Acquisition of telecommunications products and services: an examination of inter-sector differences

Three important sectors-public administration, financial services, and manufacturing-are compared in this study with respect to their telecommunications acquisition practices. The three sectors are compared on a number of variables pertaining to the role and management of telecommunications technology, the process of acquiring telecommunications technology, and the outcome of this process. Findings indicate that information technology plays a more important role in the service-oriented sectors than in manufacturing. The acquisition process for telecommunications appears to be more elaborate in the public sector organizations than in private firms. In a relative sense, public sector and financial service organizations are more likely to opt for service solutions for their telecommunications needs as compared to manufacturing organizations that rely mainly on equipment-based solutions