Brett A. Boyle

Power, bureaucracy, influence, and performance: Their relationships in industrial distribution channels

Abstract Set in an industrial product distribution channel, the authors investigate the relationship between: (1) a suppliers power and its use of influence tactics with a distributor, (2) the level of bureaucracy (operationalized as centralization and formalization) with use of influence, (3) influence use and relationship performance, and (4) bureaucracy and performance. A series of structural equation models revealed that high-power suppliers tend to use “nonmediated” approaches (information exchange and recommendations) and rely less on “mediated” tactics such as threats and “legalistic pleas.” Centralized supplier decision-making promoted the use of mediated tactics, whereas formalized relationships fostered the use of information exchange and recommendations (as well as legalistic pleas). Finally, information exchange had a positive effect on the performance of the exchange relationship, whereas requests, legalistic pleas, and threats had deleterious effects on this outcome variable. No direct bureaucratic effects on relationship performance were found when taking influence tactics into account.

Internet Use within the U.S. Plastics Industry

Abstract Interfirm communication via the Internet was examined within the plastics industry. A survey of 1283 respondents from four industry sectors revealed that, although end-user firms have the highest percentage of Internet users, the flow of Internet communication tends to be “top-down” from vendors to customers. At this early stage of Internet adoption, Internet communications seem to focus on information gathering; whereas, non-Internet communication focuses on such transactional tasks as order processing. In addition, Internet users generally communicate more frequently than non-Internet users across all forms of communication.

A multi‐dimensional perspective on salesperson commitment

Although the study of organizational commitment (OC) is prevalent in the sales literature, multiple commitments have yet to be considered with respect to their impact on OC and work‐related outcomes. Four original measures that tap a salesperson’s commitments to: an immediate supervisor; peer salespeople; customers; and the sales profession itself were developed and tested. Using these, a series of regression models suggests that overall OC is enhanced by commitment to peers and the supervisor, with the former having a greater impact than the latter. Job satisfaction was affected by OC and professional commitment. Propensity to leave the organization was negatively associated with OC only.

Contextual bias in ethical judgment of marketing practices.

Human judgment is susceptible to contextual biases, yet most ethical models in marketing do not indicate how context influences decision making. The authors illustrate how ethical judgments of marketing practices can be influenced by contextually induced frames of reference. Scenarios describing ethical or unethical marketing practices are used in two experiments to prime subjects who subsequently rated the ethics of a target scenario. The target tends to be rated as more ethical by subjects primed with descriptions of unethical practices, and less ethical by subjects primed with descriptions of ethical practices. Moreover, this contrast effect is contingent upon the interplay of innate and induced moderating factors. Subjects with high needs for cognition that are unaware of the potential bias induced by contextual priming are prone to the contrast effect. Awareness of the priming-induced bias mitigates contrast effects among high need for cognition subjects. Implications for ethical decision making and further psychological research in marketing are discussed.

Framing and situational ethics

Prospect theory (Kahneman and Tversky, 1979) suggests a number of subjective biases to which human judgment is prone (such as the framing effect). Economic consequences of such biases have received ample attention; however, potentially important ethical implications have been neglected. We conducted an experiment in which 81 M.B.A. students were asked to choose between two courses of action, one less ethical than the alternative. Printed scenarios varied the framing of the choice problems. Findings suggest that the propensity to choose a less ethical course of action over a more ethical alternative can be influenced by how a decision problem is described or framed.

The importance of the industrial inside sales force: A case study

Abstract There is ample evidence that the relative roles of the inside and field sales force of industrial firms are changing. To cope with this change, this study investigates those traits which industrial customers desire from those in both inside and outside sales positions. To illustrate the strategic importance of the emerging inside selling position, a case study of a major U.S. tool and die manufacturer was conducted. Specifically, analysis connects the firms inside and field rep performance to aspects of customer satisfaction. Findings indicate that for the focal firm it is as important, and in some cases more important, for inside reps to possess many similar traits as field reps. Results also show that the performance of the firms inside sales force has a greater impact on customer satisfaction than that of its field sales force.

Influence Objectives as Antecedents to Influence Strategy Selection Within Distribution Channels

This paper proposes a normative framework for the selection of influence strategies within a distribution channel relationship. The basis for selection focuses upon (1) the objective at hand for the source of influence and (2) the level of relationalism within the channel relationship. In route, a typology of six influence objectives are presented, developed from qualitative data from a survey of 300 automobile dealers. Propositions are offered as to what influence strategy is most effective given the objective of the influencer and relational climate of the exchange relationship.

How to (and not to) use bureaucracy with independent distributors

Abstract While the term “bureaucracy” might conjure thoughts of a slow, stagnant system, some aspects of bureaucratic controls can enhance supplier relationships with independent distributors. Specifically, having formalized roles and expectations along with documented rewards/sanctions for both parties, shows the supplier is committed to a “win-win” relationship with the distributor. A survey of 314 independent industrial product distributors revealed how formalization and centralization affect the distributors commitment to a supplier. This study confirms the notion of formalization and centralization having respective positive and detrimental effects on an exchange relationship. Guidelines for formalizing exchange roles across independent firms are also provided.