The Interplay of Emotion Regulation and Sales Experience in Salesperson Conflicts: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

ABSTRACT

It is human nature that personal interactions are often charged with emotions and laden with conflicts. Workplace encounters are not immune from this reality. Despite this, few studies have examined ways to reduce interpersonal conflict in the workplace. This study examines the interpersonal impact of emotion regulation on salesperson relationships with stakeholders. Using structural equation modeling, results of the analysis showed that salesperson's regulation of emotions was negatively related to interpersonal conflict with co-workers as well as with customers; and positively impacted customer-oriented sales behaviors. The results also support the moderating role of selling experience in the relationship between emotion regulation and interpersonal conflict with customers. That is, the negative relationship between regulation and conflict with customers is stronger for salespeople with lower sales experience. These findings put forward important managerial implications with regard to the recruitment and training of sales professionals.     

The Effects of Conflict Types, Dimensions, and Emergent States on Group Outcomes

In this study, we examine three types of conflict (task, relationship, and process) and four dimensions of conflict (emotions, norms, resolution efficacy, and importance) in decision making groups. We also investigate emergent states (e.g., trust, respect, cohesiveness; Marks et al. 2001; Acad Manag Rev 26: 530–547) as mediating the effects of the conflict types and dimensions on group outcomes (productivity and viability). All three types of conflict decreased positive emergent states in groups and this led to a decrease in group viability (the ability of a team to retain its members through their satisfaction and willingness to continue working together; Balkundi and Harrison 2006; Acad Manag J 49: 49–68). This effect was alleviated by resolution efficacy (the belief that the conflict can be easily resolved) regarding process conflict, but could be exacerbated by any negative emotion associated with relationship conflict. Norms that encouraged task conflict also increased positive emergent states within groups, which marginally and positively influenced group performance.     

Strength of Preference in the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution

A new preference structure that includes a simple relative measure of strength of preference is developed and integrated into some of the stability definitions for the graph model for conflict resolution. In this triplet preference structure, a decision-maker may greatly prefer or prefer one state or scenario to another, or may be indifferent between them. Four stability definitions (solution concepts), Nash stability (R), general metarationality (GMR), symmetric metarationality (SMR), and sequential stability (SEQ), are extended to include strong and weak stabilities for the case of conflicts with two decision makers. Theorems that clarify the interrelationships of the strong and weak versions of these solution concepts are presented. The application of this new preference structure and the associated solution concepts is demonstrated in an environmental conflict model, called the Sustainable Development Conflict. This case shows that valuable strategic insights are gained when strength of preference is integrated into the stability analysis.     

The role of positive emotions in experiential decisions

This research examines how consumers experience decision making for experiential products such as vacations. We combine data from 1) ethnographic interviews, 2) online community discussion forums, and 3) an introspective vacation-planning task to explore the experience of emotion in the decision process and to develop a new model of decision making that extends extant decision theories. We find that consumers experience a variety of positive emotions as they plan vacations, from facilitative feelings that guide the plan to fantasy feelings consumed for pleasure. Positive emotions are most evident in reaction to imagery and when the consumer's self identity is salient, and often precede more analytic information processing. Overall, this research offers a richer understanding of the emotional nature of consumer decision making for experiential products and services.     

Integrating an Option-Oriented Attitude Analysis into Investigating the Degree of Stabilities in Conflict Resolution

Despite the influences on one’s thoughts and actions, the attitude has usually been overlooked in conflict analysis. The purpose of this paper is to develop a new systematic methodology for the graph model for conflict resolution that can be employed to study real-world conflict situations and gain enhanced insights. More specifically, the proposed method starts with the development of an expanded option-oriented preference structure that is derived from decision makers’ attitudes toward others. Then based on this attitude-driven preference structure, the general concepts of stabilities are extended to contain the definitions of different degrees of stabilities under attitude. In addition, the proposed method is embedded in a decision support system, called NUAAGMCR, to facilitate the analytical process. Through a detailed case study of the two-stage environmental conflict of post-Fukushima controversy in Japan, the predicted resolutions are demonstrated to be more accurate and stable than those derived by the general stability analysis.     

Conflict resolution with robustness in international negotiations: A game theoretic approach

A robust game theoretic approach for constructing effective international concords for conflict solving is discussed. Ann-person cooperative game in characteristic function form is used for international conflict solving via formation of coalitions. The nucleolus and the augmented nucleolus as solution concepts of the game are derived on its alternative forms, and robustness of the solutions when the evaluation of the coalition values is varied is examined. For solving this problem, parametric linear programming is used. This approach provides in a resemblant form an-alternative device to solving the fuzzy linear programming based on interval analysis.     

情绪表达潜规则对组织内部员工情绪耗竭的影响——以情绪表达策略为中介

组织内部员工的工作内容主要围绕同事展开，组织一般对其无明确的情绪表达要求，因而他们有表达自我真实情绪的自由。但出于人际交往和工作沟通的需要，组织内会存在多种形式的情绪表达潜规则约束。为了揭示情绪表达潜规则导致内部员工情绪耗竭的作用路径，文章以资源保存、认知失调和自我损耗理论为基础构建了组织内情绪劳动者的“情绪表达潜规则—情绪表达策略—情绪耗竭”的理论模型。通过问卷调研和数据分析，证实了积极情绪潜规则可推动员工采用深层扮演策略，使内心感受和外在情绪保持一致，减少了情绪耗竭。而消极情绪潜规则会抑制员工情绪的深层扮演，并助长表层扮演来伪装情绪，造成情绪资源流失，最终导致情绪耗竭。研究还证实了组织内的情绪劳动者在表达情绪时，虽然可同时采用深层与表层扮演两种策略，但由于情绪资源有限，他们对两种策略的选择偏好显著负相关。     

A Scientometric Analysis of Publications in the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing 1993–2014

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To conduct a scientometric analysis of the contents of the Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing from 1993 to 2014.

Methodology/approach: The authors use the Leximancer computer-aided text analysis program, which reliably and reproducibly identifies the main concepts embedded in the text—their frequency and patterns of co-occurrence—based on the ways words move together in the text. They also identify key concepts that differentiate among the networks of concepts occurring in each of the first four five-year periods of the Journal’s history.

Findings: There are four common underlying conceptual themes: relationships, market, study, and business. But the focal mix of concepts has changed over time, from a narrower initial focus on distribution and power and conflict, to a greater focus on firm business marketing strategy and pedagogy, to a focus on networks, the Internet and more collaborative relations, to a focus, in the most recent period, on psycho-social network concepts, such as trust and commitment.

Research implications: The results complement and provide a baseline for evaluating and comparing researcher-conducted literature reviews of business marketing and JBBM’s contributions. The methodology provides possibilities for further analysis as it can be extended to analyze the business marketing and wider marketing literature more generally and how it has evolved.

Practical implications: Leximancer provides a comprehensive, accessible summary of the content of the JBBM and demonstrates its value as a text analysis program.

Originality/value/contribution: The authors are among the first to use this novel computer text analysis program to conduct a scientometric analyses of journal content. It provides a template for conducting studies of other journals and text.     

The impact of emotions on service quality,satisfaction, and positive word-of-mouth intentions over time

Abstract

This article examines the impact of emotions on customer satisfaction, service quality, and positive word-of-mouth intention formation process over time. In the study, a confirmatory factor analysis supported a three-dimensional model of emotions that then served as predictors in a series of multiple regressions. The findings indicate that two emotion dimensions had a consistent direct impact on all dependent variables in both time periods. However, the interaction effect between time periods and emotions revealed that different emotion dimensions influence satisfaction and word-of-mouth intentions at different stages of the service encounter. The theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are discussed in detail.     

An Architecture for Conflict Management Between Make and Delivery Agents in an Enterprise Supply Chain

ABSTRACT

Problems related to conflict management resolution between Make and Delivery activities within a Supply Chain are studied here. The traditional approach, which usually manages the problem via a lobal optimization system, seems not suitable due to the fact that Make and Delivery may belong to different enterprises. Furthermore, the prevalence of dynamic scheduling concepts is preferred to the rigidity of a well-fixed optimized plan. Every agent within this process has a traditional production/delivery plan, but communication is performed in terms of a generic common plan that states the dates of reception/delivery. The software architecture we propose uses a distributed and fully decentralized agent model; the customization of such a system has been accomplished by adding a congruent number of business processes, which manage plan synchronization problems, using interchangeable strategies. A dedicated agent that retrieves all the information useful to infer statistical evaluations has been included to gain feedback on system performance.     

Predicting consumer behavior with two emotion appraisal dimensions: Emotion valence and agency in gift giving

Decades of emotion research have demonstrated the unique influences of many specific emotions on consumer behaviors. These countless numbers of emotion effects can make it difficult to understand the role of emotions in consumer behavior. The current research introduces a parsimonious framework that can predict the effects of emotions on the consumer behavior of gift giving with just two appraisal dimensions: valence and agency. A series of studies examining gift giving reveals that positive emotions exert positive effects on gift giving, independent of their agency. In contrast, agency does predict the effects of negative emotions on gift giving. Negative self-caused emotions increase gift giving, whereas negative other-caused emotions decrease gift giving. These findings seem to hold for inactive and active emotions, and for uncertain and certain emotions. Together, these findings make a unique theoretical and empirical contribution to the understanding of emotions in gift giving. Moreover, it provides a pragmatic framework for both academics and practitioners.     

On the effectiveness of ego- and other-focused ad-evoked emotions

Emotional advertising is generally believed to be persuasive. However, not all emotional advertising is equally effective. Previous research has illustrated the importance of the pleasure dimension of emotions in the sense that positive emotions usually induce more positive attitudes than negative emotions. This paper deals with another dimension of emotions – the ego-other-focus dimension of emotions – referring to the degree to which these emotions make people see themselves as independent from or interdependent with others in a specific situation. Our findings indicate that, for a privately consumed product, ads evoking an egofocused emotion score better than ads evoking an other-focused emotion, whereas the reverse is true for a publicly consumed product. This match between product and emotion does not matter for introverts, but is important for extravert people. As such, we show that not only the pleasure dimension, but also the ego-other-focus dimension of emotions determines the effectiveness of emotional advertising.     

An Integrative Framework of Buyer–Supplier Negative Relationship Quality and Dysfunctional Interfirm Conflict

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Problems of relationship quality and interfirm conflict in business-to-business settings are serious concerns that need to be addressed. Thus, the authors have engaged in an extensive review to promote an understanding of these complex issues. This article develops an integrated framework for analyzing wide-ranging relations between individual representatives and patterns of interfirm incompatibility for managerial control.

Methodology/approach: The review involves numerous sources that include articles and monographs. A theoretical framework is constructed to integrate fragmented empirical data. In particular, social identity and commitment-trust theories are mobilized for this framework.

Findings: The review of studies has a substantial consistency with the theoretical framework. The article outlines a causal chain from interpersonal agent dissimilarities to dysfunctional buyer–supplier relations, culminating in interfirm pathological conflict. Moderating factors in the causal chain are: agent identity differentiation (for interpersonal dissimilarity), supplier relations mismanagement (for buyer–supplier relationship quality), and interfirm opportunism (for interfirm pathological conflict). Buyer–supplier interfirm incompatibility mediates the causal link between interpersonal dissimilarity and buyer–supplier relationship quality. Identity differentiation, the validation of one’s self-image, is introduced as a process that determines buyer–supplier agent interpersonal dissimilarity judgments. This framework uses a contextual perspective. It describes interactions between observations of micro-level phenomena of interpersonal dissimilarities and macro-level models of interfirm fit. From a managerial perspective, interpersonal relations between individual buyer and supplier agents may be further strengthened by such strategies as expanding the scope of the interpersonal relationship, relaxation of role responsibilities, and volunteering business-related contact referrals.

Originality/value: A new theoretical framework has been devised to predict and explain relationship quality and interfirm pathological conflict in the business-to-business context. The framework contributes to the value of the knowledge base by serving as a means for building new diagnostic tools for assessment of interfirm behavioral issues affecting exchanges. New concepts are introduced to enhance current literature on business-to-business marketing. The framework provides concrete

indicators that operationally define ideas and enable or improve measurement for empirical modeling.     

Ups and Downs: Emotional Dynamics in Negotiations and Their Effects on (In)Equity

Organizational scholars now acknowledge the relevance of emotions in virtually every aspect of organizational life, including negotiations and conflict resolution. Integrating negotiation phase model theory with social functional models of emotion, we test hypotheses about the development of emotions in negotiations and their effects on the degree of economic (in)equity of the counterpart’s subsequent offer during the actual negotiation process. By comparing stalemate dyads with efficient settlement dyads, the study identifies emotional dynamics that characterize successful as opposed to unsuccessful negotiations. Results show that observed differences are primarily the result of impasse dyads spiraling into a negative emotional climate rather than efficient settlement dyads having overall higher levels of positive emotions or increasing them throughout the negotiation process. As predicted by social functional models, the study further confirms that emotions are not only a reaction to the economic (un)fairness of a proposed offer, but their display also influences the payoff (in)equity of the counterpart’s subsequent offer. Whether a specific emotional expression increases or decreases the economic fairness of the counterpart’s subsequent offer, however, differs across negotiation phases and between dyads that reached an agreement or not. Furthermore, the results show distinct differences between emotions that address individual goal realization in negotiations and emotions that focus on the relational, interpersonal aspect of negotiations, both with regard to their development as well as their function. Taken together, the results shed light on the mechanisms leading to the emergence of conflict spirals.     

Emotional prototypes,emotional memory usages,and customer satisfaction

In this study, we investigated the positive and negative emotion concepts in the prototype perspective and then tested them on customer satisfaction. By studying 612 customers in luxury restaurants, we found that two levels of customer emotions (i.e. positive and negative emotions) as a super-ordinate level, 4 positive emotions (i.e. contentment, happiness, love, and pride) and 5 negative emotions (i.e. anger, fear, sadness, shame, and disgust) as a basic level, and 49 specific emotions as a subordinate level are significantly related to customer satisfaction. We also examined the moderating role of emotional memory (EM) usage in the relationship between consumers’ emotions and their satisfaction. We found that product (food and beverage)-related EM strengthens and service-related EM usage weakens the relationship between customers’ negative emotions and their satisfaction. Interestingly, we found that positive and negative emotions are significantly related to customer satisfaction regardless of experience and store-related EM usage.     

An investigation of the power of emotions in relationship realignment: The gift recipient's perspective

This study investigates the types of emotions that link a broad spectrum of idiosyncratic, gift‐exchange experiences with specific relationship realignment outcomes. Content analysis and analysis‐of‐variance procedures are used to assess the link between emotions and gift recipients' perceptions of relationship quality. The results demonstrate that rather than the overall amount of felt emotions, it is the balance of positive and negative emotions that is associated with specific relationship outcomes. It also appears that coping processes allow individuals to realize an overall neutral or positive outcome for the relationship, even if negative emotions are experienced. Moreover, different patterns of emotions characterize each of five different relational outcomes of the gift‐receipt experience. These results have theoretical and practical implications for gift exchange as well as other emotion‐laden marketing relationships, such as those found in services and personal selling contexts. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Role of Emotions for the Perceived Usefulness in Online Customer Reviews

Online customer reviews often express emotions. This can enable marketers to analyze the textual content of online reviews with the aim to understand the role of emotions and how they can affect other customers. In this paper, we present an approach to extracting emotion content from online reviews in order to measure the importance of various emotion dimensions within different product categories. The approach uses an emotion lexicon to extract emotion terms, while it also builds a classification model to measure the importance of emotion dimensions based on the quality of reviews. Review quality is measured based on the usefulness of online customer reviews, which are perceived and evaluated by other customers through their helpfulness ratings. This approach allows the identification of emotion dimensions that characterize qualitative reviews. The empirical evaluation in our study suggests that trust, joy, and anticipation are the most decisive emotion dimensions, although substantial variance across product categories can also be detected. Additionally, we compared two contrasting emotion dictionaries. One lexicon was crowd-funded and contained a large vocabulary, whereas the other was more focused and smaller, since it was created word-wise by an expert. Our empirical findings indicate that the crowd-funded solution outperforms its smaller counterpart in terms of classification precision. The main implication of this study is that it adds an emotional perspective to the broad set of existing tools that marketers employ to analyzing online reviews. Our contributions are: i) we are the first to analyze emotions' role in online customer reviews; ii) we demonstrate how to develop a big data model such as this, without external assistance; iii) we show how to interpret the results of the created model; and iv) we show which dictionary to prefer when creating the model.     

Surviving the emotional rollercoaster called entrepreneurship: The role of emotion regulation

The entrepreneurial journey is often experienced as an emotional rollercoaster, but we know very little about how entrepreneurs can ride it most effectively to increase their ventures' chances of survival. We investigate how entrepreneurs' habitual use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression – two well-established types of emotion regulation – impact on the likelihood of their venture surviving. Drawing on a sample of 183 technology ventures, we find that both regulation types are generally associated with a lower survival likelihood, but that these effects depend on the venture's performance. Our study contributes to the literatures on emotions and new venture survival in entrepreneurship and to the emotion regulation literature.