Maria Holmlund

What are relationships in business networks

An understanding of business networks and the specific processes affecting change in networks is intimately connected to the understanding of the nature of relationships. Relationships constitute the core aspect which connects actors, resources and activities in a business network. Presents an overview of basic features of relationships. Groups relational concepts from the business marketing literature into structural, economic and social dimensions. Outlines a marketing model of three network layers in business networks based on different types of actors. The proposed network layers in the model constitute the production network layer, the resource network layer and the social network layer. Finally, assigns relational concepts to their related network layers in a relationship matrix.

Relationship Marketing: the Importance of Customer-Perceived Service Quality in Retail Banking

During the last couple of years relationship marketing has been introduced within services marketing since more efficient, profitable and long-term marketing can be achieved by focusing on present customers instead of concentrating on attracting new ones. Retail banks have in this respect had a unique position as they have a well-developed system of local offices that enable them to be close to and to establish relationships to their customers. A prerequisite for a bank that wants to establish long-term customer relationships is satisfied customers who want to remain customers. In other words, the service quality as perceived by the customers must at least meet their expectations. Otherwise there is a possibility that a dissatisfied customer starts searching for another bank offering similar services, resulting in a break in the relationship with the bank, with which he was dissatisfied.

Analyzing Business Relationships and Distinguishing Different Interaction Levels

Abstract Over the years, there have been a large number of attempts to understand relationships in industrial markets. However, even if relationships are built up on the basis of series of interactions, these studies have not offered systematic categorization of different types of relationship interactions. The present article proposes a refined conceptualization for identifying different types of relationship interaction units, labeled interaction levels, ranging from a single exchange to a relationship portfolio. Compared to the current use of two interaction levels in relationship studies, the proposed conceptualization allows a more elaborate analysis of single relationships and better comparisons of different relationships.

Buyer Dominated Relationships in a Supply Chain-A Case Study of Four Small-Sized Suppliers

Maria Holmund Is a researcher at the swedish school of economics and buisness administration, Helsigfors, Finland, and Soren Kock is an associate professor at the swedish school of Economics and Business administration, Vasa, Finland, Partnership, Co-operation, and stretegic alliance are among treds that have emerged during the 1990s as outcomes of changes in the economic environment. Supply chain managment, thedynamics and interaction in the relationship between buyers and supplier have received increased attention. The relationship between buyer and suppliers, however, have often been categorised as balanced as the studied compaqnies have been more or less equal in size. In this study we have chosen to analyse supply relationship between a dominating buyer and four small supplier. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the buyer-supplier relationship in order to evaluate their stregth. The focus ha mainly been on the technical planning, knowledge, social and legal economica bonds that have emered over time.in the studies relationship these bonds, when present, have been found in a range from rather weak to strong. Moreover we belive resources needed by the buyer are pre-requisite for maintaining long-term relationslhip. the studied relationship can be regarged as stable and long-lasting as the yongest originated in 1983 and the oldest in 1971. the relationship were established more or less in the same years that small suppliers were founded.

Buyer Perceived Service Quality in Industrial Networks

Abstract The purpose of this article is to deepen our understanding of the concept of buyer perceived service quality when establishing relationships in the industrial market. The focus is on a supplier building positions in separate business networks. The service offered is a patented laser application method, which prolongs the lifetime and durability of metal components. For the supplier it is difficult to assess the right level of service quality and to know what buyers appreciate. By caring out in-depth interviews with the supplier and five buyers, we have found and described three dimensions of buyer perceived service quality: the technical, the functional, and the economic service quality dimension.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises' Internationalization and the Influence of Importing on Exporting

Relative to the volume of research into internationalization, inward operations have received much less attention than outward operations. This study addresses this imbalance by focusing on the degree to which firms import, how imports started relative to exports, and what import-related factors affect exporting. Findings from a survey of Finnish SMEs suggest that responding firms rate management interest, limited domestic market, and inquiries from buyers as the most significant incentives to start exporting. Import-experienced exporters assign higher ratings on nearly all export incentives, while pure-exporters consider themselves more dependent on governmental support. Importing per se has a comparatively modest, yet statistically significant, influence on exporting.

Perception configurations in business relationships

There is a growing interest in relationships in the marketing literature, which has resulted in increasing attention to relational aspects of business. How the actors perceive the relationship thus emerges as a key issue. Traditionally, customer perceptions, for example, perceived service quality, satisfaction and value have played an important role in service management. However, in a business setting it is more appropriate to study both the seller’s and the buyer’s perceptions. This paper proposes a configuration map to depict both parties’ perceptions. This map can be used to capture both the composition and the dynamics of perception configurations, and it is generically applicable to dyadic perception studies.

Seller-initiated relationship ending An empirical study of professional business-to-business services

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine why and how sellers end relationships with customers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews significant studies in the literature and then presents an empirical qualitative study of seller‐initiated relationship ending in two Finnish companies that offer professional business‐to‐business services.Findings – Lack of profitability from a customer relationship is the most common reason for sellers choosing to end a customer relationship. The ending of such relationships is characterised by: lack of a specific strategy for dealing with relationship ending within an overall corporate strategy of relationship management; significant influence of the personal characteristics and experience of the individual persons involved; dominance of intuition over objective data; limited storage and use of knowledge regarding relationship‐ending experiences; and limited willingness to regain lost customers.Research limitations/implications – Further research into se...

The Mental Footprint of Marketing in the Boardroom

Purpose – Marketing researchers continue to debate the significance of the managerial relevance of marketing, especially in the boardrooms. Despite a growing number of published papers on the topic, it is surprising that there are virtually none on mental models. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents mental models as a perspective to discuss marketings position in companies, and reflects on the marketing mental models of boardroom members and top management. Findings – The paper addresses marketings relevant issues and offers new insights into the role of marketing in companies by highlighting mental models, which drive the boardrooms’ and managers’ attentions, decisions, actions, and evaluations. The paper demonstrates the importance of mental models by introducing and discussing the notion of the mental footprint of marketing, or the impact marketing has on mental models. Research limitations/implications – The rapidly changing business ...

Disintermediation in Business-to-Business Service Channels: Mechanisms and Challenges

Purpose: The aim of this article is to delineate a number of different disintermediation mechanisms within the context of business-to-business (B2B) service channels and to identify the specific challenges associated with adopting these mechanisms. Methodology: The research was conducted in accordance with abductive reasoning, moving continuously between the empirical world of 4 industrial (B2B) firms and the model world. Findings: This article delineates a choice of 6 disintermediation mechanisms and their attendant challenges within the context of industrial service channels. Contribution: The article provides an original conceptualization of disintermediation, which is detached from the traditional understanding of the concept. As such, it constitutes a useful starting point for the development of a formal theory of disintermediation. Implications for Practice: This article should be useful for practitioners, because it presents various disintermediation options available to industrial firms faced by undesired intermediaries in their industrial service channels.