{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,6]],"date-time":"2026-01-06T13:47:56Z","timestamp":1767707276175,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":68,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,2,5]],"date-time":"2018-02-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1517788800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["DTA"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,2,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to focus on the profile of DiDIYers and the antecedents of digital do it yourself (DiDIY) in Network Marketing Direct Selling Organizations (NMDSO).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>A two-step research design allowed the detection of DiDIYers<jats:italic>strictu sensu<\/jats:italic>(i.e. digital makers). After collecting data about the attitudes and the actual use of digital technology (DT) by network marketers through an online survey, an open-ended interview technique made it possible to analyze the personal characteristics of DiDIYers, the motivations that drive them and the activities that mainly foster the creation of artifacts in the DT domain. Besides, it allowed to recognize the perceived benefits and the impact of DiDIY output on networkers\u2019 downline and firms\u2019 performance.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>The results provide a preliminary profile of the DiDIYer in network marketing communities that is suitable for further comparative studies. More specifically, this exploratory study acknowledges the most important antecedents of DiDIY in digital literacy \u2013 including the awareness of being a digital literate and\/or a potential appropriateur \u2013 and in organizational culture.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>This is an exploratory study based on a limited sample of DiDIYers, nevertheless it offers a preliminary view of the subjective side of the DiDIY phenomenon in network marketing and represents as well a context-bound study.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>Considering the ascribed benefits of DiDIY output on the traditional network marketing objectives (effectiveness, efficiency, cohesion, mutual assistance and reinforcement) network marketing communities could benefit from an increase of attention to the topic.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study throws light on the process of DiDIY within direct sales and network marketing activities by defining a preliminary profile of digital makers and thus, underlining a phenomenon neglected so far.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/dta-03-2017-0017","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,1,24]],"date-time":"2018-01-24T06:26:40Z","timestamp":1516775200000},"page":"84-104","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The subjective side of DiDIY: the profile of makers in network marketers communities"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"52","author":[{"given":"Carolina","family":"Guerini","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6938-985X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eliana Alessandra","family":"Minelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"issue":"4","key":"key2020093021480253700_ref001","first-page":"379","article-title":"Moving beyond the direct effect of SFA adoption on salesperson performance: training and support as key moderating factors","volume":"34","year":"2007","journal-title":"Industrial Marketing Management"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2020093021480253700_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1287\/mnsc.1070.0783","article-title":"High touch through high tech: the impact of salesperson echnology usage on sales performance via mediating mechanisms","volume":"54","year":"2008","journal-title":"Management Science"},{"key":"key2020093021480253700_ref003","unstructured":"Ala-Mukta, K. 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