The globalization strategies of business-to-business born global firms in the wireless technology industry

This paper discusses the globalization process of business-to-business born globals in a rapidly growing industry, the wireless technology industry. Deviations in these patterns in regards to the mainstream pattern of internationalization and earlier born global literature are discussed. Furthermore, the roles of the founders and managers, the networks, the financial resources of the companies, and the innovations behind the companies under consideration are analyzed. A conceptual framework and propositions explaining the product, operation and market strategies of born globals are developed. The results suggest that born globals in the wireless sector do in fact deviate from the traditional internationalization process in many areas. Their expansion even to distant markets is rapid and they apply advanced product strategies at an early stage. However, their business operations are found to proceed at a more conventional pace and the notable difference from traditional firms is the rapid establishment of sales and marketing subsidiaries. Results emphasize the key role of the resources and capabilities of born globals in influencing the advancement of product categories, operation strategies, and global market presence. Born global firms were found to lack the resources and capabilities accumulated by traditionally internationalizing firms, and they therefore need to acquire them either through the earlier experience of the founding team, which should be complementary in nature, or from external domestic and international network actors.     

Trust and forms of capital in business-to-business activities and relationships

The IMP group's ARA model, with its emphasis on interaction, captures social and economic dimensions of exchanges. We draw on it to compare three cases and assess how actors act in skilful and nuanced ways in mobilizing resources, given the very different norms of social and economic capital. We prioritize action ahead of structure and, given the inherent uncertainties that actors encounter in connection with resources, argue that trust is a cognitive and heuristic dimension of action, distinct from resources, actor-bonds and social capital. We conclude that for business practice, managers should be mindful that in order to trust others, they need to act in the distinct realms of social and economic capital, tempting though it is to interpret and measure the costs of actions economically.     

Securing business-to-business relationships: The impact of switching costs

While the relationship marketing literature acknowledges the importance of switching costs for increasing customer retention, little is known about its relevance in industrial markets. In particular, it is unclear whether switching costs, and associated dimensions, impact on behavioral outcomes of buyer–seller relationships in business-to-business (B2B) markets. In order to contribute to theory development in this important area, our research first explores the dimensions of switching costs for the B2B domain and also tests the relative impact of these dimensions on business customers' actual purchase behavior. Results suggest that switching costs in B2B settings are a multi-faceted construct, including (i) procedural, (ii) financial, and (iii) relational switching costs. Moreover, we find relational switching costs to be most important for securing B2B buyer–seller relationships since they impact a customer's (a) share-of-wallet, (b) cross-buying behavior, and (c) actual switching behavior. While procedural switching costs only influence share-of-wallet, financial switching costs solely impact customer's cross-buying behavior. These findings contribute to a better understanding on how to secure B2B buyer–seller relationships.     

The antitrust implications of electronic business-to-business marketplaces

Electronic marketplaces (e-marketplaces) allow networks of buyers and sellers to conduct business online and to exchange information more efficiently using Internet technology. Despite the benefits that e-marketplaces potentially afford firms, concerns have been raised that these markets may damage competition and potentially violate antitrust laws. This study considers the antitrust legislation related to e-marketplaces and examines the possible antitrust concerns that they raise. Potentially anticompetitive features of e-marketplaces are examined and guidance for firm conduct when creating or participating in an e-marketplace is offered.     

The industrial brand personality scale: Building strong business-to-business brands

To remain distinct and build strong business relationships in a competitive business-to-business (B2B) environment, an increasing number of industrial marketers attempt to exploit the potential of branding. However, brand management in the industrial sector is still at its starting point. For this reason, the authors introduce the concept of brand personality to industrial markets. Based on a series of qualitative and quantitative studies, the authors develop and validate an Industrial Brand Personality Scale. Furthermore, they examine whether brand personality perception differences exist among different types of industrial transactions and among different members in the buying center. The analysis yields a framework for theoretical discussion and provides B2B managers with a tool to build strong B2B brands in an increasingly competitive industrial market.     

The role of sales representatives in cross-cultural business-to-business relationships

This study responds to the call for the “internationalization of sales research” by collecting data from 160 international buyers spanning 33 countries and regions. Based on survey data, archival sales records and cultural-distance indices, this research examines the performance-enhancing effect of sales rep-owned commitment as well as its antecedents under varying degrees of cultural distance. Our results show a strong and direct impact of rep-owned commitment, independent of the effect of firm-owned commitment, on enhancing performance indicators including sales volume, importers' purchase share, and importers' future purchase intentions. Moreover, we find two important antecedents to rep-owned commitment: benevolence trust and capability trust. Interestingly, cultural distance moderates the effects of benevolence and capability trust on rep-owned commitment: the larger the cultural distance, the stronger the effect of benevolence trust but the weaker the effect of capability trust. We conclude with theoretical and managerial implications to international marketing research and practice.     

The role of corporate image in business-to-business export ventures: A resource-based approach

Although a growing body of studies suggests that good corporate images have strategic value for the firms that possess them, no research to date has looked at the role of corporate image in export markets. To fill this gap in the extant literature, this study draws on the resource-based view and insights from qualitative interviews to develop a model that links an exporter's financial resources and relationship management capabilities with its corporate image advantage and its performance in the export market. Findings reveal that both financial resources and relationship management capabilities are significant contributors of corporate image advantage, which, in turn, is an important determinant of superior export performance. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for marketing theory and practice and suggestions for future research.     

Multi-channel strategy in business-to-business markets: Prospects and problems

Multi-channel marketing strategy has become a major force in business-to-business distribution channels, especially since the option of Internet-based online channels emerged less than a decade ago. Making products and services available to business markets via a wide array of different channels can provide increased levels of customer choice and service. But the task of coordinating and integrating multiple channels that operate at high levels of efficiency has forced managers responsible for channel management to deal with a variety of challenging issues. These include the role of e-commerce in the multi-channel structure, finding an optimal channel mix, creating synergies across channels, building strategic alliances, creating sustainable competitive advantages, managing more complex supply chains, dealing with conflict, and providing the leadership necessary to attain well integrated multiple channels.     

Digital mediation in business-to-business marketing: A bibliometric analysis

Digital mediation in business-to-business marketing is becoming increasingly important to firms, due to customer needs and evolving technological environments. The extensive research in this area for the past twenty years has created a need to synthesize extant research. This paper examines the literature in the domain, to create a classification scheme for subdomains and to explore future research directions. This study reviews 119 relevant articles published in 29 journals between January 1999 and March 2019, to detail the domain. In addition to providing details on most cited articles and published authors, our analysis classifies the digitally mediated business-to-business marketing literature into four subject clusters—a framework for digitally mediated business-to-business marketing, the digital business-to-business marketplace, value creation through digital marketing, and the use of social media for business-to-business marketing. Four shifts in the literature are described: the emergence of Internet research and business-to-business technology; the evolution of e-commerce; the focus on social media; and the broadening of research. Finally, directions for future research are identified and discussed.     

The measurement of e-marketing orientation (EMO) in business-to-business markets

The adoption of e-marketing has been associated with an array of potential benefits such as market expansion and cost reduction. Nevertheless, the degree of involvement in B2B markets has been patchy, with many organizations not involved in it at all. This article examines the variations in e-marketing adoption from an organizational orientation perspective and introduces empirical measurement with the ‘Electronic Marketing Orientation’ (EMO) construct. Based upon a web-survey of senior managers and marketing/sales directors the findings suggest that EMO is made up of both philosophical and behavioral components. By conceptualizing EMO and facilitating its measurement, marketers will be able to benchmark their activities towards adoption, evaluate their efforts and be able to assess where to focus their resources to improve their e-marketing processes. A number of specific recommendations are made for companies in relation to the successful adoption of e-marketing.     

Justifying CRM projects in a business-to-business context: The potential of the Benefits Dependency Network

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) projects often fail. We focus on the project justification process as one way of improving project success rates. We review how the typical combination of an Return On Investment (ROI) calculation and a project plan can have flaws as a project justification approach, and we propose the use of the Benefits Dependency Network (BDN) as an additional tool. The second part of the paper reports on an exploratory study of the BDN's use in five business-to-business CRM projects, inductively deriving propositions regarding its benefits and factors for success in its use. Further research on the tool's efficacy is encouraged.     

The structure and evolution of business-to-business marketing: A citation and co-citation analysis

The field of business-to-business (B2B) marketing has grown considerably in the past four decades. However the state of knowledge about its structure and evolution remains limited. Who are the key players and what are the key papers in B2B marketing? What main research topics have been investigated over time? This article answers these questions by applying bibliometric methods for the first time to the existing body of scholarly B2B research. The key findings reveal a highly dynamic discipline in the 1970s and 1980s, when new knowledge was being intensively exchanged among an increasing number of B2B researchers. Since that time, the pace of development has slowed, and diversification in the discipline manifested itself in a distinctive number of core research subfields. Yet initial research topics such as organizational buying behavior, where much research is still undone, are to a large extent not addressed by modern B2B scholars.     

Sustainability research in business-to-business markets: An agenda for inquiry

Corporate interest in the topic of sustainability has increased in prominence. Most of the research on sustainability has a business-to-consumer focus, with limited research emphasizing sustainability in the context of business-to-business marketing. The paper examines research on sustainability, published in the journal Industrial Marketing Management, where thirty-eight articles have appeared in the past twenty-seven years, the majority on supply-chain research. Research on sustainability in business-to-business markets is sparse, and some of the fundamental research questions in this area have gone unaddressed. This paper addresses three interrelated research issues associated with sustainability in business-to-business markets. First, what research is available to researchers and practitioners? Second, what framework can be used to examine sustainability research in business-to-business markets? Third, what subareas of sustainability research need focus and deeper examination, and what are the associated research questions? Overall, the findings from this paper suggest the need for additional research in the area because of its substantial implications for theory, research, and practice.     

The strategic role of relational capabilities in the business-to-business service profit chain

This paper extends the original service profit chain by examining the role of relational capabilities with employees, customers and strategic partners on process and performance outcomes in a business-to-business context. More specifically, we demonstrate how satisfied and loyal employees are better in developing relationships with customers and strategic partners. These relationships enable firms to be more responsive towards customers and become more innovative, which increase customer satisfaction and loyalty and, ultimately, financial performance. Our results provide support for the development of relational capabilities in a business-to-business environment by extending the service profit chain (SPC) model. However, we find that while the development of strong customer relationships contributes to an improved service responsiveness of the firm, strategic partners do not.     

Covalence and ionic bonding in business-to-business relationships: Insights from chemistry

The paper examines business-to-business (B2B) relationships using the framework of the covalence-ionic bonding theory in chemistry as an analogy to help make soft phenomena and relationships in B2B marketing more understandable to engineers and scientists in organizations and to managers with scientific and technical backgrounds. In the tradition of cross-fertilization of various scientific fields, the authors propose that the covalence-ionic bonding theory may provide insights in determining the factors that contribute to the emergence of bilateral, unilateral, and market relationships. This study compares and contrasts interparticle bonding with ways of managing B2B relationships. Beyond sheer analogy of the two phenomena, an explanation of B2B relationships and decision-making mechanisms is proposed. In adapting this concept theoretically, the meaning of the original parameters in physical science is assigned a new meaning in the marketing context. Furthermore, the paper extends conceptually the predictive capabilities of chemistry theories to relational behaviors in marketing. Drawing from a resource-based view of the firm, complementarity of resources and dependence levels are postulated to have critical roles in business bonding. Appropriate propositions are advanced, along with implications for managers and researchers.     

Transaction costs and capability factors in dual or indirect distribution channel selection: An empirical analysis of Japanese manufacturers

This study focuses on manufacturers' selection of dual or indirect channels. Although several previous studies based on transaction cost theory investigate transaction cost factors in choosing dual or indirect channels mainly in the United States, this study examines transaction costs and capability factors for such a choice in Japan. The relationships are tested with survey data from Japanese industrial goods manufacturers (n = 429). Compared to previous studies, this study presents three important findings. First, unlike previous studies, two transaction cost factors—asset specificity and behavioral uncertainty—do not exhibit the relationships predicted by transaction cost theory. Interestingly, asset specificity is negatively related to the use of dual channels. Second, two capability factors not assessed in prior studies—market orientation capabilities and differences in channel members' capabilities—exhibit significant positive relationships with the selection of dual channels. Third, capability factors are found to be more important than transaction cost factors in explaining dual or indirect channels in Japan. This study also discusses the influence of the Japanese channel context on the results.     

Global marketing in business-to-business contexts: Challenges,developments, and opportunities

This article introduces the special issue on global marketing in business-to-business contexts. The aim is to advance knowledge on the subject that can stimulate further research in this important and emerging area of industrial marketing. The twelve contributions selected for this special issue bring together high quality contemporary research that address challenges and recent developments. The articles specifically offer unique insights that progress understanding in the area, provide interesting managerial implications, and present intriguing opportunities for future researchers. These contributions reflect the variety of current work in global marketing in the business-to-business context. While most of the contributions in this special issue focus on the development and deployment of unique resources and capabilities to enhance international competitiveness and performance success, insights are also offered on international relationships and/or relationship marketing within the business-to-business context, country of origin effects, and knowledge transfer between international partners in subsidiaries. The article concludes with a summary of important avenues for further research.     

A multidimensional perspective of business-to-business sales success: A meta-analytic review

The role and nature of business-to-business (B2B) sales has evolved since the end of the 20th century, mostly driven by technological, organizational and social changes. However, the literature has yet to catch up with that evolution. Particularly, the literature lacks contemporary studies that exclusively showcase the key determinants and practices that facilitate the success of B2B sales. Hence, we conduct a meta-analysis of the literature and summarize the results of 139 independent published studies from 1980 to 2019 that examined the relationship between several determinants and B2B sales success. Our results show that such success may be influenced by 31 different determinants associated with four dimensions of the selling process (i.e., salesperson, organization, customer, and environment). We also investigate the moderator effects of measurement source (subjective vs. objective), measurement items (single vs. multiple), industry context (goods vs. services), number of industries (single vs. multiple), sales function (inside sales vs. outside sales) and year of publication (before 2010 vs after 2010) between several determinants and B2B sales success. Our findings convey important implications for theory and practice on the key determinants of B2B sales success, as well as the conditions on which each determinant is effective. We also provide recommendations for further research on B2B sales success.