Kåre Skallerud

Structure, strategy and performance of exhibitors at individual booths versus joint booths

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the differences at international trade shows between exhibitors who participate in joint booths and those who participate in individual booths. The structure, strategy and trade show performance of exhibitors at joint booths and those at individual booths are analysed.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents an empirical study of 208 exhibitors at an international food and beverage show, focusing on the differences in structure, strategy and performance between individual exhibitors and exhibitors at joint booths. The differences are identified and discussed.Findings – Individual exhibitors place more personnel and products at their booths and they allocate more resources, top management commitment and planning. However, exhibitors at joint booths have more formalised planning and objective setting. The performances of five groups of trade show activities were assessed. Individual exhibitors perform significantly better on image‐building activities at the show...

Importance Performance Analysis as a Trade Show Performance Evaluation and Benchmarking Tool

The purpose of this study is to introduce importance performance analysis as a trade show performance evaluation and benchmarking tool. Importance performance analysis considers exhibitors’ performance expectation and perceived performance in unison to evaluate and benchmark trade show performance. The present study uses data obtained from exhibitors of an international trade show to demonstrate how importance performance analysis can be used to evaluate and benchmark trade show performance. The study discusses the normative and the theoretical implications of the proposed method.

Effect of Distance and Communication Climate on Export Performance: The Mediating Role of Relationship Quality

ABSTRACT The authors explore how distance and the communication climate perceived by exporters influence export performance both directly and as mediated by relationship quality. The ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh yielded 185 responses. A mediation model was tested using structural equation modeling, applying partial least squares techniques. The results show that distance is negatively related to communication climate and relationship quality; relationship quality mediates the distance–export performance relationship, whereas communication climate is positively associated with relationship quality and export performance, and a full mediating role of relationship quality is found in the communication climate–export performance relationship. A strong positive relationship between relationship quality and export performance is also identified. The managerial implication of the study includes that with better relationship strength, it is possible to neutralize the negative impact of distance on export performance. The implications and limitations are also discussed.

Towards an exchange view of trade fairs

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to integrate divergent discussions located within the marketing, economic geography and economic sociology literature about trade fairs and their functions, around an exchange-based view of trade fairs. Design/methodology/approach – Following an integrative review approach and drawing on thematic discussions found in social exchange theory, a large corpus of research articles on trade fairs was systematically reviewed and integrated. Findings – Trade fairs facilitate five major exchange functions: transactional, informational, social, symbolic and cultural. Each of these functions is characterized by a distinctive combination of exchange structures, exchange rules, exchange resources and organizational outcomes. Practical implications – The study offers practical guidelines regarding how exhibitors, visitors and organizers can develop and benefit from an exchange-based view of trade fairs. Originality/value – The current study integrates three divergent literature st...

The link between export relationship quality, performance and expectation of continuing the relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this study is threefold: to investigate how relationship quality affects export performance; to see if and to what extent export performance affects exporter satisfaction; and to determine whether exporter satisfaction ultimately affects the expectation of continuing the export-import relationship in an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports the findings of a survey of 185 respondents from the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh chosen from a convenience sample. The responding exporters were located in Dhaka city or nearby areas. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares technique. Findings – The results support four out of five hypotheses, indicating that there is a significant relationship between exporter relationship quality and financial and strategic export performance. Additionally, a positive relationship between financial export performance and exporter satisfaction and between exporter satisfaction and the expectation of cont...

Export Marketing Arrangements in Four New Zealand Agriculture Industries: An Institutional Perspective

The article examines the effectiveness of export marketing arrangements in 4 of New Zealands agricultural industries within an institutional perspective. The coordination tasks and economic return from the export were investigated in each industry. Safeguarding problems within a deregulated marketing arrangement might explain reluctance to engage in joint marketing efforts. The gain from setting up new arrangements that foster profitability must be perceived as larger than the setup costs and perceived future costs of mounting down existing arrangements. A framework for design of export marketing arrangements in agriculture industries is proposed. Suggestions for future research are outlined.

The Mediating Effect of Relationship Quality on the Transaction Cost–Export Performance Link: Bangladeshi Exporters' Perspectives

This study explores how relationship quality might mediate the link between transaction cost variables and export performance. In the proposed conceptual model, relationship-specific assets and uncertainty affect export performance both directly and through relationship quality; survey data from 185 exporting organizations in Bangladesh provide the test of this model. This article thus proposes that transaction cost economics and relational exchange theories are complementary rather than competing theories. These conclusions arise because this study accounts for not only the direct effect of asset specificity and uncertainty on export performance but also their indirect effects through relationship quality, which have not been empirically tested or clarified previously.

Buying Norwegian Salmon: A Cross-Cultural Study of Store Choice Behavior

This article examines antecedents of store choice behavior in a cross-cultural context (i.e., 1.296 consumers in Sweden, Italy, and China). Chinese culture has a significant downward impact on choosing super-/hypermarkets and an upward impact on choosing fish shops when buying salmon. Italian consumers have a positive impact on the fish shop option, but a negative impact on the street market option. If consumers prefer salmon and think it is luxurious and sophisticated and not a “value for money”-item, the probability of choosing super-/hypermarkets increase. Opposite scores, increase the probability of choosing fish shops. Research and managerial implications are drawn.