overcoming Organizational Inertia

Hon et al. (2014) argue that climate of modernity, empowering leadership and supportive co-workers have an important role when addressing a resistance towards organizational change or overcoming inertia. According to their research, an organizational climate that encourages equality, freedom to move and new ways of performing, may help to overcome the resistance to change. Supportive co-workers are an important factor because they help other employees to perceive the change. Lastly, their study indicates that managers are the most effective source in overcoming resistance to change (Hon et al., 2014). Management can influence their employees' attitudes and address the problems at their source, also when it comes to resistance (Lawrence, 1969). According to Battilana and Casciaro (2013), inertia can be overcome by the content vision, its effective communication, and the design of systems and structures, as well

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as the structure and content of the interpersonal relationships within the organization (Battilana & Casciaro, 2013). Also, it is shown in the previous research that positive work relationships and environment support the employee to possess a positive attitude towards organizational change (Vakola & Nikolau, 2005; Woodward et al., 1999; Shaw et al., 1993).

The Theory of Constraints (TOC) developed by Goldratt (1984) suggests a practice that helps organizations continuously achieve their goals with less constraints. By addressing the following three questions, an organization can overcome the resistance to change and achieve buy-in from all the key players:

1. What to change? 2. What to change to? 3. How to cause the change?

With these three questions, an organization will get answers to what the problem and the agreed solution are, and how the solution should be implemented. Also, it is important to take into account that there is no sense in developing a solution before the key players agree on the problem or to discuss the implementation before an agreement on the solution (Goldratt, 1984). Every key player should gain some psychological ownership of the project in order to create enthusiasm towards the initiative (Umble, M. & Umble, E., 2014). Similarly, Gallo (2010) advises that it is important to include as many people as possible in deciding on the new strategy, in order to prevent the employees reverting back to ‘old ways’ of working.

Recardo (1995) suggests 13 steps that the management can take, to effectively reduce employees’ resistance to change. These steps should be taken into account when implementing a new initiative or overcoming organizational resistance as they facilitate the actions of management team towards new initiatives and make them less burdensome. This study emphasizes the following key steps: Communicate a clear vision of the change, senior management must lead the change, pilot the initiative to demonstrate a quick success, provide timely education, supply adequate resources and do not send mixed signals (Recardo, 1995).

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3. Methodology

___________________________________________________________________________ In this section, the methodology applied in the research study is widely represented. The process of studying the existing knowledge of the essential topics is described. Moreover, the empirical study method used for the actual research is discussed including the research philosophy, data collection method, research design, interview design, sampling and population and lastly, data analysis.

3.1 Literature Review

The literature review is a major component of this paper. It outlines the theoretical base for this novel research study by means of the existing literature. In favor of gaining relevant background information of the needed concepts such as attitudes towards technology, adaptability, organizational inertia and overcoming organizational inertia, a wide literature review was applied by means of secondary data.

It is crucial to research the previous theories and studies to gain a broad knowledge of the desired topic, in order to find the research gap to fill. Therefore, it is avoided to research topics that have already been studied. The existing data can be used as a base for the findings and new theories. Furthermore, the previous theories can be developed (Kananen, 2010). Some of the questions are based on the literature review, in order to compare the findings with already existing data. The literature review is acting as a help when combining the novel research results into the existing knowledge (Hart, 1998).

The online library of Jönköping University (Jönköping University, 2020) was used to find existing studies and theories. The keywords identified by the authors when they searched for relevant academic resources were: organizational inertia/resistance, adaptability, change management, attitudes of young generations towards technology, overcoming organizational inertia/resistance. After the authors found useful books or articles, they evaluated the relevance of them by reading the keywords, abstract and conclusions. All the relevant sources were explored and studied by the authors in order to build an extensive literature review for this study.

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3.2 Empirical Methodology

In order to study the research gap of this research, a qualitative research in the form of a single case study was executed. Hence, it is possible to discover different individuals' perspectives or attitudes towards a specific topic, to facilitate the generation of rich data and new theory (Sreejesh et al., 2014). A qualitative research was chosen over quantitative research aiming to get flexible and valuable information from young employees' attitudes, and to understand the adoption process of the new technology in Company A. In this context, an inductive approach is applied. According to Thomas (2006), in this type of approach the findings are influenced by the research question and it starts by analyzing the experiences of the interviewees to obtain the important concepts. Furthermore, as this thesis is conducted as a single case study, it may result in a high-quality and in-depth research, as it gives the researchers deeper understanding of the exploring subject. Also, it is recommended to execute a single case study rather than multiple case study when investigating a person or a group of people in-depth (Gustafsson, 2007).

3.2.1 Research Philosophy

The philosophy perspective is a key analysis to understand the reasoning behind the decision of the research method selected, to clarify the research design which refers to the overall activities conducted to address the research problem, to know which types of research designs will be worth conducting, and to determine which method is the best for the current research (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). Business and management research are connected with two theories, epistemology and ontology. Epistemology is “the study of theories of knowledge; how we know what we know” (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015, p. 134), whereas ontology is related to what constitutes a reality and what can individuals know about it (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011), this theory is described as “the nature of reality and existence” (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015, p. 126).

Among the positions of ontology, relativism was chosen in this particular study. In order to define the authors’ position within ontology, it is important to highlight that the interviews were conducted to analyze individuals’ beliefs and opinions. Since the SDRs have different attitudes towards the adoption of digital tools within the workplace, a single opinion cannot be generalized. Hence, realism position described as a single and concrete reality (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015), is not going to be applied by the authors. In this sense, the authors’ position is

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relativism, which determines that the truth about a specific topic is concluded through the discussion among individuals with different opinions (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015).

Among positions of epistemology, social constructionism was chosen. This position focuses on individuals sharing experiences to make sense of the world, whereas positivism refers to the usage of methods based on observed facts rather than a reflective view (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). In this sense, the position selected is due to the conduction of in-depth interviews, where interviewees share their experiences and attitudes towards digital tools. Moreover, a single case study has its roots in constructionist epistemology (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015).

The authors are aware of the limitations due to the selection of a social constructivism and relativism position. These might lead to a laborious access of the information and a disparity in the data collected due to cultural differences. Also, it can be time-consuming to analyze this type of information. However, the authors believe that the strengths of this position enabled them to generate new insights of the researched topic and gain more detailed and comprehensive information due to the valuable data collection.

3.2.2 Data Collection Method

The authors have acquired secondary and primary data in order to conduct this study (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). The data collection of secondary data is described in detail in the chapter: 3.1 Literature Review. Regarding primary data, in-depth online interviews were conducted to SDRs and the Head of Digital tools. The data collection method selected is semi-structured interviews. Therefore, the authors had predefined a list of flexible questions which were adapted depending on each interview and the answers. Semi-structured interview is a guided open interview where different themes are examined. The themes used in the interviews are illustrated in the Figures 4 and 5. This type of interview is practical when researchers evaluate the topics that should be developed in more detail, and the ones that should not be considered anymore. However, semi-structured interviews are time consuming due the analysis of considerable volume of notes, which are retrieved from the interview transcripts (Newcomer et al., 2015).

3.2.3 Research Design

In this thesis, an exploratory research design is applied, which is eligible when the purpose of the research is to understand the problem, evaluate alternatives, and discover new insights. It

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is not used when the objective of the investigation is to obtain one defined result (Sreejesh et al., 2014). The selection of an exploratory design is because this academic research aims to analyze different attitudes from interviewees, identify new patterns or behaviors, and create a framework with the results obtained.

3.2.4 Population and Sampling

Due to the chosen research topic, it was beneficial for the authors to interview SDRs as they are the early stage employees whose attitude towards digital tools are analyzed. Furthermore, for understanding the value of the digital tools and their adoption process, the Head of Digital Tools was interviewed. Hence, the population can be defined as SDRs and the Head of Digital Tools.

The main sampling type used in this study is non-probability, more specifically snowball sampling. The advantage for choosing snowball sampling type is to ensure an adequate sample of hard-to-find-people (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). In practice, the authors started with a probability sampling, specifically simple random sampling (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015) by selecting randomly two nominees from a list of SDRs to send an invitation email. Hence, the authors were able to conduct two mock interviews with SDRs, in order to observe the existence of inertia in Company A. Therefore, it was possible to draw conclusions of the presence of inertia among SDRs and which digital tools may cause it. To continue with, the authors used the snowball method to choose the population for the interviews according to the recommendations of the previous interviewees, in favor of the chosen topic for the study. Thus, it was possible to get focused interviews around the experiences of inertia and therefore, gain in depth-data. The snowball method enabled the authors to collect data of the different scenarios regarding the SDRs’ perspectives.

Due to the time limit, interviewing all the SDRs in Company A that operate in EMEA would have been impossible. Therefore, the right data could be captured for the research with the use of snowball sampling. It is good to bear in mind that there is the possibility of bias, when using non-probability type of sampling (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). However, the authors believe that they have captured a great overview of the SDRs in Company A that operate in EMEA. In order to have a representative sample of the population researched, the following factors have been taken into account: different attitudes regarding the usage of digital tools, several

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nationalities within EMEA, the time worked as an SDR and the inclusion of both generations, Y and Z.

The SDRs that represent the population of the study are from nine different countries within EMEA. In that way the international range of the research is ensured. The interviewees’ time in an SDR position differ from 6 to 25 months. Both young generations (Y and Z) are present in the interviews conducted. This sample can be seen as a comprehensive population of SDRs working in an international sales organization. The interviewees are illustrated later in the Table 2. In order to support the SDRs’ views and beliefs about the digital tool adoption at Company A, the Head of Digital Tools was interviewed. Hence, the knowledge about the strategy behind the tool selection was gained, and the expectations of the digital tool adoption and enablement in the SDR teams were explored.

After conducting eleven interviews in total: ten interviews with SDRs and one with the Head of Digital Tools, the authors reached theoretical saturation, which can be considered as the point when “no new information or themes are observed in the data” (Guest et al., 2006, p. 59). In other words, that means there is no need to add more data in the research because the overall outcome will be the same (Aldiabat et al., 2018). As the authors had enough data to close the research gap and draw conclusions to answer the research questions, there was no need of collecting more data for this specific research.

3.2.5 Interview Design

The interviews were designed on a virtual face-to-face basis to gain crucial in-depth data about the research gap being investigated. Ten SDRs and the Head of Digital Tools were interviewed in order to gain crucial data to analyze the attitudes towards technology. The interviews were adapted according to three scenarios: inert or non-inert SDRs, SDRs who overcame inertia, and the Head of Digital Tools.

All the interviews were organized online considering the current situation of coronavirus (COVID-19) across the globe, and also environmental reasons as most of the interviewees are based in different countries than the interviewers. Thus, mediated interviews (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015) were the only option and Zoom was selected as an instrument to conduct the interviews which results in synchronous mediated interviews (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). Zoom is an online video telephony and chat service provider which is a cloud-based

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peer-to-peer software platform (Zoom, 2020). The security was taken into account in the interviews by using password for the video telephony calls, taking into notice that there was a massive privacy debate around Zoom recently (Wakefield, 2020). The interview was voluntary for each interviewee. The interviewees were invited to the interview by email with a consent letter (Appendix 3) to ensure the anonymity and confidentiality of the study. The suitable time slot was chosen in agreement. Hence, they had their full will to decide whether to take part in the interview. All the interviews were conducted in English. Before the actual interview started, the interviewees were reminded that the gathered data will be used for study purposes and more specifically, for a master thesis at Jönköping University. Moreover, it was emphasized that the company's name was not going to be mentioned in order to ensure the anonymity of it. In order to encourage the interviewees to answer truthfully, it was stated that the interview is fully confidential and anonymous. All the interviews were recorded and later transcribed.

In order to develop accurate questions, the authors followed certain strategies. In this context, the technique of laddering up was used to help interviewees to elaborate their answers. Hence, short statements as answers were avoided by asking them “why” questions when needed. In order to avoid interview bias and gain as much data as possible, the authors were using mostly open questions while interviewing, e.g. “can you tell me more about it?” (Easterby-Smith et al., 2015). Some questions were close ended as they result in concrete answers. The interview questions were structured into question groups based on a common theme. Two different interview designs were used for interviewing SDRs, illustrated in the Figure 4. Interview 1 was conducted for non-inert and inert SDRs, whereas Interview 2 was conducted for SDRs that have overcome inertia. Nevertheless, these two interview designs had similar question groups which are illustrated as ‘Common Themes.’ Additionally, the authors had different question themes for the interview for Head of Digital Tools. Therefore, Interview 3 was created separately from the other types of interviews, which is illustrated in the Figure 5. The interview questions of all three interview designs are illustrated in the Appendix 4, 5 and 6.

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Figure 3. Interview question themes used in the SDRs’ semi-structured interviews.

Figure 4. Interview question themes used in the Head of Digital Tools’ semi-structured interview.

3.2.6 Analysis of Data

In order to analyze the data, the authors followed eight steps as illustrated in the Figure 6.

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The first step was to transcript the interview audio recordings. They were created as single text documents and transcriptions were divided between the authors of this study. After that, a thematic approach for coding the data was followed. This type of coding is helpful when codes emerge from the data collected and also from the literature review (Urquhart, 2013). The selection of a thematic coding is because some interview questions are based on the literature review of this paper. Therefore, the data contain a combination of information between theory and novel insights. The authors used the program MAXQDA (MAXQDA, 2020) to transcript the audio recording and code the transcripts. It is a software tool for qualitative research that enabled authors to analyze the audios from interviews conducted by using the transcription function, and then proceed to create the codes within the same tool, finally exporting the information developed to an Excel file to analyze it (MAXQDA, 2020).

In this thesis, authors followed some steps recommended by Attride-Stirling (2001) in order to build thematic network, which is illustrated in the Table 1. However, the steps were adapted according to their specific needs. The second step was to code the text acquired from the online interviews. This specific part was done in two rounds, the first one is called descriptive code which is to summarize a group of text, and the second one is defined as analytic code which is helpful to go beyond simply aggregation (Urquhart, 2013). Data can be coded as full paragraphs, sentences, or just a single word, where the main purpose is to reduce data to facilitate the analysis (Urquhart, 2013). The third step was to create categories from the coded text. These categories can be rather specific (non-repetitive) or broad because it covers a set of similar codes. The main intention is to allow the researchers to identify patterns (Urquhart, 2013). The fourth step was to group the categories that are similar to assign a basic theme. The fifth step was to conclude a global theme by crystallizing the main point of the basic themes. The sixth step was to write a summary of each basic theme which are shown in the chapter: 4. Results. The seventh step was to analyze the basic themes and associate the patterns with existing theory, which is shown in the chapter: 5. Analysis and Discussion. The last step was to build a framework together with the research conducted and the existing data, that answers the research questions. In this last step, existing frameworks as TAM (Davis et al., 1989) and ADKAR (Hiatt, 2006) are combined with the empirical findings. Therefore, authors were able to discover correlations between primary and secondary data, and identify novel aspects. Hence, it was possible to make conclusions on how to deal with inertia symptoms with early

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Global Theme Basic Theme Categories CHANGE PROCESS TOWARDS

TECHNOLOGY Adaptability Past Experiences Supporting Adaptability

Adaptability in General

Adoption Managers' Responsibility in the Adoption Process

Managers Following Their Responsibilities in the Adoption Process

Outreach Adoption for a New Hire

ENABLEMENT TOWARDS

DIGITAL TOOLS Learning Path Training Courses Offered by Company A

Learning Path of Outreach

Individual's Motivation Personal Motivation to Use Digital Tools Productivity (Hitting Targets)

Influence from Managers Motivation from Managers

No Action from Managers towards Outreach Usage Pressure from Managers towards Outreach Usage

PERCEPTION OF OUTREACH Characteristics of Outreach Usefulness Ease of Use

Attributes of Outreach

Functionality Drawbacks of Outreach

Benefits of Outreach

ATTITUDES TOWARDS

TECHNOLOGY Attitude towards Digital Tools Personal Attitudes towards Digital Tools

Attitude from Their Generation towards Digital Tools

Organizational Resistance Inertia Root Cause Inertia of SDRs

Inertia of Sales Managers

Overcoming Inertia Fighting Against Inertia

Outreach Adoption after Experiencing Inertia

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4. Results

In this chapter the SDRs who participated in the interviews are introduced. Moreover, the empirical findings from the interviews are presented following the pattern of Basic Theme.

4.1 Introduction of the SDRs Interviewed

The interviewees are introduced in Table 2. It gives an overview of the interviews conducted, more detailed explanation of the selection process is explained in the chapter: 3.2.4 Sampling and Population.

Interviewee Nationality Gender Generation

Months worked as an ASDR in Company A No Inertia Current Inertia Overcome Inertia A Spanish Female Z 9 ✓ B Norwegian Female Y 13 ✓ C Dutch Male Y 23 ✓ D Finnish Male Z 6 ✓ E Belgian Female Y 9 ✓ F French Male Y 24 ✓ G British Male Y 10 ✓ H British Male Z 10 ✓ I Italian Female Y 25 ✓ J Emirian Female Y 5 ✓