bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Supplier strategies to increase customer purchases over the duration of customer‐supplier relationships
Authors: Fink Robert C. , James William L. , Hatten Kenneth J. , Bakstran Lynn 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to understand factors related to increased customer purchases from suppliers during different stages of the customer‐supplier relationship.Design/methodology/approachA survey of 372 professionals in the paper industry was conducted to investigate how customer performance outcomes, supplier quality and delivery performance, the presence of relational norms and customer perspectives of environmental uncertainty vary in their influence on increasing customer purchases over time.FindingsThe results indicate the variables influencing increased customer purchases vary over the duration of the customer‐supplier relationship. It is also shown how the variables influencing increased customer purchases from suppliers are different from the variables leading to increased customer commitment to suppliers over time.Research limitations/implicationsData were collected from the customer perspective only and involved the exchange of one type of product. Similar studies need to be conducted in other industries involving other types of product exchanges that capture both customer and supplier perspectives to verify these findings.Practical implicationsSupplier sales and marketing managers need to understand the factors related to increased customer purchases and how they change over time to create appropriate sales and marketing strategies for different stages of their customer relationships.Originality/valueOne of the most important sales and marketing objectives is to increase customer purchases; however, it has received limited attention in prior research. This paper adds value by focusing on both the variables related to increased customer purchases and how these factors change in their influence over the duration of the customer‐supplier relationship.
Determinants of value sharing in channel relationships
Authors: Wagner Stephan M. , Lindemann Eckhard 
Published: October 2008

PurposeCompanies involved in collaborative channel relationships aim at creating in sum a higher value than each channel partner could achieve on its own. There is relatively little empirical insight into what determines the sharing of the “value pie”. Therefore this paper aims to investigate determinants of value sharing in channel relationships.Design/methodology/approachData for testing the hypotheses were collected through a telephone survey of managers from large industrial firms in the automotive, food, engineering and chemicals industries in Germany. Complete information on the study's questions was received from 142 firms, accounting for a response rate of 40.1 percent.FindingsThe results show that customer companies frequently receive larger shares of the value pie, while in most cases the value pie is shared equally. Furthermore, relationship quality, supplier motivation approaches, the goals of the channel relationship as well as the applied sharing principle are all influential in determining how value is shared in corporate practice.Research limitations/implicationsBecause all companies in the sample were selected from only four industries, all are among the largest companies in their specific industry, and all are headquartered in Germany, the generalizability of the results is unquestionably limited to similar firms.Practical implicationsCustomer as well as supplier firms should incorporate the identified determinants in their partnering and sharing decisions, since they have an impact on the long‐term benefit of channel relationships.Originality/valueThe underlying determinants of the sharing process and the value allocation to the channel partners have so far received little research attention. This paper addresses this situation.
From customer value to repurchase intentions and recommendations
Authors: Olaru Doina , Purchase Sharon , Peterson Nathan 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe paper aims to fill a gap in the literature in relation to the determinants of customer value within the research and development (R&D) industry and word‐of‐mouth. It investigates whether context specific variables, such as organizational type and contract length, change customer value evaluations and the value – intention to repurchase – recommend system.Design/methodology/approachA survey of Australian customers of a research and development service organization was conducted. Structural equation modelling was used to develop a model investigating factors that affect customer value, intent to re‐purchase, and word‐of‐mouth/recommendation.FindingsRelationship benefits, service benefits and sacrifice all had a significant influence on customer value. Efficient use of time is crucial for sacrifice evaluation. Relationship benefits were larger for government organizations than private organizations. Importance of value to recommend the organization to others was higher for longer contracts and government customers.Research limitation/implicationsResults show that R&D organizations need to concentrate on both the technical service/science aspects and the relationship aspects in their contracts. Government institutions tended to emphasize the relationship benefits while private businesses considered service benefits, relationship benefits and sacrifice nearly equal in their determination of value. Intent to contract R&D organization for further work and the willingness to recommend it to others as a highly specialized and competent service provider seem to be higher for government customers and longer contracts.Originality/valueThis paper investigates customer value in a little researched industry, R&D. The findings are relevant for similar professional business‐to‐business services.
Procedural and interactional justice perceptions and teamwork quality
Authors: Dayan Mumin , Di Benedetto Anthony 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to understand the role of organizational justice (procedural and interactional justice) as a precursor to new product development teamwork quality and team performance; to study the moderating impact of environmental turbulence on these relationships.Design/methodology/approachThis is a survey‐based empirical study of 117 product/project managers based in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey. A series of multiple regression analyses were used to obtain results.FindingsOnly two of the six facets of teamwork quality (coordination and balance of member contribution) are significantly associated with interactional justice; all six facets (coordination, balance of member contribution, communication, mutual support, effort and cohesion) are associated with procedural justice. Teamwork quality is significantly related to team learning and speed to market; environmental turbulence partially moderates these relationships.Research limitations/implicationsPerceived organizational justice is an important precursor to NPD teamwork quality and team performance. The components of organizational justice (procedural and interactional justice) have different effects on the facets of teamwork quality. The relationships between these precursors and team performance are moderated by environmental turbulence.Practical implicationsTo generate new products, NPD managers rely on teams that function well together and show good performance (good team learning and speedy time to market). The findings suggest that NPD managers can significantly improve NPD team performance by increasing team members' perceived level of organizational justice.Originality/valueWhile organizational justice has been previously shown to influence team performance, this relationship has not yet been examined in an NPD setting. This is valuable because of the overriding importance of well‐functioning teams in NPD.
System supplier's roles from equipment supplier to performance provider
Authors: Helander Anton , Möller Kristian 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe study aims to explore what kind of roles major system suppliers may have for their business customers, what factors may change the supplier's role for the customer during the relationship, and to analyze how the system supplier can manage his roles for the customer.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides a multi‐company, international case study.FindingsThe study identifies three roles for system suppliers: equipment/material supplier, solution provider, and performance provider. The potential role the supplier may try to achieve is suggested to depend on the knowledge gap between the supplier and the customer, and on the strategies they adopt. The supplier can maintain and extend his role for the customer though carefully coordinated and integrated, proactive actions.Research limitations/implicationsThe developed structures on business dynamics need more empirical evidence, especially in terms of longitudinal analyses.Practical implicationsThe models give various tools for top executives in industrial companies to develop more interactive and profitable customer relationships.Originality/valueThe developed frameworks provide an articulated theory of the creation and implementation of the system supplier's business strategy.
Creating a national champion or a global pharmaceutical company: a tale of French connection
Authors: Tariq Anwar Syed 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of this illustrative case‐based research is to analyze and evaluate the 2004 controversial merger of two high‐profile French pharmaceutical companies, Sanofi‐Synthelabo and Aventis.Design/methodology/approachThis is a case‐based research paper that relates existing theory to mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and global strategies by highlighting those issues that impact business and industrial markets as well as multinational corporations' (MNCs) operations.FindingsSanofi‐Aventis continues to go through a multitude of changes in its corporate reorganization while Novartis has been exploring collaborative ventures with pharmaceutical and bio‐tech companies.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a scarcity of published work in the case‐based research area. The work provides an understanding of the French government's national champion initiatives and their impact on the European and global pharmaceutical companies.Practical implicationsThe findings of this case have tangible implications for those business marketers and MNCs that operate in the European markets and other countries regarding seeking M&As and expansion.Originality/valueThe case adds value in the national champion theory and its associated areas that relate to business and industrial markets.
Dimensions of total product knowledge in a service environment
Authors: Braunsberger Karin , Brian Buckler R. , Luckett Michael 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to compare measures of subjective and objective knowledge as well as usage/experience measures in a credence service environment for two different samples, namely college students and non‐student adults.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from two independent samples using self‐administered questionnaires and were analyzed using correlation and reliability analyses, factor analysis, discriminant analysis and one‐way ANOVA.FindingsFor the student sample, the results show that even though measures of subjective product knowledge, objective product knowledge, and product usage are correlated with one another, each represents one unique dimension of total product knowledge. The results for the non‐student sample show that subjective and objective knowledge converge into one dimension, product usage is a second dimension, and vicarious product knowledge a third dimension.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation of the present study is that its results are anchored in the context of hospitals and might thus be most relevant to this particular choice of service. In terms of implications, the “vicarious” component of total product knowledge the study uncovers for non‐students is a promising field for future studies because it is identified as one of the dimensions of total knowledge for those non‐student consumers who have a fairly low degree of objective knowledge and direct product experience.Practical implicationsMarketing managers should to take into account that, for adults, subjective knowledge is a better indicator of their objective knowledge than for students (or perhaps similar segments).Originality/valueThe present study is one of the first studies to investigate simultaneously the three dimensions of consumer product knowledge in a credence service environment.
The impact of service contact type and demographic characteristics on service quality perceptions
Authors: Ganesan‐Lim Cheryl , Russell‐Bennett Rebekah , Dagger Tracey 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThis study aims to develop and test a service‐based demographic framework for studying service quality perceptions. Specifically, the effect of level of service contact and key demographic variables of age, gender and income on service quality perceptions is examined.Design/methodology/approachA total of 224 customers of high‐ and low‐contact passenger transport services were surveyed using a self‐administered questionnaire.FindingsThe findings indicated that service quality perceptions differed according to the level of contact inherent to the service. Consumer age was also found to affect service quality perceptions; however, no differences in service quality perceptions on the basis of gender or income were found.Research implications/limitationsThe results of the study enhance the understanding of service quality perceptions and provide useful insight for the management and delivery of service quality. Overall, the results suggest that managers in the train travel industry need to take the level of contact as well as the views of certain demographic segments into account if they want to maximize perceived service. Demographics provide managers with a means of determining which segments of the market are feasible in terms of achieving greater market penetration. The findings of this study show the importance of considering variables relating to individual characteristic or the service itself when investigating service quality.Originality/valuePrior research has not examined empirically whether service quality dimensions vary on the basis of service type; thus, this paper contributes to knowledge in this field.
Defusing the demographic time‐bomb
Authors: Hewitt Sue 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to examine how organizations can retain the business knowledge and skills of older workers as they retire or move on.Design/methodology/approachDescribes the nature of the ‘demographic time‐bomb’, the effects it could have on organizations, and the knowledge‐management and other systems that organizations can use to minimize these effects.FindingsHighlights the need for a knowledge‐retention programme, under which an organization can start to identify knowledge at risk and establish central knowledge repositories. Creative retirement policies, retiree workforce pools and a lessons‐learned capture process from retirees ensures the effective transfer of vital information from these people. Building a database of retirees for temporary, contract employment and special‐project work is useful. An organization should develop a retiree/worker mentoring programme to encourage mentoring and cross training, while instilling in pre‐retirees the commitment to knowledge sharing and collaboration. Creating inducements to learn is also important.Practical implicationsEmphasizes process management in transferring knowledge and skills from older workers to their younger colleagues.Originality/valueStresses that, while building the necessary knowledge‐management architecture is the easy bit, managing the people aspects is more challenging. Suggests some ways to overcome these challenges.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue values strong leadership culture
Authors: Lewis Natalie 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to describe how Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, UK, has introduced a management and leadership programme that has driven positive change in the organization.Design/methodology/approachThe paper details the reasons for the programme, how it was delivered and some of the results it has achieved.FindingsThe paper outlines the bespoke leadership‐development plan created by leadership and change‐management consultant SFL, which involves workshops to translate the core messages, followed by additional workshops for supervisory managers to develop their leadership skills in performance management, mentoring and coaching.Practical implicationsThe paper shows that, despite an initial reluctance to change among members of Staffordshire's Fire and Rescue Service, the picture is overwhelmingly positive and the organization has gained Investor in People status.Originality/valueThe paper provides an example of successful leadership development in the public sector.
A conceptual framework to help evaluate the quality of institutional performance
Authors: Kettunen Juha 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThis study aims to present a general conceptual framework which can be used to evaluate quality and institutional performance in higher education.Design/methodology/approachThe quality of higher education is at the heart of the setting up of the European Higher Education Area. Strategic management is widely used in higher education institutions and is a strong candidate for the general framework of management. The balanced scorecard approach has been designed as a mechanism to communicate and implement the strategic plan and make it more understandable to stakeholders.FindingsThe concepts of quality and strategy maps provide the tools that can be used to describe the conceptual framework to describe the quality assurance system and institutional performance.Originality/valueThe quality and performance of a higher education institution are evaluated by national quality assurance agencies and many other stakeholders having various objectives and interests. The evaluation is based on the backgrounds and subjective experiences of the evaluators. Therefore there is clearly a need for a common and rational framework for the evaluation.
Applying services marketing principles to postgraduate supervision
Authors: Dann Stephen 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe paper aims to describe the application of two key service quality frameworks for improving the delivery of postgraduate research supervision. The services quality frameworks are used to identify key areas of overlap between services marketing practice and postgraduate supervision that can be used by the supervisor to improve research supervision outcomes for the student.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a conceptual and theoretical examination of the two streams of literature that proposes a supervision gap model based on the services gap literature, and the application of services delivery frameworks of co‐creation and service quality.FindingsServices marketing literature can inform the process of designing and delivering postgraduate research supervision by clarifying student supervisor roles, setting parameters and using quality assurance frameworks for supervision delivery. The five services quality indicators can be used to examine overlooked areas of supervision delivery, and the co‐creation approach of services marketing can be used to empower student design and engaged in the quality of the supervision experience.Research limitations/implicationsAs a conceptual paper based on developing a theoretical structure for applying services marketing theory into the research supervision context, the paper is limited to suggesting potential applications. Further research studies will be necessary to test the field implementation of the approach.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of the paper include implementation suggestions for applying the supervisor gaps for assessing areas of potential breakdown in the supervision arrangement.Originality/valueThe paper draws on two diverse areas of theoretical work to integrate the experience, knowledge and frameworks of commercial services marketing into the postgraduate research supervision literature.
Developing supply chain management program: a competency model
Authors: Sauber Matthew H. , McSurely Hugh B. , Rao Tummala V.M. 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThis paper aims to show the process of designing and measuring learning competencies in program development.Design/methodology/approachThe paper includes cross‐sectoral comparisons to draw on programmatic and pedagogical strategies, more commonly utilized in vocational education, and transfer the application of these strategies into curriculum development in higher education. Using a case study approach, the paper details the process of identifying and measuring learning competencies in developing specialization and graduate certificate program in supply chain management.FindingsThe development of competencies used an interdisciplinary framework to infuse interaction among stakeholders – faculty, students, and practitioners. The process focused on competencies at the program level as opposed to certain course or class level. The result produced more realistic competencies addressing student learning. The competency approach presented challenges in collecting and analyzing assessment data and opportunities to continuously improve the program. Data on student self‐assessment of learning competency as well as course work (exercises and assignments) were collected, analyzed, and reviewed. They resulted in changes in textbooks, class exercises and assignments, and faculty lectures.Originality/valueThe paper focuses on the virtues of embedding learning competency development and measurement in the design of educational programs. This is an issue of ongoing relevance to education in general, and of growing relevance to higher education in particular. As psychometric methodology advances, quality assurance and continuous improvement in education place greater emphasis on learning outcomes. As such, the identification and measurement of competencies become issues of increasing importance in educational systems around the world.
Value opportunity webs: a new concept for anticipating potential marketplace breakthroughs
Authors: Fahey Liam , Narayanan V.K. 
Published: October 2008

PurposeThe paper aims to examine how to devise ways to capture data in and around the marketplace that generates indicators of emerging and potential marketplace change which could lead to breakthrough customer offerings and how to do so long before the opportunities are manifestly visible.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes a new methodology, the Value Opportunity Web (VOW), a process for collecting insights about the external environment and transforming and leveraging them into winning customer offerings. These data come from unique communities of individuals “close to the action” who can anticipate, for example, how a set of technologies might someday intersect.FindingsThe paper shows cases where companies have used VOWs to identify unique data sources, have created sets of technological mechanisms or “platforms” to capture the relevant data and have managed these communities successfully.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors are leading consultants with access to cutting edge information gathering programs, which they have disguised for this article.Practical implicationsThe VOW has a critical strategic purpose: to extract breakthrough opportunities from an ever‐burgeoning world of external data by learning from a community of talented recruits, each an expert in one or more fields. Companies are learning to use VOWs to quickly understand change and to test breakthrough ideas as they emerge.Originality/valueThe ultimate purpose of a VOW is not data gathering but reflection and analysis, with the goal of identifying and developing new ways to deliver customer value.