Call for Book Reviews and Review Essays

ABSTRACT

The Journal of Business to Business Marketing, an important thematic journal within the field of marketing, serves as a vital venue for both academicians and practitioners interested in business-to-business marketing phenomena. Articles cover a broad spectrum of topics related to business marketing management.

A subject-based listing classifies these articles into 16 categories according to their key research issues. Those categories are: Advertising and Communication, Brand Management, Buyer-Seller Dyad and Relationships, Channels, Customer Relationships, Education, International Issues, Literature Reviews, Methodology, Networks and Strategic Alliances, Organizational Buying Behavior, Pricing and Value, Product Development, Segmentation, Selling and Salesforce Management, Technology.

After the subject listing, titles and abstracts of all articles appearing in the first ten volumes of JBBM are listed in volume/issue order. We hope that this index will provide a useful tool for academicians and practitioners who are interested in business-to-business marketing research.     

Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing Part III: JBBM Book Reviews

A total of 143 books were reviewed over the period 1993–2008 in the Book Review section of the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing. The books encompassed a broad array of topics, including the basic marketing mix elements of business-to-business marketing, purchasing, buyer-seller relationships, global marketing, Internet and e-commerce, organization studies, research methodology, strategy and general management, and education. During this period, five review essays provided thematic and comparative evaluations of a set of books.

This cumulative index is divided into two sections. The first provides a subject listing of books reviewed and the second is a chronological listing. All book reviews are located at the end of each issue of the journal.     

Journal of Business to Business Marketing Part III: JBBM Book Reviews

ABSTRACT

A total of 131 books were reviewed over the period, 1993–2003 in the Book Review Section of the Journal of Business to Business Marketing. The books encompassed a broad array of topics, including the basic marketing mix elements of business-to-business marketing, purchasing, buyer-seller relationships, global marketing, Internet and e-commerce, organization studies, research methodology, strategy and general management and education. During this period, 5 review essays provided thematic and comparative evaluation of a set of books.

This cumulative index is divided into two sections. The first provides a subject listing of books reviewed and the second is a chronological listing. All book reviews are located at the end of each issue of the journal.     

What will business-to-business marketers learn from neuro-marketing? Insights for business marketing practice

This research note offers expert comments on the boundaries and frontiers of neuro-marketing application for business-to-business (B-to-B) marketing. This is done using a practice-led approach to discuss the boundaries and frontiers of neuro-marketing application for B-to-B marketing. Insights are provided into what neuro-marketing is, is not, can do, cannot do, should do, and should not do in B-to-B settings. This note can assist B-to-B marketing academics, practitioners, and neuroscientists in understanding the boundaries and frontiers of B-to-B neuro-marketing application. This note outlines how neuroscience can be appropriately applied in theoretical and practical B-to-B marketing endeavors. This note offers a useful response to a series of common but often inadequately answered or unanswered questions on B-to-B neuro-marketing application.     

Commentary: Relative Presence of Business-to-Business Research in the Marketing Literature: Review and Future Directions

In this commentary we reaffirm the position taken by LaPlaca and Katrichis (2009 LaPlaca, P. J. and Katrichis, J. M. 2009. Relative presence of business-to-business research in the marketing literature. Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, 16(1–2) [Google Scholar]) that there is an underrepresentation of business marketing research in the marketing literature. Our comments highlight the sector size of business marketing in the economy, document the degree of difference on the inherent nature of business versus consumer marketing, compare the relative representation of business versus consumer emphasis in the marketing literature with other subfields, and close by suggesting means for enhancing business marketing research.     

Commentary: Relative Presence of Business-to-Business Research in the Marketing Literature: The Demand-Oriented Path Forward

In this article we discuss the relative presence of business-to-business (B2B) research in the marketing literature. We concur that B2B research is underrepresented in marketing literature and business school curricula. Avenues for remedy, improvement, and future research are presented.     

Extending the Marriage Metaphor as a Way to View Marketing Relationships

ABSTRACT

Relationships lie at the center of many marketing activities, and in certain cases are a central focus of a firm's marketing strategy. This review further develops the use of marriage as a useful metaphor for understanding many marketing relationships. Specific attention is given to the nature of a marriage relationship and to the critical transitions and different trajectories that define marriages. Dwyer, Schurr and Oh (1987) point out that far too little is known about these aspects of marketing relationships. We provide a complementary perspective on the issues that will help relationships survive and prosper. Drawing upon work in the area of marriage and family studies, we introduce several aspects of relationship trajectory and discuss implications for marketing conduct and scholarly research.     

A Model of Interorganizational Networking Antecedents,Consequences and Business Performance

Purpose: This quantitative study intended to examine the communication interactions that develop within a business network among various actors (i.e., customers, providers, cooperators, etc.), together with their effects upon business networking and performance. To these ends, we developed a conceptual model of dyadic marketing-oriented and network-oriented communication exchanges (i.e., interorganizational antecedents), interorganizational networking consequences, and business performance. Specifically, interorganizational networking consequences were examined in terms of tactical and strategic cooperation, whereas business performance was examined in terms of adaptability, productivity and efficiency.

Methodology/approach: To set the hypotheses of the study we delved into the wide stream of marketing literature pertaining to interorganizational networks and business-to-business relationships, and specifically to the marketing orientation theory, the social network theory, and the IMP approach. These research hypotheses were tested using advanced statistical analysis and causal modeling. The research sample comprised 1,000 business-to-business international companies, which were mostly U.S., and European and were randomly selected from the yahoo.com business-to-business companies’ subdirectory. The data collection involved a two-wave e-mail survey, in which the quantitative research instrument was emailed to the respective marketing directors’ personal accounts. Totally 249 high ranking marketing executives responded, thus yielding a 24.9% response rate. The selected data were, then, subjected to rigorous advanced statistical analysis of structural equation modeling, using the AMOS21 statistical package, to test reliability and stability of selected measures and validity of the research model, as a whole.

Findings: Overall, the research findings provided sufficient evidence that the proposed model was robust. Moreover, the findings supported that communication exchanges that deploy within a wide array of participants (i.e., within a network of organizational members, customers, partners, and other interacting partners within a market), may have stronger explanatory powers upon a company’s networking effects and business performance, than communication exchanges that evolve merely at a dyadic company-customer level.

Originality/value/contribution: This research is original; that is, it deals with empirical, quantitative data and makes an attempt to combine marketing concepts mainly from 3 marketing streams studying the long-term business-to-business relationships. Our approach is based on existing marketing literature, suggesting that networks, apart from being embedded in previous relationships and interactions, they may also be based on more loosely coupling between organizations. Thus, we use the IMP approach to formulate the measures of our study; however, we don’t discriminate between strong and weak ties in relationship bonding. In this research we focus on specific communication behaviors that may nurture interorganizational networking and look for effects upon cooperation and business performance. The research findings imply that marketing executives would worthwhile expand their communication exchanges beyond their narrow customers’, or providers’ network, to the wider array of trustworthy business circle, as such a behavior may largely favor their companies’ adaptability to environmental changes, flourish innovation, and lead to synergies in efficiency and productivity gains.     

A Reply to the Commentaries on “Business-to-Business Marketing Textbooks: A Comparative Review”

ABSTRACT

In this commentary, the authors respond to the commentary by Professors Butaney, Hutt and Speh, Narus, and Plank on their commentary article “Business-to-Business Marketing Textbooks: A Comparative Review.” The discussion involves responses to particular aspects of each commentary as well as some general thoughts on future developments of business-to-business marketing textbooks, particularly with respect to the influence of new information and communication media. In responding to the commentaries, the authors argue that while they are aware of a strong subjective element which still remains, their comparative examination of a selection of English-speaking textbooks on business marketing aims at providing theoretically-grounded insights that are helpful for both instructors and practitioners. They argue that the application of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives (1956) provides an appropriate framework for this objective and its operationalization, respectively. Although the comparison constitutes only a first step directed towards a thoroughly systematic analysis of textbooks on the subject, hopefully, it may nevertheless prove its fruit-fulness in fostering the discussion on future developments of business marketing textbooks.     

Key Account Management in information-intensive services

Key Account Management (KAM) is surprisingly little known marketing approach in retailing and consumer services context, however it has much to offer to companies in these industries. It provides an effective, practical and rather simple method for companies interested in increasing their profits by right customer and relationship management. Indeed, KAM is a business-to-business marketing approach, however most retailers and service companies can greatly benefit from it. A large number of retailers and service companies operate both in the consumer and business-to-business market. Few retailers or service providers have never invoiced another company. Moreover, most consumer goods and services are influenced by business-to-business services. The availability and quality of consumer goods and services often essentially depends on various business-to-business services in the earlier phases of marketing channels. Furthermore, by understanding the logic of KAM, retailers and consumer service providers can develop their own key supplier management. Information is one of the most important resources of goods and services in post-industrial economy. Information-intensive services are based on knowledge and refining of information. Increasing number of information-intensive services emerge both in the consumer and business-to-business market. This paper describes the nature of KAM and information-intensive services, and suggests a framework for KAM practices in information-intensive services.     

“Made in Italy”: The Italian Contribution to the Development of Business Marketing Discipline and Practices

Purpose: The authors analyze the main contributions of Italian literature in the business-to-business field as it relates to the characteristics of the Italian industrial manufacturing system. Even if not directly labeled as business-to-business marketing, Italian and other scholars who have studied Italian business experiences have largely faced the topic of business marketing management with innovative approaches and distinctive benchmark examples. In particular, the analysis of the Italian contribution to business marketing relies on the specific nature of the Italian industrial structure as recognized by the international literature. In this respect, the authors argue that three main areas of interest progressively arose from the peculiarities of the Italian industrial system: industrial districts, subcontractors/subcontracting relationships, and mid-sized manufacturing companies. These three research topics have been thoroughly investigated by both Italian and international scholars. They analyze the contributions that Italian researchers provided to advance business marketing discipline and practices.

Methodology/approach: The authors reviewed the literature of the main contributions developed in the three individual areas of research that have a strong focus on the Italian experience. The methodology was in three steps. First, the review planning process was guided by the three areas of research that were assumed to have a major contribution to business marketing discipline. Second, the SCOPUS database was used as a primary source for paper identification by using a keywords search method. Third, the dataset was refined by excluding non relevant contributions (not focused on business management and marketing or not specifically dealing with the three areas of interest) and validating/integrating the original dataset by using other complementary sources (e.g., Google Books, Google Scholar). Finally, a set of 268 products were taken into account in the analysis.

Findings: The results of the analysis suggest that the Italian contribution to the field of business marketing is valuable in light of the three chosen areas of research. These three empirical arenas—industrial districts, subcontractors, and mid-sized firms—contribute to providing a better understanding of business market structure and dynamics as well as the improvement of business marketing studies.

Originality/value: The article is an original and first attempt to elaborate and reflect on the contribution of the Italian business experience literature to the advances of business marketing discipline. The authors develop an original comprehensive review of “Made in Italy” business marketing and management research that has not been used in previous studies. The review will increase international knowledge of Italian practices and theoretical frameworks that can contribute to the reinforcement of the business-to-business marketing discipline.     

Relative Presence of Business-to-Business Research in the Marketing Literature

Relative to its contribution to the U.S. and other developed countries economies, industrial and business-to-business marketing have been underrepresented in the marketing literature. To determine the extent of this underrepresentation, the authors have evaluated thirty-one marketing journals beginning with the initial publication of the Journal of Marketing in 1936. Without the introduction of journals whose specific focus is industrial marketing, the underrepresentation would have been even more severe than it is currently. Six general research areas were also looked at to determine what trends in industrial marketing research have existed. These areas are: buyer behavior, sales management, marketing relationships, innovation and new product development, marketing strategy, and channels of distribution.     

An Integrative Framework of Buyer–Supplier Negative Relationship Quality and Dysfunctional Interfirm Conflict

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Problems of relationship quality and interfirm conflict in business-to-business settings are serious concerns that need to be addressed. Thus, the authors have engaged in an extensive review to promote an understanding of these complex issues. This article develops an integrated framework for analyzing wide-ranging relations between individual representatives and patterns of interfirm incompatibility for managerial control.

Methodology/approach: The review involves numerous sources that include articles and monographs. A theoretical framework is constructed to integrate fragmented empirical data. In particular, social identity and commitment-trust theories are mobilized for this framework.

Findings: The review of studies has a substantial consistency with the theoretical framework. The article outlines a causal chain from interpersonal agent dissimilarities to dysfunctional buyer–supplier relations, culminating in interfirm pathological conflict. Moderating factors in the causal chain are: agent identity differentiation (for interpersonal dissimilarity), supplier relations mismanagement (for buyer–supplier relationship quality), and interfirm opportunism (for interfirm pathological conflict). Buyer–supplier interfirm incompatibility mediates the causal link between interpersonal dissimilarity and buyer–supplier relationship quality. Identity differentiation, the validation of one’s self-image, is introduced as a process that determines buyer–supplier agent interpersonal dissimilarity judgments. This framework uses a contextual perspective. It describes interactions between observations of micro-level phenomena of interpersonal dissimilarities and macro-level models of interfirm fit. From a managerial perspective, interpersonal relations between individual buyer and supplier agents may be further strengthened by such strategies as expanding the scope of the interpersonal relationship, relaxation of role responsibilities, and volunteering business-related contact referrals.

Originality/value: A new theoretical framework has been devised to predict and explain relationship quality and interfirm pathological conflict in the business-to-business context. The framework contributes to the value of the knowledge base by serving as a means for building new diagnostic tools for assessment of interfirm behavioral issues affecting exchanges. New concepts are introduced to enhance current literature on business-to-business marketing. The framework provides concrete

indicators that operationally define ideas and enable or improve measurement for empirical modeling.     

Exploring the locus of internal marketing

Service and business-to-business companies have remained at the forefront of studies into internal marketing due to close contact between employees and customers. Marketing academics and practitioners have shown particular interest in the supermarket sector over recent years due to fluctuations in performance that have been reported. Consumers have negligible switching costs, so the risk of them purchasing substitute products is a problem to marketers where there is insignificant product differentiation. There is little evidence to support the benefits of internal market orientation in the food retail industry, and the main reason is difficulty of measuring its value. Although the UK food retail industry has been extensively researched, researchers have yet to address it properly in regard to internal market orientation. There is now an opportunity to create sustainable competitive advantage by providing a variety of offerings.     

Bridging the Theory-Practice Gap in Business Marketing: Lessons from the Field—The JBBM at 21

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to first examine the distinctive role that Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing (JBBM) assumes in the marketing discipline, explore its heritage and notable accomplishments, and highlight the opportunities and challenges that specialized business journals confront across functional areas. Next, the authors explored the academic-practitioner divide and propose action steps that can be followed to craft corporate research partnerships to address business marketing problems.

Methodology/approach: The authors drew on research experience gained across more than a dozen empirical studies that have been used in a collaborative approach with a partner firm from the business-to-business sector to examine a core marketing problem.

Findings: High levels of engagement and support from the partner organization appear to be most likely to occur when members of the partnering firm were actively involved in framing the research question.

Research implications: A set of action steps is proposed as a vehicle for initiating and managing a corporate research partnership. By providing potential access to rare data, a collaborative approach may provide a path for attacking substantive research issues in business marketing.     

JBBM at 21 with a Tribute to David T. Wilson: Founding Editor of the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This article documents the contributions of David T. Wilson to the field of business-to-business marketing in general and his contributions as founding editor of the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing (JBBM).

Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted with David T. Wilson’s doctoral students to discuss the impact he had on their education in business-to-business marketing and in their personal lives. The list of dissertations, which Dr. Wilson chaired, co-chaired, or served on committee, was compiled through the cooperation of libraries at Texas A&M University and The Pennsylvania State University. This list was verified through ProQuest, a global information-content and technology company that provides solutions, applications, and products for libraries. Further, information in this article was derived from a literature review of David’s early JBBM editorials and scholarly articles, as well as those of the current sitting editor.

Findings: Results of this research demonstrate David T. Wilson’s long-term commitment to the field of business-to-business marketing over his 33-year career at The Pennsylvania State University. His influence is demonstrated through his research, teaching, and service related to business-to-business marketing.

Research implications: David T. Wilson’s vision for JBBM was to position it as a theoretical journal with an international editorial review board and a global impact, including handing the editorial reigns over to David Lichtenthal, the current sitting Editor since 1995 and Wilson’s 16^th doctoral student out of a career total of 38.

Practical implications: It is the responsibility of the editorial review board to understand the journal’s past to help guide the future. Therefore, understanding the contributions of David T. Wilson, as the founding editor, to JBBM and the field of business-to-business marketing is useful to scholars and managers alike. This understanding provides a valuable historical context.     

Toward a deeper understanding of service marketing: The past, the present, and the future

The authors investigate the intellectual pillars of service marketing and its evolution through key subareas during 1992-2009 using a citation-based approach. They derive insights for the most promising research directions. The results reveal the dynamic influences of different research topics on service marketing. In a graphical representation, the authors further show that the main topics have changed their research orientations over time. For example, the literature on online service & technology infusion reveals an increasingly operational and customer-focused orientation. A citation-based measure of the significance of research opportunities and a comparison with the topics found in recent literature reviews indicate that research on managing business-to-business services & service infusion, complaint handling & service recovery, and enhancing and managing the service value chain are promising topics. These results assist academics and practitioners by revealing what we know about service research and what we need to know in the future.     

A Commentary on Business Marketing: A Twenty Year Review and an Invitation for Continued Dialogue

ABSTRACT

This article is a commentary on the literature review conducted by Reid and Plank. The objective of the paper is to both critique and complement the review and to provide a forum for debate as to the future direction of research in business-to-business (B2B) marketing research. The paper begins with a challenge to the reader to think beyond the traditional role of B2B marketing and think about how future B2B research could be more relevant and more strategic in focus. The concept of the new competition is offered as a framework for presenting future research issues. The new competition converges on the role of the extended enterprise as the reference point for thinking about competitive forces in a global marketplace. The implications for B2B marketers are discussed.     

Relationship Value in Thai Business-to-Business Marketing

This study focuses on value in the business-to-business relationship among buyers and sellers. Relationship value has long been one of the key research areas in marketing for business to business. By examining from the perspective of the buyers, this research identifies how business buyers can use marketing benefits, product benefits, technical benefits, logistics benefits, financial benefits, risk-reduction benefits, information benefits, and strategic benefits to predict buyer–seller relationship. The study confirms significant relationships among marketing benefits, product benefits, and value in retailer–supplier relationship. The analysis from this study supports that benefit in a business-to-business relationship can be created if suppliers work on mutual benefits with customers. The results also confirm that Thai business customers will look for business partners who can provide risk reduction and marketing benefits for their business.