Driving Innovation Through Customer Relationship Management—a Data-Driven Approach

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a key factor driving innovation and organizational growth. The present study investigated the relationship between data-driven CRM and innovation in Taiwan. We developed a theoretical framework involving CRM theory, innovation theory, and technology adoption theory to account for the cultural and organizational contexts of Taiwan to investigate this relationship. The study distributed questionnaires to employees and stakeholders within Taiwanese firms to understand their firms’ innovation and CRM practices. The results indicate that technology adoption and organizational culture have mediating effects and industry dynamics and organizational size have moderating effects on the relationship between data-driven CRM and innovation. That is, adopting new technology and having an organizational culture that supports innovation and company-wide collaboration can enhance the effects of implementing CRM practices. In addition, certain industries (e.g., the technology industry) are more likely to effectively leverage CRM practices to drive innovation, and although large organizations have more resources and can therefore more easily implement CRM systems, small and medium-sized enterprises can more quickly adapt and innovate on the basis of CRM insights. These findings highlight the importance of CRM in driving innovation and reveal key factors influencing the effectiveness of CRM in doing so.