bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The relationship between emotional intelligence and buyer's performance
Authors: Schumacher Lillian , Wheeler Jane V. , Carr Amelia S. 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between buyer's emotional intelligence and buyer's relationship performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey methodology was used to collect data for this study. The survey was administered using an assessment process which incorporated “buyers'” and “suppliers'” assessment for the independent variable, emotional intelligence, and the dependent variable, relationship performance. The respondents consisted of 34 buyers and 102 suppliers.FindingsCorrelation and regression analysis revealed several significant relationships between the variables. Specifically, buyers' self‐assessed emotional intelligence was not significantly related to buyers' self‐assessed relationship performance. Buyers' emotional intelligence assessed by suppliers was significantly related to buyers' relationship performance assessed by suppliers. Buyers' emotional intelligence (as assessed by buyers and suppliers' assessment differences) was not significantly related to buyers' self‐assessed relationship performance. Last, buyers' emotional intelligence (as assessed by buyers' and suppliers' assessment differences) was significantly related to buyers' relationship performance (as assessed by buyers' and suppliers' assessment differences). Thus, the results suggest that buyers' emotional intelligence is positively related to relationship performance, most significantly from the perspective of their key suppliers.Originality/valueThis study is the first to introduce emotional intelligence within an environment that consisted of individuals working with others outside of their respective organizations (buyers and suppliers). This research offers some insight to buyers on the implications of emotional intelligence and how it can be used to support their interactions with their key suppliers.
The purchasing orientation of small company owners
Authors: Ellegaard Chris 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThe literature holds few contributions regarding purchasing practices of small companies, despite the impressive size of this customer segment. Hence, this paper seeks to identify the purchasing orientation of small company owners.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies an interpretive qualitative case based approach. Small company owners describe their purchasing practices in a language void of theoretical concepts and by the continuous use of examples. Some practices are more or less unconscious. Interpretation is needed in order to discover patterns across the cases.FindingsSmall company owners down‐prioritize purchasing and spend few resources on developing their purchasing capabilities. They emphasize operational security from suppliers – covering quality and delivery as well as service and problem‐solving capabilities. Price is a minor issue. They are extremely loyal customers, who rarely meet suppliers, but still manage to maintain trusting relationships with them. Reliability from suppliers is essential.Research limitations/implicationsThis research concerned manufacturing firms. Earlier contributions as well as this study indicate that studies of small company purchasing in other sectors (trade for instance) could produce different findings.Practical implicationsCompanies selling to small companies should build service capabilities in their sales organization. The investigated small customers emphasize operational security, problem‐solving, informal attitudes, reliability, and they are highly loyal. Selling companies capable of mastering this behavior can expect a higher profit and enjoy close, long lasting customer relationships with these customers.Originality/valueThe paper identifies the small manufacturing company as a distinct customer segment, with characteristics that differ from the large company. The identification of small company owner purchasing orientation helps sales professionals understand this segment and provides a basis for optimizing selling behavior, organization etc.
The role of rapport in professional services: antecedents and outcomes
Authors: Macintosh Gerrard 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThis research seeks to test a model examining the antecedents and outcomes of interpersonal rapport in a professional service context. The four antecedents examined are familiarity, mutual self‐disclosure, extras, and common grounding, and the outcomes examined are trust, satisfaction, and word‐of‐mouth communication.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a survey methodology to obtain the opinions of 121 dental patients regarding their relationships with dental professionals. The hypothesized relationships in the model were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe research findings indicated that all four antecedents were positively related to rapport. Rapport was also found to be related to customer satisfaction and word‐of‐mouth communication, but rapport was not found to be related to trust. Post hoc analysis suggests that rapport appears to be related to trust early in relationships, then becomes less important, but re‐emerges as a driver of trust in very mature relationships.Practical implicationsSince rapport appears to be important to generating word‐of‐mouth, managers should foster and reward rapport‐building behavior.Originality/valueThe study empirically verified four antecedents of interpersonal rapport in services, and supports the role of rapport as an important mediating variable in relationship development. The research also supported prior findings on the unique contribution of rapport to positive word‐of‐mouth communication.
The impact of involvement on key service relationships
Authors: Baker Thomas L. , Cronin J. Joseph , Hopkins Christopher D. 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to report a study that focuses on the moderating role of involvement in the relationships between customer contact employees' customer orientation and service quality perceptions and satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 869 consumers is drawn from four different service providers, scale measures are validated via confirmatory factor analysis and a conceptual model is tested using non‐monotonic moderated regression analysis.FindingsHigher levels of involvement lead to greater levels of consumer loyalty and a lower need for scarce marketing resources. Hence, involvement does play a significant moderating role; in most cases the relationships are stronger for consumers with higher involvement.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are generalizable only to the four industries investigated.Practical implicationsRelative to customers with low levels of involvement, managers must be sure to motivate their employees to work with customers to help solve their problems and thus enhance the level of involvement. Conversely, for highly involved customers, contact employees must be aware that they may not play as significant a role in the overall purchase experience as the consumer feels they (the consumer) are an “expert” relative to the products offered. In such cases, customer‐oriented employees' role is to be willing to play a supporting and less important role in a customer's purchase decision.Originality/valueWhile many studies have investigated service quality and satisfaction, the research represents the first effort to determine whether the relationship between these two variables differs based on a consumer characteristic; in this case, involvement.
Understanding city‐regional cooperation: what works where
Authors: Newman Peter 
Published: April 2009

PurposeAdvocates of the role of city‐regions in economic development seek lessons from other countries to boost the case. But processes of lesson learning raise many challenges and the purpose of this paper, therefore, is to argue that it is necessary to shift from descriptive comparison to a better understanding and explanation of what works where.Design/methodology/approachThe approach taken in the paper is to review recent debates about the design of comparative studies and suggests a range of comparative questions.FindingsThe paper draws on insights from the ESRC Research Seminar and other papers in this issue and helps clarify some of the issues that may be involved in developing a better comparative understanding of the emergence and impacts of new “experimental”, time‐limited regional institutions.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper argues for more rigorous comparative research.Practical implicationsQuestions are raised about current lesson learning concerning the governance of city regions.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to new debates about the potential of comparative study.
The Northern Way: a pan‐regional associational network
Authors: Liddle Joyce 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to examine a pan‐regional initiative, The Northern Way. The argument is framed within the on‐going city‐region debate to demonstrate some of the challenges and difficulties of working in collaboration and partnership across associational networks. It seeks to highlight the importance of institutional and local legacies and politics for understanding the nature of this particular form of pan‐regional arrangement.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on existing literature and other secondary source material from policy and guidance documents, participant observation in regional and sub‐regional meetings, and supplemented with primary interview data.FindingsThe Northern Way, promoted by central government to manage decline in the Greater North of England, demonstrated a continued legacy of regional disparities and an attempt to move city actors from inter and intra regional rivalry towards collaboration and partnership. As an associational network, the fluidity of scales and wide ranging social forces impacted on coordination and integration of processes, institutions, plans and strategies. This emergent governance form exemplified institutional turbulence, as powers were re‐configured continuously across scales and, across policy sectors and policy actors. The Northern Way was a very complicated arrangement of networks across regional and sub‐regional territories, and its lack of autonomy from central government hampered its overall effectiveness and strategic approach.Originality/valueThe paper provides a valuable insight for academics, practitioners and policy makers into some of the challenges and difficulties of managing across a pan‐regional associational network. It is original because most of the earlier literature focuses solely on city‐regions rather than a specific pan‐regional initiative such as the one under enquiry here.
A governance blueprint for the “federalist” Manchester City Region
Authors: Mouawad Daniel Charles 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to present a case study of the Manchester metropolitan area's efforts at implementing a regional approach to economic policy making and metropolitan governance. Vis‐à‐vis an emerging proposal for a concerted and effective approach towards the development of a governance model for the Manchester City Region, the paper aims to discuss the competing proposals for a mayoral and more “federalist” model of coordinating local policies in the area..Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the roles of different agencies – business representations and local authorities – in working towards a form of coherent governance for the city region against the backdrop of the many current precedents of such arrangements across Europe.FindingsThe paper finds that local authorities in the Greater Manchester area tend to favour a federalist City Region approach with greater autonomy for each participating local government. Yet, the alternative mayoral model retains the advantage of a distinct identity and direct accountability. In any case, a strong and coherent private sector input on key issues affecting the economy and its development in the Manchester City Region are required, but, as yet, not always sufficiently articulated.Originality/valueFinding an “appropriate” model of city‐regional governance is a very topical issue. The contribution of this paper is thus timely and offers a good insight into the practical side of coordinating public and private sector interests and ways of making policies as part of city‐regional governance.
The path to regional competitiveness
Authors: Hanson Karen J. 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThis paper aims to present a case study of the Philadelphia region's efforts to implement a regional approach to economic development by relying on business‐civic leadership to transcend governmental boundaries.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the role of leadership in organizations representing business interests, and the competing and conflicting perspectives on the “right” scale to do so – local and/or regional, drawing on participatory insights into the relevant processes.FindingsWhile ad‐hoc partnerships and governance are often recognized as important elements of economic competitiveness for metropolitan areas by key civic and business leaders, established localist and institutional‐organizational interests and strategies may counteract that. Overcoming long‐established fragmentation requires a high level of attention to symbolism and the details of inclusiveness in organizational and spatial terms.Originality/valueThe recognition and study of city‐regional governance is very topical. The contribution of this paper is timely and offers a rare insight into the practical side of city‐regional governance, thus illuminating theoretical arguments.
America's emerging megaregions and implications for a national growth strategy
Authors: Todorovich Petra 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of emerging “megaregions” in the USA and the challenges they present to planning for large‐scale systems of transportation infrastructure, environmental resources, and economic growth, and their implications for developing a national growth strategy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the existing research on megaregions and their applications in addressing specific challenges in large geographical areas. It also discusses the efforts of a privately led initiative to create a national growth strategy and how megaregions may provide an interim scale toward national planning.FindingsThe paper finds that while ad hoc megaregional partnerships and governance will help lay the groundwork for large‐scale investments and policies needed to address the expanding spatial dynamics of the twenty‐first century economy, ultimately the USA requires a national plan to prepare for future growth.Originality/valueThe recognition and study of US megaregions is relatively new. The contribution of this paper is that it discusses how megaregions might shape a national strategy for growth in the USA in the next half century.
New regions and regionalisation through clusters
Authors: Danson Mike 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce the role of territory in (city‐) regionalisation and to revisit the problems of distance from the core in cluster strategies. The paper further aims to discuss the implications of how agglomeration and networking economies, strongly promoted and based on city regions, are being realised across national boundaries.Design/methodology/approachThe paper argues that there are negative spatial impacts for those areas which do not and cannot establish “core cluster” status. The focus on such “cores” threatens to exacerbate the peripherality of the non‐core regions of the European Union, and especially those in the external (northern) border regions of Europe.FindingsAgainst an evolving pattern of reducing effective distances across the mainland continent through EU funding, Celtic and Nordic Europe is facing a relative increase in peripherality. Ownership and control of industry and the economy are becoming ever more concentrated and centralised at the core, and monetary and fiscal policies are driven by the needs of the market and so of the demands of the metropolitan heart of the continent. While the new territorial clusters are promising growth and development for some regions allowing them to converge on the core, this should not be allowed to obscure the threats to others which are becoming ever more disadvantaged.Originality/valueThe paper highlights a major, albeit not much acknowledged, threat emanating from the current focus on city regions as “economic champions” in debates and policy making. Not only does this threaten to overlook, but, indeed, may create areas of “exclusion” and peripherality.
Regionalisation, “virtual” spaces and “real” territories
Authors: Herrschel Tassilo 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThis paper seeks to examine evidence of new forms of regionalisation in both theory and practice, and the relationship between the two. In so doing, it aims to demonstrate the essential complementarity, rather than widely argued alternativeness, of both conventional and new forms of inter‐local collaboration at the regional level. The paper also seeks to demonstrate the importance of institutional and local legacies for the nature of regionalisation.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on interviews by the author with economic policy makers in several city regions in Europe and North America over the last three years, and the results of a series of workshops involving many of these very policy makers.FindingsThere is growing evidence of new forms of inter‐local region building being adopted by policy makers in response to a perceived need to maintain/improve economic competitiveness. Concerns about “giving away” powers and resources when engaging in usual conventional, formalised, fixed forms of regionalisation have created reluctance among many local actors to do so. The need to be more responsive to rapidly changing economic conditions, coupled to a realisation of the need for concerted action, have encouraged economic policy makers to adopt new, more experimental forms of region‐wide collaboration.Practical implicationsThe findings not only challenge established practices and a conventional focus on planning and technocratic views of “regions”, but also raise questions about the prevalent regulation theory‐inspired arguments in academic debate. Instead, “virtual regionalisation” seems to open new opportunities for defining meaning and operation of “regions” and “regionalism”, with the different backgrounds in Europe and North America allowing a somewhat more “open mind” in the latter than the former.Originality/valueThe paper illustrates that in many regions in Europe and North America there is now a multitude of actors and organisations seeking to promote regional competitiveness and growth.
Are accreditation surveys reliable?
Authors: Greenfield David , Pawsey Marjorie , Naylor Justine , Braithwaite Jeffrey 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to test whether healthcare accreditation survey processes are reliable.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses multiple methods to document stakeholder experiences and views on accreditation survey reliability. There were 29 research activities, comprising 25 focus groups, three interviews and a survey questionnaire. In total, 193 stakeholders participated; 134 in face‐to‐face activities and 56 via questionnaire. All were voluntary participants. Using open‐ended questioning, stakeholders were asked to reflect upon accreditation survey reliability.FindingsStakeholders perceived healthcare accreditation surveys to be a reliable activity. They identified six interrelated factors that simultaneously promoted and challenged reliability: the accreditation program, including organisational documentation and surveyor accreditation reports; members' relationship to the accrediting agency and survey team; accreditation agency personnel; surveyor workforce renewal; surveyor workforce management; and survey team conduct including coordinator role. The six factors realised shared expectations and conduct by accreditation stakeholders; that is, they enabled accreditation stakeholder self‐governance.Practical implicationsKnowledge gained can be used to improve accreditation program reliability, credibility and ongoing self‐governance.Originality/valueThe paper is a unique examination of healthcare accreditation surveys the reliability. The findings have potential application to reliability in other healthcare areas.
Young physicians and the Finnish welfare state
Authors: Saarinen Arttu 
Published: April 2009

PurposeThis article aims to focus on how young physicians in general and different subpopulations, in particular, see the role of the welfare state. The author seeks to compare young physicians' opinions with those of older physicians, a similar age group in the general population and all physicians.Design/methodology/approachA random sample was picked from the Finnish Medical Association register (n=1,092). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression analysis.FindingsResults show that young physicians – when compared with an overall population of the same age, with physicians overall, or with older physicians – are more critical of the degree of social security currently offered. Young physicians also want to give more responsibility to the private sector than do older physicians. On the other hand, young physicians are not very critical of healthcare system functionality. All in all, young physicians' opinions about the welfare state are not particularly radical. Results indicate that physicians' opinions about the welfare state will not change dramatically in the near future. Views on social security, healthcare system functionality and the role of the private sector correlate best with political orientation.Originality/valueThere are some studies about physicians' attitudes towards the welfare state, but the opinions of young physicians have not been studied in countries with large social security systems. The paper addresses this gap because it is important to study young physicians' opinions because future services will be structured on them.