Innovation Marketing Model For Telecommunications Companies In The Democratic Republic Of Congo

Abstract

This article examines and proposes an innovation marketing model tailored to telecommunications companies operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the objective of designing and validating an analytical framework for understanding innovation adoption mechanisms. Drawing on empirical data collected from telecommunications firms and subscribers in the city-province of Kinshasa, the study integrates organizational, individual, and social factors to account for the specificities of the Congolese context. The findings reveal a strong convergence between empirical results and established theories of innovation adoption and diffusion, while highlighting significant contextual characteristics related to market structure and user behavior.

The results indicate that innovation adoption is primarily influenced by individual characteristics such as age, level of education, and openness to change, as well as by perceived value, functional utility, and user experience rather than technological novelty alone. Market segmentation and competitive dynamics among operators shape differentiated adoption behaviors, with social influence and word-of-mouth playing a central role in diffusion processes. Based on these insights, the study proposes an original innovation marketing model, termed OPSI-MPF, which provides both a theoretical contribution to the literature and a practical decision-support tool for telecommunications companies in the DRC.