  We calculate the transverse-momentum (p_T) distribution for the inclusive
hadroproduction of B mesons at intermediate values of p_T at next-to-leading
order (NLO) in a dedicated finite-mass scheme using realistic non-perturbative
fragmentation functions that are obtained through a global fit to e^+e^- data
from CERN LEP1 and SLAC SLC exploiting their universality and scaling
violations. We find that finite-mass effects moderately enhance the cross
section, by about 20% at p_T = 2 m_b, and rapidly fade out with increasing
value of p_T, so that the zero-mass prediction is reached. We also perform
comparisons with recent ppbar data taken by the CDF Collaboration in run II at
the Fermilab Tevatron and comment on the usefulness of the fixed-flavor-number
scheme.
