Working Together: Critical Perspectives on Six Cross-Sector Partnerships in Southern Africa

This paper examines six cross-sector partnerships in South Africa and Zambia. These partnerships were part of a research study undertaken between 2003 and 2005 and were selected because of their potential to contribute to poverty reduction in their respective countries. This paper examines the context in which the partnerships were established, their governance and accountability mechanisms and the engagement and participation of the partners and the intended beneficiaries in the partnerships. We argue that a partnership approach which has proven successful in one context can be used as a valuable learning resource. However, a partnership’s work, which includes all aspects of the partnership and its activities, cannot necessarily be transferred directly to another partnership without a thorough and locally informed analysis of the context in which it is implemented. In addition, we suggest that it is difficult to assess whether the good intentions behind partnerships were translated into real benefits for target groups as effective monitoring and evaluation procedures were not in place in the partnerships studied. Similarly, the absence of regularised governance and accountability systems in partnerships made it difficult to support partner and beneficiary participation and engagement. We conclude that there is a need to move beyond a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to partnerships and that partnership replication should focus more strongly on the transfer of learning about partnership processes instead of simply copying partnership activities. Moreover, the development of stronger mechanisms for assessing and ensuring accountability towards both partners and intended beneficiaries is required if partnerships are to meet their intended objectives.     

The process of conflict in buyer‐seller relationships at domestic and international levels: A comparative analysis

Despite the fact that conflict is an essential behavioural dimension underlying the buyer‐seller relationship, no empirical work has as yet been conducted on the comparison of conflictual processes between different types of marketing channels. This paper attempts to compare exporter‐importer and exporter‐domestic customer business partnerships, regarding the dimension of conflict throughout its various stages of growth and development. The study was carried out on a sample of 53 indigenous Greek manufacturing firms. Contrary to prior expectations, it was found that the exporter‐importer (E‐I) kind of relationship was not characterized by higher levels of conflictual processes than those in the domestic type of business association. Surprisingly, the study results also showed that in a substantial number of conflict areas, the domestic relationship category was governed by significantly higher levels of conflictual processes compared with those in the E‐I kind of business partnership. The managerial implications of the research findings are discussed and avenues for future research directions are outlined.     

Progress towards buyer-supplier partnerships: Evidence from small and medium-sized manufacturing firms

There have been dramatic changes in the relationship between industrial buyers and suppliers over the past decade. Partnerships between larger buyers and suppliers are widely reported. The picture for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is less clear. In order to address this issue a mail survey of over 600 SMEs was carried out. The results suggest that the current level of partnership development is not high. However, they also indicate that there have been small but significant favourable changes in several factors underlying successful partnerships. This suggests that SMEs may be following, albeit with a lag of several years, the partnership sourcing methods being adopted by large firms.     

Nascent green-technology ventures: a study assessing the role of partnership diversity in firm success

Given the increasing deterioration of the environment, understanding the strategies of nascent green-technology ventures developing clean technology to address environmental concerns is important. This study is one of the first to empirically examine the role of partnership diversity in nascent green-technology ventures in a quantitative empirical study by systematically applying a resource-based view (RBV) theoretical perspective. Partnership diversity relates to the variety of partnerships with different sectors with which a green-technology venture engages in order to mobilize resources and be successful. RBV suggests that the accumulation and combination of such resources leads to success. However, data from 50 green-technology venture business plans suggest that resources mobilized do not mediate the relationship between partnership diversity and success as measured by venture development, value creation, and venture innovation. Nevertheless, partnership diversity and resources mobilized are related to venture development. These results, their implications, future research opportunities, and limitations are discussed.     

Marketing social marketing to commercial partners: what's in it for them?

Commercial partnerships in social marketing have grown increasingly important in the context of diminishing resources from international donors in developing countries. In 1997, the Futures Group International (Futures) negotiated an agreement with Pharmacia & Upjohn/Brazil to introduce Depo-Provera, a 3-month injectable contraceptive, at a social marketing price with strong consumer marketing support. The key to the collaboration was to demonstrate that making Depo-Provera accessible to low-income consumers was a viable marketing strategy. The author describes the process of designing, negotiating, and implementing the successful commercial partnership. Brazilian women stand to gain the most from the partnership between Futures and Pharmacia & Upjohn/Brazil, for in the absence of such a coordinated effort, Depo-Provera would be available to only upper-income, breast-feeding women whose only source of information on the method would be private physicians. The partnership will bring Depo-Provera to a broader segment of Brazil's women.     

New Approaches to Evaluating the Performance of Corporate–Community Partnerships: A Case Study from the Minerals Sector

A continuing challenge for researchers and practitioners alike is the lack of data on the effectiveness of corporate–community investment programmes. The focus of this article is on the minerals industry, where companies currently face the challenge of matching corporate drivers for strategic partnership with community needs for programmes that contribute to local and regional sustainability. While many global mining companies advocate a strategic approach to partnerships, there is no evidence currently available that suggests companies are monitoring these partnerships to see if they do, in fact, represent ‘strategic’ investments. This article argues that applying the management concept of ‘investment performance’ to corporate–community partnerships requires questioning traditional evaluation methods that focus on the results of programmes or activities. We adopt a case study approach to introduce an evaluation framework that considers performance from both corporate and community perspectives and that conceptualises partnership performance as comprising four aspects: (1) the contribution of the partnership to the overall portfolio of a company’s community investment programmes, (2) the appropriateness of the partnership model, (3) the effectiveness of the partnering relationship and (4) the ability of the partners to achieve programme goals. The application of this evaluation framework to an established corporate–community partnership programme provided some useful insights as to how partnership performance can be improved.     

The Relationship between marketing performance,logistics performance and company performance for retail companies

Abstract

The objective of this research is to demonstrate the importance of logistics and marketing to overall company performance. The focus is on the relationship between logistics and marketing, because, in the intra-organisational context, the different perspectives of these two functions can lead to conflict between short-term objectives. Consequently, effective coordination between these two organisational units, not only at an intra-organisational, but also at an inter-organisational level, is extremely important. The theoretical assumptions are tested empirically through an investigation of the retailing industry.     

供应链伙伴关系对客户整合的影响——基于物流能力视角的实证研究

建立紧密的伙伴关系通常被认为是提升供应链整合的重要手段,但由于多数研究者忽略了伙伴关系的文化差异和企业间物流能力的差异,因而造成研究结论与实际情况不符。为了弥补这一不足,文章基于来自218家供应链上下游企业的调查数据,采用结构方程模型(SEM)的方法,分析伙伴关系、物流能力和客户整合之间的关系。研究结果显示：伙伴关系对物流能力和客户整合均存在着显著的正向影响,且透过物流能力,伙伴关系对客户整合的间接影响高于其直接影响。此外研究结果还显示,不同行业企业的伙伴关系和物流能力对客户整合的作用大不相同。文章不仅为研究伙伴关系对客户整合的影响路径和作用机理提供了一个新的视角,而且还为我国不同行业企业如何利用伙伴关系和物流能力来提升客户整合提供了决策的依据。     

Governing partnerships for development in post-conflict settings: Evidence from a longitudinal case study in Colombia

Drawing on a longitudinal case study of a 10-year cross-sector partnership for development in Colombia, this paper makes three contributions to current discussions on new collaborative governance approaches in which business, non-governmental organizations and development agencies jointly address development challenges. First, our study explores how partnerships can be successful in achieving longer term development while being designed as short-term governance arrangements. Second, we shed light on how power asymmetries can shape partnership governance. Many studies have highlighted the negative aspects of donor involvement in cross-sector partnerships. We identify, however, that an interplay of formal and informal governance in partnerships can provide a positive enabling framework for partner relationships to grow and mature. Third, the case highlights that the studied partnership employed governance mechanisms that facilitate local ownership and empower small-scale farmers, which effected (longer term) value chain relationships. In this regard, our case study helps to understand governance processes and conditions under which transformative local partnerships can emerge and sustain in post-conflict settings. The paper adds observations on the collaborative governance content that is required for a more integrative research approach to corporate contributions to development.     

MARKETING/LOGISTICS RELATIONSHIPS: INFLUENCE ON CAPABILITIES AND PERFORMANCE

Effective marketing/logistics relationships can help to create, develop, and maintain critical capabilities to support long‐term firm success. Recent research focuses on two distinct capabilities—information capabilities and firm‐wide integration. Empirical results are provided confirming the proposed relationship between marketing logistics relationship effectiveness and the two capabilities. Further, the capabilities are shown to positively impact logistics performance.     

A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPLY CHAIN ORIENTED LOGISTICS

The Council of Logistics Management's (CLM) name change to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) has intensified discussions regarding the difference between supply chain management and logistics. This paper merges broadly accepted paradigms from strategic management and marketing to introduce a theoretically consistent framework that differentiates supply chain management from logistics while highlighting the complementary relationship. Supply chain management is portrayed as a firm or SBU level phenomena while logistics is expressed as a competency within supply chain management possessing both strategic and structural capabilities focused exclusively on managing the move/store activities used to fulfill customer orders. Research propositions regarding the interfaces and nature of logistics within a strategic supply chain orientation are drawn to guide thought and development in the discipline.     

The effects of between‐partner congruity on consumer evaluation of co‐branded products

Branding studies, especially those focusing on brand extension, have often centered on establishing the relationship between consumer evaluation and the match between a product concept and the brand (concept congruity). This study introduces an additional type of congruity that arises in the evaluation of co‐branded products, the congruity between brand partners (between‐partner congruity). Between‐partner congruity has not previously been explicitly considered in the co‐branding literature, but is potentially an important influence on consumer perceptions of a brand partnership. Thus, this study represents an initial attempt to understand how the level of between‐partner congruity will affect consumer response to cobranded products. Several findings in the marketing literature have suggested that when respondents have the motivation to resolve incongruity, the relationship between congruity level and evaluation is nonmonotonic. In other words, moderately incongruent concepts are preferred to congruent or highly incongruent concepts to form an “inverted‐U” data function. Yet, when motivation to process is low, evaluation becomes less favorable in a linear fashion as incongruity increases. This study examines whether these findings can be extended to co‐branding. When concept congruity is controlled across brand pairs, the nonmonotonic relationship between between‐partner congruity level and product evaluation is observed when consumers are encouraged to elaborate on the rationale for the partnership (high involvement). However, when consumers attend to the global similarity of the partners (low involvement), product evaluation becomes less favorable as between‐partner incongruity increases. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Trickle Effects of Cross-Sector Social Partnerships

Cross-sector social partnerships are often studied from a macro and meso perspective, also in an attempt to assess effectiveness and societal impact. This article pays specific attention to the micro perspective, i.e. individual interactions between and within organizations related to partnerships that address the ‘social good’. By focusing on the potential effects and mechanisms at the level of individuals and the organization(s) with which they interact, it aims to help fill a gap in research on partnerships, including more insight into the process of interaction. We conceptually explore micro level interactions, and how partnership effects may ‘trickle down’ (e.g. from management to employees), or ‘trickle up’ (from employees to management) or ‘trickle round’ (e.g. between employees). Based on the literature from various disciplines, we discuss how more generic theories on social exchange and contagion, social learning and attraction-selection-attrition can help shed light on micro level interactions in a partnership, considering in particular transmission mechanisms via employees, top and middle management, and customers. In this way, partnerships can have wider benefits, as individuals have multiple roles and effects at the micro level can spread to the meso and macro levels as well. Implications for research and practice are outlined.     

Taking environmental partnerships seriously

Increasingly, firms are integrating environmental sustainability into their business strategies. Yet, sustainability is a complex topic and many firms need to form environmental partnerships to access additional resources—in the form of investments, technologies, expertise, public image, and/or political influence—to develop competitive advantage. Environmental partnership decisions are difficult, however, because they often need to reconcile multifaceted sustainability issues with multi-level, and potentially divergent, strategic goals. To meet their intended objectives, companies should carefully consider the type of environmental partnerships and partners that can best meet their needs. Based on a review of the literature, interviews with executives responsible for environmental partnerships, and publicly available data, we find firms engage in three main types of environmental partnerships: innovation-seeking, legitimacy-building, and policy-influencing. Each type of partnership benefits from different types of resources and partner choices. Herein, we describe the advantages of each type of environmental partnership and partners that may best support them. Given that many firms develop environmental partnership portfolios, managing multiple environmental partnerships simultaneously, we also discuss the implications of our research for environmental partnership portfolios.     

Developing a Leadership-Rich Culture: The Missing Link to Creating a Market-Focused Organization

Much has been written about the need for organizations to be more market-focused. Authors have addressed a myriad of constructs which promote the realization of the marketing concept. This article examines leadership and its development in the context of creating a market-focused organization. It links the areas of leadership development, leadership skills, and internal customer culture to the strategy development process. The emphasis in a leadership-rich culture is on the relationships between leaders, followers, and customers. This idea parallels existing thought in the relationship marketing literature touting the benefits of relationships in buyer-seller partnerships and network structures. In addition, this article offers a leadership deployment process to create a market-focused organization from top to bottom.     

Public partnerships,governance and user involvement: a service user perspective

This paper explores public partnerships and governance from a service user perspective, drawing both on the author's own involvement in service user organizations and movements and on material associated with and produced by these organizations and movements. It addresses the ambivalent relationship between service user organizations and movements and the idea and practice of ‘partnerships’, and explores their preference for ideas of ‘alliance’. It charts the different approaches to and ideologies underpinning user involvement and their implications for partnership between state and service users and their organizations. It offers a set of components for improving such partnerships as well as highlighting the growing interest of service users' organizations and movements in developing and extending alliances.     

论物流与市场营销的关系

物流与市场营销之间存在密切的内在联系,即物流对市场营销的影响和市场营销对物流的影响,具体表现在实现产品价值、顾客服务、实现顾客满意度、维系顾客忠诚度等方面。做好物流管理能够有效地促进营销战略地实施。成功的市场营销战略有利于促进物流管理工作,降低企业的物流成本。     

Contemporary Sports Marketing

Abstract

The term ?sports marketing“ developed in the United States as a way to analyze and implement strategies in which innovative as well as tried and true marketing techniques are used to financially support amateur and professional sports. With costs increasing, purveyors of ports must look for additional revenue beyond ticket sales and television fees. Corporations are searching for ways to increase the effective use of the advertising dollar. The partnership of the two parties has never been stronger than today, in the U.S. and abroad. In fact, sports collectively currently make up the 11th largest industry in the country. This article reviews the various aspects of the sports marketing mix including sponsorships, partnerships, the athlete, as well as the upcoming role of the web. The implications to corporations, the rising female athlete, and future challenges and opportunities are discussed     

Firm competencies on market entry success: Evidence from a high-tech industry in an emerging market

This study explores the effects of three firm competencies, namely, business network, new product development (NPD), and marketing management on market entry success of a high-tech industry in an emerging market. Business network encompasses research and development (R&D) partnership, inter-organizational network, and government relationship (guanxi). NPD consists of R&D capability and product process innovation, while marketing management encompasses distribution channel, promotion, branding, and information management. Using data from 55 biopharmaceutical multinational companies in China, this study applies structural equation modeling technique with confirmatory factor analysis for testing and estimating relationships. We find that only marketing directly influences entry success, whereas the other two yield indirect effects. Our study also suggests the critical role of business network as a prerequisite for entry process. Simultaneously, NPD serves as the driving force of marketing through the creation of product competitiveness.     

Export Performance: Is It Possible through Knowledge and Capabilities? Evidence from Turkish Manufacturing Firms

Purpose: This article measures to what extent export performance is affected by certain resource-based view (RBV) elements and seeks to elucidate relationships between these elements. Design: Among those RBV elements, knowledge and experience as resources, and marketing, production, product development, logistics, and service differentiation as capabilities, are chosen to be the basis of this research. Their effects on export performance are measured with a survey applied to personnel of Turkish manufacturing firms operating in Istanbul district. Findings: The results show us that marketing planning capabilities and service differentiation capabilities have a significant effect on export performance. The overwhelming effect of knowledge and experience of firms on marketing planning capabilities is one of the intriguing findings. Notwithstanding that, we found no trace of a relationship between product development capabilities and service differentiation capabilities. Value: This research provides several managerial and academic implications by contributing to a resource-based view in terms of knowledge and capabilities. Additionally, in this study, it is underlined that collective knowledge is vital for achieving high export performance.