Louise Young

On cooperating: firms, relations and networks☆

Abstract Firms operate in the context of business relations and networks that affect the nature and outcomes of their actions and which are potential sources of competitive advantage. Relations and networks represent a challenge for management because firms are unable to control or direct these relations or networks or predict the outcomes of their actions. Firms are continually adapting their actions and associated “network theories” in the light of their experience, and network structure and behavior emerge through the local interaction of network members in a bottom-up self-organizing way. We draw on recent advances in the study of complex self-organizing systems to consider the implications for the management of firms in networks. The role and importance of cooperative strategies in contributing to the self-organizing process are discussed as well as more general participation and adaptation processes. We conclude with a discussion of the research implications arising.

A concept of commitment: alternative views of relational continuity in business service relationships

Explores the role of commitment in maintaining relationship bonds even when the level of satisfaction with specific transactions is low. A strong relationship can exist between these professional service providers and their clients even when participants do not feel positive about their interactions. A study of the factors which influence accountant choice and switching behavior shows a great reluctance by clients to alter the existing client/accountant relationship. Accountants′ clients are often unwilling to explore alternative service options even if dissatisfied. A number of different bases of commitment emerge from analysis of both the factors which might lead to a change in accountant and attitudes towards the current provider.

Trust: looking forward and back

Purpose – This paper considers ways forward in the study of trust in business relationships and networks.Design/methodology/approach – The 25 papers focusing on trust previously published in the Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing are categorized as to their focus and compared to the body of work on trust concluding there is little considering the nature of trust. A model that integrates conceptualizations of the past and present and extends these to incorporate nature of trust as affective – including calculation and emotion – is presented.Findings – This broadened conceptualization of trust contains focused, interacting components enabling both holistic and well as focused study of relationships and the role of trust within them.Research limitations/implications – An important direction for business relationship and network research is consideration of the best way to conceptualize and measure trust. The way that trust components combine and vary in different settings, including in different cult...

The Commitment Mix: Dimensions of Commitment in International Trading Relationships in India

The authors identify five types of relationship commitment in international marketing relationships: value-based, affective, locked-in, obligation, and behavioral commitment. They develop and test scales to measure these dimensions on the basis of a study of India-based firms’ international business relationships. The dimensions are interrelated but distinct and vary according to relationship development, performance, and cultural context. The authors find similar patterns of commitment for better-performing relationships with partners in different regions of the world, but there are differences by region for poorer-performing relationships. The results have implications for developing and sustaining successful international marketing relationships and for further research.

Learning to improvise, improvising to learn: a process of responding to complex environments

Abstract This paper extends recent work on improvisation by focusing on the role of information flows and the action–learning interaction as an organization responds to a changeable environment and/or to a crisis. Novelty, speed and coherence are presented as dimensions of improvisation and we show how environmental factors influence the effectiveness of these. A typology of improvisation is offered that suggests that improvisational skills can themselves be learned with more effective improvisation resulting.

Network development in international project marketing and the impact of external facilitation

This article reports on an experiment in external facilitation of international project marketing activity. The case involved a large, World Bank funded project in China aimed at upgrading grain storage and handling facilities. An organization was established in Australia to bring together and support efforts by Australian firms to win a share of this project. Network-building, at a number of levels both in China and Australia, emerged from the qualitative study as a critical factor in effective project marketing. External facilitation played a positive role in the network-building process.

Network analysis of a new export grouping scheme: The role of economic and non-economic relations

Abstract Export grouping schemes can be viewed as an attempt to manage network development. This article examines a new Australian export grouping scheme in terms of its role and impact on the industrial network of which it is a part. The role played by non-economic exchange relations as well as economic, buyer-seller, exchange relations are emphasised, including competitive and potential interfirm relations and the way informal interpersonal relations. Spawned initially by formal grouping processes, were found to play an important part in group functioning and in outcomes from group activities.

Social Networks of Researchers in B2B Marketing: A Case Study of the IMP Group 1984–1999

ABSTRACT Science is a social process that functions through social networks of researchers that form invisible colleges and social network analysis provides a means for examining the structure of relations among researchers. The IMP Group is used as a case study of a network of researchers because it has been responsible for a considerable amount of research over the last decades in the area of business-to-business marketing, yet its structure remains hidden because of its informal network characteristics. The results of a Social Network Analysis of the IMP Group is described based on the pattern of co-authorship at annual IMP conferences. The results reveal a power law distribution of paper co-authorship and a small world network that conforms to the results of studies of other types of social networks. A core network of 57 researchers is identified and its network properties are described, including how it has evolved over time. The study provides the basis for further studies of the social networks of marketing and business researchers.

Competing interests : the challenge to collaboration in the public sector

Purpose – Managers working within organizations that are part of public–private collaborations comment on their “diabolical” nature and seek guidance as to their administration. Set in an organization involved in a public–private “service delivery contract”, the purpose of this paper is to report research into the collaboration and challenges experienced within the organization. It also seeks to consider to the significance of narrative and story‐telling in understanding these complexities.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using depth interviews and observation. The emerging discourse was analyzed using a machine‐based, lexigraphic tool to provide a framework for interpretive story analysis. The significance and value of each approach are illustrated as are the effective synergies between them.Findings – The paper identifies a number of different competing interests, including the needs of the clients vs the governmentally imposed goals and performance metrics of the organization. The limi...

The nature, role and impact of connected relations: a comparison of European and Chinese suppliers' perspectives

Purpose – The objective is to review theories of the impact of network relations and present empirical evidence on their nature and impacts. Among the questions addressed are: Who initiates network relations? Which ones are important and why? and What is the nature of the affects in important relationships?Design/methodology/approach – Analysis is based on the IMP2 omnibus survey of international B2B business relations, specifically Swedish, German and Chinese firms.Findings – While there are some differences between countries, contrary to conventional wisdom, no evidence can be found that Chinese firms differ from European firms on the above questions.Research limitations/implications – China is rapidly evolving a market‐based economy and its firms increasingly interact with foreign customers and suppliers. It is to be expected in particular that Chinese responses to the questions regarding network relations will evolve. An implication is that studies of this sort should be periodically repeated over the...