Danny Pimentel Claro

Networking and developing collaborative relationships: evidence of the auto‐part industry of Brazil

Purpose – This study aims to assess the moderating effect of the business network on the effects of between relational behavior and the effects of transaction‐specific investments on joint actions.Design/methodology/approach – The study was a survey based field study designed using theoretical support from marketing channels, transaction cost economics and network perspectives.Findings – The results show the importance of relational behavior and the network in coordinating joint actions, and this has relevant managerial implications for the coordination of a collaborative relationship. The characteristics of the relationship, its length as well as the size of each partner affect the collaborative efforts of the partners.Practical implications – Firms and managers should understand not only the dyadic relationships they are in but also the network structure. Dyadic characteristics affect collaboration, while the network also has effects on the collaboration of partners in vulnerable positions.Originality/v...

Misestimating Betting Behavior: The Role of Negative Asymmetries in Emotional Self Prediction

This paper addresses the role of negative asymmetries in emotional self-prediction by looking at the extent to which individuals misestimate their own betting behavior in sequential gambles. In a series of three experimental studies, we demonstrate that losses lead to higher than planned bets whereas bets are on average carried over after gains. Such asymmetric deviations from the plan emerge (1) when monetary and non-monetary incentives are used, and (2) when participants face fair and unfair gambles. The asymmetry is based on people’s inability to predict how much the negative emotions generated by a bad experience (e.g. the loss) will influence them to put more effort (e.g. bet more) than planned in an attempt to re-establish a homeostatic state in the prospect of a good experience (e.g. winning).

When channel conflict positively affect performance: evidence from ICT supplier-reseller relationship

Purpose This paper aims to study the positive impact of functional conflict and conflict management in improving supplier–reseller relationship performance in multi-channel setting (reseller together with supplier’s sales reps). The authors develop four hypotheses, including direct and mediated effects, about conflict management, conflict and the impact on channel performance. Design/methodology/approach The authors’ sample of suppliers in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry in Brazil consists of an interesting setting of multi-channel distribution, as suppliers deal with sales reps in combination with reseller channels to offer products to customers. The sample is representative of the industry, including more than 60 per cent of the ICT suppliers. The model was tested with partial least squares in the context of ICT industry in Brazil. Findings The empirical test shows that although an increase in functional conflict improves channel performance (direct effect), an excessive increase may amplify the dysfunctional conflict, thereby damaging channel performance (indirect effect). The negative interplay between the two natures of conflicts is counterbalanced with conflict management. Results show that conflict management improves channel performance by decreasing the harmful effects of dysfunctional conflict. This paper contributes to the theory by deepening our understanding of conflict, a critical challenge underlying supplier–reseller relationships in marketing channels. For managers, this research clarifies the importance of considering and managing conflict of different nature in the context of multi-marketing channels. Originality/value The contribution of the authors’ study is twofold. First, they develop an integrative mediating model with key constructs of multi-channels’ conflict and channel performance. They incorporate the causal relationships between functional and dysfunctional conflict, conflict management and channel performance into a single conceptual framework. This integrative mediating model to the best of their knowledge has not been developed before. Second, they provide managers with a broad understanding of conflict management implications to supplier’s multi-channel strategy, and how functional conflict can actually be beneficial for channel performance.

Drivers leading firm adoption of internet banking services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify factors influencing firm adoption of internet banking services (IBS). While previous literature has primarily focussed on the individual consumers’ adoption, the authors aim to shed light on the adoption of online banking by firms. The authors investigate the propensity and speed of IBS adoption and offer recommendations to providers of IBS and firm users. Design/methodology/approach – To attain the above purpose a conceptual model was based on research about IBS adoption in the firm context that derives primarily from technology acceptance model and diffusion of innovation. The authors use data from 5,002 firms located in 239 counties, encompassing 52.1 percent of firms users of IBS of a financial service provider and 47.9 percent of non-user firms. All sampled firms received an offer to adopt IBS from the financial service provider. Such unique data set was analyzed using logistic regression to assess propensity and a survival analysis model to assess I...

The influence of customer value on word of mouth: a study of a financial services company in Brazil

Purpose – Our study analyzes the non-linear effect of customer lifetime value (CLV), which accounts for the revenue accumulated over the lifetime of a customer relationship, calculated using a discount rate, on customer referral value (CRV), which accounts for the value created by customers converted to the firm. Design/methodology/approach – We collected data from customers of a financial institution that provides retirement plan products. A random sample of 768 customers provided the full names of individuals to whom they made a recommendation. After these names were elicited, respondents and referrals were identified in the firm’s records, and we calculated the CLV and CRV values. Findings – The results show the existence of a U-shaped effect of CLV on CRV, and a negative linear effect of CLV on recommendation intention. Originality/value – Our study contributes to the body of literature on word of mouth by focusing on a product and business segment with low perceived brand differentiation and low customer involvement. We contribute to the marketing literature by showing a U-shape relationship between CLV and word of mouth activity, represented by CRV.

Sales intrafirm networks and the performance impact of sales cross-functional collaboration with marketing and customer service

This article draws on the growing body of research in sales intrafirm networks and sales management literature to develop and test a model of sales-marketing and sales–customer service cross-functional collaboration with objective sales performance. We posit that the effectiveness of specific structural feature of sales intrafirm networks (i.e., the number and strength of salesperson intrafirm ties) depends on whether cross-functional collaboration occurs with marketing or customer service. These differences exist because each function has distinct goals and competencies. Using network data from salespeople working for a chemical manufacturer, we found that having few sales-marketing total ties increase salesperson performance, while having many ties with customer service results in better sales results. We also found that strong ties with marketing colleagues lead to high sales growth while sales–customer service collaboration benefits more when ties are weak. Moderating effects show that the combination of few strong ties with marketing and of many weak ties with customer service boosts salesperson performance. While we found that total ties with marketing have a U-shaped effect on salesperson performance, there is an inverted U-shaped effect for sales–customer service collaborations and thus an optimal number of ties. This study advances our understanding of cross-functional collaboration in sales intrafirm network research. From a managerial perspective, our findings suggest that salespeople benefit from network steering capabilities when managing cross-functional contacts. In addition, sales managers benefit from a set of intrafirm network interventions that improve sales-force effectiveness.

The quest for regional values: inputs into the discussion of marketing strategies

Debido a los cambios en los patrones de desarrollo regional en Brasil, la expansion de las empresas para otras regiones y estados representa, simultaneamente, oportunidades y desafios, dadas las particularidades regionales del pais. Una manera de identificar y comprender aspectos regionales consiste en el estudio de los valores sociales. En este trabajo el objetivo es identificar diferencias de valores entre cuatro ciudades brasilenas: Belem, Porto Alegre, Salvador y Sao Paulo. En la revision teorica, se analizan cultura y microcultura con enfasis en valores sociales. El modelo de analisis se basa en la lista de valores terminales e instrumentales de Rokeach. Se realizo un analisis documental y de contenido de las transcripciones de ocho grupos de foco sobre el tema viaje. Los valores identificados presentan variaciones interesantes e indican el predominio de la imaginacion y logica en Belem, mientras que Porto Alegre se caracteriza como gentil y util. En Salvador hay predominio de la capacidad y de la intelectualidad, mientras la ambicion y el amor se destacan en Sao Paulo. Los resultados muestran que existe un denominador comun de valores en todas las ciudades, como independencia y responsabilidad, ademas del trabajo y la familia. Este estudio ofrece evidencias de que, a pesar de formar parte del mismo pais, brasilenos en diferentes capitales tienen valores sociales diferenciados y dichas diferencias deben ser consideradas por las empresas en la elaboracion de sus estrategias de marketing.