An Empirical Confirmation of Dual Strategies Used in Marketing High-Technology Goods and Services: The Decision-Supporting Software Example-Part One:

Modem marketing strategies center on a proper mix of supply and demand side emphasis. High-technology goods and services may demand a very specialized variety of such a mix. In order to increase understanding of this area of marketing, the concept of high-technology goods and services was operationalized in terms of one variety of such goods and services, decision-supporting software. An instrument was designed to elicit information from marketers with respect to user requirements, design philosophy and design strategy. Three hundred and thirty eight questionnaires were mailed to subjects identified as software developers and marketers, with a resulting 23.4 percent response rate. Findings of the research tend to support the thesis of Shanklin and Ryans on supply side emphasis and demand side emphasis as dual approaches to marketing high technology.