Thomas A. Fotiadis

Antecedents and Consequences of an Eco-Friendly Export Marketing Strategy: The Moderating Role of Foreign Public Concern and Competitive Intensity

Despite growing concerns about environmental issues worldwide, research on the subject in the context of international marketing is virtually absent. The current study sheds light on the green aspects of exporting, using data collected from 216 exporting manufacturers. Drawing on the resource-based view and industrial organization theories, the authors show that certain organizational resources (i.e., financial, physical, and experiential) and capabilities (i.e., shared vision, cross-functional coordination, and technology sensing/response) are conducive to the deployment of an eco-friendly export marketing strategy (comprising product, price, distribution, and promotional elements). Such a strategy is more evident for exporters of industrial (vs. consumer) goods as well as for firms that sell to developed (vs. developing) countries. The results also suggest that the adoption of a green export marketing strategy has a positive effect on the firms export performance. In addition, the authors find that the strength of the link between eco-friendly export marketing strategy and export performance is positively moderated by foreign market environmental public concern and competitive intensity.

Antecedents and consequences of infidelity in cross-border business relationships

The volatile, complex, and distant nature of the international business environment inevitably gives rise to incidences of infidelity among interacting exporters and importers. The authors propose and test a theoretically anchored model of the antecedents and consequences of infidelity in exporter–importer working relationships. The findings confirm that importers’ infidelity incidences occur more often in cases in which trust, satisfaction, commitment, and cooperation are low in the relationship. Indeed, the association between poor relationship quality and infidelity becomes stronger when the relationship is at a declining stage and is relatively young. The existence of infidelity in the relationship will lead to either punitive actions or reassessment measures on the part of the exporter, which are moderated by the degree of long-term orientation and social bonding that exists between the interacting parties.

Exploring Marketing Information Systems (MkIS) selection and evaluation criteria: implications for suppliers

This paper reports the findings of a research that incorporated two phases ? before and after ? the acquisition of the Marketing Information System (MkIS) product. An extensive account of the criteria in the selection and evaluation process used by a sample of Greek manufacturing companies is given to illustrate perceived benefits and critical points for suppliers. In the first phase, three main categories of criteria, namely, suppliers name and reputation, financial terms of acquisition and customer support service, were identified as elements that influence choice decisions. For triangulation purposes, a questionnaire was designed based on the qualitative results and distributed to companies in the first phase. Factor analysis validated the results provided by the qualitative exploration. In the second phase, data collected through the same questionnaire survey were employed to evaluate the findings. Results suggest that the importance placed by companies on the customer support service factor increases, while the emphasis on the cost factor diminishes.

Betrayal Intention in International Business Relationships: Temporal and Contractual Moderating Effects (An Abstract)

Betrayal is a very common, but relatively under-researched, dark side phenomenon in interfirm relationships that warrants investigation. We propose a conceptual model of the factors reducing betrayal intention in exporter-importer (E-I) working relationships and its resulting effect on actual betrayal. Using a random sample of 262 indigenous exporters of manufactured goods based in Greece, we confirm that betrayal intention in their relationships with foreign buyers is significantly and positively affected by four key parameters, namely, the existence of low trust, limited communication, absence of long-term orientation, and loose social bonds. An importer’s betrayal intention is subsequently very likely to develop into actual betrayal in the relationship. However, this likelihood is lower in the case of older relationships, as well as those characterized by contractual obligation between the interacting parties.

Communication does matter: a literature review approach on integration in the NPD process

Integration has been the subject of extensive research, due to its central role as a critical factor for success in the launching of new/innovative technological products. The intense research activity – particularly with respect to its application in the marketing and R&D departments of high-tech companies – is inferred principally as the result of the turbulent and volatile environment and as a chain-reaction of the very demanding conditions that characterise the sector. This article assumes a literature review approach which, in a compact yet fairly integrated manner, delimits the concept of integration and describes the framework of the sectors idiosyncrasies in order to provide the necessary conceptual building stones that comprise the models – frameworks developed and adopted so far and their respective implications, regarding the integration of the two key functional departments – marketing and R&D.

Investigating links between low-level inventory practices and business performance

This paper investigates the effects of low-level inventory practices on financial performance in the Greek manufacturing industry by examining past literature reviews and empirical evidences of a primary research. To enhance research reliability, consistency, and validity of the quantitative research a systematic (step-by-step) research design is created to ensure quality in the data collection techniques, data analyses and interpretation, and the links between the literature reviews and the results investigated. The results of this study suggest that there is not a strong link among low-level inventories management practices and financial-based performance indicators even if the manufacturing companies have remarkably applied these practices during the last years. Therefore, it is proved that the examined investigation must be viewed from more business dimensions (such as sales and marketing).