Vasco Eiriz

Research in relationship marketing: antecedents, traditions and integration

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the theoretical foundations of relationship marketing from the perspective of several management‐related disciplines, and to attempt a fresh perspective that seeks to integrate these contributions.Design/methodology/approach – Despite the recent popularity of research into relationship marketing, there is still some confusion surrounding the concept of and how it differs both from “non” relationship marketing and from other ways of managing marketing relationships. This confusion reflects, to some extent, the diverse origins of the concept and the scarcity of research into such fundamental questions as what is a relationship, and what forms of relationship are more or less suited under different circumstances to management through relationship marketing. Taking a broad approach to the subject, the paper explores and integrates these theoretical foundations.Findings – This article finds that an integrated account can be offered for the emergence of relationship marketin...

Quality evaluation in health care services based on customer-provider relationships.

PURPOSE To develop a framework for evaluating the quality of Portuguese health care organisations based on the relationship between customers and providers, to define key variables related to the quality of health care services based on a review of the available literature, and to establish a conceptual framework in order to test the framework and variables empirically. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Systematic review of the literature. FINDINGS Health care services quality should not be evaluated exclusively by customers. Given the complexity, ambiguity and heterogeneity of health care services, the authors develop a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers (patients, their relatives and citizens) and providers (managers, doctors, other technical staff and non-technical staff), and considering four quality items (customer service orientation, financial performance, logistical functionality and level of staff competence). ORIGINALITY/VALUE This article identifies important changes in the Portuguese health care industry, such as the ownership of health care providers. At the same time, customers are changing their attitudes towards health care, becoming much more concerned and demanding of health services. These changes are forcing Portuguese private and public health care organisations to develop more marketing-oriented services. This article recognises the importance of quality evaluation of health care services as a means of increasing customer satisfaction and organisational efficiency, and develops a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers and providers.

Firm growth and innovation: Towards a typology of innovation strategy

Abstract This article discusses innovation across the fir m’s life cycle. By discussing how firms’ innovation decisions change over time and across the different stages of firm growth, we add to the literature on innovation and strategy by proposing a typology of innovation strategy. In this original contribution, innovation strategies are categorized in terms of the type of innovation (product and process) and its degree of novelty (incremental and radical). Crossing these decisions we identify four innovation strategies: product development; learning by experience; discovery; and restructuring. In our integrative view of technological innovation and firm growth, we propose that each of the four innovation strategies develop over the firm’s growth stages (start-up, expansion, maturity, diversification, and exit), therefore making a conceptual contribution to our knowledge on innovation strategy. We concluded by suggesting further research on this topic.

Inter-organizational learning within an institutional knowledge network: A case study in the textile and clothing industry

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the interaction process between organizations of a knowledge network as a means to promote learning. In particular, the authors aim to answer the following research questions: how do dyadic and network relationships contribute to inter-organizational creation and transfer of knowledge? More specifically, which joint activities between organizations facilitate inter-organizational learning within a knowledge network? That is, the authors are interested in the relationship processes for inter-organisational learning, aiming to identify and understand the joint activities through which organizations within an institutional network generate and transfer knowledge. Design/methodology/approach Aiming at studying how six institutional actors generate and transfer knowledge, the existing dyadic relationships between a focal actor (a technological center of the textile and clothing industry – CITEVE) and each one of the other five institutional actors were studied. In the study of this knowledge network the authors analyzed several documental sources and carried out 19 interviews. Findings This study shows how dyadic and network relationships contribute to inter-organisational creation and transfer of knowledge. It assesses several joint activities through which organizations in the studied network learn with each other and compares the five dyadic relationships in terms of their distinctive features. Through the cooperative effort based on joint activities between actors, the studied network generates complementary and multidisciplinary knowledge aiming to promote network learning of the studied organizations. Management implications and suggestions for further research on network learning are discussed. Originality/value This paper adds to the literature on network learning and management by empirically illustrating how a network of organizations in a given industry contributes to knowledge generation. It is an original contribution because, first, it allows a better understanding of how organizations of a knowledge network interact and contribute for network learning. In particular, the paper identifies a large number of joint activities for inter-organizational learning in the context of a traditional industry. Second, the research shows empirically how such interaction and learning occur in practice within a network context that comprises only institutional actors.

The Impact of Market-Related Factors on the Entry Mode of Small and Medium Enterprises

Understanding a firms internationalization processes, including entry mode decisions, has attracted increasing attention from the literature in international business. This article researches the impact of market determinants on the entry modes choice of exporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), specifically on the variables associated with the home market, the host market, and the proximity between them. Following a quantitative methodological approach, an Internet survey was applied to AIMinhos associates, a regional industry association in Northern Portugal. Principal components analyses and Mann-Whitney tests were performed to analyze data. The studys results reveal a patent preference of SMEs for export entry modes in detriment of both contractual and investment modes. Moreover, results reveal the lack of influence of market-related variables on the choice between exports or contractual entry modes. This research contributes to the current knowledge on SMEs internationalization by aggregating in one single study all market-related variables identified in the literature.

Building competitive advantage through inter-organizational projects

Purpose – Projects are a part of everyday life in industrial firms, playing a relevant role in terms of accomplishing strategic objectives, implementing strategy, and developing competitive advantage. Projects are developed within industrial networks and have a momentum of their own. This paper aims to describe the role of inter‐organizational project networks that are embedded within the firms network of relationships in the development of competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approach – The role of inter‐organizational projects in developing competitive advantage was analysed in four inter‐organizational projects involving firms from the Portuguese textile and clothing industry.Findings – Based on the industrial network approach, projects are framed within the conceptual model of activities, actors and resources. Considering the four studied cases, the analysis is focused on the impact of project networks on activities, resources and actors involved, as well as on the competitiveness of the firms in...

Competing through cooperation in international supply networks: a case study from the clothing industry

This article focuses on the competitive and cooperative issues that arise from the management of interdependence within international supply networks. When small and medium manufacturers are dependent on a major retailer, their capability in allocating resources to build a competitive position is limited. Firms in this dependent position need to develop and implement strategies that enable them to deal with such dependence. The article presents a case study developed within the Portuguese clothing industry and explores evidence on how several small and medium manufacturers develop their relationships with Zara, a major international retailer. The case was studied based on document analysis and data gathered through semi-structured interviews with several clothing manufacturers. The case identifies factors that influence the development of collaboration in international relationships between manufacturers and retailers, and discusses how manufacturers integrated in the supply network manage their interdependence and develop their competitive capacity through a cooperative approach.

The digital distribution of music and its impact on the business models of independent musicians

ABSTRACT This article analyses the impact of digital distribution of music on business models developed by independent musicians. More specifically, it aims to analyse the main changes in the network of relationships between musicians and record companies, and between musicians and consumers; and to analyse how independent musicians’ business models have been evolving as a response to increasing change in the distribution of music. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with independent musicians, music journalists, and small independent record labels. The article discusses empirically the main results regarding changes in the network of relationships under study and analyses the evolution of business models, concluding that independent musicians follow a diversification strategy, aiming to capture the business opportunities provided by technological changes in the distribution of music. The implications of such an option, including its main challenges, are discussed.

Analysis of the impact of technological innovation on healthcare services

Technological innovation is generally recognised as an important driver of performance in major service sectors. This article argues that evidence of such a relationship is much more diffuse in healthcare services. Moreover, the concept of technological innovation in healthcare is very broad when new medical equipment, new pharmaceutical products, new forms of contact with patients and new work processes are considered. Therefore, this study contributes to the identification of technological innovation in healthcare. It also explores how to evaluate the impact of technological innovation in different sectors of the healthcare industry. The resulting identification of sources of technological innovation and their relationship with different types of healthcare services may lead to a better understanding of the relationship between technological innovation and performance.