Actor network pictures and networking activities in business networks: An experimental study

In recent years, there has been increasing interest among business-to-business marketing scholars in the processes of managerial cognition. In particular, actors' network pictures, defined as the cognitive representations of managers' business surroundings have attracted much attention. However, there has so far been no empirical research on the impact that network pictures have on managerial behavior. The purpose of this paper is therefore to understand if and how specific pertinent network picture characteristics — namely power, dynamics, broadness, and indirectness — are associated with different behavioral choices, i.e. networking strategies. Based on an experiment with 445 Executive MBA students, all international managers across different industries, we find that managers' choices when managing business relationships, their strategic actions, are affected by the way they perceive their surrounding business network. However, amongst the different theoretical models of networking activities tested, only the power dimension showed significant associations with all four network picture characteristics. This study represents the first to empirically study the connection between cognition and behavior in business-to-business markets, as well as one of the few to apply an experimental design to study a business-to-business marketing related phenomenon. Also, it paves the way for future understanding of the association between network picture characteristics and networking strategies in interaction between actors.     

Marketing activities and performance: A comparison of the Internet-based and traditional small firms in Taiwan

Emerging technologies, notably, have redefined business by erasing the traditional boundaries of time and geography and by creating new virtual communities of customers, distributors and suppliers, with new demands for products and services. Are there any differences between the marketing practices of the Internet-based and traditional small firms? This paper analyses published, undisguised stories of 112 traditional and 26 Internet-based small firms in Taiwan. The research results suggest that the owner-managers of both traditional and Internet-based small firms concentrate on sales, product planning and customer relationships. However, the owner-managers of traditional small firms in Taiwan place emphasis on quality control, whereas their Internet-based counterparts concentrate more on product schedules, sales forecasts, sales control and marketing research. These results indicate that cyber entrepreneurs have higher levels of marketing education and backgrounds, conduct marketing planning periodically and frequently and perform professional marketing activities. The research findings tend to suggest that though traditional marketing tenets are still suitable in the cyber environment of Taiwan, the Internet-based small firms have to utilise innovative marketing techniques to suit and compete in the ever-changing Internet business environment.     

A framework for the analysis of global, regional and local business networks

In this article we are dealing with the global, regional and local questions of the business. We raise the following question: is there a relation between network management (networking) and the spatial type of the network. We make a cross analysis of networking and spatial types of the network. The paper builds on the model of networking (Ford et al., 2002; Ford et al., 2003; Håkansson et al., 2009), the network paradoxes (Håkansson and Ford, 2002) and the model of 6 Cs (Ritter & Ford, 2006). We emphasize the strategic importance of the interpretation of network pictures. In order to answer the research question we create a theoretical conceptual frame called the Spatial Networking Matrix. We use the method of explorative expert interview in order to introduce some experiences of company leaders and managers concerning networking and spatiality. We conclude that after further development, the Spatial Networking Matrix can help to analyze networking and spatial types of networks at once, deepen the understanding of the real business world and through all of these, be a useful tool for business practice.     

Employability and the ICT worker: a study of employees in Scottish small businesses

This article reports on the changing nature of employment and employability for high‐tech workers in Scotland over the last decade. A somewhat stagnated industry has led to extrinsic rewards such as a good work–life balance, being prioritised over creative work and skills development. The sector is now dominated by small, specialist organisations providing limited training for the few remaining graduates.     

Relationship marketing in Guanxi networks: A social network analysis study of Chinese construction small and medium-sized enterprises

Despite the significance of Guanxi networking as the integrated approach to relationship marketing in the Chinese business environment, there remains, however, a limited understanding of the structural and relational characteristics of these stakeholder networks, within which value is jointly created and shared. In this study, the value-adding ego-networks of the business owners in four Chinese construction small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are examined. The relationship between the business owner and six main stakeholder groups was identified, quantified, analyzed, and visualized using SNA. Relationships were measured according to the frequency of communication, the value of favour exchanges, and the amount of emotional investment in the relationship. Comparative SNA studies were conducted, focusing on ego-network density, tie strength, and prominence of key stakeholders. The findings highlighted the high degree of the structural and relational embeddedness in Chinese SMEs with Guanxi ties (both strong and weak) dominating the construction business-owners' network. They also underlined the prominence of the internal markets of multiskilled employees and business-development managers. Transactional ties, albeit a minority, also exist in the business-owners' network, which confirms that both relational and transactional marketing coexist in the Chinese construction industry. The study draws managerial implications for entrepreneurial business owners and managers, and proposes directions for future research.     

Enablers and inhibitors of the development of network capability in entrepreneurial firms: A study of the Irish micro-brewing network

Focusing on the Irish micro-brewing industry, this paper identifies and describes the factors that both enable and inhibit the entrepreneurial firm's development of its network capability. The empirical research entailed in-depth interviews with the entire network of micro-brewery entrepreneurs in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland comprising nineteen firms. Using multiple levels of network analysis, findings illustrate the complexity of network capability development. The factors inhibiting the development of network capability were found to outweigh the ones enabling it. Past network experience, information sharing and participation in coordinated consumer events represent some of the factors found to enable network capability. Conversely, a desire for control over decision making, a lack of knowledge sharing or joint problem solving and the perception of value chain activity links and resources as unnecessary inhibits network capability. The main contribution of the paper is a framework of factors enabling and inhibiting network capability based on a multi-level network analysis.     

Industry characteristics influencing the technical output: A case of small and medium size firms in the US

Using the small and medium size firms in the US as a sample, this paper reports on interrelationship among patents, publications and new products. Correlates of R&D expenditure, patents and papers and new products are presented. Relationships between firm size and R&D output and productivity are also investigated.
Since the study is based on correlational analysis, causal inferences are not drawn. The data indicates that the three indicators are related, but their strength of relationship varies with industries. Growth of sales is related with new products, but not with patents or papers.
Although the data point to the fact that small firms are more productive than their larger counterparts, there are many reasons to come to such a sweeping generalisation. Reporting of R&D data is not reliable for small firms as the very definition of R&D differs from firm to firm. Nature of R&D also changes as the firm grows in size; opportunities for patents or new products also change accordingly. These make it difficult to accurately measure and compare the R&D efficiency across firms of different sizes.     

Perceptual difference of dependence and its impact on conflict in marketing channels in China: An empirical study with two-sided data

Although many firms have adopted the relational exchange or relationship marketing philosophy for developing long-term inter-firm relationships in marketing channels, the issues pertaining to channel conflict still deserve further investigation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the possible impact of perceptual difference of dependence between members in channel dyads on perceived channel conflict. By analyzing paired data collected from both sides of supplier-retailer dyads in China, we test two hypotheses about perceptual difference of dependence and its impact on conflict. We found that there was considerable perceptual difference of dependence between both sides of the dyads, and that the perceptual difference of dependence asymmetry between the two was positively associated with channel conflict perceived by the supplier side. Both researchers and practitioners should be aware of such differences when confronted with channel conflict issues, especially in international channel settings.     

跨国公司在中国的战略调整及中国企业的应对策略

在经济全球化程度和中国市场开放程度不断提高的背景下,为进一步渗透并巩固在中国市场的地位,跨国公司在细分市场、产品定位、本土化战略、组织结构及目标市场等方面,进行了战略性调整。提高品牌意识、组建战略联盟、进行联合营销和提高产品研发能力是中国本土企业应对跨国公司挑战的关键策略。     

A Citation Analysis of Management and Organization Research in the Chinese Context: 1984–1999

Since modern China was closed to the outside world until 1979, research on management issues within organizations operating in the Chinese context is a relatively recent phenomenon. In this study, we analyzed this body of research by performing a citation analysis on 226 research articles on this topic published in 20 leading English language academic journals over the past 16 years (1984–1999). The citation impact analysis identified the 52 most cited articles and the academic journals as well as the most influential authors on this research. We examined the issues or topics in these 52 influential articles and suggest some directions for future research.     

Power, conflict, and cooperation: The impact of guanxi in Chinese marketing channels

This paper tests the impact of guanxi on behaviors among firms in a Chinese marketing channel. Guanxi is operationalized in this paper as emotional closeness and interactive state. We find that the emotional closeness between channel-boundary personnel of firms has a positive impact on their exercise of noncoercive power, a negative impact on their exercise of coercive power, and a negative impact on the perceived conflict between them. In addition, emotional closeness has an indirect but positive impact on perceived cooperation. Interactive state between the boundary personnel of two firms has a positive impact on a firm exercising noncoercive power and a negative impact on perceived conflict between them. At the same time, it is positively related to a firm exercising coercive power. This shows not only the significant influence of guanxi on a firm's channel behaviors but also the constructive effects of both emotional closeness and interactive state on marketing channel behaviors in China.     

金融危机下中国药企的海外并购

2008年的金融危机席卷全球,关于在金融危机中中国制药企业怎样通过海外并购来进军海外做大做强,已经成为当下迫切需要研究的问题。本文对中国药企海外并购的必要性及可行性进行了深入分析,归纳了中国药企在金融危机下的海外兼并中的关键问题,在此基础上提出相应对策、     

The buying network in international project business: A comparative case study of development projects

While previous research has found project buying to be distinct from other buying situations, in that it typically involves a multi-organizational network, to date there has been very little empirical research on this phenomenon. Our aim in this paper is therefore to investigate the structure and decision-making processes of the project buying network during the project cycle and its interactions with project sellers. We first develop a preliminary conceptual framework for analyzing the project buying network, which is then applied to a comparative case study of three development projects. The findings from the case study allow us to propose a revised conceptual framework for analyzing the dynamics of the project buying network during the project cycle, as well as interaction with sellers. Our findings also contribute an understanding of development projects, in particular the role of financiers.     

The impacts of marketing and operations capabilities on financial performance in the UK retail sector: A resource-based perspective

Drawing upon the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, this study investigates the relationships among marketing capability, operations capability, and financial performance. Using archival data of 186 retail firms in the UK, we find that that marketing capability has a significant impact on operations capability, and that operations capability is significantly and positively related to retail efficiency. The results also suggest that operations capability fully mediates the relationship between marketing capability and financial performance. The findings of this study provide practical insights for practicing managers to consider when developing functional capabilities in order to achieve superior financial performance.     

Network governance: A cross-level study of social mechanisms,knowledge benefits,and strategic outcomes in joint-design alliances

Drawing on multiple-level embedded case study research of eight dyadic joint-design alliances and 14 collaborative ventures within them, this study sheds light on how value, in the form of common and private benefits, is created in interorganizational relationships. To do so, I focus on network governance (i.e., interorganizational coordination based on social networks) and its outcomes. As a result, I advance a cross-level model of how a system of reciprocally influencing network-level (i.e., structural) and dyad-level (i.e., relational) social mechanisms affects the propensity of allied organizations to engage in knowledge-intensive activities that yield considerable knowledge-based benefits and strategic outcomes at the alliance and firm levels. I conclude that simultaneous consideration of structural and relational embeddedness can enrich our understanding of network-based forms of organization and their impact on the outcomes of interorganizational cooperation. Although the system of social mechanisms needs to be understood as an interconnected whole, practicing alliance managers are advised to leverage different social mechanisms depending on the specific knowledge benefits they intend to achieve.     

Institutions and business networks: A comparative analysis of the Chinese, Russian, and West European markets

The paper analyses business networks originating from three markets: Chinese, Russian, and West European. So far, little attention has been given to the fact that business networks in particular markets may be dissimilar because of differences among institutions. The paper advances a model where institutions are assumed to influence five major characteristics of business; (1) the processual aspects of the network, (2) the structural aspects of the network, (3) the function of firms and relationships in the network, (4) the meaning of strategy and planning, and (5) social relationships in the context of inter-firm relationships. The analysis builds on three types of substances of institutions — cognitive, normative, and regulative, which in turn are specified according to different aspects. The cognitive substance of business networks is explored through the aspects of self, time, and causality. The normative substance is explored through the aspects of achieved versus ascribed status, inner versus outer direction, universalism versus particularism, and trust. The regulative substance is specified as an authority system and a sanction system. The analysis demonstrates that, as institutions differ in these three markets, the business among them also differs in terms of the five characteristics, and this variation calls for different strategies for firms operating in these markets.     

Co-innovation in networks of resources — A case study in the Chinese exhibition industry

This work explores how network partners collaborate to innovate and innovate to collaborate and thereby achieve value. The innovation processes analyzed are within an IJV in the Chinese exhibition industry. The findings highlight that the IJV's development of a successful trade show resulted from effective co-innovation by partners which enabled the exploitation of opportunities in an industry characterized by rapid growth and continuing structural change. Partner co-innovation enabled evolving strategic and operational capabilities which has led to continued and growing market success. This co-innovation involved the targeted co-mingling of partner resources which creates value that motivated continued cooperation. The effectiveness of the partners' activities is evidenced by the growing size and prestige of their large-scale trade show as well as the expansion of the IJV into other endeavors. The paper concludes by considering the way these innovative processes can be applied in other contexts.     

Upward and downward influence tactics in managerial networks: A comparative study of Hong Kong Chinese and Americans

This paper reports an empirical investigation of individual preferences in the use of managerial influence tactics by Hong Kong Chinese and Americans. Subjects in a cross-cultural scenario study were asked to evaluate alternative upward and downward influence tactics in terms of their preferred usage. The findings indicate a main effect for culture and for direction of influence attempt. In addition, direction of influence attempt interacts with subject gender and culture on a tactic-by-tactic basis to reveal differences in influence preferences. Implications of the findings and directions for future studies are discussed.This research was supported by The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The special assistance of Mimi Kam and Ricky Lam in back-translation of the research instruments is appreciated, as are the contributions of Joseph Raelin of Boston College and Harold Welsch of Depaul University in data collection.     

Antecedents and Outcomes of Employees' Trust in Chinese Joint Ventures

In this study we investigate the antecedents and outcomes of employees' trust in their supervisors and organizations in Chinese joint ventures. We develop a model that links trust, job security, and subordinate-supervisor guanxi. The model considers job security as an antecedent of trust in the organization and subordinate-supervisor guanxi as an antecedent of trust in supervisors. It further suggests that the turnover intention of employees is affected by their trust in their organization, and that their organizational citizenship behavior is affected by their trust in their supervisors. We use a data set consisting of 295 employees collected in four joint ventures in Southern China to test the hypotheses. The results of our LISREL and OLS regression analyses support the proposed model. Job security and subordinate-supervisor guanxi are found to affect employees' trust. In addition, trust in the organization has a stronger effect on turnover intention than does trust in one's supervisor. Trust in supervisors significantly affects the organizational citizenship behavior of employees. These findings have practical implications for the management of workers in Chinese joint ventures.