Linking stakeholder salience with mobile services diffusion

Abstract

Using qualitative evidence from the Australian mobile telecommunications industry, this study employs social network theory to show how organisational stakeholders can use their salience to affect network interaction dynamics to influence mobile services diffusion. We found that carriers' definitive leverage brand loyalty to become influential stakeholders. Industry associations have ineffectively undertaken diverse mechanisms for achieving power for themselves and mobile end-users while the government regulator has successfully undertaken co-regulation to fulfil its end-user protection objectives. Our analysis explains, at least partially, the limited diffusion of mobile services in Australia.