Science ‘fact’ and science ‘fiction’? Homophilous communication in high-technology B2B selling

Dean, A.K.; Ellis, N.; Wells, V.K.

doi:10.1080/0267257x.2017.1324895

Science ‘fact’ and science ‘fiction’? Homophilous communication in high-technology B2B selling

Dean, A.K.; Ellis, N.; Wells, V.K.

Authors

A.K. Dean

Nicholas Ellis n.t.ellis@durham.ac.uk
Dissertation/SCA/SBP Supervisor

V.K. Wells

Abstract

This study deepens our understanding of the processes underpinning the diffusion of innovation by critically exploring the language that scientist sellers and buyers employ to facilitate sensemaking in their spoken marketing communications. Pervasive complex technical terminology within business-to-business (B2B) high-technology sales relationships results in numerous sensemaking challenges. Using a discourse analytic methodology, sellers and buyers from nanotechnology companies are interviewed to better understand how culturally close (homophilous) or culturally distant (heterophilous) sales talk influences sensemaking. Although a need for ‘marketing’ is begrudgingly acknowledged, these boundary spanners all appear to enact centralised identities as ‘scientists’ engaged in selling and buying. Working towards maintaining homophily, participants claim to jointly use linguistic tools such as metaphors and popular cultural references to enable a functional level of sensegiving and making.

Citation

Dean, A., Ellis, N., & Wells, V. (2017). Science ‘fact’ and science ‘fiction’? Homophilous communication in high-technology B2B selling. Journal of Marketing Management, 33(9-10), 764-788. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257x.2017.1324895

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Mar 23, 2017
Online Publication Date	May 26, 2017
Publication Date	May 26, 2017
Deposit Date	Mar 24, 2017
Publicly Available Date	Nov 26, 2018
Journal	Journal of Marketing Management
Print ISSN	0267-257X
Electronic ISSN	1472-1376
Publisher	Taylor and Francis Group
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	33
Issue	9-10
Pages	764-788
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257x.2017.1324895
Public URL	https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1390187

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Copyright Statement
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Journal of Marketing Management on 26/05/2017, available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/0267257X.2017.1324895.