Stephen M Rutner

Application of the means‐end value hierarchy model to understanding logistics service value

In the behavioural science areas of psychology and consumer behaviour, the means‐end value hierarchy model has often been applied to understand individuals’ values structures ‐ in particular, the value of a company’s product/ service offering to its customers. Applying the means‐end value hierarchy model in a logistics context, logistics customer value can be thought of as a higher‐order evaluative standard for customers’ satisfaction and service quality evaluation processes. As such, it is important for a firm to know what its customers value when seeking to build a competitive advantage. Attempts to advance our understanding of logistics customer value through the application of the means‐end value hierarchy model to logistics. More specifically, investigates the customer value of logistics service in a business‐to‐business setting using the means‐end value hierarchy model. Uses focus group interview data for developing the customer value hierarchy.

Organizational Buying Behavior: the Effects of Information Technology

New technology is reshaping the relationship between the customer and the organization (Manrodt and Davis 1992). Many transactions that once required personal interaction can now be done electronically, with little human involvement. Buying organizations now expect to be freed from routine interactions with the supplier. Additionally, managers in the modern organization have virtually unlimited access to information technology (IT) for their decision support needs. The purpose of this abstract is to present an Information Technology Organizational Buying Model (ITOBM). The model was deduced from the extant literature on organizational buying behavior for the purpose of guiding future research on the effect of IT on the organizational buying process.