A Design Science Approach to Investigating the Piloting of Customer Relationship Management

摘要

Customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives have emerged in a form of strategic and high priority projects in many organizations, but risks and rewards are equally high. One avenue of reducing risk is to apply piloting. In this empirical research we investigate whether the piloting of CRM has a role in decreasing implementation risks. We use design science approach in analyzing our findings, which indicate that the final outcome of piloting - contrary to what management may expect - can even raise resistance to CRM. Further, our findings indicate that CRM has a role in organizational policy-making and can cause power shift from one organizational entity to another.