Poul Houman Andersen

Relationship development and marketing communication: an integrative model

Develops a model which integrates the development of marketing relationships with marketing communication practice. Especially within the realm of relationship marketing thinking, communication may be understood as an act of persuasion. Using three classical rhetorical elements, we may see this process as developing an understanding of the communicator’s intentions and qualities (ethos) and the communication climate (pathos), both of which are necessary for engaging in constructive dialogues with customers (logos). On this basis, the paper outlines a model for integrating practices of marketing communication with relationship building and illustrates the model using a case study from a Danish bank as a reflective device.

Position and role-conceptualizing dynamics in business networks

The authors propose a deeper and intensified study of dynamics in business networks. They argue that although changeability is often claimed to be an important feature of networks, this characteristic has been somewhat disregarded in research. The authors, addressing in particular the industrial network research, suggest a more elaborate framework for a better understanding of business dynamics as a social process, containing both a stability and a change dimension. Inspired by role theory they introduce the position concept as the stability dimension, and the role concept as the change dimension. In this way, the dynamic nature of the network structure can be elucidated more explicitly. The authors argue that the dynamics in business networks can be further explored by using their suggested position-and-role framework, which is illustrated in two cases, one from the food-distribution industry and one from advertising.

Organizing international technological collaboration in subcontractor relationships: an investigation of the knowledge-stickiness problem

Technological knowledge is often claimed to be context-bound and sticking to local surroundings. This paper investigates how technological knowledge can be exchanged in international subcontractor relationships, using relationship-oriented organizational practices. Five hypotheses concerning such practices are tested. It is shown that the use of relationshiporiented practices varies with exports and the active development of subcontractors in product and process development activities. Moreover, international development-oriented subcontractors are more likely to use interpersonal exchange, electronic data interchange and formalized contracts than other types of subcontractors. Research implications as well as managerial implications are derived.

Regional Clusters in a Global World: Production, Relocation, Innovation and Industrial Decline

In the wake of globalization, still moreregional clusters are globally outsourcing (purchasing components that wereoriginally manufactured internally) or offshoring (globally relocatingmanufacturing while maintaining ownership control). Policy makers and businessstrategists alike are searching for theoretical frameworks to understand theunderlying dynamics of this global reshuffling of production activities and howthis will affect innovation and competitiveness. This article examines production relocation from a regional perspective. Itshows that the impact of globalization on regional clusters depends on themodularity and digitalization of the regional production activities, whichaffect stickiness and coordination costs. (Publication Abstract)

Inter-partner learning in global supply chains: lessons from NOVO Nordisk

Abstract The interdependent forces of global competition and technological development have fundamentally changed the way in which firms define the boundaries of their own activities and those that are left to subcontractors. Joint skill development and inter-partner learning have become important in the global sourcing policies of firms. The purpose of the present paper is to develop a conceptual model for understanding inter-partner learning processes in international subcontractor relationships. We see this as a process of developing shared skills. Furthermore, we demonstrate how inter-partner diversity impedes this process. Because of a lack of previous research in this area, a reconstructive approach is taken, which involves extending the conceptual framework through a case study.

Supply chain management: New organisational practices for changing procurement realities

Abstract How does the implementation of SCM strategies affect the organisation of procurement? Based on case study material of 15 Danish companies, this article develops a set of statements concerning the organisational role and job assignments of procurement in the light of SCM practice. For this purpose, we use an analytical technique known as the degree-of-freedom analysis. It is suggested that new organisational practices, such as key supply management, team-based management and changing skill requirements of purchasing personnel, may be an outcome of implementing SCM practices towards suppliers. Implications for theory and practice.

Inter firm diversity and the management of meaning in international strategic alliances

Cross-national alliances have become an increasingly salient part of the contemporary global environment. These alliances bring together firms embedded in diverse institutional environments. Diversity in institutional environments makes meaning creation difficult as well as necessary. Our paper suggests that the alliance partners need to manage three kinds of meaning, namely pragmatic, moral, and cognitive. It is the effective management of meaning, which determines whether an alliance is able to achieve legitimacy. Implications for alliance management are discussed.

Export intermediation and the internet: an activity‐unbundling approach

Purpose – To construct a theoretical framework for understanding the impact of the digitalisation of transactions on the organisation of export intermediation.Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual/research paper with a number of illustrative examples – primarily from SMEs.Findings – In the paper, a range of internet‐enabled forms of export intermediation are derived, offsetting the conventional trade‐off between resource commitment and marketing control.Practical implications – The paper holds a number of relevant insights for export managers seeking to integrate the possibilities of the digital revolution in the organisation of their export marketing activities. These include reshuffling of export marketing tasks among the actors in the marketing channel and new forms of activity specialisation among actors.Originality/value – Using the theoretical framework of Alderson in combination with transaction cost theorizing. The paper provides a novel theoretical approach for understanding the evol...

Dynamic innovation strategies and stable networks in the construction industry: Implanting solar energy projects in the Sydney Olympic Village

In most parts of the world, strikingly small amounts of turnover in the building and construction industry (BCI) are used for R&D as compared to other industries. Despite the apparent difficulties with introducing new technologies in the construction sector, there are success stories as well. One of these concerns the introduction of solar energy systems in the Sydney Olympic Village, which represents a remarkable case of network knowledge renewal, involving competence development among a range of actors in the industry. We follow this case and identify a set of key success factors. Selection of technologies with proven track records, careful network configuration and management and a strong emphasis on knowledge dissemination are important factors for mobilising resources and convincing actors to adopt new recipes for construction.

The Embeddedness of Selfish Routines: How Routines are Replicated in Business Networks

The notion of routines as a powerful metaphor for explaining organizational capabilities and the evolution of organizations has been widely accepted as a central issue in evolutionary economics. The configuration and management of routines across organizational, and ownership, boundaries involves a range of specific managerial and strategic issues which are not addressed in the current literature on routines. However, as new less-hierarchical and more fluent organizational forms evolve, where boundaries between the organization and the environment are increasingly arbitrary, the role of routines beyond the organizational perimeter becomes increasingly relevant. It is argued here that social networks sustain interpersonal routines, which not only transgress organizational boundaries but on occasion also incubate new organizations in order to ensure their continued existence. This paper presents an overview of the routine concept and an argument for applying it in a network embeddedness context. Two case studies are presented, covering examples from the Danish dairy and the Danish machinery industry.