The character of demand in mature organic food markets: Great Britain and Denmark compared

We investigate the organic food market in two selected European countries, Great Britain and Denmark, identifying main differences and similarities. We focus particularly on consumer perceptions and priorities, labelling schemes, and sales channels as a basis for assessing market stability and prospects for future growth. We employ a unique set of household panel data that includes information on stated values and concerns as well as registered purchasing behaviour. Most organic food on both markets is produced and processed by large-scale industrialised units and distributed through mainstream sales channels, consumer confidence being sustained at present by organic labelling schemes that appear to function well. However, a parallel market, based on the supply of goods through various direct sales channels to heavy users, prevails. We find that organic food purchase decisions are primarily motivated by ‘private good’ attributes such as freshness, taste and health benefits, attributes that may be perceived as being compatible with modern production and sales structure. Mature markets for organic foods nevertheless appear to be vulnerable to consumer dissatisfaction, particularly among heavy users of organic food products.     

Marketing research by a small industrial firm: A case study

There is a growing need today for industrial marketers to conduct marketing research and use the results in making profitable business decisions. This paper describes a marketing research study conducted by a small industrial firm and discusses the nature and extent of its impact on the firm's operations. Several implications and practical guidelines are derived for industrial marketers in general, based on the firm's marketing research experience.     

Understanding the role of marketing-purchasing collaboration in industrial markets: The case of Russia

This study aims to investigate the role of interfunctional collaboration between marketing and purchasing functions in industrial companies. Interfunctional collaboration is considered as a measure of the internal alignment and partnership between departments in the firm, which in turn contributes to the creation of sustainable advantages via improved external partnerships and facilitating demand chain integration. We test the impact of customer orientation as well as the interactions between departments (specifically marketing and purchasing) as collaboration antecedents, and analyze the direct impact of marketing-purchasing collaboration on business performance. The model is tested on a sample of 148 industrial companies in Russia with two key respondents in each firm, incorporating the purchasing as well as the marketing perspective. The results show that marketing-purchasing collaboration mediates the effects of interfunctional interaction as well as customer orientation on business performance. Alternative model testing shows that the direct effects of these antecedent constructs on performance are non-significant in the context of Russian industrial companies.     

Small and medium-sized firms' import behavior: The case of Danish industrial purchasers

This paper focuses on the foreign purchase behavior of small and medium-sized industrial firms in a small European country, and is guided by three main research issues: (1) to what extent are small and medium-sized firms involved in international sourcing; (2) how do small and medium-sized firms initially make contact with foreign suppliers, and what are their motives for choosing a supplier; and (3) how do small and medium-sized firms perceive relationships with foreign suppliers in terms of perceived problems and cooperation? Through a survey administered in Denmark, the results show that small and medium-sized industrial firms are highly involved in international purchasing both within the European Union and abroad. Surprisingly, this involvement does not appear to be significantly driven by lack of domestic availability. Instead, the primary drivers for choosing a foreign supplier are price and quality. Finally, product adaptation appears to be a significant element of relationship formation between importers and their suppliers. The paper concludes with a discussion of results, implications, and directions for future research.     

The Internet and income inequality: Socio-economic challenges in a hyperconnected society

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) influence income distribution directly and indirectly. A diverse pattern of decreases and increases in income inequality has emerged in parallel with increasing fixed and mobile connectivity. Building on earlier research, this paper develops a socio-technical model to examine the contribution of hyperconnectivity to these outcomes. ICTs rarely are a single cause but interact with other technological, economic, and political forces to shape the extent of income inequality. Depending on the constellation of these factors, income inequality may decrease or increase. Public policy may be able to ameliorate undesirable outcomes although effective programs will typically require initiatives that go beyond traditional measures designed to reduce digital divides.     

Implementing market orientation in industrial firms: A multiple case study

The literature on market orientation is silent on the process of change involved in moving firms to a market orientation. Understanding this process is important for commodity sellers or industrial organizations with a traditional sales focus. We examine the change programs of two New Zealand-based agricultural organizations. Drawing upon Lewin's three-stage change process model (unfreezing-movement-refreezing) we identify that the creation of a market orientation involves uncovering long-held assumptions about the nature of commodity products, the nature of production and marketplace power, and the ‘commodity cycle’. Moving the firm towards a new set of values involves changes in the role of leadership, the use of market intelligence, and organizational learning styles. To refreeze these values, supportive policies are needed that form closer relationships between the organization and the marketplace. The degree of refreezing affects the quality of market orientated outcomes, with less effective refreezing leading to sub-optimal market-oriented behaviors.     

Triangulation in industrial qualitative case study research: Widening the scope

The particular qualities of case study research have enabled the advancement of theory in industrial marketing research through revealing rich insight into context-specific phenomena. Triangulation is recommended as good practice in conducting case study research and is traditionally envisaged as offering validity through convergence of findings, sources or methods. Is this, however, the only interpretation of triangulation and in what way is it consistent with case study research that is often concerned with naturalistic settings and nuanced interpretations? The purpose of this study is to delve into the role of triangulation in qualitative case study research in order to re-appraise its role. The study offers firstly, an inventory of triangulation categories for case study research in industrial marketing and secondly, a theoretical reframing of triangulation consisting of three modes - convergence, complementarity and divergence. Both the inventory and the reframing are discussed with reference to illustrations of published case studies, thus extending current understanding of research practice in industrial marketing.     

Maintaining legitimacy in contested mature markets through discursive strategies: The case of corporate environmentalism in the French automotive industry

Market-level studies based on institutional theory have gained prominence in recent marketing research seeking to investigate legitimation dynamics. Although these studies have paid particular attention to how organizations build legitimacy in new markets, they have rarely explored legitimations strategies in mature markets, which mostly remain the prerogative of organizational theory. Such emphasis on new markets is thus limiting our understanding of legitimation dynamics in general and legitimacy maintenance in particular, especially since new and mature markets have different characteristics. When markets are well established, they tend to become the target of a growing number of contestations by actors seeking to introduce new societal issues. Once these issues have been institutionalized, organizations must address them to maintain their legitimacy. In this study, we investigate the discursive strategies used by the French carmakers when environmental considerations gained prominence between 2006 and 2008. In contrast to prior works in organizational theory which assume that organizations respond to institutional pressures in an undifferentiated way, our results show that organizations adopt differentiated legitimation strategies by adapting their discourse to their different stakeholders. Paradoxically, we find evidence of industry-wide isomorphism, where rather than developing idiosyncratic discourses, organizations adopt conventional discursive strategies.     

Organised industrial relations in the information economy: the German automotive sector as a test case

This paper explores changes in industrial relations in the German automotive sector. Historically, this sector has generated important insights about national ‘models’ and the political economy of work. It is argued that vertical disintegration has created new market‐mediated boundaries that have undermined existing patterns of organised industrial relations.     

The evolving 5G case study in spectrum management and industrial policy

Even before the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) reaches consensus on spectrum allocations for fifth generation wireless technologies (“5G”), commercial ventures scramble to offer new equipment and services. Expediting 5G wireless service can benefit consumers and businesses at the risk of stressing the traditional process of spectrum planning that combines study, dialogue and consensus building at ITU conferences.This paper explains why most nations refused to endorse key United States 5G spectrum allocation proposals at the ITU’s, 2015 World Radio Conference. U.S. representatives underestimated the time needed for consensus building, despite increasing demand for wireless video and the evolving Internet of Things. Other contributing factors include U.S. support for treating spectrum like property, use of “incentive auctions” to clear broadcast television spectrum with unprecedented speed and enough existing wireless spectrum allocations in most nations.The paper concludes that the U.S. cannot expect faster frequency reallocations, particularly when it and other nations pursue matters having little to do with spectrum optimization. The paper offers recommendations on best practices for improving the consensus building process.     

The adoption and use of information technology: a longitudinal study of a mature family firm

Through a longitudinal study of a mature family firm, this paper investigates the adoption and use of information technology in a family business. It is argued that the adoption and use of information technology is influenced by five key factors. These factors are discussed, leading to a presentation of a series of implications and conclusions.