Survival and dissolution of exporter relationships with importers: A longitudinal analysis

The primary purpose of this paper is to extend knowledge about the survival or dissolution of interorganizational exporter/importer relationships. Based on a conceptual framework, this paper presents a longitudinal analysis of data to explore the relationships between trust, economic performance and the outcome of survival/dissolution of a business-to-business relationship. In addition, two interactions are presented that involve business distance on the outcome of the survival/dissolution of a business-to-business relationship. The results show a significant positive relationship of both trust and economic performance on survival. Findings also reveal a significant negative interaction between business distance and trust on survival. Finally, there is only a marginally significant negative interaction between business distance and economic performance on survival.     

What happened with the grandiose plans? Strategic plans and network realities in B2B interaction

Research concerned with business relationships and organizational levels, respectively, has addressed companies' difficulties in realizing their strategies. Studies of business relationships explain this through actions and reactions among business partners. Organizational studies note gaps between strategic and operational organizational levels in perceptions and goals. This paper combines these perspectives to obtain new insights into why company strategies may not materialize. The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss how actor bonds on various organizational levels in business relationships affect strategy realization. The paper shows that actors on similar organizational levels representing different companies may actually share more understandings and activities than actors within the same company. The paper contributes to research on dyadic business relationships by highlighting differences in perspectives on various organizational levels, adds insights into research studying organizations by including a business-relationship aspect, and increases understanding of why strategic plans sometimes fail to succeed.     

Case study research with moderate constructionism: Conceptualization and practical illustration

This paper develops a case study approach that builds on the foundations of moderate constructionism and abduction. We discuss the case study method and its role in industrial marketing, especially in business-to-business networks. Moderate constructionism is compared with realist, critical realist, and relativist approaches. We argue that moderate constructionism takes better into account the multiple constructed, community-bounded realities that all case studies inevitably deal with. The power of moderate constructionism to produce valid and generalizable new knowledge is critically assessed. We also address abduction in relation to induction and deduction and its role in the moderate constructionist research approach. Finally, we develop a process model, illustrated by a case study of a specific network in the pharmaceutical industry.     

Postmodernity,globalisation and nationalist conflict in the former Yugoslavia

During the 1990s, several of the conflicts that have demanded most media attention have been associated with the disintegration of the Yugoslav Federation. A number of attempts have been made to outline the main causes of these, but these causal factors remain difficult to describe definitively, largely owing to the complexity of the post‐Yugoslav political landscape. This paper studies the validity of employing a postmodern paradigm for investigating the conflicts in former Yugoslavia, as well as other current conflicts, arguing that the present cultural and philosophical context has to be addressed. After an outline of some of the key aspects of postmodernity, the focus centres on the importance of the media and the postmodern perspective on the issue of the nation state. Key theories related to postmodern conflict, with relation to economic and cultural factors, are outlined. These are evaluated as regards their applicability to the Yugoslav conflicts and ‐ by extension ‐ to all future wars in the postmodern era.     

The Influence of Managerial Relations on Waves of Employee Involvement

One of the most enduring issues in the debate about employee involvement (EI) and workers' participation is how it survives over time, and to what extent the dynamics of EI is linked with labour-management relations. In this article, which draws upon data collected in a two-year study of 25 organizations, it is suggested that managerial relations is a significant factor in explaining waves of EI, and one that is frequently overlooked. Waves of EI can be assessed in terms of the twin concepts of centrality and prominence, terms that are amplified below. The introduction of EI techniques is motivated by a number of forces, but one of the most important is a desire by managers to be noticed, to engage in ‘impression management’, via the creation of new schemes. Despite having high-profile introductions, these schemes soon tend to fade in importance, to a large extent because of problems within management such as internal political rivalries, low supervisory commitment to schemes, inadequate training provision or the downgrading of EI by management arising from conflicting priorities.     

Leveling the playing field: factors influencing trade show success for small companies

Recent research indicates that trade shows are a place to find prospects and close sales. Yet, many requisites of success found in prior studies may not be available to companies with limited resources. A study that compares the activities of successful vs. unsuccessful exhibitors from small companies was conducted. Results indicate similar budgets, yet very different results. Factors influencing success include strategic factors such as centering responsibility in one position, as well as tactical decisions such as those regarding pre-show promotion.     

Proactive behavior and industrial salesforce performance

Proactive behavior has been indirectly linked to effective selling, an assertion underpinned by a logic, which states that in a world of high competition and choice, the passive, reactive seller is unlikely to do as well as his or her more proactive counterpart. Yet, little direct empirical evidence exists to substantiate this link. In this paper, we address this knowledge gap by describing a study that assesses the effect of proactive behavior on the performance of an industrial sales force. The paper explores the issue of salesperson performance and the construct of proactive behavior (or proactiveness). Using the Proactive Personality (PP) Scale to measure proactiveness and the line manager's subjective evaluation to indicate salesperson performance, it was found that a small but significant relationship exists. The results are discussed, with areas for future research delineated and implications for practitioners explored.     

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.     

Going the extra mile: Antecedents of salespeople's discretionary effort

Many sales organizations are scrambling for success in today's intensely competitive environment. An increasing number of firms are finding that tried and true traditional selling strategies are less effective, or not effective at all. Moreover, companies are discovering that what has been an acceptable level of performance no longer is adequate for maintaining or gaining competitive advantage. Consequently, managers need to focus on alternative means through which the organization can be successful. One alternative is for sales forces to engage in discretionary effort-work activities that entail going beyond the call of duty. This paper develops propositions regarding antecedents of salesperson discretionary effort, which provide managerial direction should the propositions be confirmed.