Commentary on “Resource use and development across permeable project boundaries in open network contexts”

The purpose of this commentary is to analyze the paper “Resource use and development across permeable project boundaries in open network contexts”. Focus lies on commenting on the value of the paper in light of existing research on business networks. The paper is analyzed from a general, theoretical and empirical perspective. The conclusion of the commentary is that there are important contributions of the paper. It clearly adds to our understanding of resource use and development in business networks as it introduces a context involving several actors in a system of open innovation.     

Considerations on “Research on non-market actions: A commentary essay”

This commentary is in response to the commentary, “Research on Non-Market Actions: A Commentary Essay” [Wang, C-J. Research on Non-Market Actions: A Commentary Essay. J Bus Res (2008)] on the paper, “First come, first served: How market and non-market actions influence pioneer market share” [Usero B, Fernández Z, First come, first served: How market and non-market actions influence pioneer market share. J Bus Res (2008), doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.07.005]. The commentary responds directly to Wang's [Wang, C-J. Research on Non-Market Actions: A Commentary Essay. J Bus Res (2008)] comments and proposes further lines of research that integrate the competitive dynamic approach with studies of non-market actions.     

Commentary to “From new-product development to commercialization through networks”

This commentary essay explores some broader implications of the article by Aarikka-Stenroos and Sandberg (in this issue) concerning two issues: the principal character of innovation processes and the delineation of networks. The article provides an interesting discussion on how firms can overcome the obstacles of successful commercialization of innovations by the utilization of various types of networks involving developers, producers and users alike. This commentary recognizes two problems in this setting: An overly linear view on innovation processes and NPD, and an overly simplistic view on the delineation of networks.     

Firm-employee relationship strength — Competitive advantage through people revisited: A commentary essay

Herington, Johnson, and Scott propose a model of firm-employee relationship strength and delineate means by which this model can be tested. This commentary focuses on the contribution [Herington Carmel, Johnson Lester W., Scott Don. Firm-employee relationship strength — a conceptual model. Journal of Business Research forthcoming.] provide in drawing from social and organizational psychology literatures and in advocating a closer look at the organizational behavior literature where trust and commitment are cornerstones of relationship building. In addition, the commentary calls for a separation of the predictors of the firm-employee relationship and the strength of the relationship itself.     

Commentary on “The role of innovation in driving the economy: Lessons from the global financial crisis”

This commentary reacts to an article by Hausman and Johnston advocating innovation and entrepreneurship as keys to solving the current global financial crisis published in this special issue. The commentary is a valuable resonance board for my own ideas that, in some respects, deviate from those of the authors. I start from a partially different paradigm than the authors, as my theoretical platform is a new science of marketing and service that emerged during the 2000s. I find many of the suggestions logical and thoughtful, but primarily academic and US-centric. Will they work in practice, and especially on a global scale? I think the suggested solutions will work under certain conditions, but the world is imperfect and the necessary conditions are often absent. For example, the article shows confidence in the ability of governments to regulate and control and of research to contribute with more advanced metrics. Here I have doubts. I also find economic and management disciplines require new aspects for proposed solutions to work. Among these new aspects are the lack of genuine corporate social responsibility, growing corruption and crime, and the role of financial leaders whose behavior opened a new research field called “corporate psychopathy.”     

A commentary essay on “Resources prospectively: How actors mobilize resources in business settings”

This commentary essay explores the topic of mobilizing resources and specifically addresses the article “Resources prospectively: How actors mobilize resources in business settings” (Finch et al., in this issue). This article views access to resources as the foundation for interaction between firms and as mediated via developing business relationships. The article by Finch, Wagner and Hynes adds insights into this particular context by investigating the role of the individual in mobilizing resources and initiating a discussion on how resources are created.     

A commentary on “The role of actors in combining resources into complex solutions”

This commentary essay summarises and explicates two important observation made by Cantù, Corsaro and Snehota in this special issue and discusses the implications for the future study of managing resource interaction in inter-organisational networks. First, consider the importance of the recognition of the duality of actors’ roles; as providers and users of resources in a combining and recombining systems of change and innovation. Second, the recognition of multiple points of value creation that emerges within the network during the process of combining and integrating resources to create customer solutions.     

Comments on “Managing resource interaction as a means to cope with technological change”

This commentary to the article by Chou and Zolkiewski (in this issue) discusses some consequences of their adoption of a focal net approach. First, emphasis is put on the perspective of the focal firm and boundary considerations in network analyses. This is followed by a discussion of how the roles of actors are dealt with, and its consequences. The commentary concludes that it is important how these issues are treated for determining what the case is about, how to analyze the case, and what conclusions that can be drawn.     

Cross-border relationships and performance: Revisiting a complex linkage — A commentary essay

Obadia and Vida (2010) extend a prominent theme in the export performance literature, by explicitly addressing “importer role performance.” The commentary essay here builds on a significant volume of work dealing with behavioral dimensions in cross-border exchange relationship management, and points at contributions and shortcomings of Obadia and Vida's paper in terms of advancing and upgrading discussions in this area. This commentary concludes that scholars need to concentrate their future research efforts in linking the relationship dimension and export performance on introducing more comprehensive sets of mediating and moderating effects. These sets of effects may include dimensions such as opportunism, foreign market knowledge and competence, conflict reduction, commitment enhancement, partner interaction, knowledge sharing and ICT.     

Comment on “Resource interaction in inter-organisational networks: Foundations, comparison, and a research agenda”

This commentary discusses the article by Baraldi, Gressetvold and Harrison (this issue), which reviews the foundations and implications of the resource interaction perspective. The discussion stresses the Penrosean legacy of this perspective but also its potential to expand the Penrosean framework beyond intraorganisational applications, that is, to an understanding of markets and networks.     

Outsourcing: National‐ and firm‐level implications

As the pace of outsourcing has continued to accelerate, so too has interest in the topic on the part of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. Despite this increasing interest, there remains a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the outsourcing phenomenon. In particular, its effects on organizations and nations remain the subject of intense debate. In this commentary, we address this topic by discussing what constitutes outsourcing, public policy concerns about outsourcing, governmental responses to outsourcing, and a variety of firm‐level issues related to outsourcing. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

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.     

A socio-cultural approach to exploring consumer boycott intelligence: A commentary essay

The paper, “A socio-cognitive approach to exploring consumer boycott intelligence,” effectively explores issues surrounding the boycott behavior of Muslim and Christian consumers in Lebanon. This commentary is to promote further development of the research domain, both the specific topic of this paper as well as wider issues of boycott behavior, by considering the limitations and discourse of the adopted methodology, the positioning of the paper within the extant literature, and future development of methodology. This commentary considers several frameworks and research traditions identifying a need for a longitudinal research strategy of which Farah and Newman [Farah, MF, Newman, AJ. A socio-cognitive approach to exploring consumer boycott intelligence. J Bus Res 2009-this issue.] is only one part within a particular situation and context. The commentary suggests potential prospective research strategies for further development of the topic.     

Managing the transformation to e‐government: An Australian perspective

Australia is recognized as a leading country in the move to an information economy, and the Australian government has played a pivotal role in this transformation. This commentary outlines some of the key issues confronting Australia as it moves towards its policy goal of achieving e‐government. Although governments differ in the pace and nature of reforms required to bring about the transformation to e‐government, many of the underlying issues are the same for most governments. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Commentary on “Common Method Bias in Marketing: Causes,Mechanisms, and Procedural Remedies”

Common method bias is a potentially serious methodological problem in research in marketing. Several statistical remedies have been proposed in the literature, and used by academic researchers. MacKenzie and Podsakoff (2012) identify the causes of common method bias, and then provide a set of procedural remedies that might prevent the occurrence of the problem. In this commentary, we expand on their contribution by articulating the different types of measurement error that could occur in survey research, how a procedural remedy might simultaneously affect more than one type of error, and how common method bias might manifest itself in the domain of stimulus-centered measures.     

高校创业大学生评价机制的改革探索

随着高校毕业生的增加,大学生就业难成为社会普遍关注的焦点。同时,社会各界对大学生的自主创业却充满了期待。由于种种原因,现阶段我国对于高校创业大学生的评价机制还存在着很多的问题,采取有效措施进一步加强高校创业大学生评价机制的改革与探索,进一步调动大学生创业的积极性,对于解决我国社会的就业难题具有十分重要的意义。     

Reflective and formative metrics of relationship value: Response to Baxter's commentary essay

This article responds to some of the issues Baxter [Baxter R., Reflective and formative metrics of relationship value: a commentary essay. Journal of Business Research; 62: 2009.] raises in his recent commentary essay on the special issue of Journal of Business Research (61/12”) on formative indicators. This response shows that poor construct definitions underlie the apparent formative versus reflective controversy and that sound model specifications rest on sound conceptual definitions of the focal construct.     

Feminism’s fourth wave: a research agenda for marketing and consumer research

Abstract

Three waves of feminism each reveal a very different relationship with marketing. This commentary considers these relationships in the light of what is now frequently being hailed as the fourth wave, a resurgence of feminism that is driven by younger women who harness the power of the Internet and social media to challenge gender inequity. The commentary looks at what distinguishes the fourth wave from its predecessors and highlights key areas in marketing and consumer research where feminist perspectives are sorely required.     

Advancing the country image construct — A commentary essay

This article provides a review of the study by Roth and Diamantopoulos (2009), “Advancing the country image construct,” with a view towards highlighting the gaps in the broader country-of-origin literature. The literature mostly ignores pivotal points that should influence both the direction and the design of country-related research in international marketing. At least six key considerations in country-of-origin research deserve concurrent attention in future studies. They include: (1) the globalization of markets, (2) ecologically appropriate designs, (3) country-of-origin knowledge, saliency, and use, (4) labeling practices and requirements, (5) a focus on appropriate segments, and (6) the role of country of origin in foreign direct investment process. This commentary essay explores these issues with a view towards enhancing the relevance, ecological validity, and the quality of future research efforts.     

The price of peace in the household: A commentary on “The Price of Unconditional Love: Consumer Decisions Concerning High-Dollar Veterinary Care”

Brockman et al. [Brockman, Beverly K, Taylor, Valerie A, Brockman, Christopher M. The price of unconditional love: consumer decisions concerning high-dollar veterinary care. J Bus Res Forthcom 2007] use an interpretive approach to investigate a consumer decision made under emotional circumstances. Unlike mundane purchases of food and household appliances, emotional consumer decisions that affect the entire family are ripe for conflict. This commentary highlights gaps in our understanding of household decision making that the work of Brockman et al. suggests and proposes ways in which new insights are achievable in established streams of research.